October 2015

Town &Gown October 2015

Vicksburg’s Haunted Tours Taste and Toast: Fall Soups

Made in MS: Reas Artwork Town and Gown’s Best of

Mississippi Sweets

In this Issue Home, Garden and Lifestyle from around Mississippi 10 Calendar of Events

12 Who we’re loving

14 Wishlist

34 Pumpkin Patch Farms

38 Merle Norman celebrates over 70 years

42 Mississippi Sweets opens in West Point

45 State Fountain Bakery opens in time for football season

48 Tackle Tailgating Traditions for a feel-good football season

51 Taste and Toast: Hearty Fall Soups

19 Vicksburg’s haunted tour sure to delight and frighten

23 Town and Gown’s Best of

31

58 Fairy tale inspired fashion

Made in Mississippi: Reas Artwork

71 Events

4 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE .COM HOME . GARDEN . LIFE . STYLE . FOOD . HEALTH . FITNESS

Turn to page 58 for some beautiful fairytale-inspired fashions. P hotography by Divian Conner, make up by Merle Norman Luna Bella, hair by Mia Salon and styling by Elizabeth Burleson

on the cover.On. the Tis’ the season for delicious and cozy soups.

CoverTurn to page 51 for Lisa Bynum’s tops recipes for this fall.

@townandgownmag

@townandgown

Check out the new Mckee Park play equipment. The equipment was donated by the Junior Auxiliary of Starkville.

@townandgownmag1

@townandgownmag October 2015 | 5

A Product of Horizon of Mississippi P.O. Box 1068 | Starkville, MS 39760 www.townandgownmagazine.com

{ staff } Don Norman | publisher - sdnpub@starkvilledailynews.com Camille Watts| editor - editor@townandgownmagazine.com

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{wr i t e r s }

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Your Peeps for keeping little BULLDOGS healthy!

laura daniels margaret mcmullen keats voges-haupt sarah tyner

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divian connor - photgrapher mia salon - hair merle norman luna bella - makeup

{ stylist }

elizabeth burleson

{p a ge d e s i gn } camille watts

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StarkvillePediatricClinic.com 6 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

Reproductions in whole or in part,without written permission,is strictly prohibited. No responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited manuscripts, articles or photographs. We reserve the right to edit submissions before publication. Town & Gown is a free magazine published monthly and distributed in and around Starkville and the Golden Triangle area. Subscriptions are available for mail customers. For subscriptions or inquiries,write Town & Gown Magazine, P.O. Box 1068, Starkville, MS, 39760, or call 662.323.1642.

October 2015 | 7

Letter from the

Editor

Happy fall, y’all. October marks the unofficial beginning of my favorite season. It’s finally cool enough to take a walk downtown and enjoy a football game or two. While you are out on a stroll and enjoying the cool weather be sure to check the restaurants and shops that won Town and Gown’s “Best of” that are featured in this issue on page 23. Y’all voted for them so if there are any that you haven’t tried that made in on the list you should go check them out. Fall also marks my favorite food season: Soup Season. It might not be an officially recognized season, but it is in the Watts household. I can’t ever eat soup in the summer so in honor of the beginning of the season Town and Gown’s resident cook has whipped us up several warm and hearty soups for us to share.

In case you haven’t noticed U-Pick farms are becoming more and more popular in the state of Mississippi and especially in the Golden Triangle area.

While the Pumpkin Patch Farm is located outside of the area you sure don’t want to miss it. Located in Blue Mountain, Mississippi it is will worth the drive. Not only can you pick your own pumpkins, but there are also enough activities around the farm that you and your family can make a day of it. Besides you know you are going to buy a pumpkin to carve this year to why not support the smaller farms?

Carving a pumpkin has been a Watts family tradition since my sister was born, but the most memorable was the one that occurred when I was 11 months old. Well, it’s memorable to everyone, but me. Don’t worry though, we have the home video and my dad tells the story any time the opportunity presents itself regardless of season. I actually heard it once again during the Labor Day weekend while visiting my future in-laws. While I won’t go into the details the story involves a raw pumpkin seed eating, 11 month old Camille, a very well meaning, tattle-tail sister, two parents who didn’t believe said sister and a midnight seed clean up of the nursery. Some how I haven’t lived that one down.

What ever your pumpkin carving habits are make sure you check out Pumpkin Palooza this month. It’s a little bit earlier this year, but it’s the perfect way to get into the Halloween spirit. If you have kids or are a kid at heart you would definitely dress up. I saw the cutest little robot several years ago and I’m not sure if any costume can top that one, but I always like to see them every year. I’ll be at Pumpkin Palooza as soon as I finish carving that pumpkin and I hope you are, too. But remember: if you’re going to eat the seed please remember to cook them!

Camille Watts 8 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

Football Season

213 Smyth Lake Road • Louisville, MS 1.888.845.6151 • ask@ltok.com

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October 2015 | 9

Town & Gown Magazine January Wedding Issue 2016

One-Page Announcement one vertical photo + two horizontal photos + 400-500 words

$150 All material must be postmarked by December 6, 2015

Two-Page Announcement two vertical photos + four horizontal photos + 950-1,000 words

$250 All material must be postmarked by December 6, 2015

Hinton

Hinton

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T

1 VERTICAL high-resolution digital image

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Completed Submission Form (next page)

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Cover (optional) Up to 10 vertical, high-resolution digital images

Feature Article (optional) Up to 50 high-resolution digital images

(unique details of ceremony and reception should be included)

Paragraph on why your wedding is unique

12 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

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o Town and Gown’s Fall Favorites o Last Man Standing 103 N. Lafayette St. Starkville, MS 662.341.1592

Susan’s Hallmark 100 Russell St Starkville, MS 662.324.0810

14 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

Aspen Bay 116 E. Main St Starkville, MS 662.320.8476

Thyme 402 Lampkin St Starkville, MS 662.323.5979

Purple Elephant 401-B Lampkin St. Starkville, MS 662.324.4008

Purple Elephant 401-B Lampkin St. Starkville, MS 662.324.4008

o Town and Gown’s Fall Favorites o Merle Norman Luna Bella 500 Russell St Suite 5 Starkville, MS 662.323.5255

Purple Elephant 401-B Lampkin St. Starkville, MS 662.324.4008

Susan’s Hallmark 100 Russell St Starkville, MS 662.324.0810

Last Man Standing 103 N. Lafayette St. Starkville, MS 662.341.1592

Thyme 402 Lampkin St Starkville, MS 662.323.5979

Aspen Bay 116 E. Main St Starkville, MS 662.320.8476

October 2015 | 15

o Town and Gown’s Fall Favorites o Aspen Bay 116 E. Main St Starkville, MS 662.320.8476

The Mill: Design + Home 74 Brickerton St. Columbus, MS 662.370.1030

16 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

The Mill: Design + Home 74 Brickerton St. Columbus, MS 662.370.1030

Merle Norman Luna Bella 500 Russell St Suite 5 Starkville, MS 662.323.5255

Last Man Standing 103 N. Lafayette St. Starkville, MS 662.341.1592

The Mill: Design + Home 74 Brickerton St. Columbus, MS 662.370.1030

Zeroing in

on cancer. Increasing

Conventional chemotherapy fights cancer but also destroys healthy cells throughout the body. Now, UMMC researchers Dr. Drazen Raucher and Dr. Lee Bidwell have developed a new alternative. Their method uses biopolymers and mild heat to deliver anticancer drugs directly to a tumor without affecting the rest of the body.

This targeted approach results in lower doses, fewer treatments and reduced side effects. The therapy, now in pre-clinical trials, may open the door to treating tumors deemed too risky for conventional chemotherapy and unlock new hope for cancer patients everywhere. Learn more at ummchealth.com/cancer.

UMMC Research.

Tomorrow. Every day.

Š2015 UMMC

HOPE for

MILLIONS.

We now offer etrapcorporeal shock wave therapy for equine patients.

This therapy can be used to control pain, to promote wound healing, and to treat tendonitis, insertional desmopathy, back pain, foot lameness, stress fractures and nonunions, and osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease.

Talk to your regular veterinarian about scheduling an appointment or consultation. Contact the MSU-CVM Animal Health Center 662.325.1351.

Better Options for Behavioral Health Care.

Help for Substance Abuse

Geriatric Care

The only dedicated psychiatric and substance

Get help with depression, anxiety,

abuse facility in the area that combines

life adjustment challenges,

physicians, registered nurses, counselors, and

and also substance use.

addiction specialists to offer every individual the

Treatment is available for

proper resources for recovery.

these issues and more, including those dealing with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

goldentriangle.baptistonline.org

18 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

800-362-7902

Get Better.

Vicksburg’s haunted tours sure to delight and fright

S

o you dismiss ghosts and goblins and all things paranormal as pure nonsense? Well, it’s easy to display a certain bravado during the day. But once the sun goes down, well, that’s a different story. Especially when you start hearing odd sounds, maybe see a few things in your peripheral vision that don’t look quite right.

There’s so much paranormal activity in Vicksburg that retired schoolteacher and lifelong history nut Morgan Gates is a full-time tour guide and storyteller with Haunted Vicksburg, where he says man has always feared the dark, and with good reason. Meaning that your trip from the Golden Triangle will be a ghost tour lover’s dream … or nightmare.

Story by Joe Lee Photography submitted “We have two tours,” said Gates, who has lived in Vicksburg all his life and was even born on Halloween.

“Our Ghost Walk is available Fridays and Saturdays from March through mid November.

The Ghost Walk is a 12-block walking tour of the oldest and most paranormally active neighborhood in ‘Haunted Vicksburg.’ The pace is slow and easy with plenty of stops. The tour lasts about 90 minutes and departs from the small circle park at the corner of Monroe and Grove Street.

“Our excellent Ghostly Driving Tour is available Monday through Thursday.

The Ghostly Drive is a 10mile, 90-minute ride through

the spooky streets of Haunted Vicksburg. It includes four stops where we exit the van for a ‘closer look,’ including a look inside a beautiful Victorian mansion with a very haunted history. The tour departs from the parking lot of The Outlets at Vicksburg, located at 4000 South Frontage Road.”

“The walking tour doesn’t actually go into any homes or buildings,” said WLBT-3 reporter Walt Grayson, whose Look Around Mississippi program has aired on television stations all over Mississippi (including WTVA in Tupelo) for years. “But you start while it is still bright outside on the southwest corner of the Old Courthouse.

October 2015 | 19

20 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

“And as you pass that building you are told tales about the haunts it may have. Past the Martha Vick House and around the block – by this time it is deep twilight. They you file past the Duff Green Mansion and Anchuca, past old churches and a funeral parlor, between houses where a Civil War soldier was buried where he fell – now someone’s back yard.”

In her book Ghosts, author Sylvia Booth Hubbard wrote that human sounds come from inside Cedar Grove, the history antebellum mansion that sits atop a Mississippi River bluff – the sounds of kids playing and a baby crying can be heard, not to mention the smell of pipe tobacco which wafts from an upstairs room. Then there are the stories surrounding the Old Courthouse Museum, which Gates narrates on the walking tour.

“The Museum got its first alarm system a year ago,” he said. “As with most new systems, the bugs had to be worked out – the ghosts in the machine, if you will. After several false alarms, the current curator got a call from police one night, telling him that the alarm was once more sounding. They asked if he wanted units dispatched, and he said no, he would check it out.

“As the curator entered the front door, he heard

voices coming from the courtroom upstairs – a room that had heard legal arguments by Sergeant Prentiss and Jefferson Davis. A quick call to 911 brought reinforcements, and in moments two of Vicksburg’s Finest arrived. They, too, could hear the animated voices from the courtroom, though individual words could not be made out.

“With guns drawn and flashlights held at the ready,” Gates said, “the trio ascended the stairs and burst into the historic room. Full moonlight streamed through the windows, revealing only an empty room. The brick walls and hardwood floors stood as they always had, as silent witness to history.”

Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made at www.hauntedvicksburg.com, or by calling 601-618-6031. Use 1022 Monroe Street as a reference address when finding the beginning of the walking tour. Admission costs and start times can be found on the web site.

“There are still dark places where things go ‘bump in the night,’” Gates said. “Dark places where titanic armies once clashed. Dark places where thousands suffered and died. Dark places like Haunted Vicksburg.”

I BankFirst.

“We appreciate our customers and support our local communities.

Do you BankFirst?”

A Better Way to Bank Moak Griffin President and CEO

www.bankfirstfs.com October 2015 | 21

gifts • gourmet food • jewelry • amy howard paint • gift registry • design services

22 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

Town and Gown’s Best of 2015

Food & Drink Best Restaurant

Best Sandwich

Best Catfish

Central Station Grill

Aunt Marti’s Bakery

Lil’ Dooey

Owned by the Eat With Us group The Grill offers a wide variety of meals including Asian-inspired spring rolls, fish tacos and a Caribbeanstyle rib-eye. Opened for lunch and dinner every day and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays the Grill has everything a diner could want. Now located in Tupelo, Starkville and Columbus.

Best Coffee Shop

929 929 Coffee Bar is located in the heart of downtown Starkville and offers an array of coffee products to entice any and every coffee lover.

From cold brew to lattes adorn with intricate art, 929 will be sure to cure your coffee fix.

Family Owned and operated, Aunt Marti’s is nestled in a corner on Russel Street. Aunt Marti’s offers an array of sandwiches on homemade breads that are sure to make your lunch breaks feel extra homey.

Best Burger Mugshots What used to be a hotel towering over Main Street, now houses the ever popular Mugshot Bar and Grill.

With a menu filled with quirky burger names it can be a challenge to choose the perfect one. However, it would be difficult to make a bad choice at Mugshot’s considering that every burger is grilled to a perfect medium, then nestled between two warm sourdough buns and finished off with delicious toppings.

Hailing from Starkville, The Little Dooey has become a hot spot for slow smoked meats. However, they also happen to offer some of the best fried catfish in town.

With Mississippi being the catfish capital of the world, you are sure to get op notch Mississippi Raised Catfish adorned with homemade sides right here at The Little Dooey.

Best Blue Plate Starkville Cafe The iconic blue plate lunch special is something that is offered at every restaurant from here to there. However, Starkville Cafe stands out among everyone. Maybe it’s their welcoming environment, or their delightful staff.

We personally feel that it’s because everything they cook, is cooked to perfection.

Not to mention it just might be better than what grandma makes for Sunday lunch.

October 2015 | 23

Food & Drink Best Ice Cream

Best Brunch

Bop’s

Restaurant Tyler

Served at approximately 26 degrees Starkville’s favorite ice cream is actually a custard! The warmer temperature allows your taste buds to get a “true taste”, of this delicious treat without numbing your taste buds. Located on Highway 12 in Starkville Bop’s is a “don’t miss” sweet stop for any out of towner.

Best Pizza Stromboli’s It’s no secret that Starkville has quite a few business that serve pizza, but if you have ever driven too fast on University Drive you might have missed Stromboli’s Pizza and if you’ve missed them you’ve missed Starkville’s favorite.

This pizza place has not only great pizza, but a wonderful atmosphere as well. Any trip to Starkville isn’t complete without Stromboli’s mouthwatering pizza.

24 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

Restaurant Tyler is know for their delicious fine dining, craft cocktails and creative atmosphere that could be put on by no other than Chef Tyler Thames. Restaurant Tyler goes above and beyond while keeping things simple and local with their Sunday Brunch.

Shopping Best Nursery

Best Bridal Shop

Starkville Co-op

The Bride and Groom

When one thinks of a place to buy plants for your home one may not think of Starkville’s Co-op, but that’s the best place in town to purchase them. Unlike the bigger box stores the Co-op takes care to nurture and provide for their plants no matter what’s in season.

The Bride and Groom now has two locations. One in Columbus which serves brides and bridesmaids and one in Starkville which houses their tuxes and formal wear. What ever you need for that special day the Bride and Groom is sure to have it.

Best Home Goods

Sprout Located a busy corner on Lampkin Street, Sprout is an oasis for anyone looking to decorate their home.

Sprout is the one stop shop to bring your home to life. From fabulous furniture finds to lighting, Sprout is sure to make your home feel like a million bucks.

Best Antiques

Best Boutique

Best Florist

Horsefeathers

LA Green

The Flower Company

If you have an eye for antiques then look no further than Horsefeathers.

They have the largest collection of repurposed antique items, woodwork, and repurposed furniture in the area. They carry everything from 100 years ago to today and you will surely find something to meet your every need.

Looking for the best clothes around town? Then look no further than L.A. Green. Located on Main Street, this boutique stays up on all the most recent trends. If you are looking for something for game day be sure to stop by. Now carrying men’s and women’s clothes LA Green has something for everyone.

Proudly serving Starkville, Ms, The Flower Company is your once stop full service florist. From their one of a kind wedding arrangements to party flowers The Flower Company never disappoints.

Their friendly staff will ensure that your experience there is nothing short of extraordinary, and the same goes for all of your flower orders.

October 2015 | 25

Shopping Best Thrift Store

Best Gift Shop

Palmer Home

The Purple Elephant

Palmer Home Thrift Store has many locations all over the Golden Triangle Area.

They offer an array of items such as furniture, beds, books and some clothing items. No matter what you buy there you won’t have buyers remorse since proceeds from every sale go to benefit the children of Palmer Home for Children in Columbus.

With Locations in both Starkville and Columbus, it’s no wonder why The Purple Elephant won this category. The Purple Elephant has gift for everyone in your life, even the babies and gents!

With each store filled with Mississippi made gifts and trays full of Pandora and Ronaldo pieces The Purple Elephant will not disappoint.

Best Sporting Goods

Sports Center Every college town needs their one stop sporting goods store, and Sports Center is just that. With everything you need from game day to hunting Sports Center is sure to have something to fit your need. Carrying brands such as: Hoyt, Drake Waterfowl, YETI, Columbia, The North Face, and so much more!

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78 inches across 19.5 inches tall

Arts & Entertainment Best Historic Site

Best Festival

Starkville Heritage Museum

Cotton District Arts Festival

The Starkville Heritage Museum is without a doubt one of Starkville’s best kept secrets. If you’ve ever wondered just how our town got it’s start drop by the museum and the wonderful employees there will show you around. They are constantly adding new items so check back often to learn more and more about the Starkville of the past.

For over 30 years Starkville has been home to the Cotton District Arts Festival. The Arts Festival offers a wide variety of art of all kinds. From painters to potters to jewelry makers the Cotton District Arts Festival is sure to have everything an art lover needs.

Best Farmer’s Market

Starkville Community Market Farmer’s Markets are all the rage no days and you won’t find a better one that Starkville’s own community market. Kicking off at the beginning of May and drawing to a close at the end of August Starkville’s Community Market offers a wide variety of fruits, vegetable, honey and even mushrooms.

Best Patio Bar

Best Sports Bar

Best B&B

Central Station Grill

STAGgerIN

Painted Lady of Columbus

Owned by the Eat With Us group. The Grill offers a wide variety of meals including Asian-inspired spring rolls, fish tacos and a Caribbeanstyle rib-eye. The best place to enjoy the Grill’s unique and delicious food is their patio out front. On a cool night, the patio is the perfect place to watch Starkville’s hustle and bustle. The Grill’s other location are in Tupelo, Starkville and Columbus.

Nestled in the back of the Cotton District, STAGgerIn Sports Grill offers an array of delicious food and drinks.

If you are looking for a place to catch the game and chow down on some quality food STAGgerIN is definitely the place to be.

Town and Gown Magazine covered the Painted Lady of Columbus in our February issue. If you didn’t catch that article you should definitely go see the Painted Lady in person. This beautiful house is located in Columbus, Mississippi. If you ever need a break from the hectic day to day life make the Painted Lady your home away from home.

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Arts & Entertainment Best Late Night Eats The Veranda

Nothing tops off the night like a plate of New Orleans nachos among friends. Even late at night the Veranda offers menu items with that include the highest quality of season ingredients. From soul food to hand crafted cocktails when you end your night at the Veranda you can’t go wrong.

Best Date Night Restaurant The Veranda Looking for a place to celebrate an important anniversary? Or, perhaps, to ask a very important question to a very important someone? Then look no further than the Veranda. The Veranda offers a romantic and private atmosphere so you can make the most of dinner with the one you love.

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Best Wedding Venue The Stables

Are you looking for the perfect backdrop for your perfect day? Then look no further! The Stables are located right outside Starkville city limits. Their space can accommodate both outdoor and indoor wedding and can accommodate as many as 500 guest. The Stable are also a great place for, parties, rehearsal dinner and corporate events.

Services Best Tanning Ultimate Tan When one leads a busy life it can difficult to take time out of the day to pamper yourselves.

Well if you have 20 minuets to spare you should check out Ultimate Tan. With multiple beds filled with hot bulbs you are sure to get that sun kissed glow every time you visit.

With the most competitive prices in town accompanied with and outstanding staff Ultimate Tan is sure to give you an experience that will leave you wanting to return.

Best Vet Starkville Vet Hospital Starkville Vet Hospital is committed to treating your pets with kindness, compassion and high-quality veterinary medicine. The Starkville Vet Hospital offers a variety of services from complex orthopedic surgical procedures to state-of-theart diagnostic equipment and advanced cancer treatments.

We also provide 24-hour emergency medical care.

Best Fitness Center Snap Fitness Snap Fitness is 24/7 national fitness franchise located right near Oby’s. They offer state of the art training equipment, cardio classes, free weights, and tanning. With memberships starting at only $1 a day Snap Fitness is the ideal location to get your fit on.

Best Spa Vitality Looking for a place to relax and unwind? Then look no further than Vitality Skin & Spa located in both Starkville and Columbus, Mississippi.

Vitality offers an array of services including manicures, pedicures, facials, waxing and massages. For a full menu of their offering check out their website.

Best Hair Salon Deja-Vu Located at the West end of Main Street, Deja-Vu sits right across from Mugshots. With a friendly and professional staff, the ladies of Deja-Vu are ready to take care of all your personal hair needs. The have been operating since 2002 and have been creating chic hair styles ever since for both men and women.

Best Property Management Spruill Town and Gown’s best property management business award goes to Spruill.

Spruill Property Management has been in business for 15 years. Established in 2000 and owning and managing over 340 units, Spruill believes that if they do their job right you will enjoy the feel of being home in Starkville.

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Services Best Pet Groomer The Shaggy Hound The Shaggy Hounds is your one stop shop for all of your pets needs. Whether it’s bathing, grooming or even boarding your precious fur baby the Shaggy Hound can take care of everything.

Located on Yellow Jacket Drive in Starkville the Shaggy Hound is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. What ever you need the Shaggy House is sure to have it!

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Best Make Up Merle Norman Luna Bella If you ever need a make up pick me up then look no further than Merle Norman Luna Bella.

They believe that “the right mascara can change your life, lipstick can change your mood, and an amazing moisturizer determines your future!”

Not only do they offer a full array of Merle Norman product, but they also offer free express makeovers. Merle Norman also carries gift that are proudly made right here in the South.

Made in Mississippi: Reas Artwork Story by Clint Kimberling Photography submitted

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ichard and Martha Rea have always loved waterfalls. Some of their favorites are located in the Smoky Mountains—an area they frequently visit and at one point where they planned to retire. As it worked out, the Rea’s decided to stay in Union, Mississippi and build waterfalls of their own.

But rather than cascading down rocks, the Rea’s waterfalls are made out of colored glass. In fact, the Rea’s use repurposed lamp globes in an array of shapes, shades, and color combinations for a truly unique look. Admitting she doesn’t know exactly where the idea for glass waterfalls came from, Martha simply explains, “I just love colored glass and sunshine.”

She goes on, saying, “I don’t call myself an artist, but I do see things through colored eyes.

I always have. It’s just the way I see the world.” Not one to take full credit, she adds, “But Richard makes it all happen.” Her husband of over fifty years, Richard was in the lumber business before retiring, and has always been extremely talented in fabrication and loved design of any kind.

Richard and Martha work together on the waterfalls. She explains the division of labor pretty plainly, “I pick colors and he makes the magic.” Making the waterfalls is a long process that takes about 10 days. The waterfalls start with flower pot that acts as a well and then a

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copper pipe is used to draw the water through the top as the pieces of glass are stacked and fitted together. The time consuming part is for the glass to cure and the sealant to set. The result is a oneof-a-kind piece of art. Although primarily made from glass, the waterfalls are meant to be displayed outside and are designed to withstand the elements.

After making a handful for themselves, several of their friends and family put in orders for their very own waterfalls. This set the Rea’s off on a journey looking for glass they could repurpose, or upcycle as Martha puts it. See, the Rea’s like to use carnival glass because Martha loves the way vibrant effect that sunlight hits on it. Carnival glass, which is treated and pressed to give it an iridescent shimmer, and is no longer heavily manufactured and is also highly collectible making it hard to find.

But in 2010 on a cross country trip, the Rea’s made a detour in Cambridge, Ohio—an area known for its glass making. They visited glass blowing shops, old warehouses, and collectors looking for materials. Eventually, they got a lead on some lamp globes and after a few years, some coaxing, and four trips back to Ohio, they brought several hundred pieces back to Mississippi to fuel their endeavor.

And although they’ve been constructing the glass waterfalls for years, Martha says, “Some days we’re pretty good at it and some days it still feels like practice.”

Now flush with glass, they create and sell their unique glass creations at arts and crafts festivals across the southeast. A sales trick they use is to leave the top off of their tent when displaying their work.

This allows more sunshine to reflect on the art and the gleam from the natural light really gets people to stop in the booth and take a long look at tent.

Their most popular and best seller is by far the waterfall which comes in a four foot version and a six foot version. In addition to the waterfalls, they also make tabletop fountains, bird feeders and lamps as well as stained glass pieces that are cut and designed by hand.

The Rea’s view their glass sculptures as a hobby and a way to stay busy in retirement. But it’s clear that they’ve created something much more.

Their glass sculptures and waterfalls are incredibly distinctive and very visually appealing.

For more information find their work on Facebook by searching Reas Artwork.

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Pick your own pumpkins: Pumpkin Patch Farms offers fun for the whole family Story by Clint Kimberling Photography submitted

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lay Meeks and his wife Sharon first got the idea to transform their family farm into a pumpkin patch from a magazine article. Growing pumpkins seemed easy enough he thought. But after their initial attempts to bring in a pumpkin crop failed, Clay threw up his hands, and told his wife, “God just doesn’t want us to do this. I’m done with pumpkins.”

Despite the setback the idea never totally left their minds. A few years later while driving home from a trip to the Smoky Mountains, the Meeks stopped by a pumpkin patch outside of Birmingham. They had a long visit with the owners, toured the operation, and decided to try just one more time.

As luck would have it, the first year was best crop they ever had. Clay still has no clue as to why the first crop of pumpkins didn’t take. Instead he offers this, “I really believe the Lord didn’t want us to grow pumpkins then. I think there is a certain place and a certain time to do a certain thing. That just wasn’t our time and place.”

It seems as though the Meeks did find the right time and place. Pumpkin Patch Farms in Blue Mountain will be opening for its 19th season this month. The farm is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday during the month of October. Visitors come from all over, some from as far as two hours away. Including one family Clay looks forward to seeing every year that drive from Fayetteville, Arkansas who always make a detour for Pumpkin Patch Farms on their way to the beach.

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Families traveling to Pumpkin Patch Farms will not be bored. Every visitor gets to take a hay filled covered wagon ride to pick out a pumpkin to take home. Beyond that, there is a petting barn, jumping pillow, super slides, train rides and a pedal car track they call Haytona Speedway. There is also a restaurant open during the month of October as well as country store that sells jams, jellies, soaps, candles, souvenirs, and the like.

“A family can spend hours with us staying busy and having fun. We have a of guests that stay all day,” says Clay.

Nighttime hay rides can also be arranged on Saturday and Sunday nights by calling in advance.

Clay also says they welcome school groups out for field trips nearly every day during the season.

School children are treated to a hands-on learning experience about the farm animals and crops.

While family fun is certainly the primary concern of the business there is also an emphasis on customer service, which Clay feels is a lost art, and is very important to him. He explains, “We want our guests to know we’re here for them and we want to do everything we can for them to have a good time while they’re here.” Located in north Mississippi, Clay knows the farm is not close by for most of his

customers. But, he stresses, Pumpkin Patch Farms is “worth the drive.” He promises that “you’re going to have a good time when you get here.”

Pumpkin Patch Farms sits on approximately 200 acres of land, about 25 of which are dedicated to pumpkin crops including another 45 acres of attractions and space for wagon rides. A typical pumpkin crop would yield about 1,500 to 2,000 pumpkins per acre. Without doing the math for you, the Meeks’ grow and sell a lot of pumpkins. They also raise cattle, sweet corn, strawberries and butter beans on the farm.

While he can rattle off the acreage and yield numbers to me, Clay is stumped when I ask how many visitors he sees during October. He says they don’t really keep up with it. While the Pumpkin Patch is only open to the public for a month, Clay stresses that it’s a full-time, year-round enterprise.

Other months of the year are spent cleaning up after the visitors, adding new additions and attractions, planting and then tending to new crops. “Trust me, Clays say, “We work more than 30 days a year.”

He goes on, saying, “Its hard work, but I enjoy it.

For me, one of the biggest things we get out of it is to hear someone else tell us how much they enjoy it.

That makes it worthwhile.”

A Personal, Affordable, Quality Education www.muw.edu 36 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

Welcome 2016 with a new MSU hanging wall calendar. Enjoy beautiful

pictures of familiar campus scenes that bring back special memories of your time at Mississippi State. The official State calendar has become a Bulldog tradition. With pictures taken by MSU’s own award-winning photographers, it’s truly one-of-a-kind. You may also purchase holiday cards this year featuring a beautiful watercolor illustration by MSU alumna Tracie Grace Lyons. Spread the Bulldog spirit by ordering today. Visit the MSU Foundation website at msufoundation.com or call 662-325-7000.

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October 2015 | 37

Merle Norman celebrates over 70 years in business Story by Richelle Putnam Photography by Camille Watts

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or over 70 years, Merle Norman has been making Starkville beautiful. The first store located on North Jackson Street opened in 1938. In 1976, Brenda Montgomery Chambliss bought the store, added a gift section, and renamed it Merle Norman and Alma’s Attic. She relocated to Washington Street and continued in that location for many years.

“I started working for Brenda when I was in college,” said Alaina Prentice, who graduated Mississippi State University in elementary education in 2007.

Alaina began her teaching career while continuing to work for Brenda on Saturdays and holidays. It took eight years of doing this for Alaina to realize her destiny did not lie in her full-time teaching career; it lie in her part-time job at Merle Norman and Alma’s Attic.

“I needed to be doing what made me happy,” said Alaina.

So when Brenda was ready to retire, Alaina was ready to take over. She did so on April 2, 2012 with her mother, Kathy, coming in as a partner.

“We changed the gift shop name to Luna Bella, after my two greatgrandmothers,” said Alaina.

As Alaina finished up her last year teaching, Kathy ran the store full-time, five days a week, all day long, with no break, and “never once complained,” said Alaina.

Years of working for Brenda had taught Alaina a lot, but she knew she needed

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additional training to successfully run the business.

Therefore, she traveled to Los Angeles for a twoand-a-half week intensive training course on Merle Norman products, the Merle Norman way and business practices. Alaina’s training continues each year through Merle Norman’s online training and the special training on new seasonal Merle Norman products.

“The first couple of years we didn’t want to make too many changes,” said Alaina. However, when they moved to their Cotton Crossing location, they were ready for change. Now Merle Norman Luna Bella carries jewelry, home décor, appetizer mixes, wind chimes, purses, shoes, a little bit of anything and everything. Plus, customers receive free Merle Norman makeovers and facials.

“We really pride ourselves in being one of a kind,” said Alaina, who enjoys getting to know her customers, some of whom have been around since the very first store. “They are family to us. I love being able to find a lipstick that makes them feel good or a gift for a friend or family member.”

Yes, Merle Norman started in Starkville in 1938 and is about to celebrate 85 years as a worldwide product, but Alaina wants everyone to know Merle Norman is not little-old-lady-makeup. In fact, more young people are using Merle Norman

products than ever before. An American based company, Merle Norman makes almost everything in America, from the products to packaging and containers.

“They say that teaching is the most rewarding job and to a degree it is,” said Alaina. “But this job is definitely the most rewarding job for me. To be able to do a makeover on a lady and see her face light up because she feels beautiful, that makes me feel good.

You can’t get that anywhere else.”

ALAINA’S DAILY REGIMEN AND MAKEUP TIPS: 1. Cleanse to remove makeup and impurities 2. Tone to remove any makeup and impurity residue and prep the skin for moisturizer 3. Moisturize to control oil and provide moisture and anti-aging ingredients to your skin and to prep skin for foundation 4. Apply your true foundation color. Don’t go darker or lighter. Test foundation on your neck, the lightest part of the skin. The ultimate sin in makeup is the makeup line.

5. Use mascara. It can change your life 6. Everyone can wear red lipstick; you just have to find the right tone.

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Mississippi Sweets to open in West Point Story by Richelle Putnam Photography submitted

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endy McMullen’s cake career began the fall of 2012 when she made a baby shower cake for her church. From there, family and friends began asking Wendy to make cakes for them.

“And one thing led to another,” said Wendy, who has always enjoyed making cakes.

“My grandmother made our birthday cakes when we were young, and I’ve always made my kids’ birthday cakes.”

That’s not all. For many years, one of Wendy’s aunts made cakes at a West Point bakery, so it’s safe to say cake baking runs in the family.

Professional cake baking and decorating are intricate crafts that require skill, as well as inspiration. To improve these skills Wendy took a cake decorating class at MSU about ten years ago. Since then, she has taken all of the Wilton courses and this past February attended Cakefest Louisiana. She has also taken workshops under Shawna McGreevy from McGreevy Cakes, Reva Alexander-Hawk, owner of Merci Beaucoup in California, and Sharon Zambito, the instructor and owner of SugarEd Productions. A member of Mississippi ICES (International Cake Exploration Societé), Wendy receives demo classes where cake makers share experiences and knowledge.

“Education is important because techniques change and grow,” said Wendy. “I want to stand out and be different. I’m always looking at what’s new to incorporate into my

design and make it my own.”

Wendy’s inspiration for design comes from nature, flowers, animals and handmade greeting cards. Brides-to-be usually provide her with three or four pictures of things they like. Pinterest can be useful, but it can also be limiting because it stifles creativity, Wendy explained. “Many times we go with something totally different because I help them design something new.”

Wendy develops her own color palette and uses a color wheel to tie colors together. When making fondant cakes, customers may choose colors from Sherwin Williams color swatches. Wendy then sends the color code to Choco Pan, a gourmet fondant company that matches the color exactly.

Innovative cake decorating requires a variety of instruments, from actual cake decorating tools to clay modeling, carpentry, craft, sewing, and paper making tools.

“As long as the tool is food safe, I’ll use it,” said Wendy. “You have to think outside the box or everybody’s cakes will end up the same. I look at what I need as far as the pattern and the design and I figure out what would make that design.” A simple design can turn out to be the most difficult because it involves a new technique.

For a little over two years, Mississippi Sweets operated out of Wendy’s home. Now, rather than a bakery, Mississippi Sweets is “an experience,” a

boutique cake shop in a newly renovated historic building at 219 East Main Street, West Point. Jay Qualls, owner of The Frosted Affair and Willow Tree Consulting in Nashville, Tennessee, is Wendy’s business consultant. “He is a wedding cake designer to the celebrities,” said Wendy. “I happened upon him when I started thinking about opening my own business.” Jay has helped Wendy with everything, from branding and equipment to shop layout.

“It’s exciting to have a business in my hometown because I already have a relationship with so many people,” she said. Still, Wendy wants to extend her clientele beyond the Golden Triangle and not limit herself in any way.

In the beginning, most of Wendy’s business will be by order only, but she hopes to expand into retail and grow her wedding cake field. She enjoys the fun cakes, but “there’s something about the wedding cakes that seems grand.”

Wendy remains passionate about creating beautiful cakes, cupcakes and cookies. “There are times I step back and say, ‘Wow, I made that!’ You want to be humble in what you do and yet you want to be confident in what you do. Balancing those two things can be a challenge.”

Her ultimate desire for her creations, however, is merely to make people happy. “That’s the main thing. I like to see people happy and knowing that I can help them be even happier at a special time.”

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YOUR FUTURE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A SCARY THING. We’re in the business of creating opportunities.

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WE MEAN BUSINESS.

1915-2015

SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY. Celebrate with us & support our next 100. wemeanbusiness.msstate.edu

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State Fountain Bakery opens new location just in time for football season Story by Joe Lee Photography by Sarah Tyner

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he heavenly aromas of caramel cake, State College chess pies and Muscadine Ripple ice cream are still in the air on the Mississippi State campus and just as likely to stop you in your tracks. They’re just coming from a different direction, now that State Fountain and Bakery has relocated to the Colvard Student Union – just follow your nose to the Gaddis Hunt Commons food court “State Fountain Bakery was moved to provide increased visibility to a larger customer base, and to provide space that would allow us to bring a new national brand restaurant – Moe’s Southwest Grill – to campus,” said Bill Broyles, MSU Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs. “The progressive enhancements to campus dining options have been ongoing for nearly ten years. As campus grows, MSU will continue to provide new and exciting opportunities to enhance campus life.”

State Fountain Bakery has been in several locations since the original bakery was established in Perry Cafeteria in 1921. It was most recently housed in the lower level of Perry, which was previously Bulldog Grill (until it became home to State Fountain Bakery in the mid 1980s). Broyles said that the actual kitchen where the much-loved baked goods are prepared remains where it has always been.

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“State Fountain Bakery is an MSU tradition that Bulldogs old and new have enjoyed and can continue to enjoy together,” said Stephanie Sharp, marketing manager for MSU Dining. “Made on campus (at the MSU dairy), we proudly serve MSU milk and ice cream – all ice creams can be made into delicious milkshakes as well.

“We also serve staple items like Dawg Bone cookies and cheese straws. As a part of our new location, we offer panini sandwiches like Turkey Pepper Jack and Four Cheese along with a variety of Lays chips and fountain drinks.”

“Our delicacies are prepared by the same expert baking team. Only the location for purchase has moved,” said Jamie Beazley, Resident District Manager for Aramark at MSU. “As the ring of a cowbell fills a Bulldog’s heart with pride, the taste of MSU’s Muscadine Ripple ice cream fills a Bulldog’s thoughts of time-honored traditions.”

Broyles said that one of the many perks of the move is the seating and energy of the food court. With plenty of room to sit and move about, you can enjoy not only a delicious slice of pie or sandwich – but you can relax with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee or warm up on a cold day with a steaming cup of soup.

“Special orders for tailgates, holiday dinners, birthdays and other special events are available just as they have been for the past nine decades,” Broyles said. “The taste of MSU Bakery sweets resonate with the smells of home on one of the most unique and beloved college campuses in America.”

Tackle Tailgating Traditions for a feel-good football season Article, Recipe, and Photography by Katie Zampini Here in our beloved South, football and fall are synonymous seasons, woven together in our most favored pastimes and traditions, and for good reason!

Like “fried” and “okra”, fall and football are a perfect match: the cooler weather, the promise of a winning season, and of course, the delicious tailgating food all come together to create family memories that leave you hankering for the next fall season throughout the whole balmy summer.

Imagine the joy of experiencing all of these things and feeling good, (healthy, energetic, and fit), at the same time. Delicious, southern, tailgating food that encourages the wellness of your body is a real possibility, and small changes produce exponential results.

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With the addition and substitution of a few ingredients, you can take your tailgate from deliciously detrimental to deliciously beneficial- and your body will thank you throughout this winning season. Try applying these three simple swaps and concepts to your tailgating recipes this season: Meet the Main Players 1. Plain, Nonfat Greek Yogurt: You’ve heard it a thousand times and seen it in countless healthy recipes, but what’s the big deal? The big deal is that plain, nonfat Greek yogurt is about to become the MVP of your ingredient list. Why? Besides being a great replacement for other high-fat dairy options (sour cream, cream cheese, etc.), the health benefits

of Greek yogurt make it an ingredient you should seek to consume more often! Packed with probiotics to aid your digestive system, and calcium, which has been studied for its wide-range of health benefits ranging from building strong bones to warding off cancers and even preventing PMS, Greek yogurt provides a lot of nutritional punch for a minimal caloric cost. Its simple economics, folks.

2. Seasonings: Under appreciated, under utilized, and overlooked…but not for long! Like the coach who puts in the walk-on freshman that no one knows is about to single-handedly win the game, expertly seasoning your recipes is your secret weapon in making healthy swaps to your favorite tailgating foods. Biologically, our bodies crave fat because we are chemically designed to respond to the taste of fattening or sweet foods. We can’t change our chemistry, but we can make up for the possible taste reduction in lower-fat or lower-sugar recipes by expertly seasoning our foods. Freshly chopped garlic, crushed red pepper, unexpected sprinklings of paprika, and other high-quality seasonings are absolutely essential players in making your healthy

tailgating options better than the rest.

3. Better “Vehicles”: Let’s be honest. Most things you eat with dip are way less satisfying than the dip itself. You’re really just looking for a “vehicle” to get more of that delicious dip, right? Upgrade those worthless, chemically contaminated chips with options that actually help your body thrive. No one is saying you have to trade all the fun for celery.

This is the South, after all, and we appreciate goodtasting food more than most. But choosing foods to support your health is tastier than you might think, and the benefits are immeasurably valuable!

Try finding dippers that have a better carbohydrate/ fiber balance (10:1, according to Harvard Health Publications), and have fresh vegetables available on your dip platters. Even if you still include a good old “ruffled” potato chip option for tradition’s sake, you might find that at least half of the time you choose the healthier vegetable option.

A winning example Try this delicious remake of a traditional artichoke dip, applying the concepts discussed above.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat butter and olive oil on medium heat in a medium skillet. (Do not raise heat, as olive oil must be kept at medium or lower temperatures.) When butter begins to just barely brown, add in the garlic and stir. When garlic is fragrant and the butter is bubbly, toss in the chopped artichoke. Cook for about one minute, allowing the artichoke to absorb the garlic and butter flavors. (Make that butter count!)

3. In a medium bowl, mix Greek yogurt, Greek yogurt/cream cheese blend, mozzarella, salt, pepper, and lemon juice until well blended.

4. Massage the kale! With washed hands, take the bite size leaves of torn kale and massage them in your hands. This makes kale tremendously softer and easier to eat.

5. Add kale to the cheese mixture, stirring evenly.

6. Pour mixture into an oven safe bowl, top with

shaved Parmesan cheese, and bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

7. At the end of the 10 minutes, turn the oven up to the broil setting, and broil for 2 minutes, allowing the cheese to brown and bubble on top.

8. Top with crushed red pepper (optional), and serve with healthy options!

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Recipes and photos by Lisa Bynum

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T O & A E S T S A T

Once the first fall chill hits the air, we start craving something warm and comforting. Here are a few new soup recipes – from a Vietnamese classic to classic tomato -- to add to your repertoire.

Mississippi Minestrone 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small white onion, chopped ½ cup sliced okra, sliced ½ cup chopped fresh or frozen green beans 1 celery stalk, chopped 2 cloves minced garlic 4 cups chicken broth 1 (15 ounce) can red beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup frozen black-eyed peas 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes ½ cup sliced carrots 1 tablespoon dried parsley 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon dried basil ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1½ cups water 1 cup cooked or frozen turnip or collard greens, coarsely chopped ½ cup small shell pasta, optional Salt to taste In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, okra, green beans, celery, and garlic. Sauté until onion turns translucent, about five minutes.

Add chicken broth, red beans, black eyed peas, tomatoes, carrots, seasonings, and water. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered for about 35 minutes.

Add pasta, return the lid to the pot and bring soup back to a simmer.

Cook for an additional 7 minutes or until black eyed peas and pasta are tender. Season with salt.

Bacon and Cheddar Corn Chowder 1 (12 oz.) package bacon, diced 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced 3 carrots, peeled and diced 2 celery ribs, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 medium red-skinned potatoes, cubed 6 cups chicken stock ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 cans (16 oz. each) whole kernel corn, undrained 2 cans (16 oz. each) cream-style corn 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese* 2 cups whole milk ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 green onion, sliced plus more for garnish Salt and pepper to taste Cook bacon in a large stockpot over medium high heat until brown and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon onto a paper towel lined plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the stock pot.

Heat reserved bacon grease in the same stockpot over medium high heat.

Add onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.

Add the potatoes, chicken stock, cayenne pepper, and coriander. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes.

Add whole kernel corn with its juice, creamed corn, cheese, and milk.

Simmer for an additional 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with Worcestershire.

Tip: Prepackaged shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting to a smooth consistency. To avoid lumps in your chowder, buy cheese in a block and shred your own.

Add sliced green onion and cooked bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 6

Poblano Chicken Chowder with Wild Rice 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed 1 cup carrots, peeled, diced ½ cup celery, diced 1 cup onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 large Poblano peppers, seeded, roasted, peeled, and diced ½ teaspoon dried thyme 1 ½ teaspoons ground white pepper 2 teaspoon cumin ¾ cup all-purpose flour 5 cups chicken broth 2 cups whole milk ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 cup cooked wild rice Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to pot. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 5-6 minutes.

Add garlic, thyme, white pepper, cumin, and poblano peppers. Cook until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add flour to pot and stir until flour is incorporated. Cook mixture for about three minutes, stirring constantly.

Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until mixture begins to thicken, about 12 minutes.

Stir in whole milk, cayenne pepper, and wild rice. Cook until mixture thickens again, about 5-10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Gai) 1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk 1 can (14 oz.) reduced-sodium chicken broth 6 quarter-size slices fresh ginger 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, cut in 1 inch pieces 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon Thai chili paste 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup fresh cilantro In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, broth, ginger, and lemongrass. Bring to boil over high heat.

Add chicken, mushrooms, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili paste. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is firm and opaque, 5 to 10 minutes.

Discard lemongrass. Garnish servings with basil and cilantro.

Serves 4

Tomato and Thyme Soup 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, sliced ¾ cup dry white wine 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard 2 ½ cups chicken stock 2 cans (15 oz. each) crushed tomatoes ½ bunch thyme, about ½ oz. tied together plus extra for garnish ¼ cup tomato paste 2 teaspoons sugar 1 cup whole milk Salt and black pepper, to taste Heat butter and oil together in a large stockpot over medium high heat.

Once butter has melted, add onions.

Sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1-3 minutes until the onion is softened. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and cook approximately 4-6 minutes until wine almost evaporates. Decrease heat to low.

Stir in flour and powdered mustard.

Cook two minutes to get rid of the raw taste of the flour. Gradually add chicken stock, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Then add tomatoes, thyme tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat a simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

For a smoother texture, place a colander over a large mixing bowl. Strain the soup through the colander into the bowl, scraping the bottom of the colander with a large spoon. Discard solids left in the colander. Alternately, remove and discard the thyme bundle and blend the soup with an immersion blender. The soup will have a more chunky consistency.

Return soup to the pot. Add cream and heat through.

Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves if desired.

Judging a book by its cover: Susan O’Bryan’s October review

M

atthew Guinn. G-u-i-n-n. Remember that name, because this Mississippi novelist is making his mark on the literary scene in the history/mystery genre.

His second novel, “The Scribe,” was released in September by W.W. Norton & Co. Within a few days, positive reviews were springing up on the web, social media and by word of mouth. “The Scribe” was unexpected considering that Guinn’s first novel, “The Resurrectionist,” was contemporary fiction.

That book earned him honor as an Edgar Award finalist.

Though “The Scribe” and “The Resurrectionist” are set in different time periods, their protagonists are forced to face how far they will go to fight for what is right. Both novels give readers a taste of the ugly powers of racism and prejudice. It’s an environment where prejudgment isn’t limited to one race or another, but can be directed toward anyone for any reason – race, faith, wealth and personal prejudices.

This time, the author takes us back to Atlanta as she stood in the late 1880s, still reeling from the Civil War. Guinn takes readers into his imagination, letting them picture the war-worn city, its haggard citizens and its overhanging cloud of racism as it probably truly was. The author, an Atlanta native, builds his history/mystery on a foundation of historic details, events and mood. The result is a fastpaced murder mystery enhanced by fine detail and intriguing characters.

A gruesome murder has been discovered, and ex-detective Thomas Canby has been recruited back to the city that once turned its back on him.

Members of a secret group of the rich and powerful, known as the Ring, think they have Canby in their back pocket. If he was shunned for embezzlement once, then why won’t Canby shade the truth in their

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direction this time? They pressure him to “solve the case” without regard to who is truly guilty or innocent.

The Ring is worried that the murders will threaten attendance at the 1881 International Cotton Exposition, an extravaganza that investors hope will bring money and recognition back to the New South.

Canby isn’t alone in the hunt. He’s been paired with virgin officer Cyrus Underwood, Atlanta’s first African American officer. Underwood is working his first case after his promotion from janitor.

Since the killings have been mostly wealthy black entrepreneurs, Atlanta police want the investigation to appear that both races are working together to stop the mad man.

Suspicion points in all directions. Who is the murderer whose victims are left sliced, diced and with a capital letter carved into their body part? Is it a deranged human or the essence of pure evil?

Reasons for finding the killer point in all directions, too. Canby wants to clear his bad name and settle down with a school teacher. Underwood wants to prove that people of color are intelligent problem-solvers, are strong in their force and mostly, that they are not for evil.

Many innocents, those with no reason to be killed, die. The murderer, who has become more sloppy and careless, gets away. The score, especially Canby and Underwood, has not been settled. The circumstances set the backstory for what will hopefully be Guinn’s third book.

Until that next edition appears, readers can stay busy imaging who should play what role if “The Scribe” becomes a movie. My vote is for Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club” Oscar winner) and Jussie Smollett (“Empire” TV show.)

Snow White: Red Shorts & White Top from Style Revel, Bracelets from Susan's Hallmark

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Alice in Wonderland: Romper from Style Revel

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Cinderella: Dress & Necklace from Style Revel

October 2015 | 61

Little Red Riding Hood: Jeans, Red Top, and Fur Vest from LA Green

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Snow Queen: White Dress from LA Green, Bracelets from Susan's Hallmark

October 2015 | 63

Repunzel: Maxi Dress from Style Revel, Bracelets from Susan's Hallmark

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Sleeping Beauty: Pink Dress from LA Green, Necklace & Bracelets from Susan's Hallmark

October 2015 | 65

Jack Cristil: Voice of the MSU Bulldogs Written by Sid Salter Excerpt and photos provided by The University Press of Mississippi

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ack Cristil (1925–2014) was a Southeastern Conference icon and the Voice of Bulldogs’ athletics for more than five decades. In this biography, Cristil’s remarkable life and career is shared with all Bulldog fans. Authored by Mississippi journalist Sid Salter with a foreword by distinguished MSU alum John Grisham, the book originally sold over 10,000 copies and raised over $170,000 for the Jacob S. “Jack” Cristil Scholarship in Journalism at MSU. This paperback edition is updated with new material covering Cristil’s death and memorial service, with additional post-retirement and memorial photos.

With a fifty-eight-year association with MSU, Cristil was the second-longest tenured college radio play-by-play announcer in the nation at the time of his 2011 retirement. During his legendary career as the Voice of the Bulldogs, Cristil called 636 football games since 1953. That’s roughly sixty percent of all the football games played in school history. He was in his 54th season as the men’s basketball play-by-play voice, having described the action of almost 55 percent of all the men’s basketball games. In all, Cristil share with Bulldog fans across the Magnolia State and around the world more than 1,500 collegiate contests.

Jack Cristil came to Knoxville dressed for work that day – his last day on the job. He wore khaki slacks, and a tan Mississippi State sweater vest with maroon piping and a university logo over a maroon dress shirt. Despite wearing his university’s colors amid a sea of Volunteer Orangeclad Tennessee fans, the fans gathered in Knoxville, and the national television audience on ESPN knew they were seeing greatness and history as Cristil prepared to make his final call as “the Voice of the Mississippi State Bulldogs.” The UT fans joined the small contingent of MSU fans in rising to their feet to honor Cristil. Their applause thundered as UT officials invited Cristil to take

a pregame bow in front of the 20,777 fans in attendance. The Vols honored Cristil with a video highlight package on their arena’s Jumbotron in pregame ceremonies.

Before tipoff, Cristil’s on-air MSU colleague Jim Ellis expressed the feelings of Mississippi State fans everywhere when he said on the pregame broadcast: “Jack, it’s a funny feeling right now as I say I hope you have a great call and a great game, and I hope that you can wrap it in maroon and white.”

On his last day on the job for MSU, Jack Cristil’s voice remained the last great voice of the Golden Age of college sports radio in America. At 85, Cristil was the last man standing when the inevitable debates 68 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

ensued over who really was the best college sports play-by-play broadcaster in the country – not simply the best broadcaster still on the air, but the best college sports radio broadcaster ever.

In the Spring 1992 edition of MSU’s Alumnus magazine, Cristil told fellow broadcaster and former MSU broadcast coordinator Steve Ellis: “Radio was my first love, and having shared in so many of the things that radio grew to be and to be a part of it is very pleasing to me. In the early days, we would broadcast pep rallies, Christmas parades, things that many people wanted to take part in but might not be able to be there. They may seem unimportant today, but they were very important to people at that time. Everything was a challenge, and a lot of

things had never been done before, but we went out and did them . . . it’s a real art form.”

Before ESPN’s SportsCenter, before the days of receiving realtime play-by-play texts and RSS feeds via a host of smart phone software applications, and before college football had proliferated several television networks devoted to 24/7 coverage of the game, there was simply a man and a microphone and the imagination of his listeners who had no other means of following the game than the picture that broadcaster painted in their minds.

Like he was told when he was hired at MSU by athletic director Dudy Noble over a halfcentury ago on a handshake: “Son, you tell the radio audience who has got the ball, what the

score is, and how much time is left, and cut out the bull.”

For 58 years, he’d done that. Jack Cristil had used an economy of words, a disciplined delivery, and the lessons he’d learned from the old radio masters to meet and exceed Noble’s charge to him.

The tired, ailing man behind the microphone that day in an east Tennessee basketball arena was preparing to end a Mississippi State broadcasting career that he’d begun some 400 miles away in a west Tennessee football stadium 58 years earlier.

How does one contain the memories and the emotions of 58-year career in a two hour radio broadcast of a 40-minute basketball game?

Behind that microphone was a man whose record of both sports broadcasting excellence and

longevity in the Southeastern Conference is far and away the best and may literally never be broken.

Cristil’s tenure at MSU began in 1953 – a year before the invention and mass production of pocket transistor radios by the Regency Company in 1954 and six months before FM radio began to enjoy any substantial commercial success in the U.S. The MSU broadcaster carried his audience through wars and the protests of wars, from the most dangerous and violent days of the nation’s civil rights era of a segregated South with segregated teams to an era in which African-American athletes dominated the rosters of MSU’s football and basketball programs by the time he retired.

Cristil’s career lasted through the Cold War, the Space

Race, Jack Kennedy’s “New Frontier,” and LBJ’s “Great Society” to lunar landings, the fall of Saigon, and the shame of Watergate. Cristil’s voice was constant through Jimmy Carter’s “malaise,” the Reagan administration, the “Me” Generation, the invention of cell phones and texting, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, the 9-11 attacks, and the election of Barack Obama as the nation’s first African-American president. Cristil’s 1953 hiring was typed and distributed by teletype over the news wires. Cristil’s retirement was “tweeted” on Twitter and posted on Facebook.

To put Cristil’s tenure in proper perspective, consider this: When Cristil broadcast his first MSU game on Sept. 19, 1953, Dwight Eisenhower was in his October 2015 | 69

first term as president, Nikita Khrushchev Queen Elizabeth II had been on the throne of England less than three months, and Sir Edmund Hillary had scaled Mount Everest with Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay just four months earlier.

Tennessee, the state of Cristil’s birth, had always been a place of significance for his storied broadcasting career. MSU – at that point still called the “Maroons” because the official adoption of “Bulldogs” as the school mascot was still eight years in the future – won Cristil’s debut MSU football broadcast in that Sept. 19, 1953 game against Memphis State University by a score of 34-6. When Cristil added basketball play-byplay to his MSU repertoire four years later during the 1957-58 season, his first MSU basketball broadcast was an 80-56 Maroon victory over Union University in Jackson, Tenn. – the same town where Cristil’s professional radio broadcasting career had begun a decade earlier in 1948 when he made his professional debut calling KITTY League (Class D Minor League) professional baseball games.

Yet that day in Knoxville it must have seemed both poetic and ironic that after 58 years spent calling 636 MSU football games and 1,538 MSU basketball games, Cristil’s final broadcast came down to calling this last game in Tennessee – where both his professional dreams and their ultimate fulfillment had begun.

As a matter of fact, Cristil’s final call – his final opportunity to say “you can wrap this one up in maroon and white” – would come in Knoxville, the place where Cristil told one interviewer that he began using his career-defining catch phrase. In 1992 in the Alumnus magazine interview, Cristil told Steve Ellis: “I probably used it (first) in 1986 when we played Tennessee in Knoxville because 70 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

everything in Knoxville is ‘Big Orange.’ That’s all you hear, that’s all you see, that’s all that is talked about is ‘Big Orange’ this“I guess when Don Smith made that run and MSU won 27-23, it was just the fact that ‘Big Orange’ was second that day. You can wrap this one up in maroon and white! There’s something in this world besides ‘Big Orange!’ And on that particular day, it was maroon and white!”

Across the South, on computers through Web streaming, on satellite radio, and on the old standby AM and FM radios in homes and cars, the Mississippi State faithful gathered as families to listen to Cristil’s last broadcast. Many wept.

For many State fans, Cristil’s retirement felt almost like a death in the family. The news left 60-year-old men and women with no appropriate frame of reference for their connection with Mississippi State football and basketball – for they’d never heard anyone but Cristil calling the action.

Most MSU fans had such confidence in Cristil that even if Mississippi State was playing in a nationally televised game – with supposedly the best team of college sports announcers that money could buy assembled to serve them – that they would turn the sound off on their televisions and watch TV while listening to Jack.

So what were Jack’s thoughts at the end of the last broadcast? What was on his mind after 58 years of calling 636 college football games and 1,538 college basketball games?

“I was tired, completely worn out. All I could thin about was getting to the bathroom and the bus,” Cristil said. “No deep thoughts, no regrets, I was just so pleased that we won the ballgame.

I was ready to get on the bus and head for home and get on with whatever awaited me.”

Shades of Starkville Photos by Laura Daniels

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1. Jillian Wissel and Kathleen Riley 2. Emma Harris and Eleanor Harris 3. Charlie Celis and Sam Gibson 4. Hannah Bateman and Price Coleman 5. Leah Hickman and David Newton 6. Kyle Little and LaShon Talley

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The Drill on MSU’s Campus Photos by Laura Daniels

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1. Rebecca Frady and Mary Katherine Good 2. Dustin Scarborough, Priya Patel, Farrar Smith and Austin Boutwell 3. Carter Holmes, Jett Jobe and Michael Moynihan 4. Alexis Krohn, Zoey Gibson, Alivia Roberts, Amber Pineda and Ali Floyd 5. Kaitlyn Serwack and Trudy Berryman 6. Katie Stuart, Ashley Rivers and Lauren Cross

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Denim & Diamonds Photos by Camille Watts

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1. Ruth de la Cruz, Armando de la Cruz, Ray Slaughter and Brother Rogers 2. Barbara Foster, Bobbie Walton, Johnny Walton and Martha Brodnax 3. Bob Ratliff and Linda Ratliff 4. Janice Moore and Larry Moore 5. Alexander Mitchell, Alexandria Mitchell and Lauren Mitchell 6.

Sonny Stuart, Greta Bryan and Dolph Bryan

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MSU’s Chalkwalk Photos by Laura Daniels

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1. Lori Neuenfeldt and Erin Davies 2. Nikole Roberts and Olivia Donaldson 3. Tony Luczak and Brian Portera 4. Grayson Ball and Elise Ball 5.

Ramsey Rankin, Evie Daniels, Taylor Cabiness and Tucker Vollor 6. Clara Kate Roberts, Marguerite Portera, Hannah Daniels and Natalie Donaldson

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Prairie Arts Festival Photos by Margaret McMullen

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1. Ben Harrell and Collins Trolio 2. Robin Blocker, Holt and Cotton Blocker 3. Cathy Stanley, Allison Stanley, Clara Donalson 4. Inell Cannon and Dot Kelsey 5. Joseph and Joe MacGown 6. Tonya Kisner and Peggy Trulove

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Starkville High School Class of 1960 55th Reunion

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DeRego’s Bread Ribbon Cutting Photos by Laura Daniels

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1. Gerard Woods, TJ Kepner and Troy DeRego 2. Elaine DeRego and Rodney DeRego 3. Anna Lisa Nicholas and Beverly McKinley 4. Chelsea Phillips and Marilyn Martin 5. Ashley Dedeaux, Jonathan Roark and Payton Jackson 6. Megan Bean and Evan O’Donnell

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Columbus Art Walk Photos by Laura Daniels

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1. Katherine Lucas and Barbara Bigelow 2. Colleen Ruth, Adrian Ruth and Allen Ruth 3. Betty Clyde Jones, Francis Hairston and Debbie Jenkins 4. Joy Lynn Amby and Tina Sweeten-Lunsford 5. Gloria Cade, Peggy Jolly and Judy Bolin 6. Liz Kennedy, Thomas Kennedy, Liza Kennedy and Sarah Kennedy

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Get Swept Up! Photos by Laura Daniels

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1. Jonathan Reeves and Paul Ruff 2. Josh Whitlock and Catharine Hammett 3. Jeffrey Rupp, Sharon Oswald and Catherine Williams 4. Bryan Patton and Eric Hill 5. Kevin Rogers, Laura Rowell, John Rigsby and Catherine Williams 6-Christen Kent and Joan Fuentes

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MSU vs LSU Game Tailgating Photos by Margaret McMullen

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1. Renea Rhodes and Phil Rhodes 2. McKenzie Cole 3. Lincoln Hunter and Christian Hunter 4. Chase Denoon, Haley Morgan and Chase Alldread 5. Ethan McInnis, Randy Scott, Brock Allen and Robert Smith 6. Corey Bagwell and Joe Drapala

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Mac McAnally Concert Photos by Laura Daniels

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1. Haley Ward, Daphne Ward and John Paschal 2. Karen Ward, Rufus Ward and Sharon Falkner 3. Bill Shira, Ann Shira, Melanie Wolz and Rob Wolz 4. Amber Stokes and Breana Temple 5. Rick Young, Melinda Young, Buddy Wilkes and Sam Wilkes 6. Suzanne Crow and Allen Crow

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NATIONAL PAN-HELLINIC COUNCIL

PRESENTS

FR IDAY | O CT 1 6 TH | 7P M B E T T E RSWORT H AUDI TORI UM I N LEE HA L L

EV ENTS .M S S TATE .E D U

TUEs. OCT 20 7pm $25 | FREE

FOR STUDENTS

W/ MSU ID

TIX ON SALE IN THE CENTER FOR STUDENT ACTIVITIES WWW.LYCEUM.MSSTATE.EDU | 662.325.2930

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BASKETBALL Meet & Greet with players & coaches!

/mscollegetown

Instagram Us @starkvillems

visit.starkville.org

NO TRICKS HERE...

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