stuffed november 2011 AtUrbanMagazine.com
Marcus Coker Catherine Frederick Laura Hobbs Terry Ropp Todd Whetstine
DESIGNER
Jeromy Price
WEB GURU
David Jamell
PUBLISHER
Read Chair Publishing, LLC
lifestyle
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Marla Cantrell Marcus Coker Catherine Frederick Mary Ann Gamble Laura Hobbs Tonya McCoy Anita Paddock Buddy Pinneo Terry Ropp Todd Whetstine
entertainment
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Marla Cantrell
22 24
Urban Reader Now Hear This
people
MANAGING EDITOR
Catherine Frederick
After Serving His Country Ezra’s Treetop Adventure Bordertown The World According to Ben Just Plane Crazy Simplify Your Space
26 30 34
Faces of Freedom Amos Could Be Famous Acting Out in L.A.
taste
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PRESIDENT
7 8 12 14 18 20
38 40 42
Greens & Cream Apple Pie Martini It Ain’t Thanksgiving Without the Dressing
destination
Subscribe to @Urban and receive 12 issues per year for only $20. Send check or money order payable to: Read Chair Publishing | 3811 Rogers Ave, Ste C | Fort Smith, AR 72903
@INSIDE
45
Breathless at Blanchard Springs
Advertising and Distribution Information
Catherine Frederick at 479 / 782 / 1500 Catherine@AtUrbanMagazine.com Editorial or Artwork Information
Marla Cantrell at 479 / 831 / 9116 Marla@AtUrbanMagazine.com ©2011 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in @Urban are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to @Urban or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. @Urban reserves the right to edit content and images.
@LETTER FROM CATHERINE
T
here’s been lots of talk lately about the “rise of the South.” Suddenly people are raving about Southern hospitality, cooking, and gardening. I don’t know when the light bulb went
on, but I do know this: My mama taught me to always greet people with a smile. I learned to cook by the time I was ten and I was walking barefoot in my grandpa’s garden and trying to help plant it when I was old enough to toddle. The South has always been on the rise, I think people just experience it differently, so the South comes to mean different things to different people. As for me, I have a wooden, hand painted sign that describes our little part of the world just perfectly. It reads:
{ The South } \the `sau’th\, noun The place where… 1) Tea is sweet and accents are sweeter. 2) Summer starts in April. 3) Macaroni & Cheese is a vegetable. 4) Front porches are wide and words are long. 5) Pecan pie is a staple. 6) Y’all is the only proper noun. 7) Chicken is fried and biscuits come with gravy. 8) Everything is Darlin’. 9) Someone’s heart is always being blessed. Notice all the food? If you come to a Southerner’s house, you’re going to get served something. That practice comes in handy around this time of the year, when families start to gather for holiday meals. In this issue we have a time-tested recipe for chicken and dressing, another recipe with greens fried in bacon grease, and a drink that will make you forget how fattening both of these dishes are. We also have the story of a teacher who taught a lesson about freedom that will touch your heart, the saga of a hometown couple making waves in L.A., and a trip down under for a look at the magical word of caverns. So enjoy. And stop by sometime. We’ll have the sweet tea ready. To reserve this space for your charitable non-profit organization, email: Editors@AtUrbanMagazine.com
@LIFESTYLE
Without complaint‌facing past bitter times feeling he has the right traipsing from one crowded ward to another, half-seeing, not knowing and not caring why. Swallowing a dose of something, pretending it's vintage wine a much needed prescribed mixture for old war-time injuries, aches and pain. With wobbling cane held tightly a tap, tap, tap can be heard. He can still beat time to a old refrain to music drifting from the hallway. His heart beats with old desires Pulse‌burning like a cherry fire. He refuses to fail in a time of joy and today is joyful over wine! Now his dreams give him power to lift his whitened head just high enough for his spirit to follow bits and pieces of unforgotten memories.
es
@lin
le amb nG n A y Mar
7
I
t was during a lull between the sound check and show time in Kansas City when Ezra Idlet, half of the duo
called Trout Fishing in America, picked up a book on tree houses and began thumbing through the pages. What he
ezra’s treetop adventure @story Terry Ropp @images Ezra Idlet and Terry Ropp
saw on that day in 1996 reminded him of something his uncle built for him when he was just a boy. And while his uncle’s creation was more of a platform than a house, it was still enough to set Ezra’s dream in motion. The glory of a good dream in a mind like Ezra’s is that it never lets go. And Ezra was used to making things
8
@LIFESTYLE
happen. With those two elements in play, the plan for his adult-
corner, however, is a rainbow-colored cloth mobile resembling
sized tree house set in the backwoods of his 100 acre tract in
Captain Hook’s ship. Suspended from the peak of the vaulted
the Boston Mountains started to grow.
ceiling is a branch-like chandelier lit by three hurricane glass oil lamps.
Not that it was easy. He was a musician, after all. Not a builder or an architect. His wife Karen, who was used to Ezra’s boundless
The tree house is mostly used for family gatherings and for
creativity, reminded him of several other projects that should
guests during the Thanksgiving holiday. Ezra and Karen host a
have taken priority over a tree house in the woods.
big party the day after where musician friends, mostly from the area, come to jam. When the crowd dwindles, Ezra and Karen
And then Ezra tripped over a solution. A neighbor, Clancy
often watch the sun set and listen to a Victrola with a diverse
McMahon, was a builder in search of some horses for his children,
collection of old records.
and Ezra was a horse owner in search of a builder. A mutually profitable exchange ensued. Then Karen’s brother, Jody Thom,
The house also serves as an “alternate universe of creativity.”
who was also a builder, got excited about the idea. The dream
Ezra said that he sees similarities between building the tree
that had previously been Ezra’s alone, was gaining supporters.
house and building a song because both have structure and
“This tree house wouldn’t have been possible without a group
rules that need to be understood, even if they need to be bent
of talented and generous friends,” Ezra said.
from time to time. “Working on the tree house has been a way to stay creative and work with different parameters. Being creative
While most of the structure was completed within a year, it is
in building this place gave me a different perspective on my
still a work in progress. It rises eight to eleven feet in the air
music,” Ezra said.
depending on which side of the tree-strewn hillside you’re on. Accessed by a steep flight of stairs to the front porch, the house
Ezra and the other half of Trout Fishing in America, Keith
is eighteen by twenty feet, with a nineteen foot ceiling that
Grimwood, have had a thriving creative collaboration for
was designed to accommodate the loft area. Heat and minimal
over thirty years. Ezra believes the long-term relationship is
cooking come from an old wood stove in the great room. There
based on communication and trust. It also helps that they are
is a small bathroom with a composting toilet, part of the green
very different people with different interests, so there is little
nature of the house. Cooling comes from an orientation that
competition between them. Their normal creative process is
allows the prevailing southerly wind to cool both the lower
a good example. Keith usually starts with lyrics and Ezra with
level and the loft.
music, though once “a germ of an idea” emerges, they both work on all parts of the songs. Keith often serves as the stronger
There is a lot of wood in this house. It cover the walls, the
music editor while Ezra functions as the better lyric editor,
ceiling and the hardwood floors that are painted pale green.
making the whole process a true collaboration.
The views from the windows make nature the decorator. In one
9
@LIFESTYLE
Their stage performances reflect that same individuality. Ezra is six feet nine inches, while Keith is just under five feet six. They use the differences in their sizes to enhance their lively and humorous performances. In mid-September they released the second in a series of children’s books/CDs at Nightbird Books in Fayetteville. The new release called, Chicken Joe Forgets Something Important, has already earned a National Parenting Publication Awards Gold Award in the Children’s Media/Music and Audio category. The evolution of Chicken Joe and the rest of the characters in this series is a reflection of the music, style, and creativity of the duo. Chicken Joe is a cat that actually belongs to Keith. When a kitten, Keith’s cat got his name from sleeping in the hen house because it was the warmest place around. Ezra’s mom had a dog named Miss Kitty, while his son had a parrot named King Kong. A neighbor had a mule named Mister and the rest of the characters evolved from there. One example is the Rock and Roll Roosters who sing about crowing at dawn: “When the sun comes up, that’s when we get down.” To dub the duo as only children’s musicians would be a mistake. Song topics range from the last days of Pompeii, to a love song about a smile, to Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. They have an easy, foot-tapping style that stays in your head long after they stop playing. It seems fitting that Ezra, who’s been able to live out his dream of making a living as a musician, found a way to make a very whimsical tree house a reality. “Following your dreams,” he said, “no matter how impractical, can be really rewarding and a great creative outlet. If building a tree house in the Ozarks inspires someone else to follow their dream, it has been successful beyond my wildest imagination.”
10
@story Marla Cantrell @image Nick Gibson
I
t’s been almost three weeks since seven construction workers from Team Pain arrived in Fort Smith to piece together BoarderTown, the city’s first indoor skateboard park.
On this day, they’re finishing up the detail work on the 11,000 square foot venue, which is in the Quarry Shopping Center. Saws blare, a nail gun pops, and a guy with a skateboard trucks past on his way to the “mini-bowl hybrid,” which is eighty feet long and thirty feet wide, and looks like the bottom of a pond after a long drought.
Jeff Hammond, one of the crewmembers of Team Pain, a Florida company that builds skate parks across the U.S., says he’s been wanting to try something like this for three years. “There’s nothing really like this hybrid. The hybrid is a half-pipe, which is what most people do. There’s no flat areas
@LIFESTYLE
on it. No matter which way you skate it, it’s always round, so in
“The builders had birch brought in from Finland because it’s
that regard it’s like a swimming pool. It was an experiment. It is
not slippery, doesn’t have too much grip, and it reflects light,
somewhat of a risk to build it but I love risks.”
making the place brighter.
Jeff, a New Yorker who’s thirty-eight, has been skateboarding
There’s steel in here, concrete, wood, granite. We have something
since he was twelve. He refuses to call himself a skater today
for every skill level. And we plan to have classes on Saturdays,
because “skaters do it every day, no matter what.” He talks
for an hour before we open. We really appeal to that junior
about skating in Brooklyn and says, “I don’t jump the stairs
high and high school crowd, but I have a guy who’s fifty who still
anymore,” as if this is in fact another reason he can’t claim the
skates, so you can’t really give it an age range.”
title. “I might ride my board to the subway but I don’t have anything to prove anymore. “
Nick thinks BoarderTown will give skateboarders from across the area a place to gather, to learn from each other, and a chance
Nick Gibson, who’s twenty-five, and the manager of BoarderTown,
to be around other people who love the sport. “We’re going to
stands nearby at a ramp that curves like a series of waves out
offer kids a really positive experience.” He and owner, Steve
in the ocean. “There’s definitely a whole culture built around
Clark, are also looking at bringing together graffiti artists to sell
skateboarding,” Nick says. “Usually it’s kids that like individual
their work in the adjoining skateboard shop, where you can also
challenges because you have to challenge yourself. You learn
rent a board for the day.
at your own pace. You start seeing things differently. He points to a massive dumpster the construction workers are using. “You
The grand opening for BoarderTown is on November 11, but it’s
look at that and you probably see a place to throw trash. I see it
already open for business.
as a challenge. I’d ride it.” When Nick talks, he uses words like ollie, grind, kick flip. “I
For more information check out their Facebook page
taught myself by watching professional skateboarding videos.
BoarderTown Skate Shop and Park
You try things out yourself. I skated on the street. This place
Quarry Shopping Center
gets kids off the streets and out of parking lots. They won’t
479.221.1877
be bothering businesses like I did when I was younger. You try
Mon-Thurs 11-9 - $5
those tricks on just regular concrete and it feels like a cheese
Fri-Sun - $10
grater. Inside here,” he says, “ it’s smooth.”
Costs are for an all-day session
Rising from the concrete are wide wooden ramps, long and short steps, and something that looks like a kitchen island that’s topped with granite. “That granite rides like butter,” Nick says.
13
B
en Buonaiuto lives in a modest ranch house on the south side of Fayetteville. He bought it for
“nearly nothing” compared to what a similar one in his hometown of Santa Fe would have cost. Near the front door he’s secured his house number to the siding. It’s 1,000. The one is made from a recycled spark plug. The zeroes are mismatched bits of hardware, cogs and gears that anyone else might have thrown away. Just inside there’s a wall with a series of mixed media art pieces he designed with working parts – one has a handle you might see on an old bathroom faucet. There are sections cut out where a steel ball rolls through a series of traps, drops to the floor, and then is snatched back up again when you hold it to the magnetic opening. Ben walks past the display on the way to the studio he shares with his wife, Sage Billig. One wall is lined with shallow wooden shelves that hold rusty wrenches, old marbles, small tea tins, that will eventually end up his artwork. “There was a time when I had all my friends and family bringing me what they’d found.” Sage is not home. She’s at an arts and crafts fair where she’s selling her line of children’s clothing called Cuddlefish. Ben points to a baker’s rack where dozens of recycled cotton T-shirts have been laundered, sorted by color and folded into neat stacks. Sage uses them to make the trendy outfits. Behind him is Sage’s sewing machine, complete with a mechanism so complex it looks as if the thread winding across its top is an adult version of Jacob’s Ladder.
14
@story Marla Cantrell @images Marcus Coker
@LIFESTYLE
In the living room, their son Ari, who’s five, is sitting on the wood floor. His brow is furrowed and he’s leaning on one elbow, trying to decide what color he needs next. In front of him is a white poster board; beside him is a watercolor kit. Already, the body of a golden lion is taking form, its mane painted in symmetrical blocks around its great face. “Dude,” Ben says to Ari, “that’s a great lion.” He rubs his thumb across his chin and says, “You know, you could give him a bigger world to live in.” Air shrugs as if he’s considering. “I think I’ll give him some grass to sit on,” Ari decides, and returns to his project. There was a time before Ari was born when Ben spent most of his time working as a 3-D mixed-media artist. He finds a cardboard box sealed tight with shipping tape, and opens it to reveal two handmade journals he and Sage created. They are large pieces, carefully constructing, with ornate hinges and hand-carved disks embedded in their covers. After Ben became a father, and then the recession hit, he decided to take a job as a stone mason, something he learned while in his early twenties. At home he finds the time to work in his studio, brew a little beer, and watch Ari grow. His is a much different childhood than Ben had. “I was born in a kind of a cult, I guess you could say, in New York. These people were 1970s intellectuals from New York City, borderline hippies, I suppose. The group was based on Gurdjieff [the spiritual teacher born in Armenia around 1870] and it was taught by one of his students. It was based on meditation in practice, in really being present in your life. We didn’t have TV. There were art studios there and that’s how my parents got into art. There was a clay shop, there was a wood shop. “We left when I was eight. The teacher died and the group started to disperse. There were a couple of hundred people, lots of young families. My parents were probably the age I am now, thirty-six, when they left. They took me and my sister through South America for seven months just to go wild and then we
15
@LIFESTYLE
went to Santa Fe, because Gurdjieff was into Native American
Beside it is Sage’s brilliant garden, so full of plants Ben can’t
culture, into Buddhism. My mom’s still a sculptor.”
name them all. He points to the perimeter and says. “These are the hops that I use in my beer.”
“Sage was born here. Her parents were Jewish New York intellectuals who moved here in the seventies in the ‘back to the
If you look past the organic garden you’ll see that it continues
land’ movement. Her parents were very grounded, growing their
well beyond their property line. “Sage’s sister owns the property
own food, very practical. We met in Park City, Utah, twelve years
next to ours, probably an acre,” Ben says. “That’s her garden.”
ago. I was a sculptor and she was making jewelry. She was my neighbor at that show. We took off on a road trip for two weeks. A
He sits in his lush backyard and slips the straps of a red accordion
few months later we had our second date. It was a two-month trip
across his shoulders. He starts to play. The sound is a rich and
to Thailand. We rode elephants, sat on the beach, saw this ancient,
somber, and grows like an ache. As he stretches and retracts the
ancient culture.” Ben smiles. “It was quite a second date.
pleated bellows, he bends his head. His right fingers work the keyboard. His left fingers press the buttons that crank out the bass.
“We lived for a while in Santa Fe. We moved here about six years
A cloud lifts, and the sky, azure blue, hovers above like the ceiling
ago. I was a little hesitant because I’d never lived in the South,
of a chapel. The chickens peck in the pen beside him, a car passes
but I love it here. It’s such a sweet, humble place. If feels like
on the nearby street, and farther away a whistle sounds. Inside his
one generation off the farm. We’re raising our kid in this kid-party
son is putting the finishing touches on the watercolor lion.
kind of place without the pomposity we found in the west. It is a good life, filled up and overflowing. “There’s opportunity “I think growing up with artists you don’t wait for entertainment
everywhere,” he says. “And I do meditate, not as much as I
to be fed to you. You create the world you’re after. I think that’s
used to, but I do it,” he says, “even when I get stuck in traffic. I
what art’s done for us and what it will do for Ari.”
meditate a lot like a cat would.”
As Ben speaks, he picks up one of the sweet potatoes sitting
Those are the kinds of things Ben says that throw you off. He
on the kitchen table. “Sage grew these,” he says. “She’s a great
meditates like a cat. It’s an image that’s hard to forget. He
gardener.” On the wall above him is a long line of photographs
describes himself as a pragmatic man, but still believes in the
he and Sage cut from a National Geographic book of portraits
magic of everyday life. Not only does he believe, he has the
and pasted over the old wallpaper border. Outside, near the
good sense to cherish it every single day.
clothesline, the chickens scratch in their pen. The coop is made from the remnants of the cabin Sage built with her own hands
View Ben and Sage’s art at cicadabooks.com. View
when she was living alone in Madison County. “Who wouldn’t
Sage’s children’s clothes at cuddlefishclothes.com
love a woman who could do something like that?” Ben asks.
16
@story Marcus Coker @images Jake Landis
I’m introduced to the pilot, Brian Correll. He’s thirty-four, and he’s been flying and instructing acrobatics for the last ten years. Good, I think, this may be my first rodeo, but it’s not his. I duck as I step under the right wing. Brian opens the door. I hoist myself in the backseat and notice all the straps and buckles. I first attach myself to a parachute, which looks like an oversized backpack and fastens around my thighs and chest. There’s a D-shaped ring that Brian calls the oh S#*@ handle, and I pray that I don’t have to pull it. Next is the seatbelt, so complex it requires Brian’s guidance to fasten. By the time it’s over, I know what my one-year-old nephew feels like in his car seat — stuck. There’s a control stick between my knees, and I assume I’m not supposed to touch it. Brian gets in, shuts the door, and hands me a headset so we can communicate. He starts the engine, radios the tower to get clearance and says something about Foxtrot, which I assume has nothing to do with Dancing with the Stars. We’re on the runway now, speeding up. The plane vibrates, and we’re
I
airborne in less than 1,000 feet. Brian asks if I’m okay, and I say,
’m about to fly, upside down and in circles, so I’m wearing my
“You bet!” then think, And I hope to God I don’t lose my lunch
Superman shirt. The sky’s clear, and the afternoon sun beats
all over your nice plane.
down as I cross the tarmac at TAC Air. The wind shuffles my hair, and as I continue toward the 1980 Super Decathlon aircraft, jet
We climb to 3,000 feet, and Brian tilts the plane so the nose is
engines roar behind me. I think I hear “Highway to the Danger
just above the horizon, and gets ready for a maneuver called
Zone” begin to play. But maybe that’s just my imagination.
an aileron roll. The control stick, which Brian is moving from the front seat, drops to my left knee, and the plane rolls 360
18
@LIFESTYLE
degrees. When Brian asks how I’m doing, all I can do is laugh.
us upside down. For a moment, I feel weightless. We begin to fall
He tilts the plane up again — which prevents the loss of altitude
straight down, nose to earth, then level out. I’m short on oxygen,
while the plane is upside down — then rolls to the right.
so I take a deep breath. Then I ask to do it again.
Marcus was one of the lucky few who got to fly during the Fort Smith Air Show last month. Here’s his account of his time in the sky.
Our last maneuver is called a Cuban Eight, which looks like an infinity symbol, or an eight laid on its side. We start by flying up, like a loop. The G’s come on, then back off. We’re upside down. As we get five-eighths through the loop, we are nose down, inverted. Brian rolls the plane, and now we’re face up, headed in the opposite direction. Just as I’m getting my bearings, we
During the rolls we maintained 1 G-force, which is
loop down, and the pressure begins to build as
what you experience as gravity when you’re standing
we climb back up. Arenaline is coursing through
on the ground. However, we’re about to step things up
my veins, and I can’t name the feeling, except to
to 3.5 G’s, which means that if I weighed 200 pounds
say it’s equal parts freedom and nausea.
(which I don’t, by the way), and were experiencing 3.5 G’s, I would exert the same amount of pressure on my
We begin our descent and as we approach the airport, Brian
seat as a 700 pound person.
turns the plane slightly to the right in what’s called a side slip. Acrobatic planes don’t have flaps to lower to increase
We begin a loop, which would look like a big circle if you were
drag, so the side slip creates friction, slowing the plane. We
watching the side of the plane. We ascend 600 feet, and the
land effortlessly, having spent nineteen minutes in flight.
G-forces increase. I feel like I’ve been pushed against a brick
The safety belts come off easier than they went on, and as
wall. The pressure slacks off at the top of the loop, and the
I exit the plane, I think I could fall over at any moment. I’m
plane slows. I notice that the ground is where the sky should
wiped out but can’t stop smiling. For the rest of the day I feel
be. As we descend, the G-forces return, stretching my face like
lightheaded, and I’m sure even Superman would recommend
Silly Putty and forcing blood from my head to God-knows-
a Dramamine next time. Well maybe not Superman, but at
where. I’m starting to get woozy.
least the guy who plays him.
Again we begin to climb straight up, this time 800 feet. From my perspective, the world is turned on its side. As we reach the apex, we slow to 30 miles per hour, a dramatic drop in speed from the 160 at which we started. Brian pivots to the left, turning
19
top to bottom, inside and out, with a damp cloth. If you don’t already have lined shelves, now is a good time to add them. I prefer padded liners. They come in a roll, can be cut easily to size, wiped down with a damp cloth, and can be removed easily with none of the sticky residue found on other liners. Evaluate each item, eliminating any duplicates, anything you haven’t used in a more than a year, and anything that is broken or has missing parts. In general, one set of mixing bowls, plastic storage containers, and pots and pans is plenty. Once you’ve decided what to toss, box those items up for your next garage sale, or give them to a local non-profit. Now it’s time to put things back in a more organized and strategic manner. Yes, I said strategic! It may seem like commonsense but make sure your dishes, pans, etc. are stored close to where you use them. Spices, pots and pans, and utensils should be near your
simplify your space kitchen edition
@story Catherine Frederick
stove top. Glassware, dishes and silverware near your dishwasher. Knives, mixing bowls and cutting boards near the prep area. If space is a hot commodity consider purchasing items that will create additional storage in your kitchen. »» ‘S’ hooks: hang utensils from a rod with ‘S’ hooks and eliminate a jumbled drawer or container
T
»» Adjustable shelves: store container and pots and
many of us, if you opened a cabinet door it would look like an
»» Vertical dividers (think spring tension curtain rods):
episode of Hoarders. With the holidays right around the corner,
stack bakeware vertically on end, leaning against
there’s no time like the present to get your kitchen organized.
the rods
he kitchen. It’s the heart of our home. It’s the place where friends gather, meals are created, homework is tackled, and
memories are made. No matter the functions of your kitchen, for
pan lids above their matching counterparts
»» Magnetic strips: replace a knife block with a magnetic Let’s start with the cabinets. Begin by pulling everything out, one shelf, one section at a time. Wipe down all items and clean from
20
strip on the wall
@LIFESTYLE
Now it’s time to tackle the drawers. You can find several types of
toss out items which are out of date, rusty or old, as cleaners lose
organizers locally. Whether you choose bamboo or plastic, these
their potency over time. Toxic cleaners should be kept in a locked
will change your life. When organizing my “junk drawer” recently, I
cabinet or on a high shelf, out of the reach of children and pets.
located plastic bins in a variety of sizes that I could snap together to create a customized space. Go through each drawer, eliminating
I purchased a storage caddy with a handle so I can easily carry
items and placing like items (foil, wax paper, cling wrap, storage
cleaning supplies used on a daily or weekly basis from room
bags) together, then store them near where they’re most used. I
to room. Items used occasionally such as specialty cleaners,
also line my drawers for easy cleaning and so that the dividers
polishes and cleaning cloths should be stored separately.
don’t slide when the drawers are opened and closed.
Adding a plastic or wire shelf under the sink is helpful in creating
“We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us”. - Winston Churchill
vertical storage. Consider a container to hold plastic bags. I found one that adheres to the inside of the cabinet where my trashcan is located. Keep no more than ten bags at a time. If you need more, you know where to get them. Many stores have recycle
The next step is to clear your countertops. This is a real
bins for plastic bags, so avoid placing these in your trash. A
challenge for my family. Mail, phones, keys and backpacks end
great “green” alternative are nylon reusable bags that can be
up on our kitchen counters daily. To clear them, first relocate
purchased inexpensively at a variety of stores.
large appliances and other items not used daily to cabinets or drawers. Consider purchasing a woven basket or other container
Now that you are organized, here comes the hard part—keeping
that fits your décor to hold daily mail. Go through the mail
it that way. Again, it may seem like commonsense, but put
regularly and shred what you discard.
things away as you use them and place them back where you found them. Don’t be afraid to let things go. It can be difficult,
I created a “go” station by the entry we most use. It contains a
but remember, just because you get rid of the “thing” doesn’t
multi-use cork/chalk board with hooks and a small shelf. Hooks
mean you get rid of the memory it held.
are used for jackets and backpacks. The cork/chalk board is perfect for jotting down needed grocery items or important reminders I can see as I’m walking out the door. Keys and other
For more tips on organizing your kitchen, including
items are also stored here. Everything we need to exit the house
your fridge and your pantry, go to AtUrbanMagazine.
is all in one place.
com/SimplifyYourSpace.
Another area to organize is under your kitchen sink. Again, pull everything out, evaluate and separate. Combine duplicates and
21
@ENTERTAINMENT
tech sergeant suffered awful head wounds, and, miraculously, a lieutenant whose twin brother died in the crash, received only minor cuts and scrapes. Knowing they’d never be rescued if they stayed with the plane, they gathered a yellow tarp, two tins of water, and some hard
Lost in Shangri-La By Mitchell Zuckoff 384 Pages
candies from the wreckage, and set out for a small clearing
@review Anita Paddock
In the hot steaming jungle, swarming with insects and all sorts
the lieutenant saw from a tree top.
of bacteria, the group began a tortuous journey, sometimes crawling, often sliding along rocky creek beds and muddy terrain. The lieutenant knew that the wounds of the injured would soon become gangrenous, which they did. They saw footprints in the wet ground, so they knew they were
T
being watched by natives. Approached by a man from the
his non-fiction book is a beautifully written adventure
tribe, who was wearing very little, the lieutenant instructed
story that takes place during the waning months of
his comrades to smile. “Smile like you’ve never smiled
World War II. The author is a journalism professor at Boston
before,” he commanded. Thus began a tenuous relationship
University, and he documents his story with pictures, diary
with the natives who believed the Americans were gods who
entries, and interviews with the actual participants. It’s a
came from the sky.
terrific history lesson and a true testament to survival that utilized intellect and a whole lot of bravado.
The Americans knew there would be planes searching for them, so they laid out the yellow tarp to attract attention from
A plane carrying twenty-four members of the military,
the air. They were eventually spotted, and supplies and three
including nine WACS (Women’s Army Corps), crashed in the
paratroopers were sent to save their lives.
jungles of New Guinea after a sight-seeing trip over ShangriLa, a previously unknown area, named for the fictitious valley
Mitchell Zuckoff has managed to spin a yarn that had me glued
in the popular book of the time, Lost Horizons.
to the page, wondering how in the heck these three survivors would be rescued. You will not want to put this book down.
Only three survived, two of whom were badly injured. A beautiful WAC received burns to her face and legs and feet. A
22
It’s a fantastic story.
@ENTERTAINMENT
way, but the chorus is absolutely defiant. “Surgeon” opens so delicately that it feels like it would fly apart at the slightest nudge, but by the end you find yourself within a powerful dance track that will not disappoint.
now hear this st. vincent — strange mercy @review Buddy Pinneo
L
“Northern Lights” is essentially punk in its aggressiveness and is endearingly pleading. “Strange Mercy,” the title track, is almost buried in sixth position,
ately, anyone appearing in song claims the title “artist.” Not
and is almost obsessed with its own need not to be noticed. And
to throw cold water, but this is a lofty aspiration of ascension.
yet, when she intones, “I’ll find the dirty policeman who roughed
And not to get biblical, but St. Vincent has ascended.
you up,” she’s coming to save you. And she really means it.
This one-woman, multi-instrumental, sonic stylist is on her way
But the true heart and soul of Strange Mercy is “Champagne
to being called an artist in a way that’s decidedly reassuring.
Year.” It’s almost shocking to hear St. Vincent sing a conventional melody, with precious little vocal effects. It’s a peek behind
Her style has been described as “a mixture of chamber rock,
the curtain as she delivers the utterly disarming, hero-moment
pop, indie rock, and cabaret jazz.” Strange Mercy puts the cabaret
chorus of the entire album:“I make a livin’ telling people what they
front and center.
want to hear…and I tell you, it’s gonna be a champagne year.”
With “Chloe In The Afternoon,” she’s almost thumbing her
I can’t imagine, especially within this musical backdrop, of a
nose at your ears with all the hiccupping rhythms, dissonant
more honest and arresting moment.
instrumentation and liberal use of electronic distortion. But it all serves as announcement for everything that follows – which
We don’t physically have the space here to detail everything
is twistedly beautiful.
about this album that is worthy of your ears, but suffice it said that on every single track St. Vincent gives you at least one thing
You are listening from within a kaleidoscope on a carnival
to love. And these days, that is simply astounding.
ride for this entire album. Call her an artist if you must. No one will roll their eyes. The second track, “Cruel,” drives right down the street of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” in a way that’s simply gorgeous. Next up is “Cheerleader,” which is ‘90s-bleak in a being-used kind of
24
I Rate It
T
here were no desks in Martha Cothren’s Little Rock classroom on the first day of school in
2005. She’d come prepared, draping sheets across the floor so that her students at Joe T. Robinson High would have a place to sit. If she was nervous, she didn’t show it. She slid her thumb across the American flag pin - she wore it every day - patted the back of her blond hair, and stood watching the clock tick down the minutes until the first bell rang. When it did, the buzz started. Some thought the lack of seating was due to budget cuts.
Others speculated
Martha was up to something, they just didn’t know what.
@story Marla Cantrell
26
@PEOPLE
Martha let her students fidget, asking them to work out the
was something going on that they might be interested in.
riddle. All she would tell them was this: “You’re guaranteed a free education, not a desk.” They quizzed her, asking if good
“By that last class, word had spread: Coach Cothren had lost her
grades or good behavior might buy them a seat. She said no.
mind. Kids were coming to see what was going on. Mine’s the
“You could just see the confusion on their faces,” Martha said.
first room by the front door, Room Number One, so I had quite the crowd. I was really flying by the seat of my pants; I didn’t
When the bell rang again, the kids spilled out, a few shaking
really know how it was all going to play out.
their heads. Martha expected them to call their parents and complain. She expected the parents, at least some of them, to
“When the news crews showed up, the first thing they asked
call the school, or better yet the media. A few reporters, she
was where the desks were. I said we were discussing that. It was
speculated, could only help her cause.
the very end of the day, and I had taken the time to choreograph the final scene. There were only about four minutes left in the
Martha’s scheme had formed over the course of the summer. The
day. That’s when I said, ‘All day long you’ve asked how you earn
previous year some of the teachers told her they’d been having
your desk. It’s time for your answer.’
trouble getting kids to stand up for the Pledge of Allegiance. “It is Arkansas state law that the Pledge be recited each morning in
“And the door swung open and these veterans filed in, each
public schools. Of course, I’d never had trouble, but I coached
carrying a desk. They put them in rows and then stood at
girls basketball for twenty years and there’s something about
attention lining the wall.” Martha paused for a moment. “That was
the word ‘coach’ that intimidates kids. So if I said stand up they
too much for me. I had tears pouring down my cheeks, just from
stood up. I know there’s a Supreme Court case that says you
looking at the soldiers’ expressions. And I told the kids, ‘You don’t
can’t force a student to recite the Pledge. I wasn’t going to
have to earn your desk. These men have done it for you.’
do that; however, I knew I could take the chairs away and that would require them to stand.”
“One of the men was a World War II veteran who was a father of one of our teachers. He couldn’t carry his desk. One of our
With that revelation, half her plan was set. She’d take away the
teachers is in the National Guard and she was in her camo’s
desks, the kids would stand, and at least for a day the problem
and she carried his desk for him. There was dead silence in the
would be solved.
room, and then the bell rang.”
The only complication was that the kids liked her too much to
The kids, who normally would have rushed to leave, instead went
grumble outside the school walls. By the time lunch ended,
to the veterans, then lined up to thank them. “I’ve never been
Martha knew the media wasn’t coming if she didn’t call. “So I
so proud,” Martha said. “You could hear the reverence in their
ended up contacting the major TV stations and paper here and I
voices, like they’d never realized what had been done for them. I
didn’t tell them what I was going to do, I simply told them there
was crying, the vets were crying, and the kids were crying.
27
@PEOPLE
“Kids from in the hallway started coming in, and they went to
every game. I knew he suffered, but he was so determined to
each one. The teachers followed them. One of the cameramen
give back to those kids.
called me over and he said, ‘Ma’am, I want to tell you, I’m a Vietnam veteran and I’ve never been welcomed home until
“I felt like I was able to honor him that day when the desks were
today.’ I thought I’d cried all the tears I had, but when he said
gone. And there’s that part of me that still remains in love with
that I cried some more.”
Danny, and I was able to honor the Vietnam veterans as well. I live with what-ifs, just like everybody. I think what my life would
The man behind the camera had no way of knowing what he’d
be like if he’d lived long enough for us to get married and have
done for Martha. When she was a high school student in the
kids. I believe God always has a bigger plan. I’d not have been
small town of Dierks, Arkansas, she fell in love with a boy, five
able to touch the number of lives I have living in that little town
years older, who left to serve in the Navy during the Vietnam
in southwest Arkansas. You don’t always understand God’s plan
War. The two planned their wedding. “Danny made it all the
but you make the best of what comes along.
way home,” Martha said, “but before we could marry, he was in a car wreck and he didn’t survive.
“Of all the things that have happened in my life, that day was one of the most moving. I had the kids write essays that I never returned.
“I think that set the stage for what I did with my life, teaching
There was so much raw emotion in them. I think it changed a lot
all these years, working with kids. And I think my patriotism
of things for those kids. I still hear from them and they all say, ‘I
started with my dad. He was the twenty-fourth American who
remember the day when the veterans showed up.’”
was captured as a prisoner of war by the Germans in World War II. He’d been hit in both the arm and the leg when he was thrown
She stands in her classroom where light spills in through the
out of an airplane; he walked with a limp the rest of his life.
stained glass window, complete with an American eagle, that someone from across the country sent after hearing her story.
“He was a gunner. He landed in a French field and the French
On the ceiling is a squadron of model fighter jets the kids
were running toward him, and the Germans were coming for him
construct each year and then leave behind as a reminder of
and they reached him first. It happened on October 9, 1942. He
what they’ve learned.
spent the rest of the war in the POW camp. I knew very early the cost of freedom.
It’s a good day; Martha’s just found a soldier who could use a few letters from home. Before the hour ends, her students will
“He came home and he felt blessed that he’d survived. He
start writing. But right now it’s time for the Pledge of Allegiance
returned to officiating football. As far as we can determine, he was
in Room Number One at Joe T. Robinson High. Chairs scratch
the longest acting football official in world history. He refereed
across the classroom floor. Feet shuffle. Everyone in the room
for fifty-seven years. His right kneecap had been splintered
is standing.
when he was shot down. He’d wrap his leg religiously before
28
I
t’s Friday night in Little Rock, and Amos Cochran has only forty-eight hours. Sitting
on the floor in a downtown loft, he opens his laptop, runs his fingers through his hair, and begins to compose. Just across the room, there are actors, makeup artists, cinematographers. Amos and his team are competing in the 48 Hour Film Project. They have two days to write, film, and finalize a movie, and Amos is responsible for the movie’s score. “It was one of the coolest things I have ever worked on, because you had no time to second guess yourself,” says Amos, who didn’t sleep much that weekend. But all the effort paid off. The movie, Calamari Sunset: Part IV, won the best film award. It will be shown again in March in Taos, New Mexico, at Filmapalooza, the finale festival for the 48 Hour Film Project. For Amos, that weekend in September was a milestone. After all, he’s spent most of his twenty-seven years unable to read music, and
@story Marcus Coker @images Courtesy Amos Cochran
only began composing two years ago. He’s
30
accomplished much in those two years, and he’s certainly worked hard. But he’s also made it look easy, because Amos gets music. He gets music the way a fish gets the ocean, the way a star understands the night sky. It’s part of him. “From the very beginning, I’ve just loved music,” says Amos. “When I was in the sixth grade, my mom took me to Ben Jack’s in Fayetteville, and
@PEOPLE
we bought a bass guitar for eighty bucks. I learned to play by
written for several instruments, including guitar and drums. “It’s
ear, by feel, rather than notes on a page. I don’t think I looked at
true that ignorance is bliss. I didn’t know anything about keys or
a sheet of music until I was in college.”
notes, but I did know what sounded cool.”
By high school, Amos and some of his friends formed the
Had it just been Amos, playing in the bands would have been
Thomas Gray Band, named after the famous poet. Amos says,
enough to keep him happy. But by 2007, he’d married his
“We would beg the owner of the Dickson Street Theater to let
longtime girlfriend, and the two, along with their three-year-
us play, and he finally would. When you’re eighteen and not
old daughter, moved to Van Buren. “I decided I didn’t want to
allowed in bars, none of your friends can come see you play, so
play anymore, because I wanted to be home with my daughter.
it’s hard to say we gained a following. But we played George’s,
I spent all this time wanting to be a bass player, and it was like,
the reputable places in Fayetteville.”
Damn, what do I do now?”
Despite their success, the Thomas Gray Band broke up when
Amos started substitute teaching. At the same time, he went
Amos was twenty. By that time, he was taking classes at the
back to the piano and started writing music. He says, “I thought,
University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. One day, he discovered
Maybe I could go back to school [at UA – Fort Smith] and learn
the piano rooms on campus. Curious, he slipped into one of
more about composing. The idea of traditional music schooling
the rooms, sat down, and began teaching himself to play. In
scared me because you have to have so much theory, all this
the weeks and months that followed, he spent hours in that
training. But I didn’t really care about getting a degree; I just
room, his fingers determined to unlock the music inside the
wanted to learn because I like to get better at stuff.”
instrument. Without realizing it, he had begun composing. Because Amos was used to thinking about drums and stringed It was also during college that Amos got his first taste of formal
instruments, the classes he took in composition helped him
music training. He was taking upright bass lessons, and the
focus on woodwinds and brass instruments. He quickly saw
instructor wanted him to read sheet music. “He used to get
the connection. “At the end of the day, it’s all just notes. It’s
so frustrated, because I’d say, ‘Well, why don’t I just play it by
all just music.”
ear?’” But Amos is grateful for what he learned. “I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing now if I hadn’t gotten that knowledge back
It was during one of his classes that Amos had “the crazy idea”
then. Now I can read music, but I hate it.”
to write music for films and other types of visual media. His knew his formal training was limited, but he also knew that
Motivated by his constant love for playing, Amos joined several
technology, paired with his natural ear for music, gave him an
bands, including one called Cecil the Cat. He says, “Cecil is
edge. He went to work using his MacBook and a program called
arguably one of the best things that ever happened because
Garage Band. The computer software allowed him to compose
I started writing music.” It was the first time that Amos had
music for several instruments and hear instant playback. “I
31
@PEOPLE
lived up to his bravado. Spending hours behind the keyboard with his headphones on, he was able to create a jazz score that exceeded the director’s expectations. The movie won best film in the state at the 2011 Little Rock Film Festival. Amos has been presented with many challenges in the short time that he’s been composing. In 2010, the theater department at the UA – Fort Smith asked Amos to compose original music for parts of their production Imogen, a play that included trapeze acts, and even an underwater scene. “That really took off,” says Amos. “I knew I could do the underwater scene. I knew I could create an ambient sound. It was the neatest mix of electronic and classical. I ended up writing music for the whole play.” Both wouldn’t be able to do it without the computer. I have to be
the show and the music were a success, winning twenty-two
able to hear it, and with a computer, I can do that.”
awards at the state level from the Kennedy Center, including excellence in composing.
Amos sent his work to his cousin in California, who’s in the film industry. His cousin passed it along, and Amos ended up
Amos is willing to work for countless hours on each project
composing the score for a nine-minute short film called Vice
because he realizes the important role that music plays in any
in the spring of 2010. The film relied heavily on the Amos’s
film or production. “If you change the music, you change what’s
soundtrack since none of the actors in the movie had lines.
going on in a film. If someone is following someone else in a car, and the music is happy-go-lucky, that’s one thing. If the music is
The process of scoring the film, from start to finish, lasted nine
ominous, that’s something else entirely.”
months. There was a lot of music Amos wrote that was never accepted. But Amos says, “If you’re composing for film and can’t
When Amos talks about music, it’s hard not to pay attention because
handle rejection, you’re in the wrong business. It’s a composer’s
he smiles a lot. Sometimes he gets so excited about his work that
job to figure out what a director wants, and sometimes that
he claps his hands in applause. He might as well be talking about
means starting over.”
the way sunshine feels when it first hits your bare skin on a spring morning. “Music can express emotion. You can get lost in it,” he
Since Vice, Amos has contributed music to a number of different
says. Thanks to Amos, we can all get lost more often.
independent films. He says, “The director of one film, ‘The Orderly,’ asked if I could write 1940s jazz music. I said, ‘Yeah, man, I can do that,’ but I had no idea how to do that.” Still, Amos
32
For more information, visit amoscochran.com.
So what do the two popular projects have in common? The connection between the two is a couple who grew up in Arkansas: Elizabeth Barnes Keener and Brandon Keener. Elizabeth is the casting director for Revenge and Brandon is the actor who is the voice of Garrus. They’re enjoying success while living and working in Los Angeles now, but they met in Fort Smith when they were just teenagers. They were working together on Kaleidoscope, an art and drama program offered by the state at the time. “Brandon and I must have known something when we met at Kaleidoscope; we made each other laugh like crazy,” Elizabeth says. “We were fifteen and sixteen years old, I’m six months older. And neither of us had done much dating, so I’m not sure we even realized what was going on, but we did try to stick our hands together with glue during an art project.” He went to Northside. She went to Southside. Later Brandon went to the University of Arkansas. Elizabeth went to Hendrix. It
acting out in l.a.
wasn’t until the summer before their junior years of college that
@story Tonya McCoy @images Courtesy Elizabeth Barnes Keener
“Romance really started when we played the leads opposite
I
their lives really intersected.
each other in A Few Good Men at the Fort Smith Little Theatre.
n the sexy, sophisticated Hamptons, Emily Thorne plots to
Brandon was Lt. Dan Kaffee and I was Joanne Galloway. We
take down the people who destroyed her father’s life in
spent a lot of time together that summer.”
ABC’s new hit series Revenge. And Elizabeth had no idea that in ten years she’d be face to face
34
Meanwhile in a war-torn galaxy, a vigilante alien named Garrus
with the famous playwright, Aaron Sorkin: the writer of A Few
Vakarian works with rebel forces to overcome the evil race of
Good Men, and got to tell him about how he wrote part of her
mechanical Reapers, in the popular Xbox 360 video game
love story. The two were working to cast the Emmy-nominated
Mass Effect 3.
TV series Studio 60.
@PEOPLE
“That was a thrill. He sat in on every single audition and read with the actors in those auditions, which was pretty cool.” Elizabeth says it was a “happy coincidence” that she transferred to the University of Arkansas the following semester. Within a year the two drama majors already knew what they wanted. They wanted to act. And they wanted to be together. “By that time, we’d already started talking about the rest of our
So the couple took what work they could find. Brandon was a
lives together, planning where we would move, how we’d get
busboy at the Wolfgang Puck Café, and once he even took a job
our careers started. So it seemed only natural to go ahead and
making pizzas from midnight till five in the morning. Elizabeth
get married! We got married in Fort Smith, at St. Luke’s, in the
worked at the Silver Spoon Café for a while and also took an
summer of 1996.”
administrative job at the Getty Museum.
After graduating, they were debating on whether to make their
While Brandon, who was the quieter, more reserved of the two,
start in New York or Los Angeles.
began to embrace auditioning for acting parts, Elizabeth began to wonder what she’d gotten herself into.
“We had a good friend, Sarah Colonna, who now actually writes and performs on the Chelsea Handler (Chelsea Lately) show. She
“If you want to be an actor the main thing you have to do is
was our good friend in college and she had already moved to
audition. And I did not like the feeling of rejection, and I didn’t
Los Angeles and lived out here and she said that if we moved
like the uncertainty. It was just really challenging for me. So I
out we could stay on her couch until we found a place to live,
pretty quickly decided that I didn’t want to do that every day.”
and that made the decision for us. Elizabeth tried her luck as a talent agent, but discovered that “It was a crazy move and looking back I can’t believe our parents
it involved a lot of selling and she wasn’t a salesperson. Some
let us do it. We packed up everything in our Ford Tempo and we
people would have given up on the entertainment business
drove, and just waved goodbye to our parents and took off.”
at this point, but Elizabeth was resilient. She had good organizational and administrative skills; she just needed to
Elizabeth and Brandon knew getting into showbiz would be
figure out how to make them work for her in Hollywood. And
tough. What they hadn’t expected, was how hard it would be to
eventually she did. Elizabeth found her niche in casting.
get into any biz. “In LA it seems to be all about who you know, even to get a job in a restaurant.”
“Casting is very collaborative. You sit down with the director
@PEOPLE
and brainstorm about who would be great for a part. Then you
Plus he’s voiced characters in video games including Company
talk to agencies to see who they think would fit. You decide
of Heroes, Saints Row 2, and all of the Mass Effect series.
who to bring in to audition. Then directors and the producers decide who gets cast, but it’s the casting director’s job to give
Elizabeth has a pretty impressive resumé as well. She’s recently
them options.
cast for the SciFi Channel series Eureka and in the past she’s put together cast members for three series that were nominated for
“It’s sort of like being a librarian of talent. I have to remember, or
Emmys: The United States of Tara, Studio 60, and The Comeback.
have filed, everyone from big famous people who would be right for a part, all the way down to people who say a line or two.”
And if you’re wondering if she’s ever cast her husband, the answer is yes. But she admits she wants to remain fair, so she hasn’t cast
“Every project I learn something new on. Definitely. But I think
him often. And Brandon hasn’t needed any favors with the steady
Revenge, so far, is the most popular show I’ve ever worked on.
line of work he’s gotten on TV, movies and video games.
Which is nice. I have people on the lot where I work, people who aren’t working on the show say to me, ‘Don’t you work on
“I feel that we’ve worked really hard, but we’ve also had a lot of
Revenge? I really like that show…’ It’s nice to work on something
support and a lot of important breaks along the way. I feel it is
people are excited about.”
working and we have a nice balance right now between work and family. And I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Elizabeth is loving life as a casting director. She now has a business partner and can split the work. This means Elizabeth can get home in the afternoons at a reasonable time which is
Elizabeth knows exactly what it’s like to try and make
important these days. Elizabeth and Brandon have a fifteen-
your way in showbiz. She has offered her email address
month-old boy named Vincent, and a four-year-old girl named
to aspiring actors from Arkansas who plan to make the
Evelyn. Evelyn didn’t quite understand what her father did for
move to LA: eurekacasting@gmail.com.
work until recently. “When Brandon went to Boston to shoot Zookeeper [2011 movie starring Kevin James], he was there for a couple of months. So we went to visit and we stayed in a hotel. So when we got back and Evelyn was asked what her daddy did for work she would say he goes to hotels and watches movies.” Now Evelyn knows her daddy acts. He’s landed roles in movies like Traffic, Catch Me If You Can, and He’s Just Not That Into You. He’s also done television shows including The Defenders and The King of Queens.
36
come by; remember, you can use whatever greens you like; there’s no right or wrong. Once the greens are wilted (in a little bacon grease, might I add), they are cooked with heavy cream and an eyeball-popping amount of red pepper flakes – adjust the flakes according to your tolerance level. The whole shebang is put into the food processor, where it’s chopped to bits and mixed with some tangy lemon juice and decadent crème fraiche. Never heard of crème fraiche? You’re missing out. Crème fraiche is the French version of sour cream, Hobbs @recipe & image Laura
but like most French things, goes above and beyond our American expectations. Crème fraiche is so rich, so decadent, it’s like sour cream and mascarpone cheese had a baby.
I’ll begin by saying that I must have had a bad experience with canned creamed spinach as a child because for the vast majority of my adult life, I have found the notion of greens and cream to be rather, well, unappealing. However, a recent weeknight meal seemed to cure me of my aversion. Let’s take a moment to talk greens. There are a plethora of greens in the supermarket’s produce section that could be used in this dish: chard, kale, chicory, spinach, mustard greens, cabbage; some are well-known, some are obscure, and most just make people wonder if they’re looking at food or grass clippings. Personally, I chose kale because of its resilient structure and nutritional value, but you can choose what you like. The second green in this dish is broccoli rabe (also known as rapini), which, contrary to popular belief, isn’t broccoli at all. Broccoli rabe is in the mustard family, and its spiked leaves surround clusters of green buds that look like small heads of broccoli, but the resemblance ends there. Broccoli rabe can be hard to
38
Go buy some now. I’ll admit that the addition of shrimp to the recipe was a last-minute thing; I had some shrimp in the freezer that were looking for a home, so I cooked them up in the bacon grease and tossed them into the dish toward the very end. Of course, if you don’t like shrimp and want to use something else, the world is your oyster – er, your shrimp. Whatever. Grill some chicken, brown some beef tips, fry some tofu: again, there’s no right or wrong here. Cook for you, not because the recipe tells you to.
@TASTE
Once the creamed greens are tossed together with the hot pasta, the whole dish comes together like, well, like something that really, really comes together nicely. What I love about this dish is that it has so much flavor without the use of onion or garlic, which are usually so prevalent in pasta dishes. And because the greens are just barely cooked, the flavors are still bright and fresh, and the red pepper adds that perfect little zing. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese over top, and you’ve got yourself one heck of a meal. Enjoy!
ned devei con a & b d f mmed o le & tri , pee lices d p s e m s i 4 n r i sh be, r & b. of li ra o insed c 1/2 l r c o , r e b l a . k b unch 1 l ium b d e d m e 1 trimm tems oil s flakes olive . s b pper T e p d 2 re emon inch 1/2 l – p f o uice ream – j avy c e h p u aiche pasta 1/4 c me fr e r c orite v p a u f c 1/3 your san b. of Parme d e t 1 l ste ra to ta bs. g r T e p 4 p pe alt & – s
DIRECTIONS Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a saute pan over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain, but keep the fat. Cook the shrimp in the bacon fat until their translucency is gone and they’re just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes per side. Place the shrimp on the paper towel with the bacon. Crumble the bacon when you have a spare minute. Place the rinsed greens into the same pan and pour the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over them. Turn the heat to high and begin wilting the greens, folding them from the bottom of the pan to the top using tongs. When they are fully wilted and most of the liquid has cooked off, add the cream and a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Move the greens into a food processor, adding about half the creamy liquid in the pot. Puree, adding more liquid as needed; reserve any extra. Add a squeeze of lemon and the creme fraiche and puree once more. Adjust the seasonings. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente; reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain and add back to the pan. Place the creamed greens on top of the pasta. Add the shrimp, and fold everything together. Add a handful of cheese, and fold again. Add some reserved creamed greens liquid (or pasta water), if needed. Serve in shallow bowls, sprinkling the bacon and a little more cheese on top. Serve immediately.
39
@TASTE
rick rede F e rin athe e C in Dorey g a @im pe Kev ci @re z.
40
apps
Schn pple
rA alke apps n W h c m S Hira otch c dka s r o apps o e V n t t h 2 e u l c / 1 B 1 r pp nS alke amo oz. A W n n i 2 m / 11 rC ira alke z. H o W 2 lf 1/ am & ha . Hir ) z f l o a h f rnish 1/2 o a g h ( m las – sp ped crea ish) ip rn – wh amon (ga n – cin ients d e r nd ing am a e all e n r i c b ed om r hipp »» C w t p hake s a exce n n in strai amo n d n n i a c well ss e k a d gla e l l »» Sh i ed h ac hipp w h into t wi n amo nish r n a n i c »» G and m a e cr
I’ve never met a self-respecting Southerner Thanksgiving.
who
makes
stuffing
at
In the South we make
dressing, something that stays outside the bird. It’s enough that we have to feel inside the turkey for the packet of God-knows@recipe Marla Cantrell
what first thing in the morning, before any of us are allowed a drink to steady ourselves. It’s enough that we have to sometimes pry the offending packet loose from the turkey that’s not quite defrosted, and then decide what it is we’re supposed to do with the bird’s frozen innards. We also use white bread when making dressing, thank you very much, and don’t feel the need to apologize for it, although we might
42
@TASTE
throw in a “bless your heart” if you need us to explain why we do. It’s my favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal, topping pecan pie, yeast rolls made from scratch, and even my nearly perfect scalloped potatoes. My love of dressing is tied to my memories of the November holiday, when I’d wake up late and find my mother humming in the kitchen, the radio on the country station, and the sink already filled with dishes. On those rare mornings she’d let me have dressing for breakfast. She’d stand by the stove and watch me chow down and smile
Cornbread Dressing 1 3 ½ lb. fryer, cut up 6 cups cold water
Wash chicken good. Cover with water. Cook until tender and done. Salt chicken to taste while cooking.
Cornbread 2 cups cornmeal (450 degree oven) 2/3 cups flour 2 ½ tsps. baking powder 1 tsp. salt (omit if using sweet milk) ½ tsp. baking soda 1 egg (a large one) unbeaten ¼ cup oil 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
Mix all ingredients together, adding enough milk to make a good pouring batter. Bake in one 9 inch greased pan until done in a 450 degree oven.
the kind of smile that let you know that even if you turned out bad, nothing could ruin her opinion of you. My mother didn’t use a recipe. She baked
Dressing
cornbread, toasted white bread, drizzled
5 slices white bread 1 TBL rubbed sage 1 tsp poultry seasoning 1 small can clams 1 yellow onion 1 cup chopped celery 4 cups chicken broth
the drippings from the bottom of the turkey pan, and worked her magic. I wished she’d written it down at some point, but she didn’t. The recipe I use now came from my former mother-in-law, one of those salt-of-the-earth women, whom I still cherish.
Toast 5 slices of white bread to golden brown. Crumble cornbread and white bread together in large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon rubbed sage, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or 2) and mix well. While cornbread is baking, cook the following: 1 onion chopped (I use 1 cup) 1 small can clams 1 cup chopped celery Cook onion and celery until tender and done using 1/3 cup to ½ cup oil. (You can also boil in broth, if you’d rather.) Add to cornbread mixture and mix well. Pour 4 cups of broth over mixture. Bake at 350 degrees until heated through, about 30 minutes.
She wrote it out for me on a piece of lined notebook paper that I keep in my recipe file. I’m copying it for you word for word. (And yes, it does require a chicken! And clams. Thanks for asking, bless your heart.
43
@DESTINATION @story Todd Whetstine @images Wild Woods Photography
A
s almost 100,000 people a year learn for themselves, a guided tour through Blanchard Springs Cavern will absolutely blow you away. The cavern gets
its name from a nearby spring, and is located near Mountain View. John Blanchard homesteaded this prime piece of property after serving as a Confederate soldier.
45
be negotiated by wheelchairs and strollers. There are different tours requiring different levels of ability, agility, and stamina. Parts of the cave are closed off certain times during the year due to hibernating bats. Blanchard Springs Cavern has over six miles of explored passageways. The upper level of the caves is just under a half a mile. The second level is almost five miles long with a stream passage about 4,000 feet long. Constructed trails with handrails make up about 1.6 miles. The Dripstone Trail at .4 miles and the Discovery Trail at 1.2 miles have been enticing a steady flow of families for almost forty years. The formations of speleothems are simply spectacular. No evidence suggests that Blanchard even knew about the
Speleothems are secondary mineral deposits that form in caves.
caverns. All he knew was that there was a “pit entrance”
It is estimated that in ideal cave conditions a speleothem the
known early on as “Half-Mile Cave” that was a half mile from
size of an ice cube takes about one hundred years to form.
the springs.
Imagine how long it took for the “Giant Column” in the Cathedral Room to form; it’s over sixty-five feet tall. The Cathedral Room is
Willard Hadley was the first recorded visitor to the cavern
enormous. At over 1,150 feet long and 180 feet wide, this room
in 1934. Hadley entered only for a quick peek inside. The
displays the “Giant Column” like a centerpiece on the turkey-
cavern remained a mystery until the 1950s and 60s. That’s
day table. The giant Flowstone in this room is 160 feet long,
when a team of cavers began doing extensive research of all
35 feet wide, and 34 feet deep. This room is filled wall to wall,
that lies beneath the dirt and rock, 366 feet below the surface.
floor to ceiling with unbelievable beauty. My personal favorite
A skeleton was found inside with the remains of a charred
is the “Battleship” or “Titanic.” It looks just like a ship.
stick laying beside it. I’m guessing the torch burnt out and the explorer was lost in the dark.
Outside the cavern lies the Blanchard Springs Recreation Area. Here you can stroll down a well-kept path to the point where
Today there’s no such worry. An elevator takes you into the
the spring bursts from the cave. It’s quite a sight. Seven to nine
cavern. The next few steps leave you speechless. The Dripstone
thousand gallons per minute gush out of the cavern and down
Tour opened in July of 1973. The Discovery Trail opened in July
the creek on its way to Mirror Lake.
four years later, and the Wild Cave Tour Opened in January of 2000. A couple of the tours have sidewalks with ramps that can
46
Mirror Lake is a small picturesque setting. This tiny waterway has
@DESTINATION
a surrounding trail that allows you to look into the deep emerald pool. This is a great place to bring the young ones and let them try their luck at trout fishing. The Forest Service keeps the lake stocked. Another nice thing about Mirror Lake is it’s handicapped accessible. The campground outside the cavern has thirty-two campsites. All sites have grills, tent pads, and lantern poles but no power. There are two group areas, by reservation only, that accommodate eight to fifty people. The sites are situated along North Sylamore Creek with a great swimming hole. All sites are shaded and well maintained. A trailhead at the camp connects the campground with North Sylamore Creek Hiking Trail. Another trail provides mountain bikers with access to the Sylamo Mountain Bike Trail. Gunner Pool Campground is just a few miles west and offers primitive camping. This is a gorgeous streamside campground that the kids will love. It’s a great place to put your toe in the water and relax. A magnificent bluff lines the far bank along the stream. Barkshed is another campground up the road a few miles from Gunner Pool. It offers primitive camping also. This is a much more secluded camp with nice wading pools and another breathtaking bluff to view.
47
@DESTINATION
An experience of a lifetime awaits you at Blanchard Springs.
COST
When I was there the trees had already started to turn. Families
Rates for the tours range from $5 for children, $10 for
were out and about at BSC Recreation Area. First-timers watched
adults, to $65 for the Wild Cave Tour. Certain areas
the force of the water from Blanchard Springs pour out of the
close during the winter months to accommodate
cave and surge down the creek on its way to Mirror Lake. The
hibernating bats.
water color and clarity rivals the best streams in the “Natural State.� But the crown jewel of the BSC Recreation Area, and
DIRECTIONS
maybe all the Ozark Mountains, is just below your feet, 366 feet
Blanchard Springs is 115 miles north of Little Rock,
to be exact. Be ready to be amazed.
and 15 miles northwest of Mountain View, Arkansas, off State Highway 14 between the towns of Allison and Fifty-Six. For more information call 888.757.2246 or 870.757.2211.
48
Read Chair Publishing, LLC 3811 Rogers Avenue Suite C Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903