Knock - February 2013 by Do South Magazine

knock february 2013 AtUrbanMagazine.com

featuring

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Catherine Frederick

lifestyle

MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell

entertainment

“I Choose to Forget”

Ignite: Cobblestone Farm

DIY: Flower Power

After the Revolution

C2 Home

26 28 30

Urban 8 Antivenin Suite Elsewhere: A Memoir

ASSOCIATE EDITOR / ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Melanie Stout CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Marla Cantrell Marcus Coker Kody Ford Catherine Frederick Laura Hobbs J. Andrew Lockhart Tonya McCoy Anita Paddock Melanie Stout Jim Warnock CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Marla Cantrell Catherine Frederick Laura Hobbs Melanie Stout Jim Warnock

people

DESIGNER Jeromy Price

32 36 40

The Happy Life of Shawn Adair How to Succeed in Business The Squeeky Clean Story of a Fat Bottomed Girl

taste

44 48 49

Homemade Heaven Limoncello Mousse Return to Pear-a-dise

PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

ADVERTISING INFORMATION Catherine Frederick 479 / 782 / 1500 Catherine@AtUrbanMagazine.com Melanie Stout 479 / 414 / 3147 Melanie@AtUrbanMagazine.com

travel

52 56 62

WEB GURU David Jamell

Seeking Something Grand Hello Hot Springs! Every Little Caught Bird Flies

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell 479 / 831 / 9116 Marla@AtUrbanMagazine.com ©2013 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 | 5

photo by Kat Hardin

There are two camps when it comes to my beloved cupcakes: those who simply adore them and those who can’t understand what all of the hoopla is about. Those in the latter camp are thinking, This girl is wacko. She refers to cupcakes like they’re a living, breathing thing, and she’s already mentioned wine and magic wands! But those in the other camp, you’re in my happy place with me and you know what I am talking about. For all my fellow cupcake lovers, do I have a contest for you! @Urban is teaming up with Creative Kitchen in Fort Smith to

see if you can bake the best cupcake on the planet. When you have the perfect original recipe, write it down and send it to

ccording to my mother, once you are “grown”, you

us, either by email at editors@AtUrbanMagazine.com, or by

should realize you are not supposed to love “things.”

mailing your entries to: @Urban Magazine, Bake Me A (Cup)

It’s ok to pine after a certain diamond eternity ring or a

Cake Contest, 3811 Rogers Ave., Ste. C, Fort Smith, AR 72903.

smoke colored pair of riding boots; some even have a dire need affinity for a particular bottle of vino. But you shouldn’t love

You have until March 1 to enter, and you can send up to three

them. Love is for people, and of course, our furry friends.

recipes. The winning recipe will be featured in our May, 2013 issue. What do you get out of it? 1. You get to make cupcakes!

When you hit this “age of enlightenment”, the light bulb burns

2. The winner receives a $200 gift card from Creative Kitchen!

bright, and you know in your heart that love is for humans and admiration is for things. Now you’ve done it – you’ve gone and

So, in this love laden month, join me in celebrating the glorious

grown up.

cupcake! Let me be clear, I know that cupcakes are just food. I know they aren’t on any diet plan and they can’t tell me they

But alas, I have this strange love for cupcakes. Tiny, sweet, itty

love me back (although I’m sure they do). I also know that on

bitty cakes. It’s not just admiration, it’s a deep rooted affection

this Valentine’s Day, I will be sending my love to those I hold

– ok, it’s love. Cupcakes are not be people. But they are kind of

closest to me: my hubby, my son and step-daughters, my family

like duct tape, they can fix almost any problem. And the taste, oh

and friends (some four-legged and furry). If they’re lucky, that

my goodness, the taste! Bad day at the office? Have a cupcake!

love may just include a cupcake.

Dog chew up your favorite pillow? Cupcake! Pop one in your mouth and it’s as if you’ve waved a magic wand and all is right with the world, sometimes there is even pixie dust and sparkles.

To reserve this free space for your charitable non-profit organization, email: Editors@AtUrbanMagazine.com

lifestyle | 7

@lines J. Andrew Lockhart

I choose to forget the end, the end of your story. You didn't write it, it came from elsewhere. And you, if you could, would say the same. The parts I'll keep, some secretly and others shared with friends and children, will be priceless. The thing you taught me, more than others, was unconditional love. I'll try my best to pass that on. I will hold back tears and show only smiles when I think of you, and dream of the day we meet again.

8 | SHOPLOCAL

John Mays Jewelers J

ohn Mays Jewelers, located off Waldron Road in Fort Smith, has served families since 1999. Customers come from near and far for their Hearts On Fire diamonds that sparkle like no other, the Jay Strongwater pieces that collectors rave about, and the Tag Heuer watches that grace the wrists of Leonardo Dicaprio and Cameron Diaz. But that’s not all. They come for the top-notch service and knowledge that is unsurpassed. Owner John Mays welcomed their first customer, a man from Norman, Oklahoma, who bought a ring on the spot, the deal completed on a folding table that is long gone today. John smiles when he tells the story, adding another story about a fourth-generation customer who recently made another purchase. He and his family are humbled by their loyalty, and work hard to uphold the standards that keep customers coming back generation after generation. “Trends change,” John says, “economies change, but relationships and family remain.” John and his wife, Kathy will celebrate their 45th anniversary this month. Together they, along with their sons, John and Kevin, have built a legacy of service and workmanship that is known far beyond the borders of this state. John Mays Jewelers is located at 1401 South Waldron Road in Fort Smith, and can be reached at 479.452.2140.

The Mays Family

Brow Bar I

t’s Friday morning at the Brow Bar and owner Lorelei Wright is sitting in a chair while her makeup artist is applying a new shade of bubblegum pink lipstick to her lips. There’s music playing, some catchy pop tune, and as customers begin to arrive they are all greeted by name. The atmosphere is energetic and the shop is full of laughter. Contrary to what the name Brow Bar suggests, the shop offers more than just brow services. It is a full-service salon offering hair services, makeup tutorials, refreshing facials, lash extensions, and more. A California native, Lorelei has called Arkansas home since 1995. With the support of her husband of 14 years, Jamie, and their two kids, Lorelei opened Brow Bar with a simple purpose. Have a job that’s fun, help others, and have people leave her shop feeling a little better about themselves when they look in the mirror. Brow Bar is located at 2801 Old Greenwood Road in Fort Smith. Visit Brows.co or call 479.434.5680.

Lorelei Wright

SHOPLOCAL | 9

Pappy's Furniture Repair W

hether you’re looking to reupholster a chair, couch, or need a custom piece, Pappy’s can help. Owner, Will “Pappy” Shores is a family man. He and his wife Marcy have ten children and four grandchildren between them. In addition to re-upholstery, they do custom refinishing and cabinetry work and act as a local supplier for area decorators and furniture repair and upholstery shops. Pappy's recovers headboards and other typical furniture pieces such as couches and chairs, like you’d expect, but the strangest request they’ve had took a lot of imagination and talent to pull off: a repair on a moose head’s antlers. Will said, “If a customer can dream it up, we can do it.” Around the shop, there’s a wide variety of projects in process, a testimony to their growth, which they attribute to excellence in customer service and delivering a final product to their customer that’s sure to be a conversation piece in their home. With a wide variety of fabrics to choose from, customers can find just what they are looking for and know that their piece will be restored with excellent artisanship. Pappy’s is located off Wheeler Avenue at 701 Navy Road in Fort Smith. For more information, visit pappysfurniturerepair.com or call 479.242.7277.

Will and Marcy Shores

BarreOne Fitness M

eet Jennifer Glover, owner of BarreOne Fitness. Barre combines Pilates, yoga and ballet moves to give you beautiful, sculpted, lean muscles — without the impact and injuries dancers endure. Jennifer started doing Pilates after her first child was born nine years ago, and then learned about Barre. She explained that exercise is empowering, and regardless of where you are in your fitness journey, we all start somewhere. Walking through the door of the studio is the first step and the studio is a safe zone. There’s no judgment, classmates cheer each other on and celebrate each success. It’s a community where clients get stronger and build lasting friendships at the same time. Jennifer says, “You want to take classes from someone who is fit, but in here it’s not about comparing yourself to another person, though we all do sometimes, it’s about taking charge of your own health, of your own body, and finding a peace within yourself.” Jennifer says, “You want to take classes from someone who is fit, but in here it’s not about comparing yourself to another person, though we all do sometimes, it’s about taking charge of your own health, of your own body, and finding a peace within yourself.” BarreOne Fitness is located at 9207 Hwy 71 in Fort Smith. Your first session is free. Call 479.414.8213.

Jennifer Glover

10 | lifestyle

Cobblestone Farm

@story Tonya McCoy @images Courtesy Cobblestone Farm

Each month in our Ignite series we bring you stories we hope will inspire you, give you new ideas, and bring you inside the lives of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

lifestyle | 11

n a few short weeks the frozen ground will thaw and green-

crops in order to feed people in their community, most of whom

thumbed gardeners will pull on boots and overalls and till

they don’t know. It’s a selfless act of kindness. At the same time,

the soil to plant seeds. They'll be aiming to fill their dinner

there’s something intrinsically rewarding about working the land.

table with enough produce to feast on all summer. Meanwhile, the Cobblestone Project Farm in Fayetteville is seeking to

“I think the process of bringing your family outside and spending

grow crops in order to give most of them away. That’s because

a couple of hours helping plant seeds in the ground, coming

this non-profit organization’s purpose is to raise a garden to

back and harvesting those, and then turning around and being

feed the hungry. The program works like this: Volunteers plant

able to give those things to someone who is hungry - I think

seeds, maintain the crops, harvest the fruits and vegetables and

that’s just a beautiful picture of sustainability.

then send the produce to places like 7 Hills Homeless Shelter, Samaritan Community Center, and the Northwest Arkansas

“Anybody can come. Anybody can help. And that’s the beauty in

Women’s Shelter. Last year, an impressive 7,000 pounds of food

the idea of community. That we’re all there together in different

went to feed area folks in need of a good meal.

walks and phases of life, trying to end hunger in Northwest Arkansas,” Katelyn explains.

Like a tiny seed, the idea for the farm started from a small group at Fellowship Bible

Since 2008, more than 2,000 volunteers have

Church in Rogers in 2010. With the help of

helped at Cobblestone. Each year church and

donations from local restaurants, the group

school groups, businesses, and individuals

was already working on feeding the hungry

are involved in the process, some helping

in the community, when group members

from the time the first seed is planted until

began asking themselves, ‘Why not start our

the last of the produce is harvested.

own farm?’ Vegetables, fruits, and herbs fill the five So the group started a small garden that

acres of land currently used for the garden.

same year in Bentonville. Then in 2011, New

Since there are forty acres total, Katelyn says

Heights Church in Fayetteville heard about their project and

there’s certainly room to grow. But for now there are tomatoes,

donated some land.

cucumbers, cabbage, potatoes, beans, peppers, blackberries, pumpkins, basil, and cilantro, just to name a few of the crops

Katelyn remembers the first time she laid eyes on the farm

grown each year. And they’re grown the good old fashioned

in 2011, sun shining, green sprouts weaving over fertile soil.

natural way. They’ve even received the seal of ‘Certified

Katelyn was still in college and she’d begun volunteering for

Naturally Grown’ joining other farms with high standards for

the project form in 2010.

organic farming.

“I was blown away,” Katelyn says. “I think it hit me probably

Joining the cause is CCF Brand or Country Creek Farms Brand

halfway through last season. It’s beautiful out there on

from Rogers, an egg distributor that donated over a hundred

Wedington, on the land. It’s gorgeous. And it just hit me that

hens to the farm, so there are now fresh eggs included in the

the whole operation and idea behind the farm is a unique one,

donations of food.

especially in Northwest Arkansas.” Whether it’s picking okra, or gathering eggs, there’s something The idea is to grow food to feed the hungry with the help of volunteers. Each year hundreds of people labor over rows of

for everyone to do at Cobblestone farm.

12 | lifestyle

Snack Pack for Kids Program The Snack Pack for Kids Program, made up from produce from Cobblestone, was developed and is operated by the Samaritan Community Center in Rogers. Currently over 3,500 snack packs are given away every week to at-risk students when school meal programs are not available. The idea behind the meaningful work being done by the board, staff, and volunteers is best summed up in a few lines on their website: “This action was based on the belief that every person has a unique and immeasurable value because of our shared human “We have people that bring their two-year-olds who can run around and pick up rocks and love looking at the chickens, and then we have older couples who just like agriculture and they just like being out in the field, so it ranges in age and gender,” Katelyn says. “It’s very diverse, which is what we love about it. That’s what our community is. We love that everyone feels welcome. There are a several ways the community can get involved:

story. It is this story that is defined by a movement towards the renewal and restoration of the image that all people were created for a purpose. Every human heart deserves dignity, respect and the opportunity to fully realize this purpose.” With that goal guiding them, Cobblestone continues to put fresh food into homes that might not otherwise have it. And they’re also doing something else. They’re giving the community the opportunity to work with their hands to improve the lives of their neighbors. With some of the

Subscription Program

volunteers as young as two years of age, the impact they’re having on the future is beyond measure.

This program is a buy one get one model. Customers buy a share of fresh produce for themselves, and an identical share goes to feed someone that’s underprivileged in the community. The customer chooses where his or her second share will go, whether it’s to a homeless shelter or a local family in need.

Gift Card Program The gift card program helps children at R.E. Baker Elementary School in Bentonville. Gift cards are given to children who are in need and their family can redeem the card for produce through Cobblestone’s booth at the Bentonville Farmer’s Market on Saturdays.

For volunteer opportunities, to donate, or for more information on how you can help, log onto thefarm.cobblestoneproject.org.

14 | lifestyle

Flower Power DIY adapted from jonesdesigncompany.com

@ Images Catherine Frederick

love receiving flowers. Let me say that again with more feeling, I LOVE RECEIVING FLOWERS! There, let’s hope Hubby got the message.

Flowers have power, you know. The power to make you smile; give you comfort; warm your heart. They say food is the way to a man’s heart, but give a girl flowers and her heart belongs to you. I’d love to receive fresh flowers every day, but I’m a reasonable girl, and crafty too, so when fresh flowers are in short supply, I just craft some of my own - from scrapbook paper. Let’s do this.

lifestyle | 15

what you'll need » Scrapbook paper » Floral wire » Scissors » Glue gun (design and colors of choice)

» Pencil (optional)

STEP ONE: Cut circle. My circles for large flowers are 8”, smaller flowers are 4” – 6”.

STEP TWO: Cut spiral. Start at the outside edge and cut in a spiral direction to the center.

If you want the petals of your flower to appear irregular, cut your spiral in a bumpy shape. Unsure of your cutting skills? Grab a pencil and draw your spiral before cutting.

I like to keep things visually interesting so I used a variety of scrapbook paper designs within a similar color family for the bouquet.

STEP THREE: Roll your flower. Start at the outside corner and roll tightly.

Continue rolling, keeping the inside edge of the spiral level, until you get to the center. You’ll have a tightly coiled rosette.

STEP FOUR: Release coil. Watch your flower grow! Don’t worry, it will come back together with a slight vertical squeeze.

STEP FIVE: Glue together. Add a dollop of hot glue to the circle at the center of your spiral and press to adhere the coiled paper. It may be helpful to press down on the center of your flower so all areas are glued down.

16 | lifestyle

TO MAKE A LEAF: Cut a simple leaf shape out of green paper.

Fold the end in an accordion-style fold.

Add a dab of hot glue and squeeze to secure the fold. I place a dab on the top in one fold and underneath in the other.

TO ADD A WIRE STEM: Cut a piece of floral wire to desired length and bend the top ½” at a 90 angle.

Glue wire to the bottom of the flower.

Using a small dab of hot glue, attach the leaf to cover the wire.

Group your stems together for a BEAUTIFUL bouquet.

Don’t be afraid to create a whimsical bouquet. Chevron and mustaches are all the rage.

18 | lifestyle

will you take me home?

Marley Female – Schnauzer Mix

Charlie Male – Boxer / Pit Bull Mix

Aspen Male – Domestic Medium Hair

Mittens Male – Domestic Long Hair

Sadie Female – Golden Retriever Mix

Chance Male – Basset Hound Mix

Sebastian County Humane Society 3800 Kelley Highway, Fort Smith 479. 783.4395 SebastianCountyHumaneSociety.org

These are just a few of the loving animals in need of a home. Please consider adoption or a donation (newspaper, food, or financial).

20 | lifestyle

after the revolution

Tony and Hannelore de Kunffy @story Marcus Coker @images Courtesy Ann Sayers

lifestyle | 21

ony and Hannelore de Kunffy, who live in Fort Smith,

of our house, because it had an American license plate, and it

have been through a lot together. In their forty-eight

wasn’t proper for an American boy to date a German girl. So he

years of marriage, they’ve survived being separated by

had to leave his car in a completely different area and walk.”

hundreds of miles, moving eighteen times, and even learning to cook together. Through it all, they’ve learned that anything is

The next year, the two were married in Germany and moved to

possible. It only takes a dream and hard work, something they’re

the United States. Their first apartment had a hole in the roof,

both familiar with.

which leaked onto their bed during thunderstorms. “I was so upset,” Hannelore explains. “I said, ‘What have you done? I want

Tony was born in Hungary. His father bred horses, and Tony

to go back to Germany.’”

grew up riding them. In 1956, when Tony was nineteen, the Olympics were to be held in Australia, and Tony was selected

But things got better. Hannelore, who’s always been frugal,

as a horse trainer for the Hungarian team. "Good riders trained

found ways to save money. For one thing, the two started

the horses, and good communists went to the Olympics," jokes

studying cookbooks so they could eat at home. One day when

Tony. "So I stayed behind and made the

Hannelore was out of the house, Tony said,

revolution instead."

‘When she comes home, I’ll cook something.’ So I put a fish in the pressure cooker, and then

The uprising was the Hungarian Revolution,

the next thing I know, the fish and everything

a national revolt against the country’s

shoots up through that hole in the lid, straight

government and its Soviet-imposed policies.

to the ceiling. You wouldn’t think a filet could

It was the first serious blow to Soviet control

fit through that little hole, but it did.”

since the U.S.S.R. forces drove out the Nazis at the end of WWII. It lasted less than a

The next thirty years took Tony and Hannelore

month and more than 3,000 were killed in

all over the globe. Tony retired from the Army

the conflict. The revolution ultimately failed,

after twenty-seven years, and then worked

causing more than 200,000 Hungarians,

as a civilian in the Army for another fourteen.

including Tony, to flee the country. “Crossing the border was

It was during that time that Hannelore lived in Germany while

the hardest part,” Tony says. But he did, and eventually he

Tony worked in the Balkans. “For seven years, we saw each

made it to the U.S. “When you came to the United States as a

other one weekend a month,” says Tony. “She’d get a Friday off

refugee, they put you in a camp, and you couldn’t leave until

and drive five hundred miles to Budapest, and I would drive

the FBI checked you out.”

five hundred miles to Budapest, and we would meet.”

Tony eventually ended up in California. He attended college,

Hannelore says, “Today, I think, my god, how did I do all that?”

enrolling in a special program for those who didn’t speak

Tony responds quickly, “We’re tough people,” he says.

English. “I wanted to take eighteen and a half credits, which was the max. My counselor advised against it, but I said, ‘I can hack

Tough is right. Tony says, “We went through wars and a revolution.

it.’ But, he was right. I never worked so hard in my life.”

We had to fight our way through our lives. And those who didn’t, they are the ones who are not here.”

In 1961, Tony joined the U.S. Army, and that’s how he met Hannelore. In 1963, she was living with her family in Germany,

In 1999, Tony and Hannelore moved to Fort Smith to be near

and Tony was transferred there during the Vietnam War. “I was

their son and grandchildren. Within a few years, they officially

twenty-two,” says Hannelore. “He couldn’t leave his car in front

retired, but they haven’t slowed down. Tony says, “You have to

22 | lifestyle Hannelore has also worked to build a medicinal garden, and is currently working on a children’s garden that will be used to teach kids about growing plants. All the projects, however, have required fundraising. And that’s where one of Tony and Hannelore’s favorite pastimes—cooking—comes in. For the last three years, Tony and Hannelore have donated their culinary talents to the Master Gardeners. On February 16 at 6:00 PM, they’ll be hosting a Bavarian dinner at First Christian Church in Fort Smith to raise money for the children’s garden. “It’s a lot of work,” says Hannelore, “but it’s fun.” The two don’t mind a little hard work. It’s what’s caused them to cross oceans, to learn a new language, to work as a team to make things happen. Hannelore explains it this way, “We had have interests and continue to learn and do. If you don’t, you’re

nothing in 1956,” she says, a little wistfully, “and we have a

going to crap out so fast it’s not even funny.”

wonderful life now.”

So Tony still rides and trains horses. “Hannelore kicks me out of bed early, so I’ve got to do something. It’s just great for an old man like me,” says Tony, who’s now seventy-five but is as skinny as a high school track star. He says, “If you gain a pound

The 4th Annual Fundraising Dinner will feature

a year, that’s forty pounds in forty years. So I stand on the scale

pumpkin soup, roasted pork loin, potatoes, red

every morning, and if I’ve gained two pounds, I ride two horses

cabbage, and a peach mousse dessert for $20 per

instead of one.”

person. Proceeds will benefit the children’s garden at the Learning Fields at Fort Chaffee.

It’s a philosophy that’s served Tony well. He keeps up with men half his age, never slowing down just because someone says

The Bavarian Dinner will be held at First Christian

he can’t do something. Tony says, “Once you are four years old,

Church in Fort Smith at 3501 Rogers Avenue on

you should not get hung up on other people’s opinions. It must

Saturday, February 16. Seating begins at 5:30 PM,

be right for you. If everyone wears blue jeans, you shouldn’t. If

and dinner will be served at 6:00 PM. Reservations

everyone doesn’t, you should.”

are highly recommended. Call Shelia Deal at 479.782.2104.

Since 2005, Hannelore, who’s now seventy-two, has volunteered with the River Valley Master Gardeners. “I told them I had an interest in starting an herb garden at the Learning Fields at Fort Chaffee. Most homes in Europe have one.” So Hannelore and the Master Gardeners built an herb spiral, a type of garden that arranges herbs according to their need for water. “The herbs that need more water go on top, and the ones that need less go on bottom.”

24 | lifestyle

Ashley Corey, Owner C Square Home 4155 N. Steele Blvd Fayetteville, AR

Light

Light defines a space. Light a room brightly to make it feel larger. Dark and dimly lit rooms can feel gloomy, but a dark room he pink and red of Valentine’s Day always reminds

with warm pools of light is cozy and inviting. Lighting should

me that spring is in the air and it’s time to start

function well for the task at hand, such as a lamp next to a chair

spring cleaning.

for reading.

With this feeling, I start longing to bring an air of sunshine and

Color

blooming flowers into my home and shed that feeling of winter.

Color is the easiest and most dramatic way to transform a

To do that, I change up my home in some way. Maybe replace

space. Limit colors in a room to three: a dominant color for

those lamps I’ve had for a few years, or something as simple as

walls, flooring and backgrounds; a secondary color throughout

a new area rug or throw pillows. Accessories and other small

the room in fabrics and accessories; and an accent color used

details are a great way to add a fresh new look without totally

sparingly to add interest, energy, and excitement. This allows

refurnishing a room. Just remember some interior design basics

you to change your secondary or accent color to totally revamp

and you’ll have a stylish, cozy new area in no time.

the look of your space.

lifestyle | 25

Scale or balance

Be sure the space functions as it should and isn’t crowded.

Don't block windows or doors, and make sure you can move easily around and through the room. Here are some good measurements to remember: • Have 14”-18” of clearance between the coffee table and sofa • Traffic areas should be at least 3' wide • Seating, such as sofas and chairs, should have 4’– 10’ between them to help conversational flow • There should be about 7’ between the TV and seating

4 3

Pattern and Texture

It’s fine to mix and match patterns and textures. Be sure they share the same colors, and vary the scale or size of the patterns. Don’t be afraid to use stripes, plaids, florals, or chevron patterns in beautiful, bold colors.

Texture is often found in the rug or carpet, sofa, and drapes. Just remember too much of the same can be tiresome. Instead of smooth and shiny objects think rough and smooth or matte

and gloss. For example, a reclaimed media console and jute rug paired with a smooth French script coffee table and shimmering drapes. Limit large patterns to one per room. Patterns can also be used for texture with prints that look dimensional, to add depth to a design. And don’t forget personality. This is my favorite part of design

7 8

and I think the most important. That antique picture frame you found during that road trip in college, or the whimsical birdcage lamp you fell in love with, can be perfect in a space. Accessorizing is where you can veer away from strict guidelines. Adding personality adds interest and keeps a space from looking sterile. And you can always go for something a little unexpected like a bold paint color on the ceiling.

1 74" Tin Frame Mirror $329 2 Burdeaux French Script

Coffee Table $299 3 Pleated Shade Column Lamp $199 4 Box Trunk Side Table $199

5 Old Door Media Console $999 6 Birdcage Lamp $199 7 Terra Stool Side Table $199 8 Hemp French Script Throw Pillow $39

26 | entertainment February is the month of romance! Check out our picks for romantic getaways, special events, shows, and more coming up this month.

1 2 3 4

Valentine Train Each Saturday in February, 11:00am // $55 Adults // $33 Kids Fort Smith to Winslow Roundtrip // 800.687.8600 // www.amrailroad.com Take a ride on the Love Train leaving from Fort Smith Trolley Museum with a romantic Saturday afternoon train ride through the beautiful Boston Mountains from Fort Smith to Winslow. Club ticket price includes a boxed lunch and souvenir picture.

Mountain Harbor Valentine’s Dinner and Couples Reconnect Weekends in February // Cost: $181+ 994 Mountain Harbor Road, Mt. Ida, AR // 870.867.2191 Refresh and reconnect at Mountain Harbor Lake Resort. Choose from a variety of amenities such as candlelit dinners, massages, fresh flowers, and wine. Special weekend rate of $181 for a two night stay each weekend in February.

2. Hikes, Hearts & Hugs Weekend February 9th – 10th // Sweetheart Dinner Reservations Required // Hike is free Petit Jean Mountain, Morrilton, AR // 501.727.5441 // petitjeanstatepark.com Bundle up and walk amongst the trees in a guided hike through the mountains with your sweetheart. Take in the magnificent views from the top of Petit Jean Mountain, then enjoy a gourmet meal in Mather Lodge. Sweetheart Dinner reservations required.

“Love Letters” February 14th – 15th, 7:30pm // $15 Members // $17 Non-Members Arts and Science Center, Pine Bluff, AR // 870.536.3375 Enjoy a performance of the Pulitzer Prize nominated play, "Love Letters" by A. R. Gurney. Presented in intimate cabaret style, this play centers on just two characters sitting side by side at tables who read the notes, letters, and cards they wrote to each other over the span of 50 years.

entertainment | 27

5 6 7 8

Chocolate Fantasy Ball February 16th, 6:00pm // $250 The Peabody, Little Rock, AR // 501.978.3119 Eat dessert first at this year’s Diamond Edition and 10th Annual black tie Chocolate Fantasy Ball. Enjoy decadent chocolate desserts and chocolate martinis while you bid on one (or more!) of the amazing offerings at the live and silent auctions. Savor a formal dinner and then dance the night away, all while listening to live music by White Chocolate. Benefits Ronald McDonald House charities.

Ooh La La Chocolate and Wine Tasting Event February 16th, 6:30pm // $85 Per Person // $160 Per Couple The Garden Room, Fayetteville, AR // www.jacksongraves.org Chocolate and champagne await your arrival at the third annual Ooh La La Event with a reception beginning at 6:30PM. Afterwards, enjoy a delicious meal prepared by Chef Miles James from James at the Mill. A selection of chocolate desserts will finish off the evening and guests will leave with a box of Lindt chocolates to enjoy at home. Proceeds from the event will support the mission and projects of the Jackson L. Graves Foundation.

Wildwood Lanterns Festival February 22nd – 24th, 6:00 – 10:00pm // $10 Adults // $5 Kids Wildwood Park for the Arts, Little Rock, AR // 501.821.7275 Celebrate the first full moon of the new year in a festival of lights that is sure to delight young and old alike. Take your sweetheart on a lovely winter walk through the lighted walking paths that stretch along the lake into winter woodlands and discover hidden delights while enjoying beautiful lights, entertainment, gourmet treats, and warm beverages.

Grape Escape March 1st, 6:00pm // $100 – Over 21 Only Holiday Inn City Center, Fort Smith, AR // 479.478.5556 // www.bost.org Choose from over 600 artisan wines at Bost’s annual Grape Escapes fundraiser. Dine on hors d’oeuvres from local restaurants and caterers while bidding on auction items such as Dallas Cowboy game tickets, Jay Strongwater crystal, out of town adventures, and more. After the auction, enjoy the musical talents of local favorites, Mr. Cabbage Head and the Screaming Radishes. Proceeds benefit Bost Human Services.

Submit your events to editors@aturbanmagazine.com.

28 | entertainment In 2008, Alexander released his debut solo album See Thru Me, which marked his debut as a solo singer/songwriter and a departure from the power pop of Big Silver. The record maintained the Elvis Costello-influenced melodies, but with more stripped down arrangements. Antivenin Suite continues this musical progression. Clocking in just shy of 33 minutes, Antivenin Suite is just as creative as it is concise. You won’t hear long guitar solos or excessive refrains. Alexander is a man in control of his minimalist style. He knows how to coin a phrase or enunciate at just the right moment for maximum emotional impact. Antivenin Suite explores the various incarnations of regret but never veers into self-pity. The opener “Sincerely” is bitter yet witty as Alexander pens a letter to a former lover ending with, “P.S. I hate him, sincerely.”

Antivenin Suite by Isaac Alexander Max Recordings—December 2012: $1000 @review Kody Ford

“Chewing Gum Wrapper” explores the nature of nostalgia — the uncertain memories and the flickers of sadness and happiness — through the everyday plot device of finding half a chewing gum wrapper and not remembering where the remainder went. Antivenin Suite is possibly the best album to come out of

ipsters love to the throw the term “dad rock” around

Arkansas in 2012 (and there was some fierce competition).

as a way to disparage mature music with strong

The only criticism is that some of the tunes feature a similar

songwriting and little pretense. Could Isaac Alexander

tempo, which can slow the album at times. However, Alexander

be classified as “dad rock?”

certainly compensates for this by delivering subtle yet infectious melodies and diverse instrumentation that remains

Well, he’s married, a father of two girls and a partner at Eric, Rob

true to his style.

and Isaac, the Little Rock ad agency he co-founded. So yes, his music could be classified as “dad rock.”

Antivenin Suite is music made by a mature, accomplished songwriter who has nothing to prove. It’s sad, regretful and

Is this a bad thing? No.

nostalgic, but absent of despair. Throughout the album, no matter what bittersweet yarns Alexander spins, hope always lingers in

One of the endearing things about Alexander as a person and

the background. It’s a feeling that no matter how bad things get,

a musician is that he’s in it for the music. The Searcy native

someone will be there to help get the poison out.

has been a staple in the Little Rock music scene playing with local legends like Big Silver,(which he fronted), The Easys, and the Boondogs. Rather than try to live the local rock star life, he focused on writing great songs and building a life for himself.

I Rate It

30 | entertainment Richard and his mother lived with her parents on the second floor of a small house. Nobody owned a car. In 1967, when Richard graduated from high school, he bought a 1960 Ford Galaxie with the money he’d made on summer construction jobs. Soon after, he told his mother he had been accepted at the University of Arizona. Thinking she would have a fit, he was surprised when she gave him her blessing. And even more surprised when she insisted on going with him, positive she could find another job with another GE company. So off they went in Richard’s little sixcylinder Ford they named Gray Death because it wasn’t powerful enough to pull a trailer full of books, clothes, kitchen goods, and a television set. And the car had no reverse. This move, made with the admonishment of his grandparents concerning his mother’s spells or cases of nerves, was the first of many he made. Eventually the trips included his extremely tolerant and patient wife, always with his mother following along, who never found a proper job, never liked any apartments he rented for her, and always thought a move back to Gloversville would fix everything.

Elsewhere: A Memoir By Richard Russo Knopf Publishers 243 pages: $2595 @review Anita Paddock

Armed with a PhD, Richard began a long academic struggle, jumping from job to job, trying to teach and be a writer at the same time. Once he began to write in his own voice about Gloversville and the people he’d grown up with, his career as both writer and screenwriter blossomed. And still his mother followed along, demanding his attention. Still having her spells.

n the cover of this book are four photographs, each containing the picture of a pretty mother and a young

This memoir is a powerful story. Sometimes funny, often

boy around six. They look happy enough, but are they?

surprising, and sometimes heartbreaking. Read Elsewhere: A Memoir first. Then read Richard’s Nobody’s Fool, Empire Falls, The

In this memoir by Pulitzer Prize winner, Richard Russo, he tells

Whore’s Child, or Bridge of Sighs. His memoir will tell you exactly

the story of his life with his mother in upstate New York in the

where he gets his ideas for his novels.

mill town of Gloversville, where chemical residues washed into the river that flowed through the town. Richard’s parents were separated. His mother, Jean, worked in the office at a GE plant in Schenectady, and his father, a veteran who landed on Utah Beach, was a compulsive gambler. Richard seldom saw his father who once told him, “Your mother’s crazy, you know.”

And you thought your mother was bossy and interfering.

32 | people

the happy life of shawn adair @story Marla Cantrell @images Courtesy Shawn Adair

people | 33

hen Shawn Adair entered college, he dreamed of

about what they were doing. I tried to get them excited about

producing music videos, which were all the rage

the creative process. I’d have forty-five minutes. I’d have five to

back in the mid-1980s. But his first experience in

ten minutes for a lesson plan about an artist. We’d look at their

film class was a bad one. He didn’t like his instructor. At all. At

work and we’d get into it. It was amazing what they could get

the same time, he was taking an art class from a teacher who

done in that time.”

both encouraged and inspired him. And so he switched majors, turning his attention to art.

Those were inspiring times, but nothing compares to his stint at Greenwood Schools, where he served as an artist in

It was a good decision. After graduating, he and his younger

residence. “I was thirty-nine.” He smiles and continues, “She

brother Robert, who’s also an artist, decided to come to Arkansas,

was a speech therapist. We met in the office in October and

where their parents had recently moved. They checked out the

got married in December. I knew. She was the one. She’s still

University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and both enrolled in the

the one.”

graduate program. The “she” is his wife Sara. The two are in business together in In 2000, he and Robert won an Arkansas Arts Council fellowship

the company they named Adair Ya Very Fine Candles and Gifts.

for a sculpture project called “Portable Prayer.”

It is for Adair Ya that he’s created a line of furniture called From the Woods, each piece inspired by the land they live on in rural

“I think we were the first, and possibly the only brothers, to

Crawford County.

earn such a fellowship,” Shawn says. “I like working with Robert. We have this unspoken bond. We don’t have to have deep

He is also the creative director for InvoTek, a company that

conversations all the time; what we have just is.

designs devices to help people with severe injuries or medical conditions. “The engineers will do their work and then hand it

“Our first piece was nine feet tall, four or five feet square. It

off to me and say, ‘Make this look cool.’

was a big prayer box that you go into. It was all red velvet, inside and out.”

“We’re working on making devices that help our clients communicate. If they have a spinal column injury or cerebral

The project garnered interest, and soon Shawn and Robert were

palsy and have trouble accessing the computer, we help them.

showing their work at places like the Philbrook Museum of Art

Everyone wants independence. Now, they can communicate. It

in Tulsa. Shawn had also taken a position at Van Buren Schools

can open up the entire world."

as a visiting artist, teaching in six elementary schools. Shawn is sitting on the edge of his chair now, his elbows on his Shawn loved working with the kids, seeing them create art and

knees and his fingers steepled. “We’re all so infinitely unique.

watching them draw and paint with abandon. “It was such a

All of us,” Shawn says. “To be involved in helping like this, how

blessing, so fast paced and so much energy. Those kids made

could you not want to do that?”

me feel like a rock star. I’d go to a school and everybody would be screaming,‘Mr. Shawn!’.”

A shaft of light is falling across Shawn, forming a pool that surrounds his scuffed cowboy boots. He talks with his hands,

He continued for eight years, and then taught art for a while

and there is an energy about him. He takes the conversation

at Christ the King in Fort Smith. It was during those years that

back to the beginning. To his first year of college when he gave

he learned a few things about kids. “I made sure I actively

up his dream of video production. It has come back to him,

encouraged them, going up to every student to talk to them

through his work at InvoTek, where he visits the homes of some

34 | people sounds of nature, you see the stars at night.” As a child, Shawn spent much of his time drawing and building forts. He wants his kids to have the same kinds of experiences. “We have art everywhere, in the house and the yard. I remember watching a documentary about American illustrator N.C. Wyeth. He gave his kids lots of stuff. That’s what we do. The material is there. And I do guide them; I use lessons plans from my old ‘Mr. Shawn’ days. I want to nurture them and provide them a place to create.” The thread that runs through his life and his work is relationships. He loves his brother, and still works with him from time to time. He has a deep faith in God. He adores his children, and he can’t imagine spending time away from Sara, who showed up in a principal’s office one day and knocked him soundly off his feet. He is thankful for it all, even the film professor who steered him away from music videos. Without that one instructor, his life might have taken a very different path. It’s a sobering thought, and one he won’t spend too much time contemplating. He of their clients, capturing the stories of their lives with the video

has a full day ahead. When he’s finished he’ll head home to a

recorder he brings along.

houseful of kids who are waiting to see their father. He smiles at the thought, pulls on his coat, and heads for the door.

When he’s not working, he’s usually at home. He spends as much time as he can with Sara and their four children, ages ten, seven, five, and five months. It is there he finds inspiration for his artwork, including his "Flower Series". Many of those pieces

To see Shawn’s artwork, stop by BrickCity Emporium

are for sale at BrickCity Emporium in Fort Smith.

at 3215 South 74th Street in Fort Smith.

“I use mostly what I find on our land. We live on six and a half acres in a valley area surrounded by creeks. There are woods everywhere. The "Flower Series" is so hands on: the building, the assembly. It started in my work with children. If you look at them simply, it’s a circle shape like a kid will draw for a flower or a tree. I got a lot of great inspiration from them. I use pieces of wood, acorns tops, velvets, silk. There’s oil paint and spray paint. There are Texas laurel seeds, which of course, don’t come from here. “When my wife and I got married, she wasn’t sure about living out there. But once you get there you love it. You hear the

36 | people

how to succeed in business Mrs. Beenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Second Grade Class

@story Marla Cantrell @images Catherine Frederick

people | 37

he wheels of commerce are churning inside this modest

Micah picks up on the low cost factor, plugging the mice

space on the east side of Fort Smith. Everything seems a

ornaments. “One dollar,” he says, “made from acorns, our natural

bit too small: the tables, the chairs where the associates

resources.” 'Natural resources' is one of the many economic

sit, even the production line that is at this moment covered with

terms they’ve learned in recent weeks.

a dozen or so drink coasters made from brand new shower tiles and scrapbook paper, which are drying after receiving a heavy

But it’s Jeremiah who moves past the sales pitch and gets to the

coat of Mod Podge.

heart of the matter. “We’re making the coasters so people can put any kind of drink on them and we’re selling them so we can

Though no one is complaining. Not the Chief Financial Officer

buy some animals and send them to people in need.”

of the company called “Proud Patriots” and local elementary teacher, Mrs. Kim Been (pronounced bean), and certainly not

Who can resist that? Though, on this day, the exact details of

Alli, who has already earned five dollars

the donation haven’t been worked out. First,

today, just for showing up on time and ready

they have to see if they even turn a profit. And

to work. At seven years of age, getting five

Mrs. Been wants all their input on how to use

dollars is a big deal. And though it’s not

the money. She wants them to go through the

real money – this currency is a happy shade

logical steps in decision making, something

of yellow – it’s real enough to the second

we could all use when we’re up late at night,

graders who are, at this very moment,

channel surfing, deciding $29.95 for a bottle

brainstorming about how to market the 200

of celebrity-endorsed shampoo is a super idea.

coasters and 142 Christmas mice ornaments they made from giant acorns that are bigger

When Mrs. Been started this economics lesson

than their thumbs.

two weeks prior, she had steps that would break down the multi-level concept that included

Melissa, a natural salesperson, has a handle

a bank with its own paper currency, a system

on marketing. “You have a nice table?” she

to earn money, product development, cost

asks. I nod. She points to the coaster that is

analysis, production, marketing, and selling.

decorated with images of happy owls and says, “It won’t ruin your nice table.”

The kids earn $5 a day for showing up to class on time. They can earn even more money by performing service jobs, completely

Simple, effective, persuasive. I see big things in Melissa’s future.

voluntary, during half their recess time. The jobs are important.

Which is good because Melissa, who estimates her own parents

They pick up sticks beneath the big trees on the playground

earn about five dollars a day, wants to be a doctor.

so that the mowers can run safely in those areas. They scoop up coats that have fallen off their hooks and tumbled onto the

Still, I don’t know how much a set of four coasters cost.

floor. They empty trashcans to help the custodians.

Classmate Maia helps me out. “It’s only $5. Very cheap,” she

But they can also spend money. For $30 they can sit at Mrs.

says. Maia, I want to keep on my good side. Her favorite song

Been’s desk for the day. For $15 they can sit with a friend of

is Justin Bieber’s “Baby”, an important song for a girl who wants

their choice. It’s been interesting to watch. Some are born

to be a rock star. And her parents are rolling in money. She

savers, and some are born to shop.

estimates they rack in at least $60 a week.

38 | people

“I do see them learning to think about their choices,” Mrs. Been

in the bank and you use more on your credit card, and you have

says. “They’ll see something they want to spend their money on

$75 but you spend $86, you’ll go to jail.”

that’s quick and then they’ll see someone else who’s saving for something bigger and it makes them reconsider.”

Which brings up other scenarios you’d better be saving for. They want to know what I’d do if my car broke down, or if I had a

Another thing it’s taught these kids to do is ask questions at

daughter and she got sick and I needed to take her to the doctor.

home. Most have asked their parents how much they make.

I hear my parents’ voices in theirs, albeit years ago, warning me

Andrew B., who seems to understand a lot about money and is

against the uncertainties of life.

already saving for a car and college, says, “I asked my dad how much money he earned if he worked all week and he said, ‘Lots

They are so earnest. They have thought about these very things:

of money.’ He doesn’t even want to tell me.”

broken cars, sick children, families struggling to put food on the table. And they’re also thinking about their own financial

Tyler, who will someday play professional basketball, is a saver

futures. David says, “We’re learning how to spend money and

himself. “If you save for a long time,” he says, “like a year, you

make money and how to make good choices.”

can get a big wrestling toy.” Madi nods her head, agreeing 100 percent with David. “It feels But leave it to future dentist Kaiden, who would give money to

good to make money,” she says. Gabe, future astronaut, concurs.

anybody who didn’t have food, to bring the group back around

He’s been earning extra money by picking up trash. Jennie, who

to the hard facts of money. “You have to balance your account,”

will one day work as a police officer, helps the “lunch ladies”

he says. “You can go to jail for this, like if you have the money

when she can. When she strikes it rich she’s going to give all her

people | 39 money to her friends. Cooper, future firefighter, will someday buy a monster truck. They keep telling me their dreams. Darianna wants to teach. Andrew D. wants to be an archaeologist. Gavin will someday fly jets. Ava, who loves animals, wants to be a vet. Aiden will fight fires one day. Anthony wants to do so much he can’t decide, although he’s leaning toward factory work. Aaron, he’s going to paint fingernails and give all his extra money to anyone standing by the road with a sign that reads ‘I’m hungry.’ A few days after my interview, the students from Mrs. Been’s second grade class stand outside the front entrance and become salespeople. They sold out of the coasters, which are

vetoed the puppy and rabbit, but gave in to the turtle. It’s hard

packaged in sets of four and tied with twine, and the mice

to say no to co-workers who returned your initial investment

ornaments made from natural resources, except for the plastic

and turned a profit in just three short days.

eyes and red noses that are glued onto the acorns. Most of the stories Mrs. Been reads to her class end with a life The kids are jazzed, the way you would be if you opened shop

lesson. This story is no exception. She says that one day she

and a crowd rushed in to buy every last thing. The next step is

watched as two of her students stepped out of the lunch line to

to decide how to spend their windfall. First, they pay back the

pick up coats that had fallen off their hooks. The coats belonged

bank, a.k.a. Mrs. Been, the $135 it took to make the products.

to first graders. It wasn’t part of her students’ assigned job or

They’re left with $257 in profit.

responsibility to pick them up. What she was witnessing was a residual effect of her students’ lesson on economics. They’d

Mrs. Been picks up the story from here. “After learning about

found that helping around school made them feel more a

income and how people have to have one to supply their needs,

part of it, gave them a certain pride in the place where they’re

we decided to help others make an income for their families,”

spending most of their day.

she says. “We purchased a sheep ($120.00) and a goat ($120.00) from Heifer International. A struggling family uses the milk from

As for Mrs. Been, she couldn’t be happier. And she has a turtle

the goat and the wool from the sheep to create an income. They

to help her remember, should she ever start to forget.

also use the manure from the animals on their gardens. It says that their harvests are seventeen times larger with the fertilizer, so they also have crops to sell to supplement their incomes.” Somewhere far away, there’s a family whose life just got a little easier, thanks to the hard work of the kids in Mrs. Been’s class. Kids who now know a lot more about money, how to get it, when to spend it, and how to make every cent count. What’s the next chapter in this story? The class had $17 left in the till. They decided to buy a pet for their classroom. Mrs. Been

40 | people

The Squeaky Clean Story of a Fat Bottomed Girl

@story and images Marla Cantrell

harlene Simon’s story begins at an uncertain time in

to be in Fort Smith was that it was only a couple of hours from Hot

her family’s life. It was 2007, a trying year for the nation

Springs,” Charlene says. “We’d used Hot Springs as a vacation base

as we faced an economy that was getting shakier by

for years, and when we moved we thought we’d visit often. But we

the day. Already struggling was the real estate market and that

didn’t. Now, neither one of us had a job. It was scary.”

had a direct impact on Charlene’s husband, Justin, who was a Realtor in St. Louis. The office he worked for had just closed.

But Justin had an idea. Why couldn’t they move to Hot Springs

But he had a job offer in the Fort Smith area, and so the family

and open a shop that sold handmade soap and bath products?

moved. Unfortunately, the job didn’t pan out.

There was plenty of history behind the idea. In the late 1990s, Charlene had been shopping with a friend in Julian, California.

So there they were, jobless and trying to find their footing. They

They walked into a soap shop, something Charlene did not want

began to talk about what to do next. “One of the reasons we wanted

to do, and there she fell a little bit in love.

people | 41 “Weirdly enough, California is a handmade soap Mecca, and

saving grace. We didn’t owe anything but the rent.”

Julian is a lot like Hot Springs. They have everything handmade from soap, to glassblowers, to pies,” Charlene says. “My friend

By summer, the rent was getting easier to pay. Charlene quit her

wanted to take me to the soap shop and I thought, well that’s

night job, and eventually the other two. “We just got busier and

dumb. I totally didn’t get it. But the woman in the soap shop

busier. Then we started getting calls from other boutiques that

wrapped her soap in fabric. I thought that was great. When I got

wanted to carry our line. We now have over twenty wholesalers.

in there, something came over me and I thought, I don’t know

For the first year, it was just me and Justin working here. Finally,

what she’s doing but I want to be part of this.”

my sister-in-law moved here to help us and now she’s our manager. She’s wonderful, and having her here lets me spend

There was a problem, though. Charlene asked how the soap was

more time making soap.”

made. The shop owner was holding tight to her secrets, but that only spurred Charlene on. She went home and started doing

In the beginning, Charlene was making only soaps, body scrubs

research, heading first to the library where she checked out

and lotions. Now, she has a facial line, lotions, mists, scrubs,

every book she could find on soap making.

manicure and pedicure products, and perfume. And the soap? She’s churning out 100 pounds a day.

“It was intimidating at first. But I found forums online about soap making and I’d troubleshoot with them.”

“We have a lot of customers with skin sensitivities, allergies, eczema, psoriasis, because the soap is detergent free. And

Charlene kept experimenting, finally settling on a formula a little

they’re very trendy looking. We use lots of colors, the tops are

over a decade ago. “I make soap the way your great-grandma

wavy. Some sparkle. Women come in here and buy it because

did,” she says. “Back in the day they’d use animal fat – tallow

it’s beautiful, or it matches their bathroom color. Mostly though,

- but I use olive oil as the base. And I use other nourishing

it’s the smell that gets them. They love the scents.”

vegetable oils for the skin.” Charlene credits her husband’s vision with the growth they’ve Justin had faith that people would want to buy Charlene’s soap.

seen. “I’m really an introvert, and I think small. My husband

And so they packed up and moved. There was trepidation, of

is outgoing and has grand ideas. We have an online store

course, but there was also a sense of adventure for what could

because of him and it’s doing very well. We’re about to get a

happen next. They found a storefront in the historic district of

warehouse in part because of all the shipping we do. He thinks

Central Avenue, and Charlene and her husband got to work.

globally; I don’t. “

“We opened Bathhouse Soapery and Caldarium in March, 2009

The success of Bathhouse Soapery helped boost Charlene’s

with the rent money and $700 in inventory,” Charlene says. “That

entrepreneurial spirit. She started thinking of other things she

is all I had. Justin and I were both working so hard. I worked a

loved. There was a trend happening in the world of cupcakes and

third-shift job at a hotel here and I worked a full-time day job

Charlene was watching it grow. She was already paying rent on the

from six in the morning until noon as an assistant office manager.

shop next to hers and had been for a year, knowing she wanted

Justin would watch the shop from nine until noon, and then

to expand in some way. Cupcakes seemed like the logical choice.

I would come here and stay open until five. And three nights a week I’d work another job as a night auditor. It was a stressful

The next step was picking out a name. Charlene’s daughter is

time. But we were committed. We said we’d do anything to have

a big fan of the band Queen. She wanted to name the bakery

this store and we were proving it. We are very against debt. We

“Fat Bottomed Girls”, after Queen’s song, and her parents

don’t have credit cards, even to this day. I think that was our

quickly agreed.

42 | people “We just had our first anniversary,” Charlene says. “At first we sold a couple hundred a day. We’ve gone from that to 2,000 a day on Saturdays during the summer months. We have five bakers now, working two shifts. Our manager bakes, our baristas bake if we need them to.” Charlene’s been amazed by the cupcake shop’s reach. She’s had customers walk in from places like Tennessee, who’ve followed Fat Bottomed Girl’s on Facebook, and driven in to have a taste. But nothing surprised her more than when, late last year, she received a call from the Food Network about their show Cupcake Wars. That’s all she can say about the call, but today she’s smiling, so it makes you wonder. If it happens, it would be just one more monumental event to add to the list. “It’s been incredible,” she says, as she looks around the shop. Three customers have come in. They’ve ordered Crème Brulee coffee and are having trouble deciding on which cupcakes to order. In the end, they each order two apiece. Charlene smiles even wider. Outside the traffic chugs along. A bicyclist rolls by, and then a couple walks by hand in hand. The door opens and more With the name in place, they started to renovate. Today, the

customers file in. Charlene greets them. Her life is far different

shop is a wonder in pink. Even the ice maker is pink. And the

than it was in that uncertain year of 2007. She doesn’t worry

place smells like paradise; there is coffee brewing and cupcakes

so much anymore. Her family is happy. And she’s working

baking. On this morning, the bakery is already filled with the

alongside her husband, whose faith in her took them both on

first batch of cupcakes, all wrapped in squares of parchment

an adventure that continues every single day.

paper, which is folded in a way that makes them look a little like flowers. The cupcakes are the big, unpretentious kind that knock you

For more on Fat Bottomed Girl’s Cupcake Shoppe,

over with flavor. They are pretty, but not so pretty that you

visit fbgcupcakes.com. For a look at all the products

think they might be art instead of food. And the cream cheese

Bathhouse Soapery and Caldarium has to offer, visit

frosting is perfect, not too sweet and incredibly fluffy. Each day

bathhousesoap.com.

there are between eight to twelve flavors, like Salted Caramel, Cinnamon Roll, Crème Brulee, Champagne, Red Velvet, and Cherry Amaretto.

44 | taste

Herbed Gnocchi with Tomato Basil Broth Recipe inspired by Smitten Kitchen @recipe and images Laura Hobbs

taste | 45

s you can tell from most of my recipes, I’m a sucker for handmade fare. I’m one of those longsuffering ninnies who’ll spend hours in the kitchen slaving over tedious culinary charges, relishing in the tiny minutiae, focusing all of my energy on a single task and

then dazedly wondering where those three hours went. I get in my zone. I go into a meditative state. I fall down the proverbial rabbit hole. I think I inherited this trait from my mother. Mom is the type to hone in on a particular task to the point of complete absorption – often using the most illogical and unhelpful tool possible to make the process last longer than necessary. A prime example: scraping old paint off a door frame with a dull butter knife. I don’t think I need to explain any further. (Sorry, Mom.) Gnocchi has a reputation for being one of those dishes that requires the vast majority of your day and an unreasonable amount of your attention. But the entire point of this month’s story (besides giving you the perfect Valentine’s recipe to whip up for your sweetie) is to quash poor gnocchi’s ill-prescribed reputation. For those who don’t know, gnocchi are cute little dumplings made from potato, flour and egg that originally hail from Italy. As with many European foods, several other European countries have adopted and adapted their own versions – the French have Gnocchi Parisienne, the Germans have Knödel, the Swiss have Spätzle, and the Croatians have Njoki. Gnocchi are deliciously light and yield the most pleasant chewy texture. They’re complemented by a wide array of sauces – sometimes creamy, sometimes brothy, but always delicious. Traditional gnocchi are often seen shaped in perfectly rounded nuggets, rolled over one-byone with fork tines or a gnocchi roller to embed those perfect little ridges. This process indeed requires skill, focus and plenty of time. What people don’t realize is, this step can be omitted completely and the dish is equally delicious, sans ridges. This particular recipe was inspired by the one and only Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen weblog. I recently got Deb’s debut cookbook and devoured each page slowly and with the utmost concentration. I highly recommend it to any home cook, especially those who like their pages stuck together with drool. Deb’s recipe for gnocchi with tomato broth marries beautiful homemade gnocchi – simply rolled, cut and boiled – with a light, flavorful homemade broth. The broth couldn’t be any easier, as it basically cooks itself – and it gives you plenty of time to devote to your dumplings. In my usual fashion, I tweaked the recipe to suit my taste buds, and the results are second to none. This Valentine’s Day, turn on some Otis Redding, roll up your sleeves and roll out some homemade gnocchi with your sweetheart. A sense of humor, a glass of wine and an amazing home-cooked meal will make the night far more memorable. Enjoy!

46 | taste

For the Broth: 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 2

Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil medium carrot, chopped medium stalk of celery, chopped small yellow onion, chopped garlic cloves, peeled and smashed cup dry white wine (28 oz.) can whole San Marzano tomatoes Small handful of basil leaves, plus more for serving cups of chicken or vegetable stock Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the Gnocchi: 2 1 1 1 ¾

medium Russet potatoes large egg, lightly beaten tsp salt tsp each of minced fresh chives, fresh thyme and fresh basil cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting Freshly grated parmesan cheese for serving

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400°. Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size, until a knife easily pierces through them. Set them aside to cool. (This can also be done the night before, or earlier in the day.) Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped carrot, celery, and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, reducing the heat to medium if the veggies begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook it for 1 minute more. Add the wine and scrape any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by half, for about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, the stock, and a handful of basil. Gently crush the tomatoes against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn it down to low. Let it simmer uncovered until the tomato broth begins to thicken, about 45 minutes. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain out the vegetables. Season the tomato broth with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Peel the cooled potatoes and grate them using the large holes on a box grater. Add the egg, salt and minced herbs to the potatoes, stirring to combine. Add ½ cup of the flour and mix to combine. Add the remaining ¼ cup of flour to form dough that isn’t too sticky; it should hold its shape enough to be rolled into a rope. Knead the dough briefly on a floured surface, for just a minute. Divide the dough into quarters. Roll each piece into a long rope, about ¾-inch thick. Cut each rope into ¾-inch segments. Place the gnocchi in a single layer on a tray lined with parchment paper. Heat a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Place the gnocchi, a quarter batch at a time, into the water and cook until they float – about 3 minutes, then drain. Reheat the broth to a simmer. Add the drained gnocchi to the broth to reheat through, then serve together with fresh basil and Parmesan shavings.

48 | taste

Recipe adapted from Cooking with Nonna @recipe and images Melanie Stout

ost people associate Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day and chocolatethey go hand in hand like peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots, so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll bet you were expecting a

chocolatey scrumptious dessert. As usual, we like to keep you on your toes. Limoncello mousse is both light and fluffy and has just a bit of extra zing from the added Limoncello Liqueur - and compliments nicely with our Gnocci recipe on page 44.

taste | 49

Ingredients

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup mascarpone cheese

1/3 cup of water

4 egg yolks

4 Tbsp lemon juice (we used fresh lemons)

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

1 Tbsp cornstarch

zest of 1 lemon

5 oz white chocolate chips (recommend Ghirardelli)

fresh raspberries for garnish (optional)

2 oz Limoncello Liqueur (we used Caravella)

Instructions

Begin by making a simple lemon curd. In a medium-sized

mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. If you want your curd

saucepan, over low heat, whisk together beaten egg yolks, sugar,

mixture perfectly smooth, strain through a fine sieve. Let lemon

cornstarch, lemon juice and water. Cook, stirring continuously

curd cool and thicken at room temperature, stirring every so often,

for 10-15 minutes, or until mixture thickens. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll know when

then cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour.

this happens - it thickens up even more when cooled. When lemon curd is cold, whisk in mascarpone cheese. Next, While this is cooking, pre-melt white chocolate chips in a glass

using a blender, mix whipping cream until stiff peaks form. In

bowl with about a tablespoon of whipping cream. Microwave

a large bowl, fold whipping cream into the lemon curd mixture,

chips on high for 2 minutes and then stir until smooth.

reserving a few dollops of plain whipped cream for garnish. Spoon or pipe the mousse into a dessert glass or dish, top with

Remove pot from heat and stir in butter and melted white chocolate until combined and smooth. Slowly drizzle the Limoncello into the

a touch of whipped cream, lemon zest, and fresh raspberries.

taste | 51

@image Catherine Frederick @recipe Jeff Price, Bar Manager Movie Lounge

1-1/2 oz Absolut Pear Vodka 1/4 oz Simple Syrup 1/4 oz Lime Juice Dry Champagne Green Apple

Combine pear vodka, simple syrup, and lime juice in a shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a champagne flute. Top with chilled, dry champagne and garnish with a triangle of green apple.

Sponsored by Movie Lounge

7601 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith 479.226.3595 | MovieLoungeFSM.com

Enjoy this and other premium cocktails at MovieLounge. Please drink responsibly.

52 | travel

Seeking Something Grand @story and images Jim Warnock

travel | 53

eed a remedy for that lethargic feeling you get during the winter months? Here’s an antidote that worked for me. The plan? Assemble a group of good friends and hike one of the natural wonders of the world: The Grand Canyon.

Our crew included father/son duo, Scott and Boone Hardy, Bob Cable, Steve Cattaneo, and Dale Fudge. We came from a variety of career backgrounds but were united in our love for the beauty of the outdoors. We’d backpacked the Ozark Mountains together but this would be a more involved outing. A trip of this type is only as good as each participant. By the time you’ve spent a few days backpacking with someone, you know if there are major character flaws. I could vouch for each of these guys and knew they would work well together. Directions for getting to the canyon are easy; drive west to Williams, Arizona, then north. Directions for being ready to enter the Grand Canyon are a little more complicated. We completed training hikes and runs for conditioning. We requested backcountry permits four months in advance and waited nervously until approved. We combed through piles of backpacking gear in repeated attempts to eliminate all but the most essential items. I felt a great sense of accomplishment after packing four days of food, clothing, and shelter in under thirty pounds. Too much weight could be a trip-ender while attempting to hike up the nearly 5,000-foot elevation gain from river to rim, the equivalent of climbing more than 500 office building floors while covering miles of uneven terrain and ever-changing conditions in winter. As Bob said, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes. Pack wisely.” A small percentage of the nearly five million visitors who see the Grand Canyon each year hike below the rim and several hundred of those are rescued inside the canyon. Lack of preparation is commonly cited in trips that end badly. We entered the Grand Canyon on December 28, 2012, on the South Kaibab Trail. Temperatures ranged from the teens on the rim to the forties at the bottom of the canyon. We spent two nights at the Bright Angel Camp Ground, allowing time to explore the Clear Creek Trail on the north side of the Colorado River. Then came a strenuous climb up to Indian Gardens Camp Ground. At the top of a series of brutal switchbacks called “Devil’s Corkscrew,” Boone said, “That section of trail definitely lived up to its name!” The final day would include about 3,500 feet of elevation gain during the hike up to the South Rim.

A visual feast… That first night Scott was full of energy and wanted to explore the Silver Bridge since we’d crossed the more historic Black Bridge earlier on our hike into the campground. This turned into three miles of night hiking but was well worth the effort. While standing at the Colorado River,

54 | travel

A winter wonderland… After a dinner of homemade dehydrated pasta at Indian Gardens, a light snow began to fall as darkness came over the canyon. All sounds were muted except the gentle crackle of icy snow against the roof of my tent. The next morning we woke up to a winter wonderland. Several of us softy sang the song by that name as Steve, the early riser, fired up his stove for coffee and oatmeal. Then it was time for the final push up Bright Angel Trail to the South Rim. This would be a personal test for me physically and I felt some nagging anxiety about the severe we watched a full moon rise over the canyon rim. Reflections of

elevation gain on a snowy route.

moonlight softly painted inner canyon walls and the churning river’s surface.

As we progressed up the trail I found myself walking slower and slower, not from the climb, but from a desire to make

Clear Creek Trail (Day 2) was filled with remarkable rock

the experience last longer; I didn't want it to end! Every few

formations every step of the way. The trail seemed to pull us

minutes I'd stop and stare as the sky and light changed our view

along sweeping views of the river and inner canyon. Scenes

back into the canyon. One minute the canyon appeared dimly

continuously opened up and changed with the steady passing

through a frame of clouds. Moments later, clouds would dance

of the sun. While pausing at one overlook, Dale, who was visiting

gracefully as they roamed freely through the upper canyon,

the Grand Canyon for the first time, said, “I’m so thankful that

sunlight slicing through and settling along the face of fire-red

I got to do this trip. I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s just

walls trimmed with snow.

amazing!” One elderly day hiker said in passing, "I ran out of adjectives A constant companion while camping at the bottom of the

a long time ago!" Pictures and words fail in the presence of

canyon was the soothing sound of Bright Angel Creek, named by

the Grand Canyon. Reaching the rim I continued to gaze into

John Wesley Powell during his exploration of the area in 1869. It

the chasm for a few last visual morsels from the beauty below.

is clean, clear, and cold! I took an hour to explore the creek with

I paused and bowed slightly toward the canyon whispering,

my camera, wishing for a longer day as the sunlight faded.

“Thank you.” I then turned to walk away from the edge, carrying images that will nourish my spirit and fill my memories for

On our third evening in the canyon, a short hike from Indian

years to come.

Gardens Campground turned into a wildlife outing on Plateau Point. A California condor enjoyed showing off his aerial finesse, swooping so close that I heard a deep whoosh from his wings slicing through the air. The introduction of condors into

To learn more:

the park appears to have had some success and this condor

Grand Canyon National Park web site: nps.gov/grca

exemplified confidence in his new canyon home. Several mule

Ozarkmountainhiker.wordpress.com

deer were grazing close to the trail. They gave me a dismissive glance as if stoically accepting my visitor status in the canyon.

56 | travel

Hello Hot Springs!

@story Marla Cantrell @images Marla Cantrell, Courtesy Diana Bratton, Courtesy Buckstaff Bathhouse, Courtesy Visit Hot Springs

travel | 57

ighway 7 zigzags through the Ouachita Forest, through pine trees so big they tower

above you, casting shadows on the road below. The ground here is still covered in snow and the sun is glinting

{ EAT } Fat Bottomed Girl’s Cupcake Shoppe

off of it; the light falling like crystals on this fine winter morning. grab it, and then take a few more with Up ahead is Sugar Creek and then

you. Perfection!

Jessieville and finally Hot Springs, the

Café 1217

only American city nestled inside a national park. Here, a million gallons of hot water, reaching temperatures of 143°F, flow from the 47 nearby springs. The town, with a population of just over 35,000, fills with tourists looking for a fair day and a fast track at Oaklawn Park,

where

thoroughbred

racing

has been a mainstay since the track opened in 1905. Visitors also come to visit the bathhouses, one that’s been in continuous operation since 1912, to tour the historic downtown that’s complete with a wax museum, and to

124 Central Avenue fbgcupcakes.com Sunday: 10-5 Monday – Thursday: 9-6 Friday, Saturday: 9-7

stay at the resorts on the grand lakes that surround this Arkansas wonder.

Skip the pancakes, say no to theomelets, and head over to Fat Bottomed Girl’s

1217 Malvern Avenue #B Cafe1217.net Monday-Friday: 11-7 Saturday: 11- 4

Hot Springs is a great place to spend a

Cupcakes. Grab a cup of coffee – Crème

day with the one you love or a few of

Brulee is a big favorite - and spend a

your best friends. Eat great food, shop,

few minutes trying to decide which

walk through the national park, take a

cupcake(s) you can’t live without. Each

After a morning of shopping in the

thermal mineral bath, get a massage or

day the bakery offers at least eight

historic downtown district and touring

a facial, and just relax.

varieties and when tourist season is in

the national park just off Central Avenue,

full swing they sell 2,000 cupcakes a

head to 1217 Malvern Avenue, just

day! These are big cupcakes, wrapped

minutes away, to experience some of the

in parchment paper instead of the

best food in Arkansas. Award-winning

traditional fluted holders. The icing, light

Café 1217, owned by Chef Diana Bratton,

and fluffy and made with cream cheese,

changes the menu each month just to

has just the right amount of sweetness. If

keep things fresh.

the Strawberry Cheesecake is available,

58 | travel The food is made from scratch – nothing canned, nothing frozen. This is home

Taco Mama

sautéed with spicy chili sauce or pan seared with garlic & butter.

cooking with a gourmet twist. Diners line up in front of a refrigerated display cases

Chef Diana, who graduated first in the

that hold containers of Sonoma Chicken

culinary program from El Centro College

Salad, Roasted Potatoes with carrots,

in Dallas, knows Mexican food.

onions and rosemary, Blue Cheese

even has a steady influx of customers

Broccoli Salad, and Mushroom Wild

who come from Houston to eat at Taco

Rice Salad, to name a few. Once your

Mama. If you’re feeling spicy, this is the

turn comes, you can order from the case

place to go in Hot Springs.

or from the menu, which offers soups,

She

{ SHOP }

sandwiches, entrees, and desserts like the restaurant’s Key Lime Pie.

Artists Workshop Gallery

There are vegan dishes, gluten free bread options, hand rolled tamales, and bacon and walnut crusted catfish. The one unifier? Almost everyone orders the 1217 Tomato Soup, a creamy concoction with tiny chunks of tomato. Chef Diana says the secret is the perfect amount of dill. A recommendation: order the mint lemonade. It’s a little tangy, wonderfully sweet, and the punch of mint makes it irresistible. Diners line up in front of refrigerated display cases that hold containers of Sonoma Chicken Salad, Roasted Potatoes with Carrots, Onions and Rosemary, Blue Cheese Broccoli Salad, and Mushroom Wild Rice Salad, to name a few. If you can’t get enough while you’re there, you can always order food to go. If you’d like to cook like Chef Diana, consider buying her cookbook that’s available on site. She’s also working on a new cookbook that should be out later this year.

Next door to Café 1217 is Chef Diana’s newest restaurant, Taco Mama.

The

building stood for years as a hardware store and much of the material inside the restaurant was repurposed, including the counter where the sales were tallied. There’s a gorgeous bar brought in from a restaurant that closed in Little Rock and every margarita is made fresh, one at a time, after the customer orders it. The philosophy of fresh everything has been carried over from 1217. The tortillas are made on site, the salsa made fresh, as are the brown and black beans and the Sweet & Hot Potato Crusted Jalapenos, which are stuffed with cream cheese and a side of sweet jalapeno jelly. Vegan dishes abound, alongside dishes like Shrimp & Crab Enchiladas, Mama’s Homemade Chorizo, and Camarones al la Diabla or Mojo de Ajo, which is shrimp

810 Central Avenue Artistworkshopgallery.com Monday – Saturday: 10 - 4 10 - 5 from Memorial Day to Labor Day Looking for a memento of your visit that no one else will have? Stop by Artists Workshop Gallery at 810 Central Avenue. It’s been operating for about twenty-five years and is a co-op for local

travel | 59

Bathhouse Soaps & Caldarium

mists that work like lotions, but go on a lot easier. Charlene sells a lot of products to those with skin sensitivities. Brides-to-be like to stop by with their bridesmaids for a one of a kind shopping experience. And if you fall in love with these products, no worries, you can also order online.

{ PLAY }

artists who are selected after presenting their work to a committee. The artists then display their art in the gallery and

Buckstaff Bathhouse

also work there. That’s a wonderful bonus, since you’ll get to meet at least one artist during your visit. The shop has something for everyone. There are paintings, photographs, even pottery. Much of the work has Arkansas as its muse. There are paintings of streams, the deep woods, lakes, wildlife,

120 Central Avenue bathhousesoap.com Monday - Thursday: 10 - 6 Friday and Saturday: 10 - 7 Sunday: 10 – 5

and even historic buildings. But there

Located two blocks from Bathhouse

are also abstract pieces that are alive

Row is the only shop you’ll need for a

with color.

day (or night) of pampering. Charlene Simon, who owns the shop with her

When we visited, we met Terry O’Dell, an

husband, makes every bar of soap

artist who came to Hot Springs Village

in the store. She uses olive oil and

after retiring from his teaching position

other nourishing vegetable oils in her

in Mississippi, where he taught art to

formulas. The scents are wonderful and

gifted students. He loves the landscape

unexpected. Our recommendation? Try

of Arkansas. In one of his paintings on

the Sweet Potato Soap.

display, he shows the majesty of a brook at Mt. Magazine, the water cascading

There are also foaming body scrubs and

over smooth rocks.

vegetable based deodorants in scents like Cloud and Tobacco and Rum. Soaps

Stop by Artists Workshop Gallery, see an

are cut from a loaf, so no two are alike.

artist at work and find original pieces at

You can even buy a loaf of soap if you

reasonable prices.

so desire. There are skin care products, bath soaks, products for manicures and pedicures, soy candles, even oil-based

509 Central Avenue buckstaffbaths.com See website for prices and hours of operation The Buckstaff Bathhouse has been in continuous service since it opened on February 1, 1912. Originally, many of the people who came here to “take the waters” believed the springs had healing powers. In the late 1940s, attendance began to wane on Bathhouse Row, although

60 | travel Buckstaff did not fall victim to the

What a great way to spend a little time

of some of the most beautiful land and

decline. Manager Mike Branch says

on a cold February day, soaking in the

lakes in Arkansas.

their attention to quality and tradition

thermal waters of Hot Springs, while all

helped them stay afloat.

your stress slips effortlessly away.

1974,

the

three-story,

27,000

square foot building was added to the National Register of Historic places.

Hot Springs Mountain Tower

The Hot Springs Mountain Tower is also available for weddings for up to 200 people. The lucky couples say their vows on the enclosed observation deck at the top of the tower.

The original elevator is still used. Deep porcelain tubs line the walls in the men’s department on the first floor and

Before you head back home, or

women’s department on the second.

to your hotel room, there’s only one more Hot Springs tradition to

Here, you can get the same treatment

uphold. You’ll need to find a place

the first customers received back in

to buy a plastic gallon jug, the kind

1912, which includes soaking in a

milk comes in. We found ours at

deep tub filled with thermal water, hot

the Shops at the Arlington Hotel,

packs, a sitz bath, a session in the vapor

near Bathhouse Row, for just over

cabinet, and a subsequent shower.

a dollar. Take the jug to the water filling stations near the corner of

“After I do that,” Mike says, “I’m ready to eat and take a nap. Other people tell me they’re ready to run a race. It just depends on the individual. You find muscles you didn’t know were sore and stress you didn’t know you had.

401 Hot Spring Mountain Drive Hotsprings.org Daily: 9-5 12 and over: $7 | Seniors: $6 5-11: $4 | 4 & under: Free

Central Avenue and Reserve Street. Stand in line if you have to, and then take your turn at the station, where you can fill your container with spring water. It will be warm, so carrying it to your car is a joy on these cold days.

Everybody says it’s relaxing.” If you feel like you’re on the top of the The Whirlpool Mineral Bath package runs

world, why not show it? And what better

That’s it! You’ve eaten cupcakes,

$30. The Traditional Bathing Package,

way than heading up the mountain to

shopped, had lunch, a traditional

which includes a Swedish massage, runs

one of the best views in Arkansas. This

session at a bathhouse, and

$64. Facials, manicures and pedicures

216-foot observation tower has two

brought back some spring water.

are also available at additional costs.

viewing levels. You’ll be able to get a 360

And you’ve seen Hot Springs from

degree view of the surrounding Ouachita

the mountaintop. All that’s left

Mike estimates the bathhouse sees

Mountains, and a birds-eye look at the

to do is plan your next trip to this

30,000 customers a year. They come

city of Hot Springs. Take your camera!

historic spa city.

from as far away as Australia, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Every state in the

The brave of heart can tackle the stairs,

U.S. gets represented each year.

but there is an elevator for the rest of us. At your final stop, you’ll be 1,256 feet above sea level, overlooking 140 miles

62 | back story

every little caught bird flies @back story Marla Cantrell

he rain is falling, and I am standing in it, listening to

sisters and mama and daddy – they don’t listen to me at all. The

Alan Jackson, who is high and lifted up on a stage in a

night two years ago when I tried to tell them I was done with

field that used to be a cow pasture in Arkansas.

Bobby Mack, I said it three times before they caught on. I finally stood on a kitchen chair and belted it out. “I’m leaving Bobby

“I’m sorry y’all are out there in the rain,” Alan Jackson says. “I can

Mack’s sorry butt,” I said. The room went silent, then Daddy said,

feel some of it, even up here on stage.” He stops. “I swear,” he

“Go on,” and I said, “Well, he’s been stepping out.” I frowned,

says, but then he looks away, and I wonder if he feels the way I do,

realizing I was making truth out of what was only speculation

when my train of thought takes off down some long country road.

on my part. It’s hard to keep up with a trucker. But he’d been washing his own clothes before he got home, even the sheets

I talk that way myself. I start a sentence and I stall, the rest of what

he slept on, a sure sign in my opinion, and there was a Woman’s

I was thinking a knotted rope I can’t untangle. Been that way my

Day magazine in the little alcove where he kicked back in the

whole life, so when my family gets together – my brothers and

semi. A Woman’s Day! Plus, he hadn’t so much as touched me in

back story | 63 going on six months. I wasn’t as pretty as Carrie Underwood, but

just like Frank’s store did, once he passed on the chance to sell

I still turned heads down at the Well House, where me and my

lottery tickets.

girlfriends sometimes went to dance on ladies night. It took me a year to get my license and cost my mama twenty So I revised my speech. “He could be stepping out,” I said, and

pounds she’s still not lost.

I heard my mama sigh. “And we fight …,” I said, trailing off like I do. I looked around at my oldest sister Lou, who loves to fight,

A guy to my left is weeping as the soft rain falls, caught up as he

thinks it shakes up what was stuck between you and your man,

is in Alan Jackson’s story about hard times and second chances.

thinks it makes you one again. She grabbed her husband’s arm

The guy’s knee-walking drunk and I figure missing his own dead

and rubbed it good and rolled her eyes at me.

daddy. Two of his buddies wrap an arm around him and the three sway together, their good boots stuck in the red mud. One

What I’m saying is that I get Alan Jackson.

of them, on the end nearest me, has a funnel cake on a paper plate and he holds it out with his free hand until it slips off and

The girl to my right sloshes beer on me during Alan Jackson’s

falls to the soggy earth.

rendition of “It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere,” and she starts one of those long apologies called out over a crowd that shines a

Alan Jackson’s shirt is green and it’s unsnapped to the middle of

spotlight on you. Which I don’t want. I came alone to stand in

his chest. His long legs are skinny, and his cowboy hat is straw.

this crowd and hear a man who sings the way I feel. He likes the

I’m so close to the stage that when he tosses one of his guitar

heartbreak songs. He likes the songs where his pickup breaks

picks into the crowd it sails above me and I get whacked in the

down, and his dog runs off, and he can’t pay the rent. Where

head by three girls fighting to claim it. They can have it. It’s

a man like Bobby Mack can up and find another woman while

the voice I’ve come for. He can sing to me; he can talk to me, it

you’re sitting at home taking online classes to become a gosh

doesn’t matter. I’m counting on the twang and the rhythm, the

durn life coach.

grit of a hard life set to melody, hypnotic as a snake charmer.

On the screen behind Alan Jackson, grainy photos of his

I know he’s strayed. I read his wife’s book about it. I sure wish

mama and daddy roll. They look like they come from meager

he hadn’t. You want to believe in something. You want the men

beginnings, just like my people do. His daddy, who’s passed

with the ‘howdy ma’ams’ and the ‘I declares’ to be different.

over, let him drive a boat when he was too young, and a truck on the dirt roads that crisscross the great South.

But they aren’t.

I imagine him, his earnest little self, sitting beside a daddy who

At least he made it right. At least he realized how much he loved

loved him, his cowboy hat just barely taller than the steering

his wife, whose picture is, right at this moment, flashing on the

wheel. I see hawks watching from sketchy trees, snow blowing

screen behind Alan Jackson and they finally got it together with

across a gravel road, the cracked earth of a country lane on a

the help of Jesus and therapy and the kind of talks that leave

Georgia August day.

you blind with sorrow. She’s a beauty, cared for the way women with money are: high hair, long nails, an outfit that probably cost

I sit on a cushion when I drive, short as I am. It was my mama

more than my washer and dryer put together.

that taught me to drive. She’d say, “Jessie Mae, you’re giving me an aneurysm,” and make me take her to Frank’s Country Store

He didn’t hightail it out of his marriage when he was confronted

where she’d load up on Dr. Pepper and Twinkies, which you can’t

with it, the way Bobby Mack did. Bobby Mack didn’t have the

buy anymore, I mean the Twinkies, because they went belly up,

gumption to even deny it. He looked relieved is what he did,

64 | back story like I’d done the dirty work for him and now he didn’t have to

by working on a ranch or spending half your life in a gym. I hope

confess a thing. I’d of taken him back if he’d put up a fuss. That’s

it’s the ranch. His white cotton shirt is starched and his brown

something I don’t admit to anybody. But he didn’t. He remarried

hair curls around his collar. I look up at him. His eyes are the

soon as the judge signed our papers. Married a dark-haired girl

color of Crystal Lake just as the sun is setting. Gray and blue

from Oklahoma, with fat thighs, who travels with him, not out of

mixed together. I look past him to the mega screen behind Alan

love I don’t think, but because she knows she got a man you got

Jackson and the cameras are zoomed in on us, me with my calico

to keep an eye on.

dress, a little too short I see now, and the jean jacket I’ve worn since junior high. My blond curls reach my waist, the raindrops

There’s something in Alan Jackson’s voice that reminds me of Bill

like a veil of diamonds scattered from the hand of God. This

Clinton. I met Bill once. At a football game. He asked my name

guy I’m dancing with, he looks like he belongs in the movies.

and I told him. The next year, I saw him again. You know what? He

His cowboy boots scrape up against mine, and he smiles down

remembered me. Called me by name. That’ll make you feel like

at me and I feel a thousand stars move through me.

somebody. And he had a way of taking your hand in his. Had a way of blocking out everybody else and looking right at you that

The crowd is cheering now, for Alan Jackson, sure, but maybe

made you sparkle inside. Didn’t matter how old he was. Didn’t

for us too. I feel my hand in this guy’s, like a bird riding a warm

matter how young you were. That’s the kind of power he had.

ridge of air, no effort at all. We dance so close it feels like we’re breaking the law, and then he puts his chin on the top of my

Even now, he shows up at his library in Little Rock, sneaks in

head and I shut my eyes and drink him in. He smells like Ivory

when folks are touring, when they’re looking around, maybe

soap, and something lemony, and damp leather. The music

at Chelsea’s little bracelet from when she was a baby, and he

rolls, the fiddle all but crying now, and I can see my life like

sticks out his hand and introduces himself and everybody goes

I’m looking at it from far away. From a mountain, maybe. Life

mute, knocked down by that charm.

goes on, that’s what I see. Life surely does go on, that’s what I’d tell you if you walked up to me right now. Lightning flashes, a

A man like that could make even a good woman forget the

jagged mark in the night sky, but so far away it doesn’t matter.

Commandments. We’re dancing slow now, my feet barely moving, and thinking The guy in front of me is swinging his hips and he turns and

deep, the way I do when I’ve had a couple of beers. I can feel

grabs me and, before I know it, we’re dancing, me twirling

Alan Jackson as much as hear him, the words falling harder than

beneath his raised arm and him bringing me in close, and I feel

the rain. “Time stood still,” he sings, “and love is all we knew.”

the way you do when the world is shifting and the long lens of possibility zooms right down on you.

My thoughts untwist for a second and I grab on, though I probably wouldn’t get it right if I tried to say it aloud. What I

Alan Jackson starts to sing “Remember When,” about first love,

think is this: every hurt thing gets better, even if it’s just for a

about lasting love, and it tears me apart. I wrecked my first love,

little while. I reach up and touch this new guy’s cheek and he

I did. My whole life would’ve been different if I’d known what I

dips to kiss me on the forehead, and another streak of lightning

had then, a man so true he’d let you go through his wallet and not

flares in the sky. Thunder follows and the wind whips across us,

even break a sweat. A man who showed up when your pickup got

but we keep dancing. It feels like the beginning of something.

stuck, or your lights got shut off, or you decided your life was in

I close my eyes and say to myself. Yes, every hurt thing gets

ruins because you’d just watched a Lifetime movie that reminded

better, and every little caught bird flies home.

you just how sorry your own teenage years had been. I sink into this new guy. He has the kind of body you get either

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