rsvp magazine october 2012
DESCRIPTION
RSVP magazine is like no other publication in the city of Memphis. What began as simply “The Society Pages” more than a decade ago has evolved into a monthly review with stunning photography and entertaining, informative stories. See for yourself!TRANSCRIPT
Oc t o b e r 2 0 12
Zoo Brew
Spirit of SRVS
Paw Prints Party
Brooks Avant Garde Party
Phoenix Club Party at the Club
Mixologists Rooftop Soiree
& Taste of Memphis
Q&A with Cynthia Ham
Zoo Brew
Spirit of SRVS
Paw Prints Party
Brooks Avant Garde Party
Phoenix Club Party at the Club
Mixologists Rooftop Soiree
& Taste of Memphis
Q&A with Cynthia Ham
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CONTEN
TS
12ZOO BREWAlice White
46 PHOENIX CLUB PARTY AT THE CLUBJessica Foster and Angela Copeland
28BROOKS AVANT GARDE PARTY
Tyria and David Biggers
52 MIXOLOGISTS ROOFTOP SOIREE & TASTE OF MEMPHIS
Shari and Tom Craig
62PAW PRINTS PARTY
Amanda Ivy and Barry Densford
58SPIRIT OF SRVS
Kris and Chris Amen
Cover PhotoSarah Akins and Rebekah Hill
atPhoenix Club Party at the Club
Photo by Baxter Buck
ContentsOctober 2012
From the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Signature Memphis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10RSVP visits Duncan-Williams, Inc. to meet the company’s president.
Zoo Brew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12Animal fanatics sipped suds for a good cause at the Memphis Zoo.
StreetSeens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18, 20 & 22She’s helping keep the history of West Tennessee alive. This piper has been pre-serving the Scottish sound for 20 years. The conductor of a local improv companyshows how to use theater for a greater cause. StreetSeens highlight Carol Perel,Rick Clausi and Virginia Murphy.
Vox Popular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24Q&A with the president of BRIDGES, Cynthia Ham.
Brooks Avant Garde Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art threw a soul-shakin’ benefit to celebrate its“The Soul of a City: Memphis Collects African Art” exhibit.
Onsites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38, 40, 42 & 66Gatherings that have earned an honorable mention.
RSVP Room View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44Tim Disalvo & Company help transform a great room in a Fayette County homeinto a space reminiscent of one in a Tuscan villa.
Phoenix Club Party at the Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46Phoenix Club members headed poolside at the University Club to raise funds forthe Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis.
Mixologists Rooftop Soiree & Taste of Memphis . . . . . . .52Cochon 555’s swine-filled weekend to promote heritage pig breeds kicked off atThe Peabody rooftop.
Spirit of SRVS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58Shelby Residential and Vocational Services hosted yet another top-notch winetasting and auction benefit at Hilton Memphis.
Paw Prints Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62The Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County gave their furry friends some-thing to wag their tails about by raising funds at the Clark Opera Memphis Center.
RSVPhillippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69Something to Drink AboutDennis Phillippi knows the best way to make friends.
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RSVP STAFF
CHRIS PUGH,ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
901.276.7787, EXT. [email protected]
Chris has been exercising his talent in theadvertising world since 1999. He joinedthe RSVP team in 2009 and brought withhim a love for laughter and creativity.Originally from New Albany, Mississippi,Chris has settled in Memphis and enjoysbeing active in the fashion community.
KRISTEN MILLER,ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE901.276.7787, EXT. [email protected]
Having worked in print advertising for near-ly eight years, Kristen Miller felt it was anatural fit to join the RSVP team as anaccount executive. Kristen, who lives inArlington with her husband and four chil-dren, loves to cook, fish, watch collegeand Arlington Tigers football, spend timewith her family and advertising, of course.
RACHEL WARREN,EDITORIAL INTERN
901.276.7787, EXT. [email protected]
Rachel is passionate about print mediaand has covered many local events inJackson, Mississippi in the past. Shereceived her Bachelor of Arts in Englishfrom Millsaps College, and in 2011, shemoved back to her hometown of Memphis.She is delighted to be part of the RSVPteam as an editorial intern. She loves writ-ing about all the amazing people andplaces in Memphis, enjoying a great bookand chasing a good story.
Volume XVIII Number I
October 2012
P U B L I S H E RRoy Haithcock
E D I T O RLeah Fitzpatrick
C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R SKelly Cox
Jonathan DevinElizabeth Link
Jeannie MandelkerDennis PhillippiLesley Young
A R T D I R E C T O RPatrick Akers
P H O T O G R A P H E R SBaxter BuckJames Eaton
Elizabeth LinkDon Perry
Steve Roberts
A C C O U N T E X E C U T I V E SChris Pugh
Kristen Miller
A C C O U N T I N GRuth Cassin
E D I T O R I A L I N T E R NRachel Warren
RSVP Memphis is published monthly byHaithcock Communications, Inc. First class
subscriptions are available for $55.00 per year.Send name and address with a check to:
Haithcock Communications, Inc.2282 Central AvenueMemphis, TN 38104
For advertising information contactRoy Haithcock
Phone (901) 276-7787, ext. 101Fax (901) 276-7785
e-mail [email protected]
W E Bwww.rsvpmagazine.com
For editorial information or to request coverage of an event, pleasecontact RSVP Magazine
one month prior to the event. Call 901-276-7787, ext. 105 or fax to 901-276-7785.
e-mail [email protected]
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RSVP Memphis Magazine
Copyright 2012 Haithcock Communications, Inc.
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An unusually largeamount of milestoneanniversaries for organi-
zations and/or charityevents are highlighted inour October issue, whichonly seems fitting since thismonth also marks the 17thanniversary of RSVP.Throughout all the fund-rais-er coverage and features, Icount five noteworthyanniversaries alone: theKomen Memphis-MidSouthRace for the Cure’s 20thanniversary (this page);Wolf River Pipes and Drums’ 20th anniversary (page 20);BRIDGES’ 90th anniversary (page 24); Baptist’s centennialcelebration (page 40); and the Cooper-Young Festival’s 25thanniversary (page 66). Maybe October is just a popular monthfor starting things with the weather beginning to be moreagreeable and parents already back into the swing of theirkids’ school routines.
With any anniversary, a time of celebration usually fol-lows, and that’s the enjoyable part, of course, albeit the onlypart that most people witness. Nevermind all the work that ittakes to successfully pull off a single anniversary, much lessmultiple ones. So, to all those organizations, nonprofits andpeople behind those events I previously mentioned, and I’msure there are some I overlooked, you deserve a big congratula-tions for investing your time, energy and passion into achiev-ing your respective anniversaries—they’re no small feat! And, ifDale Carnegie’s saying “People rarely succeed unless they havefun in what they are doing” is indeed true, then some type ofenjoyment was probably had along the way to get to thoseanniversaries.
Dear readers, for those of you who have an old picturefrom any type of anniversary past that might be appropriatefor our RSVPast section, which we feature on the last page ofeach issue, feel free to e-mail me a high resolution image ormail me a copy of the pic, along with a brief description. Seepage 70 for instructions, and get to searching through yourphoto archives. You just might stumble upon a milestonemoment in your life that you almost forgot about.
Leah [email protected]
From the Editor
Meet the Designer
TRUNK SHOWTh u r s d a y
O c t o b e r 1 8 t h
L o o k f o r u s o n f a c e b o o k
c h i c k a s a w o a k s v i l l a g e
3 0 9 2 p o p l a r a v e .
9 0 1 . 4 5 2 . 2 3 2 3
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Duncan WilliamsPresident, Duncan-Williams, Inc./Leadership Academy Board/Memphis EconomicClub Member/Presbyterian Day School Board/SunTrust Bank Advisory Board
Duncan WilliamsPresident, Duncan-Williams, Inc./Leadership Academy Board/Memphis EconomicClub Member/Presbyterian Day School Board/SunTrust Bank Advisory Board
Your mantra: Do well!Personal hero: My mom.Favorite author: James Patterson.Guilty pleasure: The Sonic on Highway 61.Your greatest achievement: Fatherhood.Words or phrases you overuse: “It is what it is!”Stress outlet: Our family farm in Clarksdale, Mississippi.First job: A landscape architect…really I just watered yards.
One thing you can’t live without: The remote control.Favorite Memphis musicians: Roger Fakes and Kevin Cox.Last book you’ve read: The Coming Jobs War by Jim Clifton.Hobbies: Golf, hunting, fishing and, of course, Alabama football.One thing most people don’t know about you: I hate flying.Ideal vacation spots: Telluride, Colorado or Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.Where you take out-of-town guests: Felicia Suzanne’s restaurant.Movies you could watch over and over again: Braveheart and Patton.Childhood ambition: To be a basketball player or a businessman like my dad.First concert: Barry Manilow—my mom made me go. Cheap Trick was the firstconcert I went to that I wanted to see.
Favorite albums: “Let It Bleed” by the Rolling Stones and “Hemingway’sWhiskey” by Kenny Chesney.
Your mantra: Do well!Personal hero: My mom.Favorite author: James Patterson.Guilty pleasure: The Sonic on Highway 61.Your greatest achievement: Fatherhood.Words or phrases you overuse: “It is what it is!”Stress outlet: Our family farm in Clarksdale, Mississippi.First job: A landscape architect…really I just watered yards.One thing you can’t live without: The remote control.Favorite Memphis musicians: Roger Fakes and Kevin Cox.Last book you’ve read: The Coming Jobs War by Jim Clifton.Hobbies: Golf, hunting, fishing and, of course, Alabama football.One thing most people don’t know about you: I hate flying.Ideal vacation spots: Telluride, Colorado or Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.Where you take out-of-town guests: Felicia Suzanne’s restaurant.Movies you could watch over and over again: Braveheart and Patton.Childhood ambition: To be a basketball player or a businessman like my dad.First concert: Barry Manilow—my mom made me go. Cheap Trick was the firstconcert I went to that I wanted to see.
Favorite albums: “Let It Bleed” by the Rolling Stones and “Hemingway’sWhiskey” by Kenny Chesney.
SIGN
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ZOO
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Labor Day Weekend Suds
Carolyn Carter, Ronnie Russell and Lori Denton
John Pitts and Amanda Peterson
Rachel and Tim Landsdown
Becca Coster and Mike Sandler
Lesley Entrekin and JR Williss
Juan Cervantes and Jelena Henson
Tara Marcum and Ashley Hunt
Patricia and Richard Webb
Michael and Corrie Martin
The Memphis Zoo is home to hundreds of rare species like thering-tailed lemur, the scimitar oryx and the Chinese giant pan-das, but for one evening each summer, it’s also home to the
Copperhead Red, the Golden Monkey, the Andygator, the Turbodogand the Red Seal—that is, North Coast Brewing’s Red Seal Ale. Theannual Macy’s Zoo Brew, held August 31, attracted wild things andparty animals from across Memphis to stroll under the stars and sipan international array of beers while the zoo’s furry and finned resi-dents took the evening off.
Nearly 50 brews were represented in what is one ofMemphis’ largest beer tastings. The menu included local favoriteslike Ghost River Brewing’s Golden Ale, Glacial Pale Ale, CopperheadRed and Witbier. Yazoo Brewing Company was also on tap with halfa dozen selections ranging from its Hefeweizen to its Sly Rye Porter.But, Germany, England, Belgium and several Asian countries werewell represented with offerings like Corsendonk Monk’s Brown Ale,Kronenbourg 1664, St. Peter’s IPA and Belhaven Scottish Ale.
Partygoers were given a map and a plastic souvenir shotglass upon entering. From there, the entertainment was free-flowing.Salsa diva Marcela Pinilla played the Primate Pavilion much to theamusement of a flock of flamingos across the way in the World ofWaterfowl exhibit. Meanwhile, party bands Soul and DingoEntertainment kept the Cat House Café and the China Exhibit rock-ing. For the inexperienced, a beer dictionary was offered to helptasters distinguish between the Taj Mahal Lager, the Old SchoolPilsner and the Raspberry Wheat Cider. Most seemed happy just tohave a drink in hand while knowing that the proceeds would go tosupport the Memphis Zoo’s many programs and exhibits.
There was one uninvited guest, however. The remnants ofHurricane Isaac crashed the party late in the evening, sending someguests running before final call. Meanwhile, others crammed underpavilions and into buildings to have another round. Since theoptions were to get soaked or have another beer, for many the choicewas clear.
Story by Jonathan DevinPhotos by Baxter Buck
See all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.comPassword: RSVP
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Emily Elderbrock and Shane Hanlon
Jamie and Tamira Morris
Barbara and Ricky Parham
Julie Gilmore and Maureen CollinsRob Tragarz and Robin Gibson
Christian and Becca Ayers
Greg Griffin and Katie Siegal
Ford and Marcia Bolton with Don Parrish
Sharon Lee, Melissa Zarn and Karen Kehbein
Susye Clark and Rachael Thompson
Nicolette Overton and Nayha Patel
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Britton Elam and Taylor Moore
Andrea Landrum and Ryne Bridges
Evelyn and Chad Kellett
Christophe and Heleen MaesBrenda and Robert Brown
Jay and Gina Fite with Retha Moore and Mark Pender Lindsey Donovan, Maria Gutierrez, Machala and Patrick Gilbert, Leah Fors and Marissa Adams
Daniel and Kate Snyder with Anna and Blair Hawkins Carol Melton, Jackie Kish and Zena Bailey
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David and Sarah Murphy with Candyce and Travis White
Mike Hansom and Gail KarrAdam and Jennah Gill
Bob and Christy McCrawLuke Cravens and Chelsea Watson
Jutta Siebert and Jim PetreaBrittany Luckett and S. Julian Jenkins
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Carol PerelWest Tennessee’s History Connector
For Carol Perel, the West Tennessee Historical Society’snewest executive director, the connection to historybegins right at home, a place that once was a grocery
store. As she does for many historical buildings, peopleand events in the West Tennessee area, Perel gives a back-story for her living quarters, even qualifying the struc-ture’s former commercial use.
She shares, “Where I live was the first grocerystore of the Stephersons, and if you go to the left-handside of the produce section of Stepherson’s Superlo Foodson Spottswood, you’ll see a watercolor of my building.”
Fittingly, the historical marker Perel stands infront of in the picture at right is one the WTHS sanc-tioned for the Pink Palace, erected by the late great grocerClarence Saunders. Within Shelby County, the WTHS hasalso sanctioned historical markers in front of the 1862Post Office at Adams and Third, the site of the firstMemphis telephone at GE Patterson and Front, German-town Baptist Church, Hutchison School, Memphis Uni-versity School and St. Mary’s Catholic Church. North ofShelby County, the WTHS has sanctioned a marker forRandolph, Tennessee, which Perel explains had a thrivingcotton industry at one time because of its prime shippinglocation on the second Chickasaw Bluff.
She adds, “It’s not a popularity contest when agroup comes to us to have a marker sanctioned. They haveto report a verifiable history, and we have to determine ifthe fact they’re reporting lends itself to be on a historicalmarker. If we give the okay, the state will do it, but thegroup has to pay for the marker.”
The WTHS itself dates back to the 1857 formationof the Old Folks of Shelby County, a body that required itsmembers, such as Eugene Magevney, to have lived inMemphis for 20 years. “Memphis was only begun in 1819,so many of these founding members are people who werea part of the city’s early stages,” says Perel. Early focusesincluded historical genealogy and sharing recipes, birthannouncements and death notices through the group’spublication. The Old Folks later went through severalname changes and reorganizations, with the membershipextending its interests to all of West Tennessee in 1935.
Perel vouches, “We’re the granddaddy of historicalsocieties in other West Tennessee counties, and whilemany of them have their own historical societies now,we’re it for Shelby County.”
Currently, the WTHS has a membership of some300 individuals and 90 institutions throughout 21 coun-ties. Meetings occur almost monthly in different WestTennessee cities, and members have access to the nonprof-it’s community of archives, advocate on behalf of histori-cal preservation and receive a copy of the annual WTHSPapers, a prestigious collection of formal historical papersthat have been published since 1947. Wanting to be astronger force among other Tennessee counties, the socie-ty presently plans to do a “Today for Tomorrow” projectthat will involve West Tennessee high school students pho-tographing their communities so that there are visualrecords 50-100 years from now.
“Everything we do is for the public, who can lookat our records for free and are welcome to attend ourmeetings [see wths-tn.org for info],” Perel says. “My hori-zons have already been expanded in West Tennessee,which is vastly different from Memphis because it’s notpart of the Delta, but shares a lot of things with us, likevoting [districts].”
Story by Leah FitzpatrickPhoto by Steve Roberts
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Rick ClausiCarrying on the Scottish Sound
Having served in Europe with the U.S. Army and seenthe Scottish Highland regiments there with pipersin their midst, Rick Clausi realized that the pipes
were a weapon he’d never tried before. Once consideredweapons of war for their psychological impact on oppos-ing forces, pipes aren’t any ordinary instrument andrequire lots of maintenance, but Clausi readily took onthe challenge of learning them when he joined WolfRiver Pipes and Drums 20 years ago…of course, playingon peaceful terms. Three or four years passed before hefelt comfortable with playing, however after two de-cades, Clausi remains a passionate member, serving asWolf River Pipes and Drums’ business manager.
Clausi says, “As one of our original pipers, I’vewatched this band go through its ups and downs andwitnessed it grow, and I can tell you that right nowwe’re at our peak. We’ve also been successful in bring-ing in younger pipers so the band will continue on.”
Classified as a Grade 5 pipe band, Wolf RiverPipes and Drums consists of 18 members, five of whomare female, and the youngest piper is only 13 years old.Members attend rehearsals every Thursday for a fewhours at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church in Cordova be-ginning at 7 p.m. and mostly come from all throughoutthe county, with one driving from as far as Hernando,Mississippi. During the first part of rehearsals, mem-bers teach the seven new piping and drumming stu-dents how to play, and Clausi adds that anyone cancome to a rehearsal to learn, but that a newcomer’s firsttime should be spent observing. After the teaching peri-od, the pipe major, or band leader, works with the regu-lar pipers at the chanter (the part of the pipes wherethe player creates the melody) table to refine embellish-ments so that everyone’s timing is together, and finallyeveryone plays tunes worked on at the chanter table.
As for his favorite piece, Clausi says, “I like‘The Atholl Highlanders’—a bright, happy tune. Myfavorite performances include being the band for theMemphis opening of Braveheart, being the warm-upband for a Rod Stewart concert, playing on the bill withLee Greenwood for a 9/11 ceremony and being the pipeband who greeted Prince Edward of England at OleMiss.”
Before competitions, intense preparations takeplace, especially since Wolf River Pipes and Drums istrying for a Grade 4 classification, with Grade 1 beingthe best. Several weeks ago, a pipe major and drummerfrom a Grade 1 band in Chicago even came and cri-tiqued the band to let members know where they neededimprovement. The band has also been holding extrapractices lately since the next competition will be onOctober 20 at the Stone Mountain Highland Games andScottish Festival in Georgia. No matter the outcomethough, Clausi knows the band will definitely be playing“music that raises your soul.”
“After practices alone, I feel like a million dol-lars, so I can only imagine what pipe playing did for theHighlanders going against government troops,” he tells.
Memphians will have to wait to hear Wolf RiverPipes and Drums on January 26, 2013 at the BurnsNicht dinner at Woodland Hills or on February 6 atGPAC, where the band will perform and sound off onthe history of their uniforms, the pipes and the drums.
Story by Leah FitzpatrickPhoto by Steve Roberts
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Virginia MurphyImprov with Meaning
When Virginia Murphy, a creative art therapist, and herhusband, Joe, relocated from New York City toMemphis several years ago, they took a part of the
city’s theater scene with them when they decided to startPlayback Memphis. Having been actors with Big ApplePlayback Theatre, an improv theater company that bringsaudiences’ stories to life on stage, the couple were somoved by their experiences with the company that Murphyknew it was paramount they continue it in Memphis.
“Playback was an integral part of our lives andmade us richer, and we just thought that it would be per-fect in Memphis because there is so much misunderstand-ing here and stories that need to be communicated,” sheexpresses.
According to Murphy, many of the values ofPlayback’s more than 75 theater companies nationwide arealigned with Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of buildingthe beloved community, which is rooted in the idea of aplace where people deeply listened to one another and hon-ored the dignity of everyone. For three years now, PlaybackMemphis has been actively contributing to such a visionthrough its private workshops and public Memphis Mattersshows, during which attendees are free from criticism tovoice personal stories of all kinds, from humorous ones totragedies and triumphs. After someone shares a story, theactors convey its heart or essence through a type of improvcalled short form, where you don’t re-enact the entirescene. The ultimate goal is to open the lines of communi-cation for those in the audience and help them reflect onwhatever issue or situation is being played out on stage.
This spring, Playback Memphis found another plat-form to share its craft with when it launched the Be thePeace! Program. Through this program, actors train agroup of students in techniques of Playback and incorpo-rate an anti-bullying educational component as well. Thetraining culminates with students and the professionalactors teaming up in a performance in front of the stu-dents’ peers to share what they’ve learned about the issueof bullying.
“Playback can be a wonderful healing tool,”Murphy adds, “and our strength is our diversity—we havepeople who look like all of Memphis.”
Within the company, there are 10 professionalactors, some of whom are professional dancers, who rangein age from 22 to 72. The company also has Ekpe Abioto(pictured in the background at right) serving as its musi-cian and Murphy in the role of conductor—a job that entailsgiving direction to the types of stories audience members,or tellers, share at a performance, the next of which willtake place on November 2 and 3 at TheatreSouth at 8 p.m.
However, Playback Memphis will also be expandingits reach outside of Memphis when it heads to Washington,D.C. to perform at the North American Playback TheatreFestival on October 5-7. Only one of six Playback compa-nies invited to perform at the festival, the PlaybackMemphis family considers it an honor to be included inthe line-up.
“Our actors have never seen other Playback actors,so they’re excited,” Murphy smiles.
Story by Leah FitzpatrickPhoto by Steve Roberts
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Vox PopularQ&A with Cynthia HamVO
X PO
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RSVP: How did you first come into contact with the BRIDGESorganization?
Ham: I was aware of BRIDGES and the great work that was goingon here—not as deeply aware as I would have been if I had a child inthe program—but I knew Jim Boyd, my predecessor, and knew whata great organization he was building. When this job came up, I waskind of at a place—I’d been at Archer/Malmo for 15 years—where Iwas looking for something more meaningful. It was just kind of oneof those wonderful coincidences and maybe even fate that this jobcame up at the time I was going through that. I just thought thatthe mission was so amazing and that all my experiences cametogether in this position—some 30-plus years of working inMemphis, being engaged in civic affairs and various organizations,serving on nonprofit boards, raising money and even working at anonprofit at one pointwhen I was at Memphis inMay.
RSVP: How was the jumpfrom working in public rela-tions to working for a non-profit again?
Ham: I think the mostimportant thing for me wasknowing there wouldn’t bemuch of a culture shift forme. Archer/Malmo isrenowned for a fantasticemployee culture, and Isensed that would be thecase here because there area lot of young people work-ing here, a lot of smart peo-ple here and people who arevery passionate about youthand developing youth. Asfor jumping from a for-profit to a nonprofit, I’mreporting to a board ofdirectors now, whereasbefore I was reporting toclients. Actually, there are some similarities there because I stillhave to be a good steward of the organization. Of course, raisingmoney is not too different from bringing business into the firm. Itreally wasn’t that much of a leap.
RSVP: I know BRIDGES has several programs of its own, so canyou highlight some of those and how they each cater to the needs ofthe Memphis community?
Ham: Bridge Builders® is our core pro-gram that we’re so well known for. It’san incredibly well thought out andwell designed youth leadership devel-opment program. One of the excitingthings for me right now is we’re in a growth stage to be able toexpand and reach more young people, so now we’re actually workingwith grades six to 12. So, a sixth grader who is a rising seventhgrader could enroll each year and stay in the program until he orshe graduates—just imagine how much someone could evolve if thatperson stays in the program. Another piece about the BridgeBuilders program is that we have expanded the curriculum to notonly teach about leadership and diversity, but we’re now beginningto open the door to students on how they can apply what they’velearned to their community so they can make social change,
whether it’s in their church,school or home. It’s reallyall about teaching them tothink critically, asking themchallenging questions, open-ing their eyes to the needsof Memphis and the injus-tices in Memphis and work-ing together collectively tomake Memphis a betterplace. Then, our experien-tial learning and team-build-ing group, Team BRIDGES,provides services to theBridge Builders program forthat experiential work, likethe climbing wall and ropescourse and other team-building exercises. TeamBRIDGES also serves inde-pendent groups, corporategroups and affinity groupswho are in need of doingteam building. It’s not aswell known of a program,but something really impor-tant in regard to how weuse this building and how
we do what we do. The third component is BRIDGES-WorkforceDevelopment. The funding for that is from the Tennessee Depart-ment of Human Services, and we are one of four agencies inMemphis that provides services to families in the Families Firstprogram, which is welfare reform. We provide job readiness andplacement, which includes basic skills they may not have learnedthat can be helpful in getting a job and helping them in terms ofkeeping that job. We’re looking to maybe evolve that program so
People often pass the BRIDGES Center at 477 North Fifth St. and immediately notice the cool angular struc-ture, which was the first “green” commercial building built in the city, however the youth and adult devel-opment programs that happen inside its doors are what passersby should really be seeing. Cynthia Ham,
who came on board as the president of BRIDGES in February of this year, sat down with RSVP editor LeahFitzpatrick to share why this organization is so compelling for its estimated 15,000 annual participants, as wellas its inherent value to the rest of the city in terms of building leaders, helping create job-ready citizens, open-ing individuals’ eyes on how to deal with diversity and ultimately creating social change for a better Memphis.Oh yeah, the organization also celebrates 90 years strong this year!
Photos by Don Perry
Photos by Don Perry
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VOX
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maybe we can leverage more ofthe Bridge Builders’ assets andapply some of the learnings wehave gained through the yearsto that participant group.We’re even thinking about per-haps using it as a program forout-of-school youth—youth whohave dropped out of school forone reason or another but stillneed help getting to that nextlevel. We already do GED train-ing.
RSVP: Are most of these pro-grams executed at theBRIDGES Center or at otherplaces throughout the commu-nity?
Ham: Most are executed here.Now, Bridge Builders does gointo schools and does portableone-day programs throughoutthe whole city and county area.Then, in the summer confer-ences, some of the older ones,like 11th and 12th graders,actually stay in residence atCBU for a week. That’s theintensive week that kicks offyear-round learning. I’ve heardso many stories from theBridge Builders that, even afterthat first intensive week theygo through, the participantsare personally transformed,and it has just opened theireyes to so many things. That isso gratifying, and one storythat stands out to me entails ayoung man who is a senior atCBHS that spoke for the firsttime in front of a crowd at aninduction ceremony. His groupelected him to speak, knowingthat he’d never done it before,to summarize the BridgeBuilders experience. A coupleof hundred parents were in theroom at CBU, and he got upand said, “I’ve never done this;I’ve never spoken in publicbefore, so bear with me.” Thewhole room got quiet, and hewent on to tell about his expe-rience and how everyone fromsuch different backgrounds hadall bonded. He then said howhe initially hated to get rid ofhis cell phone, his computerand all the things that we makethem do when they go intothis, and how he didn’t thinkhe could do that. Eventually,he told everyone, “I’ll never bethe same. We laughed and
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cried together, and yes, I cried. I hadn’t cried in a long time, and Ineeded to. I will thank God every day of my life for this program.”I was all teary-eyed, and everyone in the room just went crazy…andthat was his first experience with public speaking. You know,Bridge Builders will have been founded by Rebecca Webb Wilsonfor 25 years next year, which will be another milestone. When herchildren were initially enrolled in Briarcrest, she recognized thatthey didn’t have the opportunity for many experiences with otherstudents who weren’t like them, and that was the basis for whichshe started Bridge Builders.
RSVP: Being that most of the programs do take place at BRIDGES,how does the design of the building function to help bring every-one together?
Ham: The architect, Coleman Coker, was absolutely brilliant, and Ido not have a whole lot of context other than what I see, namelyhow well this building functions for our purposes and how cutting-edge it is. It’s youthful, energetic and environmentally sound, andyouth see this and appreciate that it’s sort of a breath of fresh airfrom what they’re accustomed to day in and day out. There are noabsolute square walls. As you see, they are angles everywhere, andit’s meant to stimulate the brain and the senses. Even the lightposts in the parking lot upstairs are slanted at angles.
RSVP: What are some of the events BRIDGES is hosting to cele-brate its 90th anniversary?
Ham: We really have been celebrating it all year long. We have hadseveral events, like the Great Gatsby event, but it’s culminating inthe BRIDGES 90th Anniversary Leadership in Auction Luncheonon October 25 featuring Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, New Jersey.He is a phenomenal and inspiring speaker. The event will be fromnoon until 1:30 p.m. at the BRIDGES Center, and tickets, whichyou can get more info about at bridgesusa.org, are $75.
RSVP: Do you know if BRIDGES’ purpose and mission are thesame as when it was founded 90 years ago?
Ham: I think that in the continuum of youth development, fromwhat I’ve been taught, is that we were sort of here [points to theleft side of desk] in leadership and diversity training, and now,
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we’re moving in the directionof what many organizationsare doing across the country,which is not stopping at teach-ing youth just about bringingout their inner leader andhelping them understand,communicate and work withall kinds of different people,but then in turn, applyingwhat they’ve learned to mak-ing a change in small or bigways. They don’t have to waitto grow up to do that. We’rereally encouraging them tothink critically about issuesand then think about whatignites them to want to makechange. We have a new divi-sion within Bridge Builderscalled “Change,” and last yearwas the pilot year. We had 12students as interns, rangingfrom grades eight to 12, andthey met year-round. They ini-tially identified a problem thatthey thought was relevant to alot of people like them andactually did research and inter-views to decide what to tackle.They decided that nutrition inschools was a big issue, andthey partnered with the newdirector of the Memphis CitySchools Nutrition Services,Tony Geraci, and made a pres-entation of their findings tothe Board of Education. It wasextremely well received, andthey participated in the plant-ing of a community garden atCraigmont. This next groupwe have is now deciding whatthey want to tackle, and it’svery much led by them.
RSVP: Do you feel that thelocal community knows thevalue of BRIDGES?
Ham: I don’t think the com-munity has as deep of anunderstanding of the value ofthe programs as they should.For youth from all differentsocioeconomic backgroundsand barriers to be able to worktogether, imagine what thatcan do for them 10 years later.If they’re serving on the citycouncil or serving in somekind of leadership capacity inthe city, they’re going to be alot more sensitive and under-standing to people who aren’tlike them and what the needsare in the city.
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Brooks Avant Garde PartyA Soul Shakin’ BenefitE
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Steve and Sue Brunson Suzanne and Erick New
Stewart Smith and Susan Evans Rick Travers and Mary Jo Pritchett
Michelle Heck and Derick Garner Rouben and Liz Simonian
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See all the party photos atrsvpmagazine.com Password: RSVP
The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art’s Avant Garde Party tradition-ally is a riff played off of whatever major exhibit is gracing its gal-leries. Luckily for partygoers this year, “The Soul of a City:
Memphis Collects African Art” exhibit inspired the museum to stagea night-long celebration of African-American culture in Memphis. Theresult was a very soul-satisfying “Renew Your Soul” fête of dishes,drinks and dancing.
It was evident that the Brooks director, Cameron Kitchin, andthe museum’s director of development, Kim Williams, share MaeWest’s view that too much of a good thing…is a good thing. Guestsnever grew bored as a variety of entertainment captivated their atten-tion throughout the night. To set the right tempo for the evening,rhythmic percussionists greeted guests as they arrived at the steps ofthe museum. Inside, a line of singing and dancing students from theStax Music Academy weaved among the crowd. The legendary RobertBelfour picked and sang his brand of Delta blues all night in theDunavant Rotunda. Out on the terrace, DJ Mark Anderson providedthe music for a stupendous hip hop/break-dance performance bymembers of New Ballet Ensemble. The music continued after the per-formers left, and guests poured onto the dance floor and demonstrat-ed that they knew some good moves, too.
Brushmark chefs Andrew Adams and Wally Joe dug deep intothe Delta for the party menu. To quench one’s thirst there were “SoulShakin’ Cocktails” such as a Blackberry Sour (blackberry whiskey andsour mix) and Whoop Juice (pink lemonade, pineapple juice and lotsof vodka). Diets were forgotten as willpower gave way to Deltatamales, cornmeal-crusted catfish, pulled pork sliders, fried okrastuffed with house-made pimento cheese, black-eyed pea and hamhock fritters and hummus made with peanuts, among other savoryand spicy treats.
Kitchin remarked that the event allowed the museum to offerperformances and food to round out the Soul of a City’s visual tributeto Memphis’ vibrant African American cultural scene. He calledMemphis “a national hotspot of African American art, not onlybecause of its artists but because of the appreciation and art acumenof private collectors here.” Marina Pacini, who curated the exhibit,emphasized that the museum was indebted to the generosity of 30 pri-vate collectors who loaned works to the museum for the exhibit.“We’ve denuded their walls,” she exclaimed. “They gave parties thissummer, and all guests got to see were where the hooks are becausethe artwork is here at the museum.”
Story by Jeannie MandelkerPhotos by James Eaton
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Maria Douglass and Gretchen McLennon
Rachel Touchstone and Nichole Stein Ryan and April McDaniel Billy and Ying Malady
Paul and Cristina Guibao Ee-Laine Cheong and Erin Wichtoski Denny and Jo Ann Moss
Luis Sexias and Ede Machabo Sexias
Will Flannigan and Ada Askew
David and Sherrill French
Abby Miller and Daniel Paccione
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Tyler Fuehrer and Devan Tackett with Missy and Dave Fuehrer
John and Perla Kirkpatrick
Mike and Kathleen Edelmuth, Kay Rylee and Fiona Scott
Ashley Booze and Todd Robinson
Angela Townsend, Mary Brownlee and Kim Wilson Bond
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Caprice and Terry Morgan
JP Zdancewicz, Elizabeth Sanders, Katherine Wright and Jamey Presswell
Nilva Cervigene and Diantha van de Vlekkert
Dania and Robert Watson
Katie Maxwell, Katie Walsh, Meredith Marr and Julie Clary
Suzana and Michael Lightman Hilary and Bruce Harrison with Helen Gronauer
Ben Perry and Mary Keith
John Huber, Justin Merrick and Amy Huber
Samantha Sugg and Judi Parisey
Willie Chandler, Shelley Durfee and Tom Corona
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Paul Mead and Clair Kellie
Ruth Brucker, Jeannie Mandelker and Phil Ashford
Erin Harmon and David Pritchard
Kim Williams and Gina Bailey
Tammy Holland with Jan and Ron Coleman
Gia and Danny Broadway
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Pete and Tina Sullivan
Margarette Loiseau, Amy Greer, Claudette Bullard and Cecelia Sawyer
Andy and Cathy Perkins
Mike and Beni Dragutsky
Bonnie Butler, Fontaine Moore and Jordan Reynolds
Matilde McLean and Adam Hohenberg
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Earle Augustus and Kristee Lane
Ron Wilkins and Terrell Richmond
Angie Hollins, Rachelle Ferrell and Lionel Hollins
Renee Wills and Kelli Yarbrough
Asa Karlström and Molly Polatty
David Foster and Irene Crist
Suzanne Baker and Brenda Partee Morris
Mary Muskett and Jo Ann Petty
Jerry and Sandra Palazolo with Jeremy and Samantha Palazolo
Wine, Swag, Jazz & Celebrities
High up in the Crescent Club, anevening of Wine, Swag, Jazz, &Celebrities raised funds forLionel Hollins Charities. To startthings off, a meet-and-greet withrenowned jazz singer RachelleFerrell included some participato-ry vocal instruction for the StaxMusic Academy music studentsin attendance. Emcee BevJohnson of WDIA later calledthese students to the stage,where they wowed the crowd with“Summertime,” “Soul Finger”and more, proving a fantasticopening act for Ferrell. Localartist Danny Broadway was onsitepainting the performances on acanvas to be auctioned off at theend of the night. In addition tomusic, swag bags and a silentauction replete with music mem-orabilia, guests enjoyed a buffetheaped with delicious hors d’oeu-vres and a wine bar complimentsof Southwestern BeverageDistributing.
Story and Photos by Kelly Cox
The Great Wine Performances
A play usually entails two acts,but Playhouse on the Square’sThe Great Wine Performancesneeded many more, and for goodreason: There were 10 differentwines to savor. As guests traipsedfrom the lobby to the secondfloor and to the “dungeon” forthe different tasting stations,they were asked to identify char-acters from shows that require anExplicit Theatre Advisory. Onesuch example is “The FullMonty,” which was representedby guest artist Irene Crist, whoimpersonated the show’s charac-ter Jeanette as she stood besideresident company member DavidFoster, who gladly pouredSnoqualmie’s Naked Chardonnay.Those partygoers who guessedcorrect play titles and characterseach won prizes, but for thosewho were stumped, tipping thecostumed characters elicitedanswers. Macy’s, JeramieSimmons and SouthwesternDistributing pitched in by spon-soring the event, which closedthe curtain after raking in morethan $20,000 for Playhouse.
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Judy Brown and Beth Boehm
Snookie Newman, Amy Foote and Elaine Dudley
Ruby Fenton, David Yawn and Jan McGaughey
Germantown Arts AllianceArts and Appraisal Fair
From the box of silver spoons tothe collectible saber, from thegold inlay pocket watch to theantique toys, the assortment ofbaubles, bibelots and bygones atSt. George’s Episcopal Church onAugust 18 was enough to geteven Fiona Bruce excited. “A lotof very interesting and differentthings were brought in by peoplefrom all over, not just German-town,” said Snookie Newman,director of the Germantown ArtsAlliance. The organization heldits second annual Arts andAppraisal Fair to raise funds forits year-round mission to providegrants to Germantown arts organ-izations. With nine appraisersand 100-plus hopefuls who linedup with their objets d’art,Newman hopes to have hit lastyear’s goal of raising more than$2,000. She said, “It was inter-esting. Someone would see some-thing another person brought,and it would remind them ofsomething else they had, so theywould run back home and grabit.”
Story by Lesley YoungPhotos Submitted
Summer in the City Fiesta
Volunteer Mid-South supporterssought respite from the heat byheading to Chickasaw OaksVillage for the 10th Summer inthe City Fiesta. While inside,patrons delighted in placing bidson appealing silent auctionselections, as admitted bySamantha Palazolo, who said shealways bids (and wins!) on a giftcertificate from Comcast, alsoone of the event sponsors.Others bid on original oil paint-ings, handbags and an enticing“Waterfront Wonderland” pack-age in a Provincetown condo onCape Cod Bay. Playing to thefiesta theme, the event includeda Mexican hors d’oeuvre buffetby Just for Lunch, Stinky Gringomargaritas donated by DeltaBeverage and music by AndyTanas. Mary Muskett of GodivaOak Court also tempted sweettooths with assorted truffles likestrawberries and cream andblack velvet cake. Event proceedshelp Volunteer Mid-South devel-op, promote and support volun-teerism in the Mid-South.
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
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Collage dance Collective Summer SocialPeace lilies, released from their pots so their thick roots were visible inpools of water, were fitting centerpieces for the Collage dance Collective’sthird annual Summer Social at BRIDGES Center. The arrangements fromRachel’s Flower Shop symbolized the evening’s theme, “Deeply Rooted”—apaean to the dance company and school’s growing influence in Memphis.More than 200 supporters, CdC students and parents were treated to petiteservings of sirloin steak on mashed potatoes, chicken-stuffed peppers andsalmon on dirty rice, all prepared by Melissa’s Fine Catering. Eye-catchingartwork by George Hunt, Jimpsie Ayers and twins Terry and Jerry Lymanwere among the alluring items on display in the silent auction. Theevening turned electric as company dancers performed selections fromCdC’s upcoming season, but it was the student performance that capturedthe audience’s hearts.
Story and Photos by Jeannie Mandelker
Methodist Healthcare Foundation Living Awards The Methodist Healthcare Foundation recently honored this year’s LivingAwards recipients at The Peabody hotel. A reception kicked off the festiv-ities in the Continental Ballroom and was followed by dinner in theGrand Ballroom, where those individuals or organizations who have dis-tinguished themselves by their leadership and commitment to the heal-ing mission of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and others whose faith-based initiatives have had a profound impact on healthcare locally,nationally and globally were recognized. The 2012 recipients were the fol-lowing: Dr. Bruce Jenkins, Chaplain Jesse Moore, Drs. Munir Motiwala,Adnan Nasser and Muhammad Zaman representing the MemphisMuslim Medical Clinic and Dr. Steve Miller.
Story Submitted and Photo by Joseph Martin
Blue Moon MixerDuring the past two years, membership for the Shelby Farms ParkConservancy has tripled. Membership manager Caleb Tinkle hopesto triple it again, and so for the second year in a row, he, alongwith a host of volunteers, donors, board members and others, host-ed a summer mixer to celebrate the full moon. “In the past, wecalled it the Full Moon Mixer, but since there are two full moons inAugust and this is the second full moon, which is a blue moon,we’re calling it the Blue Moon Mixer,” Tinkle said. Held indoors atthe park’s Visitor Center in anticipation of the rain storm that hitlater in the evening, the mixer included live music by Jeff Hulettand Pezz, Ghost River Brewing beer, two food trucks and a rally, aswell as an opportunity to meet other members, become a memberand to make new friends. Tinkle added, “It’s a way to thank exist-ing members and a way to help raise money for the park and theGreenline.”
Story and Photos by Lesley Young
Art of CaringThe Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation celebrated 100 yearsof care by showcasing 100 diverse works of art in its annual Art ofCaring auction, held once again at the University Club. This year’sproceeds totaled more than $60,000 and went toward BaptistTrinity Hospice, Baptist Trinity Hospice House and the KemmonsWilson Family Center for Good Grief. Ron Childers of WMC-TV 5emceed the affair, stirring the crowd to bid on pieces ranging froman encaustic on panel entitled “Riverbank” by Mary Long-Postal topottery by Mimi Dann and an “Out on a Limb” mixed media piecefrom Mary Lawrence Allen, a contributing artist since the eventbegan in 1998 and a six-time cancer survivor herself. The two “fea-tured artists” were Paul Penczner and Ken Lecco, who created “MyEyes Have Seen the Glory” after being inspired by the late GracieColn, who spent her final days at Baptist Trinity Hospice House.
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Dr. Bruce Jenkins, Chaplain Jesse Moore, Dr. Munir Motiwala, Dr. Adnan Nasser, Dr. Muhammad Zaman and Dr. Steve Miller
Dr. Jessica Ruffin, Ekundayo Bandele and Audrey Davis
Rychetta Watkins and Marcellus Harper
(Seated) Brittany Curtis and Kate Basar(Standing) Charlotte Dick and Susie Alford
Susan Ball, “Annie” and Jim Ball
Sharon Wheeler withGeorge and Melissa Bryan
Ken Lecco and Barrett Bowden
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April Thompson
Falander West and Dr. Barbara Davis
(Seated) Vance Stacks and Theresa Dillihunt;(Standing) Benita Early and Rita Holden
Sharon Leicham and Lynn Plummer
Babbie Lovett, Regina Boyd and Charlotte Neal
Pat Kerr Tigrett
Michael Rice and Allison Jacobs
Jennifer Jaudon and David Cupp
Sonja Dowdy, Bernard Farber, Dawn Stein and Jimmy Silvio
Molly Strickland and Jeremy Baer
Dottie N. Jones Survivor Celebration
The Memphis-MidSouth Affiliateof Susan G. Komen hosted theDottie N. Jones Survivor Cele-bration at The Peabody. Thisannual event is generously spon-sored by the family of Dottie N.Jones, in her memory and in cel-ebration of how she fought andlived her life to the fullest afterbeing diagnosed with breast can-cer in 1987. This year’s event wasa beautiful morning brunch thatwas attended by breast cancersurvivors both newly diagnosedand some who are celebratingmore than 35 years in remission.WREG News Channel 3’s AprilThompson emceed, delightingguests with her personal storiesand family connections to breastcancer and giving away all thedoor prizes. Jodie Greear, a clini-cal dietician and certified special-ist in oncology nutrition atBaptist Memorial Hospital, pro-vided tips on making healthyfood choices a way of life, andKenny Lackey, a multi-talentedmusician, comic and impression-ist, also entertained guests.
Story SubmittedPhotos by Memphis Camera Club
Princess Diana 15th Anniversary Tribute
Pat Kerr Tigrett has innovativeways of combining parties withgood causes, and she recentlycame up with another one whenshe hosted the Princess Diana15th Anniversary Tribute at theDixon Gallery and Gardens. Tohelp raise funds for Hope House,a nonprofit that helps with theunique needs of HIV affectedchildren, Tigrett showcased herPrivate Royal Collection, someitems of which date back to the16th century. Everything from acoronation portrait plate ofQueen Elizabeth II to a watercol-or by Prince Charles and severalof Princess Diana’s gowns wereon display, as were some ofTigrett’s own lace couture cre-ations. Felicia Suzanne’s suppliedscrumptious hors d’oeuvres forguests, who more than happilytoasted the collection and remem-bered Diana with Pimm’s Cups—signature British drinks—in hand.
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Jody Stephens, Mark Jordan and Ken Hall
Becky and Bob Fisher, Larry Raspberry, BruceBowles, Jason Bowles and Carol Raspberry
Bambi Kirk, David Thorn and Dianna Fryer
Rock for Love 6 VIP BBQ
Beer, barbecue and fellowshipwere had at the Rock for Love 6VIP BBQ, which serves as theannual kick-off for the Rock forLove weekend of benefit concertsorganized to raise funds andawareness for the Church HealthCenter. This year’s VIP BBQ onceagain took over Ardent Studios,where sponsors, event volunteersand participating musicians unit-ed to eat Bar-B-Q Shop barbecueand get pumped up about upcom-ing shows at the Hi-Tone Café,the Levitt Shell and OvertonSquare. Headliners included AlKapone, Booker T. Jones, LarryRaspberry and the Highsteppersand the original members of thebeloved garage band The Gentrys,who performed their mega-hit“Keep On Dancin’” after receiv-ing a Beale Street Brass Note theprior day.
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Le Bonheur Cocktail Party Benefit
To celebrate the opening of itsnew location in Germantown,Theo’s Bistro hosted a GrandOpening Cocktail Party Benefitfor Le Bonheur Children’sMedical Center. During theaffair, guests enjoyed compli-mentary libations, a sampling ofthe finest menu selections andlive music performed byCharvey. Both Count Me HealthyJewelry, Stax and ConwayServices Heating, Cooling andPlumbing also donated prizes forseveral lucky attendees. Ticketsales from the event and silentauction proceeds will help LeBonheur continue to offer excep-tional pediatric care to 14,000patients each year.
Story by Leah FitzpatrickPhotos by Chris Pugh
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Atouch of Tuscany can be found in Fayette County, in a family
home near Eads. When the homeowners moved in seven years
ago, the interiors were very plain, defined by a restrained gold
wall color and good structure but little character. Inspired by their
passion for Napa Valley and their shared Italian heritage, the couple
who own this house worked closely with Tim Disalvo & Company to
remake their home in the mold of an Old World villa in the heart of
wine country. The great room anchors the design, as if they had
stumbled upon an existing fragment of a Tuscan estate and built the
house around it.
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Top: The homeowners wanted aged-looking brick facings for the great room, and adding still morecharacter is the balcony of old and knotted salvaged wood. Above: An ample archway of synthetictravertine connects the great room with the kitchen and dining room and boasts a head of Neptunekeystone. The large, primitive dining room table was inspired by one at Robert Mondavi's winery inNapa Valley.
Interview by Kelly Cox | Photos by Steve Roberts
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RSVP: When did you come up with the plan for what we see today?
Homeowner: We had the idea from the very beginning. We would’veloved to have done this from day one, but it’s a blessing that wedidn’t. Tim Disalvo & Company came in and made all this happen.They did the transformation we wanted. I wouldn’t have attemptedthis without somebody who really knew how to do it. It could govery wrong. What was helpful was that Tim understood exactly whatI wanted, and we worked together until we got it. It was really ateam effort.
RSVP: Can you tell me about the distressing process you used hereon the walls?
Homeowner: I worked very closely with Tim, and we did eight to 10different samples before we got started. We discussed starting inAugust 2011, but because of the holidays, we pushed it to February.What that gave us was the time to explore all these different tex-tures. I went downtown and took pictures of wall failure and toldthem this is what I want to recreate. What you see here are brickpavers. The lower weight of the pavers allowed us to do this bigwall. Tim put together a sample with the brick and the veneer, allnicely done as a contractor does it, and I took a hammer to it andstarted crumbling. I said, “This is what I want!” and they said,“Ah, I see it!” And then it fell apart, so that technique wasn’tgoing to work. They wound up hand-breaking each individual brickand piecing them back together to create these failure lines. Tokeep it from looking too hand-made, I suggested putting a string inthe cracks and letting the mortar harden over it just a little bit,then pulling the string out. It crumbled just perfectly, like it hadcrumbled over centuries.
RSVP: How long did the project take from start to completion?
Homeowner: Tim quoted me three months, and it was threemonths to the day. That was of tremendous value to us becausewhen it comes to construction we’ve all heard the runaway stories.Through the construction, with stuff all over the floor, I would sit
right here inthe great roomin a lawn chair,just feeling itcome together.Now, I like tosit here in thearmchair witha glass of wineand just let my imagination run.
RSVP: Tell me about the head of Neptune in the arched entrancethere.
Homeowner: One of our favorite restaurants in Boston is theNeptune Oyster. It’s in the North End, the Italian historical dis-trict. That Neptune was inspired by the one at the restaurant. Ididn’t want just the old, traditional keystone. I wanted something alittle unique. No lie, when that went in, the dog went crazy, like“Hey! Where did YOU come from?” These archways were made byEuropean Stone Werks using a synthetic travertine that Mark Pepkecreated. It replicates limestone, but it’s a fraction of the weight andcost. I like it better than limestone because he controls the pitting.We can get all these effects, whereas with limestone you take whatyou get.
RSVP: Are the murals in your house also from your favorite places?
Homeowner: The murals are based on places we’ve been in NapaValley. Our Italian family names are incorporated into the mural offthe kitchen—my grandmother’s maiden name, from Genoa, and mywife’s maiden name. When we look at these murals, we have thememory of somewhere we enjoyed. It gives us another level of con-nection. Artist Victor Moore did all the murals in the house, all thefinishes, all the glazing. He’s phenomenal. He faux-finished thespeakers so they match the grain of the wood of the balcony they’reset in. That’s old, salvaged wood. You can see all the knots, thecracks. That’s what we wanted: the character.
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In a team effort,architect JeffBramlett suggestedthe exposed beams inthe dining room, thehusband of the house-hold had the idea forcopper ceiling panelsand his wife found theleather shield tapes-try (pictured below) in Mississippi.
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UBE V E N T Phoenix Club Party at the Club
Poolside Benefit for the Boys & Girls Clubs
Regina Simmons, Dan Schrader, Joe Vari and Megan Spangler
Jeb Hart and Devon Dennis
Jack and Abby Phillips
Stephanie Boshers and Marie Blount
Sam and Layna Michalik
Brittni Wrentmore and Henry Paris
Hudson Atkins and Mary Louise Carrick
Laura Pope and Sisco Larson
David and Melissa Turner
When the Phoenix Club hosts its annual summertime benefit forthe Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, the all-male organi-zation makes sure that guests have fun—and lots of it. The most
recent party was no exception as the membership returned to theUniversity Club yet again, but this time, the fund-raiser took placein new territory, outside around the pool and gazebo. John Collierand Chad Cunningham co-hosted the evening, which more than 300young men and their dates enjoyed spending under the stars to raisefunds for a nonprofit that the Phoenix Club members helped start inMemphis back in 1955.
Collier, a Phoenix Club member now for four years, said,“We want to throw a party and have a good time, but overall, it’s allabout the Boys & Girls Clubs. It’s great that Phoenix instills aresponsibility in up-and-coming people to do big things [like supportthe Boys & Girls Clubs].”
During these festivities, Collier let loose by being the first inthe pool, not to swim or hang out, but to propel himself across thewater in a giant, inflatable human hamster wheel. It was a goodthing Collier came dressed in swim trunks and an Elvis bathrobe!Other guests arrived more buttoned up clothing-wise, however theyengaged in just as much merriment by hitting the dance floor, firstfor soul tunes by Reliance Band and later for popular dance songsspun by famed Memphis deejay and club owner Robert Raiford. And,with Raiford in control of the late-night action, dancers didn’t slowdown until the wee hours.
Luckily, there were pick-me-ups nearby in the form of foodand drinks. The U Club supplied Southern fare like barbecue sand-wiches and pimento cheese biscuits, while Budweiser of Memphis,Dan McGuinness, Silly Goose Lounge and Swanky’s Taco Shop allserved up ice-cold beverages. While beer was a popular choice, otherpartygoers enjoyed trying Swanky’s signature frozen or on-the-rocksmargaritas and Silly Goose’s vodka spritzers with peach and cherryflavoring. Coincidently, Swanky’s slogan of “Eat. Drink. Chill.”couldn’t have better described the surrounding vibe—one that willhopefully carry over into Phoenix’s next big fund-raiser, the annualPhoenix Club Mardi Gras Party held each spring.
Story by Leah FitzpatrickPhotos by Baxter BuckSee all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com
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Houston Brown, Samantha Gibson, Dawne Gibson and Dan Taylor
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Stephanie Shotwell and Mac Thompson
Kay Morrisse and Marie Coode
Brandy Sims and Alicia Nash
Julie Goss and Tyler LittleBryce Hendry and Kasey Kaspari
Drew Plunk, Chloe Baker and Brokke Simpson Lindsay Harwell, Brian Cox and Meredith Parker
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Camille Casey, Katherine Veazey, Karolina Grabowicz, Chelsey Darden and Christine Fulmer
Katie Hamlin, Jordan Crump and Rachel McAteer
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MIXO
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SE V E N T Mixologists Rooftop Soiree & Taste of Memphis
Cochon 555’s Swine-Filled Weekend
Ellison Linebarier, Grayson Pruitt, Christy Siegel and Gus Ogler
Brad Pitts and Sherianne Bangham
Laney Sayle and Robert Hayes
Harold and Dianne Cox
Luke and Nancy Abrusley
Denise and Don Carpenter
Jason and Jessica Sparrow
Jenny Vergos and Ed Lee
Cheri Carr and Shawn Mitchell
Already a town known for its love of swine, Memphis welcomedanother pork-related event with the inaugural Cochon HeritageBBQ, however it was unlike any culinary event ever experienced in
the Bluff City. Held for three days during Labor Day weekend, thenational Cochon 555 tour, which promotes the heritage pig breed by“increasing awareness of the sources that support a more natural,sustainable food system,” began its takeover of Memphians’ palateswith the Mixologists Rooftop Soiree & Taste of Memphis.
From the picturesque rooftop of The Peabody, the gatheringoffered hundreds of attendees a smorgasbord of tasting opportuni-ties, beginning with samples of one whole heritage breed pig thatL’Ecole Culinaire students passed amongst the crowd. Around therooftop’s perimeter, local chefs had set up and decorated stations toshow off one item each that would be featured on the “4+2 Judge’sPlate,” or in layman’s terms, four meats and two sides using awhole pig, along with bonus-round sides. The thought processbehind this format is for chefs to not create unnecessary waste intheir restaurants, thereby relieving small-operation famers from hav-ing a surplus of unused animal parts. Some restaurant menu itemsincluded confit of Berkshire pork and guacamole tostadas with pick-led carrots and aged cow’s milk cheese from Las Tortugas; confit ofpork with scarlet frill mustard by Interim Restaurant & Bar; pickleddaikon (an Asian radish) with pig’s feet cooked up by Acre; and fig-smoked, beer-braised pork hock courtesy of Lunchbox Eats. EpicoaRotisserie featured ribs and pork tenderloin teasers on its menu, butalso grilled pineapple, peaches and watermelon to complement allthe protein offerings.
In front of The Peabody Duck House, foodies gathered tosample 16 different varieties of bologna in the Cochon BolognaContest. Area chefs like Patrick Reilly of Majestic Grille and RyanTrimm of Sweet Grass served as judges, a panel that also incorporat-ed the discerning taste buds of out-of-town chefs such as JamieBissonnette of Boston’s Toro/Coppa. Entries came from cured meatprofessionals at well-known eateries around the country and could besampled with Wonder bread, Duke’s mayo and yellow mustard byguests.
To help wash the edibles down, restaurant mixologists shookup craft cocktails, many which were made with bourbon sinceSeptember marked National Bourbon Month. For instance, BradPitts of Bari Ristorante e Enoteca concocted a “Delta Bravo” withFour Roses bourbon and Fernet-Branca amaro with a maple-glazedgrilled peach, while David Parks of Alchemy poured a “Gincident”with Buffalo Trace No. 3 gin, mango, vanilla and lemon juice and a“Buffalo Whiskey Smash” with Buffalo Trace bourbon, orangeliqueur, fresh lemon, mint leaves and honey. Parks says he let themkeep the recipes, but many more food recipes were yet to be sampledthroughout the remainder of the swinetastic weekend.
Story by Leah FitzpatrickPhotos by Don PerrySee all the party photos at rsvpmagazine.com
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Advertising in RSVP Magazine places your message before an active, affluent market of Mid-Southerners who desire the best in quality and service.
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Diane Jalfon, Daniel Weickenand and Terri Panitz
Sam Nevels, Jon Autry and Brendan Rodrigues
Allison Mussman, Cindy Swift and Kristen Melvin
Stacey Greenberg, Mary Cashiola and Aimee Lewis
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Ted Bilsky, Matt Heifer, Judy Bilsky and Blake Carson
Chris, Kristin and David Newman
Jonny Ballinger with Lee and Eddie Sellers
Nevada Presley, Christian Mann and Jennifer Chandler
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MIXO
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John Sanders and Jessie Isbell
Brandon and Jenna Thornburg
Jerry Hensley and Rebecca White
Patrick Hendricks and Olivia Prince-GriffinLana and Shawn Danko
Stephen Douglass, Evan Potts and David Parks Natalie Brown, Colleen Wilson and Emily Pera
Ryan Trimm, Patrick Reilly and Rebecca Seligstein Brandon Scoggins, Chris Posey and Dan Saffer
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E V E N T
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Paul Chandler, Lucia Heros, Mia Henley, Ricky Heros and Billy Weiss
Bryan and Rachel BaddorfJennifer Jaudon, Valerie Smith and Nicole Fox
Alex Montesi and Mary BoazRick Bartl and Charles Frame
Nora Boone and Brantley EllzeyUral and Yvette Vinson
Sharon Harris, Peggy Brewer and Kim Post
Martha Rodriguez, Kayla Owens, Emily Pillars and Dawn O’Brien
John and Marina BoganKeara Nevels and Rachel McAteer
Lindsay Fulks and Brian MarksKatie Mars and Kyle Scott
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Spirit of SRVSHelping People with DisabilitiesE
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Joan and Michael Terry Tom Matisko and Terry Smithson
Retha Moore and Mark Pender Julia Cole and Sonia Gordon
Tracy Agostin and Janet Schwartz Lita Hurston-Reed and Jeanie Gundlach
SPIR
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John Brown, Russ and Cindy Mire and Gwen BrownTom Simpson and Michelle Hamblen Corey and Michelle Epps
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There was not a space available in the vast parking lot surroundingHilton Memphis, as oenophiles couldn’t wait to get in the door ofthe Tennessee Ballroom to try the 40-plus vendors showcasing
their special vintages. It was the 14th annual Spirit of SRVS wine tast-ing and auction, held August 25 in the great downstairs hall and ban-quet space of the East Memphis hotel.
For those who didn’t come for the wine, namely foodies, afeast of specialty fare, from Thai food to seafood to barbecue tosmoothies, was available for tasting from close to a dozen restaurants.For whatever type of connoisseur, there was something for everyone,particularly in the space filled with hundreds of auction items, silentand live. “We are considered the best party in town,” Diana Fedinec,public relations manager for SRVS, said. “We started this 14 years agoand were one of the first wine tasting and auction parties in town.Now, we are considered the premier wine tasting and auction intown.”
With 94.1 KQK radio personality Steve Conley serving as co-emcee and auctioneer, the party had its share of celebrities, and eventchairs Joan and Michael Terry didn’t need to look far for performingtalent. SRVS resident Merrye Kiihnl held the room with her renditionof the band Europe’s “The Final Countdown,” and the organization’sown dance troupe Company d continued the tradition of performingat the event, which raised proceeds to support SRVS.
This year’s party was particularly eventful since 2012 marksthe 50th anniversary for SRVS, which stands for Shelby Residentialand Vocational Services. SRVS is a nonprofit that provides services forpeople with disabilities and their families. Programs incorporate jobtraining and placement, an occupational workshop, community partic-ipation, family support and residential living. For more information,visit srvs.org.
Story by Lesley YoungPhotos by Baxter Buck
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Judy Vandergrift, Linda Lucchesi and Rena Chiozza
Lanetta and Buddy Lanier
Alex and Debra Saharovich, Judge George Emerson and Anne Wesberry
Christy Yarbro and Amy Lindeman
Amanda Brock, Beth Thacker and Christina and Lance Clements
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Terry Reeves and Jan Stark
David and Susan Orabone Kent Redding and Ronda Axt Jenny Payne and Lynda Dionne
Bilo Bautista and Joyce Johns Chelsey Holmes and Carly Pratt Kevin and Barb Bentley
Connie and Mark Bowlan
Jill and Phil Meseke
Debbie Candebat and Teresa Bennett
Alex Maxted and Kate Fairless
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Debbie Callahan and Bill Albans
Bryan and Tracy Ford with Bob Winters
Kim O’Bar and Karyn Waxman
Jim Petrea and Jutta Siebert
Selina Chan, Amy Adams and Lisa Murdock
Ana Belyeu and Tyler Guthrie
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Paw Prints PartyBenefiting the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby CountyE
V E N T
Lindey Ward and Betty Lyon Daniel Walker and Bill Appling
Abby and Duane Shannon Mary and Ken Kincaid
Debra and David Aquadro Joseph and Laura Beth Davis
PAW P
RINT
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Debbie Newsome, Brianna Siebert and Katie PembertonSarah Bur and Michael Crowley Chris and Sarah Lusk
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With all the glitz and glamour, it is hard to believe the eveningwent to the dogs at the annual Paw Prints Party, which benefitedthe Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County. But, that’s
just what happened when Evaline, Jefferson and Sage, dogs rescued bythe nonprofit, strutted through the crowd, smiles blazing, at the ClarkOpera Memphis Center. It was a proud moment for nearly 300 guests,many who had volunteered their time and money to help dogs such asthese.
Humane Society board member Steve Schwartz made sure tobrag to guests about the dedicated veterinarians and volunteers thatwere at the fund-raiser. Festivities included a live and silent auction.As the excitement turned from the items in the silent auction to thefood that was being brought out, piano music began to fill the air.Dinner included vegetarian and vegan options while videos of theshelter volunteers at work played across a screen on the back wall.Fast-talking Terri Walker of Walker Auctions, a past winner of theInternational Auctioneer Championship, moderated the live auction,and with her at the reins, hands shot up as partygoers bid on itemssuch as jewelry, Memphis Grizzlies tickets and artwork from localartists such as Zoe Nadel and Mike Maness. The band Front & Bealeprovided the upbeat ambiance for the evening’s activities and, ofcourse, late night dancing.
Executive director Alexis Amorose spoke to the audience aboutthe day-to-day work of the organization and its many accomplishmentsin 2012. These included the first ever 36-hour pet adopt-a-thon, whichgave 90 animals new loving homes, and the hiring of a cruelty investi-gator to help stop animal abuse in Shelby County.
“We are going to set the example, we are going to set the barhigher,” said Amorose. “That’s why you are here tonight, because it’sthe right thing to do.”
As the crowd erupted with applause, Amorose spoke about thenew endeavors to take place in 2013. The fund-raiser did much tohelp with those goals, raising more than $61,000–one of the highestamounts raised at this long-time event.
Story and Photos by Elizabeth Link
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PAW P
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Ellen Davidson and Emily Reck
Front & Beale
Stephanie and Dave Cannon
James Dean and Laurie Earnheart
Heidi Danzinger, Kim Godwin and Don Smith
James Parker and Tanja Partee
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E V E N T
PAW P
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Dorothy Kirsch, Sallie Hughes and Lenore Binswanger
Julie and Bob Nations
Steve and Lynn Dupuis with Kathleen and Ken Milford
Joey Facello and Trent Stacy
Vinks and Stella Blocker with Rosalee Rudner
Matt Van Cleve and Wendy Fuller with Anna and Ben Nicol
Sherry and Dale Jones with Rick and Susan Clifford
Kristi, Chuck and Kris O’Kelly
Heather Wright, Steve Schwartz and John Morgret
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AFTER HO
URS After Hours
A photo collage of the latestbusiness happenings
Grand Opening of Maggie Louise Bridal Salon
Jeff and Allison Rodgers
(Front Row) Margretta daLomba Dobbs, Debbie Crawford, John Duncan, Dinah and Gary Makowsky, Sue Ann Lipsey, HelenBatts, Kathyrn Stallins and Kelvin Kolheim; (Back Row) Andre Dean, Dr. Jean Hayden, Dee Cannell and Kemp Conrad
Nicole Clothier and Michelle ClothierEric Farrell and Molly Lambert
Sister Schubert and Betty Sims Cooking Demoat Palladio Antiques & Art
Carol Peretz Trunk Show at Kittie Kyle Ribbon Cutting Ceremonyat Makowsky Millinery
Carol Walker and Sherron WeaverMindy Roberts and Nancy MorrisSister Schubert and Betty Sims
Monica Nash and Carol Peretz
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ONSITE Onsite IV
Reva Moody, Gayle Rose and Gwen Moody
David Jordan, Kevin Williams and Christie Williams
Pat and Carol McGarrity
Teri and David Perry Smith
Astrid and Tylur French
Clarence Davis, Dorothy Gunther Pughand Diane Rudner
Rafael Ferreras Jr., Aimee McMillin, Kendall G. Britt Jr. and Kelley Morice
Agape Heartlight Celebration
In an effort to raise money andcommunity awareness forMemphis children and familiesin need, celebrated writer, artistand civil rights activist Dr. MayaAngelou shared her personalstory to those gathered for the14th annual Agape HeartLightCelebration, a fund-raiser forAgape Child and Family Services.Held at the Cannon Center forthe Performing Arts, the nightkicked off with Soulsville MusicAcademy students performing,followed by Kym Clark of WMC-TV 5, Agape executive directorDavid Jordan and Mayor A CWharton taking a moment topraise Agape’s services and wel-come the legendary speaker.Gayle Rose then introduced Dr.Angelou, who sat on a chairseemingly small, but had a strongand stirring voice that filled theroom. Dr. Angelou joined inAgape’s theme of “StrengtheningLove for Families” and spokeabout the power of love and itspositive effect on the individualswho face opposition in our com-munity. With some 1,800 peoplein attendance, the event raisedmore than $460,000 for Agape.
Story and Photos by Rachel Warren
Cooper-Young Art Invitational
With the Cooper-Young Festivalonly two days away, the historicdistrict’s residents were ready tocelebrate, and that they did atthe Cooper-Young Art Invita-tional. The David Perry SmithGallery on New York Street gra-ciously hosted the gathering tohighlight five established artistswho live in Cooper-Young byallowing them to exhibit fivepaintings each, or 25 paintingstotal to commemorate the festi-val’s 25th anniversary. ArtistsKaren Bottle-Caps (folk art), NickCanterucci (folk art), ColleenCouch-Smith (wall-mountedsculptures), Tylur French (free-standing sculptures) and JeanneSeagle (landscapes) all exhibitedtheir works, which remained upthroughout the festival, at nocost and received 100 percent ofproceeds from the sale of theirpieces. Miller Lite sponsored theevent that also included compli-mentary beer, wine and appetiz-ers, as well as music by MichaelJoyner and Khari Wynn.
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Margaret Monger, Liz Gano and Aimée Christian
Linda Dever and Carol Bowden
Leslie Darr and Libby Rodriguez
Les Passees Stock ExchangePreview Party
The ladies of Les Passees pulledit off again with the 2012 open-ing of the Les Passees StockExchange, a huge “one-stop shop-ping hall” located at 10217 EastShelby Dr. in Collierville. To kickthe fund-raiser off in style, mem-bers hosted a Preview Party theThursday night before the eventopened to the public, and asalways, the party reined in thoseserious shoppers who purchasedtickets to have first pick of theamazing antiques, art, Christmasdécor, jewelry, kitchenware andother collectibles. ViolinistDonna Wolf entertained thecrowd while they perused thegoods and enjoyed brandyslushies, among other drinks,and finger foods, including sand-wiches made with Tom’s TinyKitchen pimento cheese. TheStock Exchange will remain openuntil November 4 and continueraising funds to benefit theHarwood Center and Les PasseesKids on the Block.
Story and Photos by Leah Fitzpatrick
Ballet Memphis CostumeRetrospective and Fashion Show
A sold-out crowd at BalletMemphis’ East Memphis studioscelebrated the opening of thecompany’s new state-of-the-artcostume shop with a CostumeRetrospective and a perform-ance-filled Fashion Show.Generously funded by thePlough Foundation, the new cos-tume shop features a dye room,a laundry area and, perhapsmost important, onsite storagefor the company’s more than6,000 archived costumes, somedating back to the company’sbeginnings in 1987. DancerKendall G. Britt Jr. worked withwardrobe supervisor Bruce Buito curate the retrospective,which featured live models fromthe Ballet Memphis JuniorCompany. Guests then took tothe Federal Express Studio for arunway show of dancers and cos-tumes worthy of New York’sMercedes-Benz Fashion Week.
Story and Photos Submitted
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T O T A L Y E A S T C R O W D R E I C H
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P L E A D G H O S T A W L T R E S S A S H E S B E A U E V I T A H E R A L E N S A I D E R E A R N E P E E S L E P T D R A G
RSVP Crossword | Edited by Ruth Cassin
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By Dennis Phillippi RSVP
HILL
IPPI
SOMETHING TO DRINK ABOUTIhave a new hero:Arthur Reid, 90,who has been
going to the samepub every night for70 years and esti-mates he has drunksome 30,000 pintsthere throughoutthe years. Now, thatis setting the barfor the rest of us.
Seventy-plus years of hanging in the samebar is my kind of prescription for makingit into your 90s. Sure, you could eat ahealthy diet, exercise regularly and keep anotherwise responsible lifestyle, but where’sthe fun in that? Mr. Reid is 90 years old.He wins.
If you’ve read this column throughthe years or heard me on the radio, thenyou know this is my idea of how oneshould lead his or her life. Find a bar youlike, and make it a habit. Every time Ihear someone talking about social media, Ithink that my type of social media is thetelevision over a bar showing a ballgame.It’s something anyone can talk about, andthere’s cold beer handy.
Bars are the easiest place to makefriends. Sure, you could take a class at agym or take up some group hobby like,say, biking or a book club. Those are allperfectly good ways to make new friends,but they lack two important things: alco-hol and sports. Watch a few commercialson TV and see if you see many peoplelaughing it up while at a cooking class orplaying a word game online. You will not.You will see people doing the same thingover and over, drinking and watching, orplaying, sports. That’s America my friends.
There are ads running all the timefor these online dating services that claimthat one in five relationships start by peo-ple meeting one another on one of thesesites. One in five? Seriously? I don’t knowany of them, do you? I know a handful ofpeople who have met through one of thosesites, but I don’t know any of them thathave lasted. Mainly because the idea thatsomeone would have to resort to putting aprofile on the Internet instead of goingout and meeting actual human beings ismore than a little bit, um, disquieting.
Now, don’t get all worked up and
firing off e-mails; I’m sure there are someof you reading this right now who metyour soul mate on the Web. Good for you.I want you to be happy. But you, myfriend, are in the minority. Want to guesswhere I met my wife? Go ahead and guess.Now, there’s no need for sarcasm, no, Ididn’t meet her at a Dungeons & Dragonsconvention. I met her in a bar.
Want to guess where I got to beclose with my closest friends? The same.We sat, elbow to elbow, as the varioussports seasons—football, basketball, theNCAA tournament, baseball and back tofootball—rolled by. We argued about every-thing under the sun, from the designated
hitter to running quarterbacks and theMaginot Line. That’s how we became goodfriends. Oh, and we drank.
As always, I am not advocatingdrinking to excess, just very, very close toexcess. Alcohol is the lubrication of thecivil discourse. A few beers and a ballgameis exactly what every uptight, angry, poli-tics-obsessed blowhard I know could use.The ballgame is crucial here. A baseballgame gives everyone something to discussbesides politics, even if it’s just to expressyour dislike of baseball. That’s more thanenough to get the ball rolling. Once we getpast arguing about the relative merits ofvarious sports, we’re well on our way tobecoming friends. Arguing over a few beersis how we take measure of our fellow manin this country.
Sports, I have long maintained, isthe universal language. Whether you are ina local watering hole, an airport bar or acabana on a beach in Belize, everyone can
discuss some aspect of sports. Even peoplewho think they know absolutely nothingabout them have absorbed more sportsthrough social osmosis than they realize.Maybe you’re someone who thinks youcare less than zero about sports. I bet youstill know who the Williams sisters are,and I bet you’ve heard about Tiger Woods’issues. Those are conversational topicsthat don’t stray anywhere near politics,religion or your personal medical history,which are the three things that must neverbe discussed in a bar. We have to haverules folks, and those are the rules.
I understand that the life Mr. Reidand I enjoy isn’t for everyone. Some of youhave small children, 10 cats or religiousviews that prevent you from spending ahappy hour at a happy hour, but in thosecases, it’s probably best we keep a safe dis-tance from one another anyway.
In the interest of defending myalmost indefensible position, I attemptedto do some research as to the health bene-fits of alcohol. Mostly, I found scholarlyarticles that claimed that possible benefitswere directly tied to drinking in modera-tion, and that doesn’t really help me makemy point. Sometimes, drinking immoder-ately is precisely the ticket. There aretimes in life when the best course ofaction is the least wise. Some of the great-est leaps forward in human history, fromthe Apollo Program to the UFC, have beenthe direct result of excessive drinking,according to something I just made up.
There is a caveat to this: I happento live in a neighborhood where there arelots of bars and restaurants within walkingdistance. There is nothing healthy aboutkilling a Sunday drinking and watching theSaints, and then getting behind the wheel.Seriously, cabs are not that expensive andare nowhere near as expensive as lawyers.The drinking and socializing is perfectlyhealthy, and you don’t have to take myword for it, take the word of Mr. Reid.Thirty thousand pints throughout 70 yearsis the definition of scoreboard.
Mr. Phillippi, what an inspiration youhave in your nanogenarian hero Mr. Reid!Will you ever be able to compete with hisdrinking score, or have you already sur-passed it? If you have, Mr. Reid definitelyowes you a toast.
Every time I hearsomeone talking aboutsocial media, I thinkthat my type of socialmedia is the televisionover a bar showing a
ballgame.
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A Tree Grows in MemphisRSVP
AST
1956-1988
About 1956, Jerry O’Roark planted two pecan trees at his family’s first house on Leatherwood inEast Memphis and couldn’t resist taking his first son Kevin’s picture holding on to the trunkof one of the trees. In 1988, O’Roark read that a garage sale was to take place at that address, sohe took his son to the sale and explained that he wanted to take a photograph of Kevin with thatsame tree. The occupants enthusiastically consented.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JERRY O’ROARK
If you have a past photo you would like to share with RSVP readers, please contact Leah Fitzpatrick at 276-7787 ext. 105or e-mail the photo and caption to [email protected]
All photos will be returned promptly.
