downtowner

J U N E 2 0 1 2M E M P H IS

ReBUILDING with Art

A Painted Lady

Home Cooking

The Warehouse Guy

• Board certifi ed family physicians

• Primary care services

for the entire family

• Well-baby checkups

• Gynecologic & family

planning services

• Preventive health screenings

• Medical diagnosis & treatment

• NCQA recognized

patient-centered medical home

• Chronic disease management

• Back-to-school & sports physicals

Same-Day & Advance Appointments Available!(901) 522-1555

Appointment lines open 7:45 a.m. Monday-Friday

H A R B O R O F H E A LT HHH Affi liated with the University of Tennessee Department of Family Medicine

Located in Harbor Town

718 Harbor Bend Road

Memphis, Tennessee 38103

www.harborofhealth.comA Part of UT Medical Group, Inc.

www.utmedicalgroup.com

Harbor of Health isn’t your typical doctor’s offi ce.

Offi ce Hours: Monday – Friday | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Dr. Susan Nelson, Dr. David Maness, Ms. Melody Breeden, APN

4 MEMPHIS DOWNTOWNER JUNE 2012 MEMPHISDOWNTOWNER.COM

FEATURES18 Art Smart

Splash a bit of color on the dull, drab words “economic development” and watch the creative class work its magic to paint the town red. story and photos by Jonathan Devin

COLUMNS8 Discovery901:

Woodruff-Fontaine HouseThe restored 1870s French Victorian mansion on what was once Millionaires Row is the only original Memphis mansion open to the public. Its stories are many — as are its secrets. story and photos by Caroline Saunders

22 My 2 Cents: Kris KourdouvelisParty Host for The Warehouse interview by Terre Gorham photo by Chris Strain

27 Now Serving: Personal ChefsIf hiring a personal chef lands on your wish list somewhere after a five-car garage, you haven’t seen the typical client roster of many personal chefs. story and photos by Elizabeth Cawein

30 So It GoesOn a Whim by David Tankersley

DEPARTMENTS6 Skyliners

7 City Blocks

12 June Special Events Calendar

14 Around Town Events Calendar

28 Eating Out & About Restaurant Guide

SM

Downtown Productions Inc. 408 S. Front Street, Suite 109

Memphis, TN 38103 P.O. Box 3367, Memphis, TN 38173

©2012 Downtown Productions Inc.memphisdowntowner.com

tel: 901-525-7118 • fax: 901-525-7128 [email protected]

Materials may not be reproduced in whole or part without the publisher’s written consent. Unless otherwise credited, photos in this publication are courtesy of the persons or organizations involved. Memphis Downtowner magazine is a monthly publication with a circulation of 25,000. Annual subscriptions are $15. Please notify us of any change in address.

Living in an old building, I’m discovering, is quite similar to living in an old body. Upkeep is more challenging and time-consuming as the years roll by, things wear out and need replacing, and “wellness checks” become prudent to get the jump on those things that are heading south. Our dual structures creak and moan, cornices sag, mortar crumbles, trim whitens, and leaks spring from the unlikeliest (and most inconvenient) places.

My building and I are comfortable together beneath the lap blanket of acceptance.

Attitudes adjust when living inside an old anything. It’s no longer about appearance and youthful perfection because, well, that’s gone, and it looks too ridiculous if we remain in denial. So out of necessity, we become all about “character” and “ethos” — and the few remaining things over which we still have some semblance of control.

Our Downtown neighborhood is filled with old buildings. They are long past their prime of pristine perfection, and we’re good with that. What we want from them now is character and ethos, and they deliver in spades — even if it requires a bit more TLC than in the glory years.

Jodie Vance Publisher

Terre Gorham Editor [email protected]

Chris Strain Creative Director [email protected]

Sales Department [email protected]

Contributing Writers Elizabeth Cawein, Jonathan Devin,

Caroline Saunders, David Tankersley

Contributing Photographers/Artists Elizabeth Cawein, Jonathan Devin,

Brandon Dill, Lee Millar, Caroline Saunders

MARGIN NOTES

FOUNDED IN 1991

STAFF

About the Cover: Public art — such as the I Love Memphis murals splashing their way across the city — brightens neighborhoods, spark creative activity, and serve as vital economic drivers. This mural brightens the corner of E. Butler and Allen, photographed by Chris Strain.

Terre GorhamEditor

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JUNE 2012 · VOLUME 22 · ISSUE 5

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To navigate the island, barge pilots use nautical charts, computer maps and satellite compasses.

You just need a bike. RENT A BIKE.Plus, visit the Mississippi River Museum, ride the monorail, rent a kayak, canoe or pedal boat, or just take a stroll along the river walk. What are you waiting for? Explore the Island.

125 North Front Street Memphis, TN 38103 | 901-576-7241 • 800-507-6507Brought to you by the Riverfront Development Corporation.

Bringing families tothe river for 30 years.

www.mudisland.comwww.mudisland.com


SKYLINERSRock Your Bumper

In Tennessee, even the cars rock, thanks to a

special music license plate. To make Tennessee

the true, licensed “State of American Music,”

1,000 plates must be pre-sold by July 1 before

production can begin. If the required pre-order

quantity is not met, the $38 plate fee is

refunded.

Spearheaded by the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul

Museum, the music license plate project also

allows recipients to personalize their plates for

an additional fee. Proceeds from plate sales

benefit music charities, as well as education

programs and scholarships for music students

throughout the state. An FAQ page is included

on the website where plates are ordered.

To “guitar your car” for less than the cost of

a tank of gas, call 901-205-2536 or visit

tnmusicplate.com.

Beale Street Walks ... and Talks

The intricate, curious-looking facade

supported by green iron girders outside the

patio of Silky O’Sullivan’s once fronted the

Gallina Building, “The Pride of Beale Street.”

The Randolph Office Building stood on the

MLGW site and was so large, it drew its own

water supply through an artesian well dug 400

feet through the basement. Blues City Cafe was

once a Piggly Wiggly store.

These are just a few of the historical facts

that many Beale Street visitors might never

know. That’s why the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul

Museum launched its “Historic Walking Tours of

Beale Street” with research drawn from Beale

Street Talks: A Walking Tour Down the Home of

the Blues by Richard M. Raichelson, a Memphis

historian.

To walk back in history, visitors check out an

MP3 audio guide and a printed map of Beale

with numbered buildings and details (including a

fun map of other unique musical sites and

attractions throughout Memphis). The audio

guide provides an entertaining, comfortable,

and historically informative stroll down Beale.

So, if you’ve always wondered why Beale —

which runs east and west — is a street and not

an avenue … or if W.C. Handy really did write

“Beale Street Blues” inside Hard Rock Cafe … or

whatever happened to the statue of John the

Baptist atop the beautiful First Baptist Beale

Street Church, head to the Memphis Rock ‘n’

Soul Museum next to FedExForum at Third and

Linden and take the “Historic Walking Tours of

Beale Street.”

Tickets are $10 for adults ($8 for youth 5–17)

and are available seven days a week, 10 a.m.–5

p.m. For more information, call 901-205-2533 or

visit memphisrocknsoul.org.

Civil War SesquicentennialMud Island transforms into a Civil War

reenactment site June 9–10 in observance of the

war’s sesquicentennial.

In the Mississippi River Museum, costumed

interpreters, stationed in all five Civil War

galleries, relate the Civil War history that

occurred along the Mississippi, Tennessee, and

Cumberland rivers 150 years ago. In the

museum’s theater, a variety of lectures and

performances are presented throughout the

weekend.

Outdoors, along the Mississippi Riverwalk

model, representatives are positioned at cities

and forts to give details of where key battles and

skirmishes were fought, including Cairo, Island

No. 10, Fort Pillow, Helena, Vicksburg, and

Natchez.

In the South Grove of the Mud Island

grounds, the Sons of Confederate Veterans

stage a Confederate battlefield encampment,

complete with seasoned re-enactors, vintage

cannon replicas, and music from the 52nd

Regimental Band.

The event is free and runs 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

both days. For more information, call 901-576-

7241 or visit mudisland.com.

Beat of the FeetIt’s “Sweet 16” for the Gibson 5K Run-Walk

on June 9, 7 p.m. What started as a modest run

to benefit St. Patrick’s Learning Center has

grown into a much-anticipated race that draws

thousands. The Gibson 5K rocks down Beale,

Riverside Drive, and ends at the Gibson Guitar

Factory with a spectacular post-race party on

the factory’s rooftop.

The race now

supports the many

nutrition programs

of St. Patrick’s

Catholic Church’s St.

Patrick Community

Outreach, a

nonprofit agency

focused on serving

at-risk people in 38126, Memphis’s lowest

income ZIP code.

For more information, call 901-726-0419 or

visit gibsonguitar5k.com.

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MEMPHISDOWNTOWNER.COM JUNE 2012 MEMPHIS DOWNTOWNER 7

CITY BLOCKS

City Cheers ...Students from the Memphis College

of Art transform ugly, green utility boxes on the Main Street Pedestrian Mall into works of public beauty. Artists Carl Moore, Lauren Lane, Brittany Vega, Justin Bowles, and Zahra Nazari developed concepts for each box, which were approved by the Design Review Board and Landmarks Commission: 901-575-0540, downtownmemphiscommission.com.

Hitting the Streets …• UrbanArch Associates P.C., a full-

service architecture and planning firm with a staff of experienced and talented professionals, draws a creative clientele to its space in Downtown’s arts district: 390 S. Main, 901-578-7173, uarch.com.

• The Life is Good store shines a light of optimism on the Main Street Mall, happily offering Life is Good T-shirts and accessories, all served with a smile and white rocking chairs outside: 100 Peabody Place, Ste. 175, 901-522-0202, lifeisgoodmemphis.com.

• Purple Haze — a full-service nightclub that provides a safe, clean place to listen to local bands and dance to the best DJs — offers 5,000 square feet of ultimate lighting and sound, a full bar, dinner menu, and professional waitstaff: 140 Lt. George W. Lee (in the former Red Rooster location), 901-577-1139, purplehazenightclub.com.

On the Move ...A new website from the City of

Memphis pedals into the pack, dedicated

to providing Memphians with up-to-date information on all the programs, projects, and accomplishments related to bicycle and pedestrian modes of transportation, including lists of public events, printable and interactive maps, a safety and education page, commuting tips, and resources: bikepedmemphis.com.

Special Deliveries ...• The Redbirds’ top-notch stadium

adds another superlative: the largest high-definition video board in the minors, measuring 60’ by 60’ — 3,600 square feet — and weighing more than 20 tons: AutoZone Park, 901-721-6000, memphisredbirds.com.

• The late blues singer Koko Taylor receives a musical note in front of the historic Daisy Theater on the Beale Street Brass Note Walk of Fame. Born in Memphis, Taylor developed a successful, lifelong singing career that included 25 Handy Awards: 329 Beale, 901-527-1029, memphismeansmusic.com.

• The Blues Foundation, the world’s premier organization dedicated to honoring, preserving, and promoting the blues, receives the 10th out-of-state marker (photo at right) from the Mississippi Blues Trail, a museum without walls that takes visitors on a musical history journey with more than 150 markers throughout Mississippi and beyond: 421 S. Main, 901-527-2583, blues.org, msbluestrail.org.

• Memphis Bioworks installs 3,000 solar panels atop the parking garage at Union and Dudley. The two-acre installation is designed to generate approximately 1.1 million kilowatt hours per year, while helping position UT-Baptist Research Park as a progressive leader in the science of sustainability: 901-866-1400, memphisbioworks.org.

• The C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa launches its newest permanent exhibit, the Traditional Medicinal Plant Sanctuary. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of the world’s population relies on herbal medicine: 1987 Indian Village Dr., 901-785-3160, memphis.edu/chucalissa.

Downtown Departures ...The University of Memphis welcomed a

pharaoh when the statue of Ramesses II left its original Memphis home in front of The Pyramid for its new digs on the university campus between the theater and music buildings off Central.

City of Good Abode …MLGW has many initiatives underway

to increase energy efficiency and environmental awareness, reduce energy waste, lower peak electric demand, and improve air quality through fewer power generation emissions. Stay in the green with MLGW’s Green Initiatives reports: 901-544-MLGW, mlgw.com/about/greeninitiativesreport.

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WOODRUFF-FONTAINE 6 HOUSE 8

STORY AND PHOTOSBY

CAROLINE SAUNDERS

7


Built by Amos Woodruff and later sold to Noland Fontaine, the mansion is now a museum depicting what it was like to live in Memphis’s Victorian era. Peggy Lovell, museum director since 2008, believes the value of the historical experience cannot be overstated. “You can tell someone about the way people lived, but if you don’t show them, they’re not going to get it.

“I am truly fascinated by this house,” she continues. “Visitors learn how people lived without heating, air-conditioning, and indoor plumbing. They learn what a ‘muff’ was and why chamber pots existed. Yet people lived in massive houses like this, and it functioned.”

Design-wise, Woodruff-Fontaine possesses many remarkable architectural features, such as a pressed-tin ceiling, octagonal dining room, and portholes in the third-floor bedrooms. The stained-glass window above the front door shows four eggs in a nest, symbolizing Woodruff’s four children. Inscribed on the door’s exterior are the initials “NF” for the home’s second owner, Noland Fontaine. Many of the rooms have closets — a rare trait in Victorian houses

because property taxes were based on the number of rooms in the home. “Mr. Woodruff didn’t care,” Lovell says. “He had money.”

One of the more intriguing parts of the house is the “door that leads to nowhere.”

“The Victorians loved symmetry, so there needed to be a balance of the front door,” Lovell explains. “They constructed a door opposite from the front door, but there was nothing behind the door except the back wall.”

But during renovation work in 1960, workers opened the mystery door and discovered something more: the signatures of all the men who built the house. One signature

includes the date — February 11, 1871 — and another includes a poem: “Now we have to stop/for it is twelve o’clock.”

The current staff carefully maintains and honors the Victorians’ attention to detail and luxury. The china, bedspreads, linens, and mannequins that display the museum’s extensive clothing collection are changed out seasonally to accurately depict the way the house looked. “Everything is so detailed,” Lovell says. “Some people might think it is overkill, but that’s what the Victorians did.”

Records indicate that in the home’s heyday, it took 32 people to run it, including cleaning chamber maids for each floor, as

well as a multitude of cooks, seamstresses, yard workers, and nannies for the eight or nine children who lived there. “Remember, too, that it was hot in the summers,” says Lovell. “They couldn’t work all day like we do in our air-conditioned environment.”

And although the home is now a museum, managing it still requires significant manpower. A small paid staff operates the gift shop and gives tours; a larger group volunteers as docents. There are cleaners, maintenance workers, an event coordinator, and a board of directors. “It’s a lot of work,” Lovell notes, “keeping up the painted lady.”

Lovell, a former schoolteacher who fell in love with the home as a volunteer docent, is also president of the local chapter of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities (APTA), the managing organization that leases the house from the city.

Staff and volunteers create thematic exhibitions, such as December’s Christmas wedding theme in honor of Mollie Woodruff, who was married in the home in December 1871.

Between August and October, the museum spotlights the yellow fever epidemic with educational speakers, a period-authentic sick bed and nurse, and a Victorian casket

HEN IT COMES TO HISTORICAL HOMES IN MEMPHIS, MANY THINK OF THE KINGLY GLITZ OF GRACELAND. YET ONE OF MEMPHIS’S FIRST

MANSIONS — THE STATELY WOODRUFF-FONTAINE HOUSE IN VICTORIAN VILLAGE — HAS STOOD ON ADAMS AVENUE SINCE 1870. THE DISTRICT,

WHICH ONCE HAD 32 SUCH HOMES, IS REALLY THE ORIGINAL MEMPHIS.

W

Design-wise, the Victorian home possesses many remarkable architectural features, including an intricate, winding staircase, octagonal dining room, and portholes in the third-floor bedrooms.

An elaborate, pressed-tin ceiling was hammered in sections by talented artisans and then installed throughout the home.

VISITORS LEARN HOW PEOPLE LIVED WITHOUT HEATING, AIR-CONDITIONING,

AND INDOOR PLUMBING.


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viewing. “Yellow fever had a major impact on this house and the people who lived in it,” says Lovell. “Mr. Woodruff had to sell the home when the yellow fever epidemic left him with no one to participate in his business ventures.”

Halloween brings in “Haunted Happenings,” an after-dark tour and the perfect experience for those fascinated with the mansion’s paranormal mysteries. (Mollie Woodruff’s infant child and husband both died in the house.)

The most recent exhibit displayed clothing from the Titanic era. “The museum’s clothing collection sets this home apart from others,” says Lovell. “We have clothing that goes back to the late 1800s. These are not costumes; they are pieces of authentic clothing and are extremely fragile.”

Today, the Woodruff-Fontaine hosts more than 20 weddings a year on the front

In the home’s heyday, it took 32 people to run it, including cleaning chamber maids for each floor, a multitude of cooks, seamstresses, yard workers, and nannies for the eight or nine children who lived there.

The “door that leads nowhere” revealed its secret during renovation work in 1960: the signatures of all the men who built the house.


lawn. The pastel-colored Handwerker Gingerbread Playhouse — which was moved to the property from another site — hosts intimate wine tastings and showers. A memorial service was even held in the home. “About a year ago, a man knocked on the door,” Lovell recounts. “He told me that he and his wife had been married here. She had died, and he wanted to have her service here.”

Finding enough volunteers to help operate the museum is one challenge; finances are another. Other Victorian Village homes, dependent on municipal funding, became victims of budget cuts, limiting public access to the Victorian Village charm at Woodruff-Fontaine. For now, APTA sustains the house

financially, while Lovell and crew work to increase private donations and attendance.

On the other hand, the progress that comes from inviting so many into the home can threaten its preservation. “You can’t replace these things — you can’t even put a dollar amount on them,” Lovell says. “I feel so protective of this building and what’s in it, but our mission is to educate the public on how people lived in this house. It’s a fine tightrope we walk.”

The street once known as Millionaires Row was a very important part of the city, and as Lovell continues her work at Woodruff-Fontaine, another organization — Victorian Village Inc. — envisions developing Adams Avenue into a complete village with restaurants, shops, and a horse and buggy.

“There are many stumbling blocks, but the vision is there, and that excites me beyond belief,” Lovell says. “It’s like a little heart that’s just waiting to beat.”

Woodruff-Fontaine House, 680 Adams 901-526-1469, woodruff-fontaine.com

In one wing of the home, Mollie Woodruff’s rose-themed bedroom joins a sitting room, nursery, and nanny’s room. Because the nanny was a servant, these arrangements were made so the nanny could tend to the children without coming through the main house.

Behind the home, the charming gingerbread playhouse encases an open room with multipurpose functions that include hosting intimate wine tastings, bridal showers, and baby showers. Perhaps its future includes serving as a chapel for the museum’s 20-plus weddings a year.

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SPECIAL EVENTSThru Jun 2: Memphis Italian Festival. Mama, Mia! A taste of Italy comes to town with family-friendly events, music, food, games, crafts, and arts. Thu 4:30–10:30p, Fri–Sat 11a–11p, $10. Marquette Park, corner of Mt. Moriah and Park, 219-1674, memphisitalianfestival.com.

Thru Jun 15: Downtown Alive! Bring lunch and enjoy this award-winning series of per-formances in the park. Weekdays, 11:45a–1p, free. Court Square & Main, 575-0546, downtownmemphis.com.

Thru Jun 22: Icons in Transformation. A dramatic, 180-piece traveling exhibit displays works by Ludmila Pawlowska and Russian tra-ditional icons from the Vassilevsky Monastery in Suzdal. Tours 10a–3p, Tue–Fri, free. Calvary Episcopal Church, 102 N. Second, 525-6602, calvarymemphis.org/icons.

Jun 1–20: Unveil Downtown. 20 artists from across the region exhibit work in 20 make-shift galleries in retail and restaurant venues throughout Downtown. Opening reception Jun 1, 5–7p, Felicia Suzanne’s, 575-0561, downtownmemphis.com.

Jun 1: A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline. An after-party on the roof with friends and actors from the hit musical production benefits the Church Health Center. 7:30p, $50. Playhouse on the Square, 272-7170, playhouseonthesquare.org.

June 1, 2: Elvis Presley Car Show. Hundreds of motorized vehicles from across the country form an impressive display of classic automobiles, back-dropped by family friendly festivities. Fri 10a–6p, Sat 8:30a–1p, free. Graceland, 332-3322, elvis.com/carshow.

Jun 2: Overton Bark Grand Opening. Overton Park’s new dog park celebration includes a dog parade, “leash-cutting” ceremony, live music, contests, and prizes. 8a–2p, free. Overton Park, 214-5450, overtonpark.org/bark.

Jun 2: Taste Caribe. Caribbean comes to Memphis, bringing mojitos, fine cigars, and island cuisine and music to benefit the Interna-tional Children’s Heart Foundation. 7–10p, $25.

Askew Nixon Ferguson, 1500 Union, 869-4243, babyheart.org.

Jun 2, 3: Sisterhood Showcase. Consumer showcase targets women of color, featuring food, fashion, celebrity guests, entertain-ment, and giveaways. Sat 10a–8p, Sun 9a–6p, $20. Cook Convention Center, 579-9333, sisterhoodshowcase.com.

Jun 3: COMEC Treasure Hunt. Ahoy, mateys! Family friendly, swashbuckling fun includes hidden loot, treasure maps, Pirates Market-place, and goody bags to benefit Commis-sion on Missing and Exploited Children. 1–5p, $10. Memphis Botanic Garden, 405-8441, comectreasure2012.eventbrite.com.

Jun 4–10: FedEx St. Jude Classic. The PGA Tour drives into Memphis with some of the best golf-ers in the field. Youth clinic, Kids Zone, party tent, concert, and concessions. Gates open 7a, TPC Southwind, stjudeclassic.com.

Jun 5: Curb Couture Trashion Show. Green couture hits the runway with original de-signs created from items found in recycling bins. Food, wine, and silent auction ben-efit Memphis City Beautiful. 6–8p, $50. Main Street in front of Cannon Center, 522-1135, curbcouture.eventbrite.com.

Jun 5: John Rich & Friends Concert. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres reception followed by an evening of songs, stories, and hope to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 6p recep-tion, 7:30p concert, $100+. Cannon Center, 373-5051, stjude.org/concert.

Jun 6: Civil War Naval Battle Commemoration. Celebrate Memphis’s famous naval battle with a cannon salute and history tour by historian Jimmy Ogle. Noon, free. Confederate Park, 604-5002, jimmyogle.com.

Jun 7: Cooper-Young Night Out. In Mid-town’s historically hip district, enjoy live music, retail specials, and assorted cuisines. Every 1st Thursday, 5–9p, free. 276-7222, cooperyoungnightout.com.

Jun 7, 14, 21, 28: Peabody Rooftop Party. The South’s Grand Hotel hosts live music, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dancing with sunsets over the Mississippi River thru Aug. 16. 6–11p, $10 includes 1 drink. Peabody Hotel, 529-4000, peabodymemphis.com.

Jun 7, 14, 21, 28: Sunset Atop the Madison. A rooftop evening of music, cocktails, danc-ing, terrace menu, and the best sunset view of Memphis. 7–11p, $7. Madison Hotel, 79 Madison, 333-1200, madisonhotelmemphis.com.

Jun 8: Herb Garden Opening Reception. A casual meet and greet to launch the Herb Garden’s first season. Speakers, live music, beverages, garden tours, and herbal treats. 6–8p, $20. Memphis Botanic Garden, 636-4128, memphisbotanicgarden.com.

Jun 8: The Delta: Everything Southern Confer-ence. A daylong celebration and informational presentations about the history, culture, and life in the Delta. 7a–4:30p, $75. UofM Rose Theatre, 522-9313, memphis.edu/deltaconference.

Jun 9: Junebugs and Juleps. A Southern summer expressed through art, music, food, and casual museum tours to benefit preservation efforts. 7–11p, $30. Woodruff-Fontaine House, 526-1469, woodruff-fontaine.com.

Jun 9: Uptown BBQ Cooking Contest. Grab your grill, family, and friends to compete for prizes and good eating! Noon set-up, 3p judging, free. Uptown Park, 949-1309, [email protected].

Jun 9, 10: Civil War Sesquicentennial. Along the Mississippi River Walk Model and inside the Mississippi River Museum, representatives positioned at cities, forts, and galleries give details about key battles and skirmishes fought during the war years. 10a–5p, free. Mud Island, 576-7241, jimmyogle.com.

Jun 10: Cotton Boll Brunch. A lavish feast, complimentary cocktails, live music, silent auction, and a special Cotton Carnival exhibi-tion. 11a–4p, $40. Cotton Museum, 531-7826, memphiscottonmuseum.org.

Jun 13: Girls Inc. Celebration Luncheon. Honorees include Shelby County District At-torney General Amy Weirich and Food Network TV Host Gina Neely in a celebration of women and girls. 11:30a, $100. FedExForum, 523-0217, girlsincmemphis.org.

Jun 15: Father’s Day Snooze. Give Dad a wild night! Learn about animal fatherhood, take a moonlight safari, and play games. 7p–9a, RSVP $65. Memphis Zoo, 333-6576, memphiszoo.org.

Jun 15: Garden Party on the Bluffs. Cash bar, food trucks, live music, and a river bluff garden party to welcome metal artist exhibitors Harlan

To submit your events for calendar consideration, email [email protected]. Events must be open to the general public.

Singer/songwriter Norah Jones plays Mud Island Amphitheatre June 22 at 8 p.m.

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Tuna Does Vegas, the latest installment of the hilarious “Tuna series,” opens its regional premiere at The Circuit Playhouse, June 8–July 8.

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Butt and Virgil England. 5:30–8p, free. Metal Museum, 774-6380, metalmuseum.org.

Jun 15: The Golf Ball. Fore! Skill contests on the tee boxes and putting greens, live auction, live music on the lawn, beer trailer, and peel-and-eat shrimp station to benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis. 6:30–10p, $50. Chickasaw Country Club, 278-2947, bgcm.org.

Jun 15, 16: Mud Island Funk Fest. Music festival showcases some of the biggest names in enter-tainment. 4p, $45+. Mud Island Amphitheatre, 576-7241, funkfestconcerts.com.

Jun 15–17: Juneteenth Freedom and Heritage Festival. Family friendly music, food, health fair, shopping, car and bike shows, and kids’ events. 10a–8p, free. Douglass Park, 324-5945, juneteenthmemphis.org.

Jun 16: Outdoors Inc. Canoe and Kayak Race. More than 500 expert and recreational canoe and kayak paddlers from around the world dip an oar in the largest river into the U.S. to com-pete for titles and prizes. 10a, $45 registered boaters; spectators free. Mud Island north end, 482-5998, outdoorsinc.com.

Jun 16: Cater to You: A Gentleman’s Way. Judge gourmet dishes prepared by political leaders, pastors, entertainers, and community partners, amid live entertainment and live and silent auc-tions to fund college scholarships for inner-city youth. 7p, $60. Pink Palace Museum, 230-1430, memphisalumnaedst.org.

Jun 16: DonorFest. Picnic and party celebrat-ing blood donors, their families, and those who want to learn more about giving the gift of life. Live music, food trucks, and treats. 11a–3p, free. Audubon Park, 529-6320, donorfest.org.

Jun 16: Garden Family Day! Worms, dirt, hydrangeas — experience the gardens like never before, create works of art, compete in contests, and dance to live music. 10a–2p, free. Dixon Gardens, 761-5250, dixon.org.

Jun 16: Splish Splash Birthday Bash. CMOM turns 22 with a giant 22’ waterslide, bungee

swing, climbable rock wall, and special water babies area. Bring a towel and dive in! 10a–1p, $15. Children’s Museum of Memphis, 458-2678, cmom.com.

Jun 16, 17: Morning Sun 1862. Historians around the region present a typical community of the 1860s and re-enact the 1862 skirmish that oc-curred at Morning Sun, TN. 9a–5p, free. Davies Manor, 386-0715, daviesmanorplantation.org.

Jun 21: Dinner on Stage. An inside peek into the stories and history of the historic theater, including cocktail reception, tour, brief film, and three-course meal with wine. 6p, $75. Orpheum Theatre, 525-3000, orpheum-memphis.com.

Jun 21: Literatini! Sample martinis and food, listen to live music, and benefit Literacy of the Mid-South with store purchases. 6–9p, $35. Booksellers at Laurelwood, 327-6000, literacymidsouth.org.

Jun 23: LUVMUD Island. A 5k obstacle/mud race, live music, food trucks, and festival fun to benefit Habitat for Hope. 11a–7p, $55+. Mud Island Greenbelt Park, 855-458-8683, luvmud.com.

Jun 26: Tuesdays on the Terrace Wine Tasting. A My Big Backyard BBQ affair with a down-home cookout, live music, and festive party wines and beers. 6–8p, $35. Memphis Botanic Garden, 636-4110, memphisbotanicgarden.com.

Jun 29: NYC iN SYNC. The Big Apple–themed gala with open bar, buffet, silent and live auctions, and live Broadway entertainment. 6:30p–midnight, $150. Theatre Memphis, 682-8323, theatrememphis.org.

Jun 30: LeBonAppetit. Prestigious gourmet event offers the finest delicacies prepared by 20 chefs from across the U.S. accompanied by premium wines to benefit Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. 7–10p, $250. The Columns, 270-3331, lebonappetit.org.

Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour moonwalks into the FedExForum June 20, 8 p.m., promising a once-in-a-lifetime, electrifying production that combines Michael Jackson’s music and choreography with Cirque du Soleil creativity.

H I S T O R I C D I N N E R S E R I E SBASTILLE DAY ORIENT EXPRESS

130TH ANNIVERSARY

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Chez Philippe, July 14, 7:00pmJuly 14, 1789, the storming of the Bastille

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sovereign nation of France in the Mid-South's most elegant French restaurant.$85* per person, (wine pairing, add $30) valet parking, take home amenity. For

more information: 901.529.4188.

Chez Philippe, Oct. 10, 7:00pmA landmark moment in railway history, October

1882 saw the launch of the original Orient Express. Leaving from Paris, it steamed throughthe Alps, Budapest and Bucharest to Constan-tinople. Experience the grandeur of the Etoile

du Nord restaurant car.$130* per person, including wine, valet parking,

take home amenity. For more information:901.529.4188.

149 Union Ave. Memphis, TN 38103 901.529.4000 800.PEABODY WWW.PEABODYMEMPHIS.COM

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John Rich & Friends Concert on June 5 starts with a 6 p.m. cocktail reception at the Cannon Center to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

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AROUND TOWN EVENTS

See our complete events listing at MemphisDowntowner.com

Art Under a Hot Tin Roof: 117 S. Main, 522-4848, artunderahottinroof.com. An unpredictable gallery with art for all.

Art Village Gallery: 410 S. Main, 521-0782, artvillagegallery.com. Ephraim Urevbu’s permanent collection and artist showcases from exotic lands.

Beale Street: Between S. Main and Fourth, 529-0999, bealestreet.com, bealestreetmerchants.com. Wednesdays thru Sep 26: Bikes on Beale, all “wheelers” welcome! 6p–midnight.

Belz Museum of Asian and Judaic Art: Pembroke Square, 119 S. Main, 523-ARTS, belzmuseum.org. Sundays in June: Judaic Art Gallery Tours, 1p & 3p.

Bicycle Rides: Helmets required: 1st & 3rd Saturdays thru Oct 20: Historic Downtown Ride at Memphis Farmers Market Downtown, 9a, free, 634-0076, memphisfarmersmarket.org. Jun 3: Cycle the Greenway Ride at the Germantown Wolf River Greenway trailhead benefits Wolf River Conservancy, 7:15a–1:45p, $45, 452-6541, wolfriver.org. Jun 3: Ride for Life at Memorial Park, I-240 at Poplar, benefits the Mid-South Transplant Foundation, 2p, $5, 328-4438, midsouthtransplant.org, register at memphishightailers.com.

Brooks Museum of Art: 1934 Poplar, 544-6200, brooksmuseum.org. See website for full list of workshops, lectures, films, and programs. Wednesdays: Pay What You Can, 10a–4p. Thursdays: Galleries and store open till 8p. Jun 23: Art and Soul Family Day, 10a–1p, free. Thru Jun 3: Floating Warps and Guiding Heddles: rare, exotic Philippine textiles. Thru Jun 17: A Federal Art Project: Posters for Indian Court. Thru Jul 15: Architectural Perspectives. Thru Jul 22: Cynthia Thompson. Jun 9–Sep 2: The Soul of a City: Memphis Collects African-American Art, more than 100 paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures, and mixed media from private and public collections in Memphis.

Calvary Episcopal Church: 102 N. Second, 525-6602, calvarymemphis.org. Thru Jun 24: Icons in Transformation, solo exhibit by Ludmila Pawlowska, Tue–Fri, 10a–3p, or by appt.

Cannon Center for the Performing Arts: 255 N. Main, 576-1200, box office 576-1269, 800-726-0915, thecannoncenter.com. See website for complete events listing. Jun 5: John Rich & Friends, an intimate acoustic performance to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 6p reception, 7:30p concert, $100+, stjude.org/concert.

Center for Southern Folklore: 119 & 123 S. Main, Pembroke Square, 525-3655, southernfolklore.com. A showcase of folk art, Southern music, and food. Thursdays: Live Talent Showcase, 6–8p, free, 274-5502. Jun 2: Kate Campbell, 8p. Jun 23: Daddy Mack Blues Band CD Release, 8p.

Children’s Museum of Memphis: 2525 Central, 458-2678, cmom.com. See website for programs, clubs, and activities. Jun 16: CMOM Happy Birthday Splish-Splash Bash, 10a–1p, bring a towel, $15. Jun 20: Milk and Cookies with Sleeping Beauty, a performance for kids, 6–8p, $10 RSVP. Thru Sep 30: Good for You: Healthy Fun on the Run, an adventure that leads to a world of healthy foods and active play.

Circuit Playhouse: 51 S. Cooper, 726-4656, playhouseonthesquare.org. Jun 8–Jul 8: Tuna Does Vegas.

Cook Convention Center: 255 N. Main, 576-1200, memphisconvention.com. See website for complete events listing. Jun 2–3: Sisterhood Showcase, Sat 10a–8p, Sun 9a–6p, $20, 579-9333, sisterhoodshowcase.com. Jun 8–10: International Paper Money Show, Fri–Sat, 8a–5p, Sun 9a–3p, $7, memphisipms.com.

Cooper-Young Historic District: 276-7222, cooper-young.biz. 1st Thursdays: Cooper-Young Night Out, festive time with live music, retail discounts, and restaurant specials, 5–9p, free.

Cotton Museum at the Memphis Cotton Exchange: 65 Union, 531-7826, memphiscottonmuseum.org. Jun 10: Cotton Boll Brunch, 11a–4p, $40. Jun 29–Jul 27: Underground at the Cotton Museum: quirky pieces by Greely Myatt.

David Perry Smith Gallery: 703 New York, 347-3541. Contemporary gallery representing local talent. Thru Jun 24: Summer Group Exhibition: New Paintings; opening Jun 1, 6–8p.

Davies Manor Plantation Museum: 9336 Davies Mansion, 386-0715, daviesmanorplantation.org. Shelby County’s oldest log house. Jun 16–17: Morning Sun 1862, a re-enactment, 9a–5p, free.

Death Du Jour Mystery Theater: Spaghetti Warehouse, 40 Huling, 210-0545, deathdujourmysteries.com. Jun 16: Arrested Aria, a headlining diva’s sordid life catches up with her, and she hits her last low note, 7p, $38 includes dinner.

D’Edge Art and Unique Treasures: 550 S. Main, 521-0054, d-edgeart.com. Thru Jun 15: Hiphugher, art by Allison Furr-Lawyer and Kim Baldock.

Dixon Gallery and Gardens: 4339 Park, 761-5250, dixon.org. See website for workshops, lectures, classes, garden demos, and children’s events. Tuesdays & Sundays: Curatorial tour of the current exhibit, 2p, $7. Wednesdays: Sunrise Yoga, 6:30a, $5. 3rd Thursdays: Art After Dark, music and artist talks, 6–9p, $7. Jun 6, 13, 20, 27: Munch & Learn Lectures, noon–1p, $7. Jun 16: Garden Family Day, 10a–2p, free. Thru Jun 30: Saturday Tours in the Garden, 9–11a. Thru Jul 1: Lee Littlefield’s colorful, fantastical sculptures. Thru Jul 15: American Paintings from the John and Susan Horseman Collection.

Downtown Alive!: Court Square & Main, 575-0546, downtownmemphis.com. Weekdays thru Jun 15: Bring lunch and enjoy award-winning series of performances in the park, 11:45a–1p, free.

Downtown Neighborhood Association: 466-6893, memphisdna.org. 3rd Fridays: Happy Hour, 5:30p: Double J Smokehouse & Saloon. 4th Tuesdays: Public information meetings, 6p social, 6:30p program. Topic: Harahan Bridge Project; location: No. 10 S. Main.

Elmwood Cemetery: 824 S. Dudley, 774-3212, elmwoodcemetery.org. Jun 1: Lunch & Lecture with historian Jimmy Ogle, noon.

Farmers Market Botanic Garden: Wednesdays thru Oct 31: 2–6p, 750 Cherry, 636-4100, memphisbotanicgarden.com.

Farmers Market Church Health Center Wellness: Tuesdays thru Sep 25: 10a–2p, 1115 Union, 259-4673, churchhealthcenter.org/farmersmarket.

Farmers Market Cooper-Young Community: Saturdays Year-Round: 9a–1p, Congregational Church parking lot, Cooper and Walker, cycfarmersmarket.org.

Farmers Market Downtown Memphis: Saturdays thru Oct 27: 7a–1p, Central Train Station Pavilion, corner of S. Front and G.E. Patterson, 575-0580, memphisfarmersmarket.org.

Farmers Market South Memphis: Thursdays thru Oct 25: noon–6p, Mississippi Blvd. and South Parkway East, 946-9675, somefm.org.

FedExForum: 191 Beale, 205-2640, fedexforum.com. See website for complete events listing. Also see Memphis NBA Grizzlies. Jun 5: Drake: The Club Paradise Tour, 7p, 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com. Jun 13: Girls Inc. Celebration Luncheon, 11:30a–1p, $100, 523-0217, girlsincmemphis.org. Jun 20: Michael Jackson:

Leadership Memphis opened its new offices on South Main, as well as an adjacent art gallery at 363 S. Main. Imagine Downtown, paintings of Memphis by Janet Smith, is on view June 29–July 20. Opening reception is during Trolley Night, June 29, 5:30–8 p.m.

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(cont’d on page 17)

Every Tuesday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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The Immortal World Tour, 8p, 800-745-3000, cirquedusoleil.com.

Fire Museum of Memphis: 118 Adams, 320-5650, firemuseum.com.

FireHouse Community Arts Academy: 985 S. Bellevue, 948-9522, memphisblackartsalliance.org. Jun 2: Summer session of classes begins. Jun 24: Jazz-A-F!RE performs hot Memphis jazz. Bring your own instrument! 3–5p, free.

Gallery Fifty Six: 2256 Central, 276-1251, galleryfiftysix.com. Jun 1–30: A Freaky World, paintings by Larry Edwards; reception Jun 1, 5–8p.

Germantown Performing Arts Centre: 1801 Exeter, 751-7500, gpacweb.com. Jun 12: Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, 8p.

Ghost River Brewing: 827 S. Main, 278-0087, ghostriverbrewing.com. Saturdays: Brewery tours and tasting, 1p, free.

Gibson Guitar Factory & Showcase: 145 Lt. George W. Lee, 543-0800, gibson.com.

Golf: Jun 9: George Washington Carver National Alumni Charity Golf at Links at Pine Hill, 8a, register: 270-9896. Jun 25: Shaun Micheel Make-A-Wish Golf Classic at TPC Southwind, 10:30a, 692-9508, midsouth.wish.org. Jun 29: Rock the Fairways Tournament at Germantown Country Club benefits The V Foundation for Cancer Research, 8:30a, 529-0007, hardrock.com/memphis.

Grace St. Luke’s Episcopal Church: 1720 Peabody, 272-7425, gslparish.org. Jun 20–23: Belvedere Chamber Music Festival, 493-0958, lunanova.org.

Larry Edwards reveals A Freaky World at Gallery Fifty Six through June 30. Opening reception is June 1, 5–8 p.m.

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AROUND TOWN EVENTS (cont’d from page 15)


Graceland: 3734 Elvis Presley Blvd, 800-238-2000, 332-3322, elvis.com. Jun 1–2: Elvis Presley Car Show, Fri 10a–6p, Sat 8:30a–1p, free. Thru Feb 2013: Icon: The Influence of Elvis Presley, temporary exhibit celebrating Elvis’s status as a music pioneer and icon.

Hattiloo Theatre: 656 Marshall, 502-3486, box office 525-0009, hattilootheatre.org. Saturdays: The Music Box, 8p. Thru Jun 17: Dreamgirls, three friends learn life’s lessons about fame and fortune.

IMAX Theater: Memphis Pink Palace Museum, 3050 Central, 320-6362, memphismuseums.org. Jun 16–Mar 8: To the Arctic, a special polar bear family learns to adapt to its changing Arctic home. Thru Nov 16: Born to be Wild, the remarkable bond between humans and animals. Thru Nov 16: Tornado Alley: Join the researchers of VORTEX 2.

Jack Robinson Gallery of Photography: 44 Huling, 576-0708, robinsonarchive.com. By appointment. Works of Jack Robinson and other fine arts photographers.

Joysmith Gallery: 46 Huling, 543-0505, joysmith.com. African-American artists plus ancestral and contemporary art.

Leadership Memphis: 363 S. Main, 278-0016, leadershipmemphis.org. Jun 29–Jul 20: Imagine

Downtown: new paintings of Memphis by Janet Smith; reception Jun 29, 5:30–8p.

Levitt Shell at Overton Park: 272-2722, levittshell.org. See website for current listing. Jun 30: Stax Music Academy’s Summer Grand Finale Concert, 7:30p, free. Thru Jul 1: Lawn concerts at the open-air band shell, Thu–Sat 7:30p, Sun 6p.

Lichterman Nature Center: 5992 Quince, 767-7322, memphismuseums.org. Open year-round for self-guided trail backpacking and nature programs/exhibits. Tuesdays–Saturdays: Wild lunch with the animal keepers, noon. 4th

Saturdays: Trail Blazin’ Volunteers tidy up the nature center, 9a–noon.

Live at the Garden Concert Series: Memphis Botanic Garden, 636-4107, tickets 800-745-3000, liveatthegarden.com, ticketmaster.com. Jun 16: Chicago, 8:30p, $45

Memphis Botanic Garden: 750 Cherry, 636-4100, memphisbotanicgarden.com. See website for classes, workshops, lunch and learns, camps, receptions, and lectures. Wednesdays thru Oct 31: Farmers Market in the Garden, 2–6p. Jun 1: CandyplantLand opening, 6–8p, $10 RSVP. Jun 1–3: Memphis Potters’ Guild Spring Show, 458-2354, thememphispottersguild.com. Jun 6–30: Artists’ Link Exhibit and Sale. Jun 9: Herb Symposium in the new Herb Garden, 9a–4p, $125 RSVP. Jun 26: Tuesdays on the Terrace Wine Tasting, 6–8p, $35.

Memphis International Raceway: 5500 Victory Lane, Millington, 969-7223, racemir.com. Thursdays: TNT: Bring your car and try the 1/4-mile drag strip, 5:30–10p, $20, $10 spectators. Last Fridays: Midnight Madness: Take Your Racing to the Track, 8p–1a, $20, $10 spectators.

Memphis Redbirds AAA Baseball: AutoZone Park, 721-6000, memphisredbirds.com. Season runs Apr–Sep, games 7p unless otherwise noted. Jun 11–13: Nashville (Jun 13 at 11a). Jun 14–17:

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The free Israel Festival comes to Shelby Farms Park, June 10, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., bringing the sights, sounds and tastes of Israel to Memphis: memphisfriendsofisrael.org.

UnveilDOWNTOWN

20 ARTISTS * 20 SPACES * 20 DAYS

June 1 - 20Event Launch Party!

June 1, 5 - 7 pm, Felicia Suzanne’s

Opening ReceptionsJune 1, 7 - 9 pm and June 2, 4 - 6 pm

Online Art Auction Through June 20benefitting Downtown Neighborhood AssociationOnline bidding and event details at UnveilDowntown.com

Artwalk & Exhibition

Alexander Paulus, LOCAL Gastropub

Antzee Magruder, Bangkok Alley

April Ford Beasley, City Market

Carl Moore, Dream Berry

Carly Dahl, Revive Boutique

Daniel Tacker, Bluefin

David Lynch, Cockadoos

Debbie Pacheco, eighty3

Denise Rose, Life Is Good

Elisha Gold, Lansky126

Fidencio Martinez, Kooky Canuck

Jimpsie Ayres, Thai Bistro

Kerry Peeples, Felicia Suzannes

Louise Palazola, Shelton’s Clothiers

Rebecca Coleman, Silly Goose Lounge

Rebekah Laurenzi, Art Under a Hot Tin Roof

DJ Ron Olson, Automatic Slim’s

Shawn Mathews, Blind Bear Speakeasy

Terry Kenney, The Brass Door

Wally Dyke, APG Office Furnishings

PRESENTED BY DOWNTOWN MEMPHIS COMMISSION AND DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION


In 1983, Robert McGowan, a visual artist, bought a ramshackled building off the courthouse steps for a little more than $8,000. At the time, the price was about the only thing that the property in the 400 block of South Main Street had going for it. And the neigh-borhood? Well …

“South Main was largely a picture of very serious neglect and ongoing decline,” McGowan recalls. “Some small businesses still operated on the street, but many of the buildings were at serious risk of dete-rioration due to water damage and fires.”

When McGowan and his wife first moved to South Main, the police were warning people away from the district. “On two or three occasions, the police stopped us and told us not to go in there,” he says. “Prostitution was ram-pant. It was not uncom-mon to hear gunshots. People who have moved to South Main only re-

cently have no concept whatsoever of what the district was like in the early ‘80s!”

But McGowan was an artist, used to looking at things differently and seeing hidden potential. His building was the first residential rehab project on South Main, and it became a gathering point for his artistic friends. In the process, some seeds were sown.

“A couple of my friends did follow our lead and bought properties on South Main,” says McGowan. “Then the Memphis Center for Contemporary Art opened in 1988, and that drew a whole lot of visitors from the arts community to South Main.”

Thirty years later, South Main is a collection of chic, high-end condos, boutiques, and stylish eateries to

which thousands flock. There’s an active South Main Association, the popular Memphis Farmers Market, Memphis College of Art, and monthly Trolley Tours. The place is hip and hopping.

McGowan sold his building in 1991 to the National Civil Rights Museum, which was interested in the building’s former tenant: James Earl Ray. Now living in Cooper-Young, McGowan — whose forthcoming book, South Main Stories, is based on his experiences there — looks back at the early days of South Main’s rebirth with nostalgia. “In a word, yes, I’m very pleased with what we were able to accomplish there.”

REBUILDING WITH PAINT BRUSHES McGowan’s story was repeated by Downtown Memphis Commission President Paul Morris in a talk he gave alongside Kerry Hayes, research analyst and special assistant to Mayor A C Wharton Jr., and John Sylvester, South Main business owner and business chair for the South Main Association.

The occasion was an Exploring Innovation Week event held by the Memphis office of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis titled “The Arts — A Tool for Com-munity and Economic Development.”

And why is the Fed interested in holding a conference on public art?

“We believe that innovation provides the foundation so people can turn ideas into results and improve communities,” says Teresa Cheeks Wilson, community development specialist with FRB. “Innovation can be found in all industries — not just in business, technol-ogy, engineering, and the physical sciences.”

Held on South Main at Leadership Memphis’s head-

Broad Avenue’s “This is We” mural covers some 50 feet of warehouse wall. The historic district’s iconic water tower is in the process of being developed into a public sculpture. Revitalization efforts in the neighborhood began in earnest in 2006. Since then, the corridor has seen 17 new businesses and 29 significant property renovations totaling more than $12 million. “I don’t know what the magnet would have been without art,” says Pat Brown, vice president of the Historic Broad Business Association.

Story & Photosby Jonathan Devin

SMARTSMART

Inspired by Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau blogger Kerry

Crawford and her handmade “I Love

Memphis” sign, the “I Love Memphis” mural

project is designed to allow tourists and

locals to share their love of Memphis with the world. The first mural

was unveiled in Cooper-Young in May 2011.


quarters — itself an art gallery — the conference attracted some 75 business leaders, politicians, artists, and community organizers eager to learn the theory and practice behind rebuilding with paint brushes as plowshares.

“Ever been to Earnestine & Hazel’s?” Morris asked the assembled group, referring to South Main’s quintes-sential juke joint. “You can now say you’ve been to a brothel.”

But these days, South Main’s checkered past is mixed with period architecture, walkable (and parkable) streets, and visual arts literally spilling onto the pavement — and that attracts shoppers, tourists, residents, businesses, and fun-seekers.

That’s no coincidence, says Charles Santo, associate professor in the University of Memphis Division of City

and Regional Planning, who was first to address the group.

Santo quickly invoked the most popular name in the discussion of creativity and economic development: Richard Florida, author of the best-selling The Rise of the Creative Class.

“But there is more to the story than appealing to a broad creative class,” Santo says, noting research that shows the social benefits of arts programs in fostering community building and supporting cross-cultural collaborations. [See sidebar, page 20.] “The question is how did we get to the point where creativity is the cake and not just the icing on the cake?” Santo asks.

Manufacturing, he continues, used to be the glue that held American cities together, but because labor costs, transportation, and access to commodities have mod-erated over the past half century, product makers have lost their hold on cities’ economies.

“The existence of a wide range of amenities and cultural outlets was a side effect of the clustering that supports manufacturing,” says Santo. “But in the past 60 years or so, the traditional advantages of produc-tion have diminished.”

Memphis’s economy is dominated primarily by non-manufacturing industries, such as transportation, health care, tourism, logistics, and biotech.

What, then, attracts educated, enterprise-minded individuals to a city like Memphis?

THE FIRST BRUSHSTROKE Creativity is now the advantage: dull, brick walls turned into bright murals, walkable streets where musicians

play for tips, cultural centers set up in store fronts alongside coffee shops

and shoe stores, the beat of jazz floating down the street from an unseen club.

“The implied prescription is that cities need to be appealing to more workers,” says Santo, “and cities that have that hidden cool vibe will be the most attractive.”

Turns out that prescription works in major metropolitan areas and one-road towns alike, as demonstrated by Sandy Royce Martin, chair of Eureka Springs Mayor’s Arts Council.

The Arkansas town of about 2,000 “quirky, opinionat-ed” residents had only one industry — tourism — and that was going through a sleepy period until about 20 years ago when the town took artistic action.

“We had products authentic to our community — our arts and our heritage,” says Martin. “We applied those products to a highly visible geographic area — North Main Street — and we got results. They were not immedi-ate and they are not over, but we got results.”

Now Eureka Springs is home to highly publicized arts events, such as the growing Writers Colony, the May Festival of the Arts, a springtime passion play, and the Opera of the Ozarks. Initiatives have been made to improve the town’s green spaces, sidewalks, and parking

garages with public art and interactive musical/sound sculpture parks.

But it all began with a historic mural on North Main Street.

THE MORAL OF MURALS Downtown and Midtown Memphis neighborhoods know all about murals.

“Because they are highly visible and relatively inexpensive, murals are a great first step towards building an arts district,” says Pat Brown, vice president of the His-toric Broad Business Association. Broad Avenue’s mural, covering some 50 feet of a warehouse wall, states — in so many words — this is you, this is me, this is we.

Last year in Cooper-Young, two cinderblock walls on South Coo-per Street became home to the first of several planned “I (heart) Memphis” murals around town. Prior to that, the former Galloway

United Methodist Church sponsored a graffiti-style mural on a brick wall facing its parking lot.

In The Edge, at the Y-shaped intersection of Monroe and Marshall avenues, the Marshall Arts gallery trans-formed its walls into conceptual art, while on South Main, the Central Station retaining wall received a simi-lar treatment — a smattering of symbols painted some 10 feet tall. Then there’s the “buffalo wall,” a prairie

landscape painted onto a South Main wall that blocks a vacant lot. Even a barrier cordoning off a construc-tion site across from Central Station on South Main was adorned with the lyrics of train-themed songs penned by well-known Memphis songwriters.

“As you look to redevelop an area, you try to bring people into living there or at least visiting there, and art is a great magnet,” says Brown. “It brings tourism, including local tourism. You need people on the street, exploring an area, and looking for where they can open a business.”

Many redevelopment areas have also invested in large public sculptures, including Cooper-Young’s train trestle and The Edge’s silver, talon-like spire. Broad

Because they are inexpensive and serve to beautify an area as well as soften its harsh edges, murals are effective first steps toward revitalizing a neighborhood. This “buffalo mural” on South Main adds interest and warmth to what was previously a raw, ragged barrier blocking an empty lot.

Artist Mark Nowell created the talon-like spire on Marshall Avenue across from Marshall Arts, where it serves as a focal point for the intersection at the heart of The Edge neighborhood and draws tourists into the district. The piece plays an artistic role in making streets more walkable and desirable to businesses and visitors alike.

An ugly bare-board barrier that was slapped up to cordon off a construction site across from Central Station is now an eye-catching work of interest, adorned with the lyrics of of trained-themed songs penned by well-known Memphis songwriters.

“We believe that innovation provides

the foundation so people can turn ideas into

results and improve communities ...”


Social Benefits of the ArtsArtists as a subgroup have motivations and needs that create distinct benefits in a community. Some research shows that artists are far more likely to choose diverse, urban neighborhoods, play active roles in their communities, and work to address inequality. Artists and art programs create special social benefits, and there are links between cultural assets and positive neighborhood change:

• Cultural engagement contributes to quality of community life by reflecting and reinforcing social diversity and by improving social networks.

• Neighborhoods that are ethnically and economically diverse are more likely than homogenous neighborhoods to house cultural programs, cultural participants, and artists.

• Culturally active neighborhoods are more likely to maintain demographic diversity over time.

• Residents who are culturally active are more likely to be involved in other community activities.

• Cultural engagement generates cross-community connections that bridge traditional barriers of social class, ethnicity, and geography.

• Neighborhoods rich in cultural resources send participants to programs all over the city and draw outsiders to the neighborhood.

• Cultural engagement turns urban places into destinations, putting them on the map for individuals and communities who would otherwise not be aware of their existence.

• Many arts-based community development initiatives are specifically about creating neighborhood regeneration and social benefits for low-income residents.

University of Pennsylvania’s Social Impact of the Arts Project and University of Minnesota’s Arts Economy Initiative

Avenue is working to turn its iconic water tower into a similar signature piece of public art.

“When you start getting public art, you start seeing blighted buildings restored,” says Brown. “Our efforts began in 2006, and we’ve seen 29 significant property renovations along our corridor totaling more than $12 million. We’ve seen 17 new businesses, and we’ve brought more than 40,000 visitors to the area since 2006. I don’t know what the magnet would have been without art, because businesses don’t want to relocate unless they know they’re going to have traffic.”

FINISHING TOUCHES Traffic also comes from large promotional events like Cooper-Young’s annual Cooper-Young Festival, which attracted 100,000 people in 2011, and a monthly street-strolling event, Cooper-Young Night Out.

South Main has its monthly Trolley Tours, Memphis Farmers Market Downtown, and annual festivals.

Broad Avenue held a two-day street fair during which

the streetscape was altered with proposed bike lanes,

new parking, and green spaces, while small pop-up

businesses were staged in empty buildings. Broad also

hosts two arts walks per year.

“The area has progressed from box cars to what we

call the ABCs, which is Art plus Bikes plus Community,”

says Brown. “Memphis has the capacity to support

different arts areas, and you want different pockets

of neighborhoods that are livable and walkable. It

continues a national trend of people moving back to

the city’s inner core. People are looking to simplify and

also enrich their lives.”

An area’s creative scene indeed attracts the many com-

ponents needed to build success in the city. And just

like a work of art, economic redevelopment is never

truly complete.

Cooper-Young was a struggling neighborhood in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Today, it’s a hip, vibrant, artsy community brimming with shops, restaurants, festivals, and community activities. The neighborhood association applied for a grant to revive the abandoned, graffiti-covered trestle that serves as a gateway to the area. In 2000, Memphis metalsmith Jill Turman created 12 metal building replicas, and what was once old, scary, and off-putting became whimsical and inviting.

.Finally!A prescription with side effects you want.

Blueberries and red beans are powerful remedies against cancer. Research shows that fruits, vegetables, and other low-fat vegetarian foods may help prevent cancer and improve survival rates. A plant-based diet can also lower cholesterol.

For a free nutrition booklet with cancer fighting recipes, call toll-free 1-866-906-WELL or visit www.CancerProject.org


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AROUND TOWN EVENTSNew Orleans (Jun 16 at 6p, Fireworks Night; Jun 17 at 1:35p). Jun 27–28: Albuquerque.

Memphis Riverboats: 45 S. Riverside, 527-BOAT, memphisriverboats.net. Open Mar–Nov. Sightseeing cruises, dinner & music cruises, and airboat rides, RSVP.

Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum: Inside FedExForum, 191 Beale at Third, 205-2533, memphisrocknsoul.org. Tuesdays: Free admission for Shelby Co. residents w/ID, 2–7p. Thru Sep 30: Recorded in Memphis, showcasing the studios and engineers that continue Memphis’s musical legacy.

Memphis Zoo: 2000 Prentiss Place, 276-WILD, memphiszoo.org. See website for workshops, classes, and clubs. Thru Jul 8: Outdoor animatronic dinosaurs exhibit, $4. Thru Oct 31: Camel rides, 10a–5p daily, $5.

Metal Museum: 374 Metal Museum Dr, 774-6380, metalmuseum.org. Jun 8–Sep 2: Virgil England: The Hetlands, unique knife and weapon objects. Harlan Butt: National Parks Project, vessels inspired by our country’s parks. Thru Jun 24: Tributaries: Lauren Kalman, acupuncture jewelry.

Mississippi River Museum: Mud Island River Park, 125 N. Front, 576-7241, mudisland.com. Open Apr–Oct.

Mud Island Amphitheatre: 125 N. Front, 576-7241, mudisland.com. Open Apr–Oct. Jun 15, 16: Funk Fest Music Festival, 4p, $45+, funkfestconcerts.com. Jun 22: Norah Jones, 8p.

Mud Island Park: 125 N. Front, 576-7241, mudisland.com. Open Apr–Oct. Jun 9, 10: Civil War Sesquicentennial Event, 10a–5p, free jimmyogle.com.

National Civil Rights Museum: 450 Mulberry, 521-9699, civilrightsmuseum.org. 1st Thursdays: Film Series + Discussion, 6p. Jun 7, 14, 21, 28: Children’s Story Hour, 11a. Thru Aug 20: For All the World to See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights.

Orpheum Theatre: 203 S. Main, 525-3000, 800-982-2787, orpheum-memphis.com. Jun 1, 14, 15, 22, 28, 29: Summer Classic Movies, 6:30p social, 7:30p movie, $7, available only before the show. Jun 5–10: Mamma Mia!

Peabody Memphis: 149 Union, 529-4161, peabody-memphis.com. 1st Wednesdays: Master Taster’s Club Wine Tasting, 5:30p, Peabody Corner Bar. Thursdays thru Aug 16: Peabody Rooftop Parties, 6–11p, $10 includes 1 drink.

Pink Palace Museum: 3050 Central, 320-6362, memphismuseums.org. Jun 7–Aug 3: Lively learning demos on how sound works, Thu & Fri, noon, $5. Jun 12: Israeli Scout Musical Revue, 2–3p, free. Jun 23–Sep 23: Bigger Than T-Rex: Giant Killer Dinosaurs of Argentina. Thru Oct 14: Women of Strength, Women of Color, the lives of women who made a lasting impact on Memphis. Thru Oct 21: Memphis Celebrates King Cotton.

Playhouse on the Square: 66 S. Cooper, 726-4656, playhouseonthesquare.org. Thru Jun 3: A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline, tribute to the singer’s life and music career. Jun 29–Jul 22: Xanadu, the hit musical based on the cult film.

Run/Walk: Jun 2: Arthritis Walk at Shelby Farms benefits the Arthritis Foundation, 10a, 685-9060, letsmovememphis.org. Jun 2: Kidney Walk at Rhodes College benefits the National

(cont’d from page 17)


Ahoy, mateys! Check out the swashbuckling fun to be had in the June 3 Special Events listing.

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MY 2 CENTSinterview by Terre Gorham • photo by Chris Strain

Kris KourdouvelisParty Host of The Warehouse

I had a typical Midwestern upbringing in Centralia, IL. I was an only

child, but I was not a lonely child — I had lots of friends, and it was

important to me that I make a lot of friends so I’d have someone to play

with. I liked people.

When I was about four years old, we lived next to an electronics

shop. I loved junk and trinkets, and I’d climb into their trash bin looking

for anything that was interesting — timers, clocks, motors, and things. I

put them in my wagon and took them home, where I’d take them apart

just to figure out how they worked. My parents spread newspapers out

on the kitchen table so I could work. It gave me a great feeling to learn

how things were supposed to work.

About the time I was six, we moved toward the edge of town, where

there were even more kids, and we lived in a big oval neighborhood. I

always wanted to find out what was going on around me, and I’d roam

all over town with my friends. I was very curious about life and much

enamored with it.

My grandfather came over from Greece when he was 12. He

eventually opened a dry cleaners. My dad worked there until it closed

and then got a job as the executive housekeeper at a state institution

for mentally disabled children. He used to bring the kids to our home

for meals and holidays, so everyone had the experience of interacting

with different people.

My mother worked as a secretary for her father, who owned the oil

business I would eventually lead.

Throughout grade school, I was really into science and found the

world of medicine fascinating. I thought I wanted to be a doctor.

I taught myself to type blood and run other tests. I often talked my

babysitters into letting me draw blood from their fingertips, and by the

time they went home, they would know their blood type, Rh factor,

and red blood count! My mother’s friend ran a doctor’s clinic lab, and

in the eighth grade, I helped out on weekends and learned how to use

a microscope and count white blood cells, among other things. I also

helped with X-rays and ran tests.

I never had a “punch-the-clock” job in high school or college. I

photographed weddings to earn money, and it was a lucrative business.

By the end of my junior year, I had enough credits to graduate,

but I was having too much fun! Besides, I had been elected the senior

class president — in large part because everyone wanted me to be in

charge of all the reunion parties. By that time, I had thrown quite a few

successful get-togethers.

I chose the University of Tennessee at Martin because I wanted to

go to a school that was smaller, where I could talk to my teachers one-

on-one and be able to make friends easily. I wanted to get to know

everyone and not just be a number lost in the crowd. I made several

lifelong friends there — two of them were from Memphis.

After a couple of years, I decided I didn’t want to be a doctor, and

I changed my major to geology. My mother’s father was a successful,

independent oil producer, and there was some opportunity for me with

him. Upon graduating from Eastern Illinois University, though, I went to

work full time for a local oil well promoter as his chief geologist, where

I gained a lot of experience as we drilled wells all over southern Illinois.

I struck out on my own at age 23. I did all the geology, picked the

locations, leased the land, and sought out enough investors to drill

wells. It was exciting, and we hit oil, but in the end, the wells didn’t

make enough oil to be profitable.

My grandfather convinced me to join his firm in Illinois as geologist

and vice president in the mid ‘80s. We spent hours on his porch, where

he groomed me to take over his firm. When he died in 1991, I became

president and CEO of Seip Oil Properties and Seip Service and Supply,

a position I hold to this day.

All during this time, I’d visit my two UT–Martin friends in Memphis

at least once a year. In the mid ‘80s, they got involved as volunteers

for Memphis in May and persuaded me to sign up with them. I started

coming for extended weekends in May, renting a Downtown apartment.

It was a great gig because I got to spend time with my friends, hear

great live music, and eat incredible barbecue in between working the

beer stands.

I grew to love Memphis. I started renting a place to live on April

1 and staying here until after the Sunset Symphony. But I loved my

hometown in Centralia; I knew everyone there, and everyone knew me.

I never thought I would leave there.

I purchased The Warehouse in 1999 and started converting it into

a space where I could stay when I came into town. It wasn’t in the best

neighborhood at the time — although the neighborhood built up into

a wonderful community — but it was close to Tom Lee Park. That year,

my Memphis friends wanted a place to throw a millennium New Year’s

party, and because The Warehouse was so big and open, we figured

we’d have it here. I suppose that started everything, and I’ve been

hosting parties and charitable fundraisers here with the love of my life,

Sharon Gray, ever since.Continued on page 24 }


MY 2 CENTS} Continued from page 22

READ THE ENTIRE “MY 2 CENTS” ON OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.MEMPHISDOWNTOWNER.COM

}The very first party I ever hosted … was in eighth grade, when I volunteered to host our graduation party. Some college students who worked for my dad had a rock ‘n’ roll band, so he talked them into playing. I enlisted some girls in my class to decorate our basement. I told my teachers I had things under con-trol. When everyone got to the party, they were really blown away with it all. I kind of caught the bug for entertaining then and became known as the guy who threw a lot of the parties throughout high school and beyond.}The first party I hosted at The Warehouse after moving to Memphis … was for my friends and neighbors. Growing up an only child, I always made lots of friends so I’d have people to play with. When I moved to Memphis, it was just the natural thing to do to invite all my neighbors over so we could become friends.}The hardest part of throwing a party … is attending to the details. For example, setting a date that doesn’t conflict with other events. As for the physical party preparations, we pretty much have that down to a science!}A good party always includes … good music and good people.}The Warehouse began taking on its “party place” persona … I guess it was a couple of years after I moved here and met Sharon. Sharon and I let musicians come here to rehearse. The musicians put on a show just for the experience of getting in front of people, and Sharon and I decided we’d just make a party out of it and share the music with others. }The public’s biggest misperception about The Warehouse … is that it’s a public event space. People want to rent the space for functions, and we have to tell them, “But we live here! It’s our home!” To this day, people don’t understand that this is a private residence!}The average number of parties we host per year … is about a dozen — and that’s with us being out of town for four months out of the year.}I purchased The Warehouse because … it appealed to me in several ways. Foremost was its location Downtown, which is where I wanted to be. That was also a drawback because this was a dangerous neighborhood then, and The Warehouse had suffered from neglect. The building was originally built as a post office, and later housed Wellbrock Supply, a janitorial and dry-cleaning supply company. It was filled with shelving, which is what we eventually used to build the music stage. But when I bought The Warehouse, it was not for the intention of having parties.}My favorite party food … Personally, I love hot wings! As for the food we offer at a party, our staples include popcorn, pizza, and hot dogs.}The part of party hosting I like least … is not being able to fully enjoy the party because I’m working to make sure it is a success — but I love that part, too, so it all works out fine.}The first thing I do after the last guest leaves … is have a beer! During the party, I drink very little or not at all, so I drink a beer while Sharon and I relive the party together.}My love for live music came from … My parents enjoyed live music, and when I was young, they often took me to see local bands, even if they were just rehearsing in their garage. Mom often told me that “music is the universal language,” and that really stuck with me.}Most people don’t know that … despite my love for music, I can’t play an instrument or sing. I’m fascinated by those people who can. I tell people that I taught myself how to play the piano, only to find out that I am a horrible teacher!}In high school, I was named … most comical.}My father taught me … how to memorize. When I was in first grade, I memorized things like the preamble to the Constitution and the Gettysburg address. I can still memorize things fairly easily, although that’s not much needed in these times when everything is at your fingertips.}One of my personal dreams … is for all of the city’s music-related organizations to work together as a unified team.}One of the biggest risks I took … was shortly after becoming president and CEO of Seip Oil Properties. I borrowed more than $6 million to purchase a portion of a large German conglomerate’s U.S. holdings. I had never had a bank loan in my life! I guess I was too young to be scared, so I did it. The purchase tripled the amount of producing wells and increased our output fivefold. We were able to pay off the loan in four years.}From my father I got … my wit and thirst for knowledge. To this day, I want to learn everything.}I bought the former Motion Picture Laboratories building … as an investment. It was close by — 777 South Main — and I owned other properties in Illinois. I began renting office and studio space to companies and individuals in the music and film industry, providing an incubator-type environment. Scott Bomar’s Electrophonic Studio and Chris Scott’s Studio 777 currently operate out of there.}From my mother I got … She is very outgoing — doesn’t know a stranger. I got my smile from her, for sure!}In grade school, I got in trouble most for … talking!}I met the love of my life … in 2004. I was in Memphis, and at Silky Sullivan’s invitation, I led a Cotton Carnival parade. I saw Silky help a beautiful girl off one of the floats, and he said, “You should meet Sharon Gray.” I discovered how interesting and intelligent she is, and I learned that we share — among many other common interests — a real love and passion for live music, especially Memphis music. We hit it off, and I did some soul searching. I decided that Sharon was “the one” — and Memphis was, too — so I moved here.}People might be surprised to learn … that I’m actually quite shy, really.}If I could meet one person … I would choose a great inventor like Thomas Edison because I am so interested in how and why things work, and I love to build gadgets and inventions. Also, he is the father of the music and film industries, which I have such a desire to be involved with.}Memphis started growing on me because … of the people, more than anything else. Everyone was so inclusive and friendly. I fit in better here, and I am living a dream.}The little building at on the west end of the property … was originally a Pure gas station. I currently use it for storage.}My most recent venture … I partnered with some friends and opened the Double J Smokehouse and Saloon on G.E. Patterson. The last thing I ever thought I wanted to be involved with was a restaurant, but my partners know what they’re doing and love what they do. What really cinched it for me was that they put in a stage so we can showcase local musicians.}If I could make one change in the world … I would add an “undo button” — Ctrl+Z!}My final 2 cents … Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have. Satisfaction is being smart enough to know how to be happy with the results, even if they aren’t as grand as you might have thought they would be. Life is too short not to be happy.


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Now registering students Pre K3 through 6th Grade for 2012–2013 school year

For more information or a tour, call 870-735-1730 or visit

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Celebrating 75 years of Christian Education, and planning for another wonderful 75 years

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Kidney Foundation of West TN, 9:30a, 683-6185, nkfwtn.org. Jun 9: Gibson Guitar 5K Run-Walk at Beale and Second benefits St. Patrick Community Outreach, 7p, 726-0419, gibsonguitar5k.com. Jun 23: MLGW Walk United at Mud Island benefits United Way of the Mid-South, 10a, 348-5105, [email protected]. Jun 16: Steeplechase 5K at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 155 Market at Third benefits St. Mary’s food kitchen, 7p, 522-9420, steeplechase5k.racesonline.com.

Sharpe Planetarium: 3050 Central, 636-2362, memphismuseums.org. Thru Jun 2: Mars Quest: A visit to the mysterious red planet. Jun 9–Sep 8: Hubble Vision 2: A tour of the cosmos, from Earth’s orbit to the limits of the observable universe. Jun 16–Sep 8: Starlit Nights Live, a guided tour through the current summer night sky.

Soulsville USA: 926 E. McLemore, 946-SOUL, soulsvilleusa.com. Historic music neighborhood.

South Main Association: 578-7262, southmainmemphis.net. 2nd Tuesdays: Monthly public information meeting. 6p social, 6:30p program, $5 for nonmembers. June speaker: Congressman Steve Cohen at Felicia Suzanne’s, 80 Monroe.

South Main Historic Arts District: Between Vance and St. Paul, 578-7262, southmainmemphis.net. Last Fridays: South Main Art Trolley Tour, shops, restaurants, and galleries stay open late, 6–9p.

Southland Park Gaming & Racing: I-40 & I-55, exit 279A, West Memphis, 870-735-3670, southlandgreyhound.com.

Stax Museum of American Soul Music: 926 E. McLemore, 946-SOUL, staxmuseum.com.

Jun 13–Apr 15: Wattstax: The Living World, a special 40th anniversary exhibit.

T Clifton Art: 2571 Broad, 323-ARTS, tcliftonart.com. Distinguished art, artistic custom framing, hip location! Thru Jul 7: Mixed media paintings by Atlanta artist Christy Kinard.

Theatre Memphis: 630 Perkins Ext’d, 682-8323, theatrememphis.org. Jun 8–Jul 1: No, No, Nanette: Three couples are thrown together in Atlantic City to navigate scandal and rumors.

Uptown Neighborhood: 949-1309, uptownmemphis.org. Jun 9: Uptown BBQ Cooking Contest, set-up noon, judging 3p, free, Uptown Park, 949-1309.

Visible School: 200 Madison Ave, 381-3939, visibleschool.com. Jun 16: The Gospel of Memphis Concert, 7p, free, 309-3090.

W.C. Handy Home: 352 Beale, 527-3427.

W.C. Handy Performing Arts Park: 200 Beale, 526-0115, bealestreet.com.

Walking Tours: Downtown Courthouse: Host Jimmy Ogle, 604-5002, jimmyogle.com. Jun 21: Meet on courthouse steps, Adams & Second, noon, free.

Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum: 680 Adams, 526-1469, woodruff-fontaine.com. Jun 6–Aug 5: Southern Summers, exhibiting cool cotton textiles and a few summer traditions of early Memphians.

Submit events for calendar consideration:

[email protected].

We publish citywide events that are open to the public.

AROUND TOWN EVENTS (cont’d from page 21)

Mixed media art by Allison Furr-Lawyer and Kim Baldock surprise and delight at D’Edge Art and Unique Treasures through June 15.

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The Woodruff-Fontaine House is dressed for summer! Learn what it took to keep cool during the hot summers of early Memphis in Southern Summers, on exhibit June 6–Aug. 5.

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If hiring a personal chef lands on your wish list somewhere after a five-car garage, you haven’t seen the typical client roster of many personal chefs. Memphis’s longest-serving personal chef, Carol Borchardt, is into her 10th year, and her clientele is as varied as their tastes.

“I’ve got families who are just too busy to cook,” says Borchardt, owner of A Thought for Food. “I’ve got vegetarians, vegans, people trying to lose weight or with health issues, and people who can’t or don’t cook. They find that when they add up the money spent on eating out, convenience foods, impulse purchases, and discarded produce they had good intentions of using, they could easily afford a personal chef coming into their home and cooking something fresh and healthy.”

Personal chefs such as Borchardt typically work in clients’ kitchens preparing three to five entrees with accompanying side dishes in one cooking marathon of five to eight hours. Each meal is tailored to a client’s taste preferences, dietary restrictions, or medical considerations. She stores the meals in separate containers in the

refrigerator, leaves instructions for heating each dish, then cleans and leaves the kitchen as she found it. When the family comes home, their meals are ready when they are.

There are a few steps to take before fork meets mouth.

It typically starts with a phone conversation, followed by a no-obligation consultation and discussion of the client’s tastes and preferences. When Borchardt makes her first visit, she also asks about any non-culinary issues — like what to do with the dog. A service agreement details the personal chef’s role and the client’s role to ensure smooth service. Then it’s time to schedule the first cooking date and develop a menu. Preparing meals in the client’s home is a key part of keeping

Borchardt’s business in compliance with health regulations and guidelines.

“Always make sure that your personal chef is preparing the food either in your home or at a licensed commercial kitchen,” she says. “They can’t cook meals in their home and deliver them to you. I have a business license, am a member of the American Personal & Private Chef Association, and hold the same food handler’s certificate that’s required of restaurant managers. It’s good to check credentials.”

Almost every client has special dietary requirements, so personal chefs face some challenges.

“I had a college student with Crohn’s disease,” Borchardt recalls. “She needed to follow the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, and there’s a science behind that diet. But she loved to cook, so I just helped the family develop recipes and meals that adhered to the restrictions. Now she can do a lot of her own cooking.”

From carbohydrate-specific to gluten-free, vegan to healthy carnivore, personal chefs rely on the ability to adapt, find new solutions, and keep clients’ palates guessing.

“It can be very challenging sometimes,” says Borchardt. “It’s also a lot of fun. One of my newest customers is vegan, and they try to not consume any fat if possible. So I took the opportunity to experiment at home with making a vegan cheddar cheese without fat.”

Menu planning is always a team sport. “If the client requests something I don’t have in my repertoire, I research it,” she says. “Some give me family recipes or recipes that they used to make themselves but can’t anymore. I also maintain a selection of menu options on my website. Really, the sky’s the limit.”

The strangest thing she’s ever cooked?

“Dove pie!” she says. “I’d never worked with dove before, but the client had the birds ready and waiting. The recipes I found didn’t seem practical, so I took a coq-au-vin recipe and reworked it.”

While Borchardt may be happy to try her hand at dove pie, there are some differences between a personal chef and a private chef. Private chefs are employed by one person and prepare meals

daily in that client’s home. Personal chefs are self-employed, carry more clients, and cook several meals at a time, which makes the price tag on personal chef service significantly lower. While each client’s service needs differ, all told, the cost per meal lands around the price of an entree at an upscale restaurant.

Personal chefs also do the grocery shopping for the menu and will pick up incidental items the client needs, such as bread or eggs. She shops right before she heads to the client’s kitchen for a solid day of cooking several dishes at once.

“Remember the old Ed Sullivan Show and the guy who used to spin the plates?” she asks, laughing. “That’s what I feel like all day; I’m spinning plates.”

But it’s a spinning challenge that contains many personal rewards.

“One of my clients had a really bad day at work,” Borchardt remembers. “I had made several pots of soups for her because she loves soup. I found this message on my answering machine: ‘Carol, I cannot tell you how delicious this soup is, and it feels like somebody loves me.’ Things like that are the icing on the cake.”

A Thought for Food Personal Chef Service 901-230-8357, athoughtforfood.com

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story and photos by Elizabeth Cawein

PersonalChefs


Full restaurant profiles are paid advertising. For information on how to get your profile in our Restaurant Guide, call 901-525-7118 or email [email protected].

EATING OUT & ABOUTA & R BAR-B-QUE 24 N. Third at Court • 524-5242

ALCENIA’S 317 N. Main • 523-0200

ALFRED’S ON BEALE 197 Beale • 525-3711

ALLANAH’S BREAKFAST CAFE 86 N. Main • 521-9393

ARCADE RESTAURANT 540 S. Main • 526-5757

AUTOMATIC SLIM’S 83 S. Second, 525-7948

B.B. KING’S BLUES CLUB 143 Beale • 524-5464 bbkingclubs.com Inspired by an authentic Delta juke joint, this club at Second and Beale includes B.B. King photos and memorabilia, along with a reputation for fun, food, and music. Live music nightly with the world’s finest musicians, including the energetic solid rock, soulful, groovy house band, All Stars. Casual dining with a variety of Southern comfort food fused with flavors from around the globe. The lip-smacking BBQ ribs and white cheddar mac and cheese are legendary.

BANGKOK ALLEY 121 Union • 522-2010

BARDOG TAVERN 73 Monroe • 275-8752

BEALE STREET TAP ROOM 168 Beale • 527-4392

THE BISTRO AT COURT SQUARE 75 Jefferson • 522-2200

BLEU RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 221 S. Third • 334-5950 downtownbleu.com Something fresh just bleu into town. A bold and flavorful restaurant and lounge that reflects the deliciously unique melting pot that is America. Executive Chef Robert Nam Cirillo gives the standard fare — and your discerning palate — a flavorful boost. A neu Downtown favorite is born where guests are treated to culinary delights that include the signature corn and blueberry salad, grilled pork and grits, and salmon roulade. Jazz in the lounge every weekend.

BLIND BEAR 119 S. Main • 417-8435

BLUE MONKEY BAR & GRILL 513 S. Front • 527-6665

BLUE PLATE CAFE 113 Court Square South 523-0332

BLUEFIN 135 S. Main • 528-1010

BLUES CITY CAFE 138 Beale • 526-3637 bluescitycafe.com Open early for lunch and late-night for dinner. Dine in or carry out. Enjoy the best meal on Beale, from BBQ ribs and catfish to the best steaks in town. Live entertainment nightly in the Bandbox. Cadillac Room available for 10 or more. Featured on Travel Channel’s “A Taste of America,” Food Network’s “Bobby Flay Show,” in Bon Appetit magazine’s “BBQ Issue,” and Southern Living.

BLUFF CITY COFFEE 505 S. Main • 405-4399

BOGIE’S DELI 80 Monroe • 525-6764

THE BRASS DOOR 152 Madison • 572-1813

BUTCHER SHOP STEAK HOUSE 101 S. Front • 521-0856

CAPRICCIO GRILL The Peabody Memphis 149 Union • 529-4199

CENTER FOR SOUTHERN FOLKLORE 119 S. Main at Peabody Pl 525-3655

THE CHEESE CAKE CORNER 113 G.E. Patterson • 525-2253

CHEZ PHILIPPE The Peabody Memphis 149 Union • 529-4188

CITY MARKET GROCERIES & DELI 66 S. Main • 729-6152

CLUB 152 152 Beale • 544-7011 club152memphis.com Open daily 4pm–4am; opens 11am in warm months. Three floors of fun! First floor: live dance music every night plus pizza, sandwiches, pasta, and salads. At Mustang Sally’s on level two, put some funk in yo’ trunk! Level three, “The Shadows,” Memphis’s #1 upscale club, open weekends only for members or by invitation.

COCKADOOS 85 S. Second • 590-0610

COURT HOUSE DELI 22 S. Main • 527-2253

COYOTE UGLY SALOON 326 Beale • 888-UGLY

COZY CORNER RESTAURANT 745 N. Parkway • 527-9158

DENNY’S 166 Union • 522-1304

DON DON’S HOTWINGS & SOUL FOOD 782 Washington • 521-9593

DOUBLE J SMOKEHOUSE & SALOON 124 G.E. Patterson • 335-0251

DREAM BERRY FROZEN YOGURTS 94 S. Main • 343-0685

DYER’S HAMBURGERS 205 Beale • 527-3937

EARNESTINE & HAZEL’S 531 S. Main • 523-9754 earnestineandhazels.com You’ve got to see this historic bar! The famous Soul Burger sizzles for lunch 7 days a week. Lunch delivery of 4 or more available Mon–Fri for just $5 per burger. Tucked in the back of this storied building, the cozy, 16-seat, 5 Spot restaurant serves fine dining fare accompanied by white tablecloths, candles, and a jazz jukebox. Bring your own wine! Open daily 11am–3am.

EIGHTY3 83 Madison • 333-1224

ELLIOTT’S RESTAURANT 16 S. Second • 525-4895

ESCAPE ALLEY SUNDRY 651 Marshall • 581-3639

EVELYN AND OLIVE 630 Madison • 748-5422

FELICIA SUZANNE’S 80 Monroe • 523-0877

FERRARO’S PIZZERIA & PUB 111 Jackson • 522-2033

THE 5 SPOT 531 S. Main • 523-9754

FLIGHT RESTAURANT 39 S. Main • 521-8005

FLYING FISH 105 S. Second • 522-8228

FLYING SAUCER 130 Peabody Place • 523-PINT

FRANK’S MAIN STREET MARKET AND DELI 327 S. Main • 523-0101

FRONT STREET DELI 77 S. Front • 522-8943 Memphis’s oldest delicatessen, since 1976. Breakfast served till 11am. Hot/cold sandwiches, plate lunches, homemade desserts, and salads. Beer served. Sidewalk cafe. Mon–Fri 7am–2pm.

THE GREEN BEETLE 325 S. Main • 527-7337 Inside the oldest tavern in Memphis — opened in 1939 by grandfather Frank from Sicily — original pieces from the past intermingle with remodeled modern amenities, and casual Italian fare is scratch-made from old family recipes and local ingredients. The neighborhood restaurant — still family owned — is famous for G-Mama’s

lasagna, homemade meatballs, subs, and salads. Full bar, TVs, patio seating, and sis’s made-from-scratch desserts. Open 7 days.

GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN 310 S. Front • 527-4877

HAMBURGERS AND MORE 3 S. Main • 545-0048

HAPPY MEXICAN 385 S. Second • 529-9991

HARD ROCK CAFE 315 Beale • 529-0007

HOOTERS RESTAURANT Peabody Place at Third 523-9464

HUEY’S DOWNTOWN 77 S. Second • 527-2700

THE INN AT HUNT PHELAN 533 Beale • 525-8225

ITTA BENA 145 S. Second • 578-3031 ittabenamemphis.com Tucked away worlds apart from Beale Street, this exclusive, upscale restaurant is designed after the speakeasies of the ’20s, with an unmarked, discreet entrance. Itta Bena combines upscale Southern contemporary cuisine with a Delta influence. Enjoy an intimate signature martini in the private lounge. We’re a favorite with local and visiting celebrities … for obvious reasons. Join us. Dinner daily 5pm. Third floor above B.B. King’s Blues Club.

JOHNNY G’S CREOLE KITCHEN 156 Beale • 528-1055

K-JAY’S BAR AND GRILL 88 N. Main • 570-8201

KAMIDA 160 Union • 525-5491

KING’S PALACE CAFE 162 Beale • 521-1851

KOOKY CANUCK 97 S. Second • 578-9800 kookycanuck.com Locally owned in the heart of Downtown, award-winning Kooky provides a fun, unique dining experience for all ages! Comfortable lodge setting serves “Americana” food with a Canadian twist, including poutine, BBQ egg rolls, Glenna’s meatloaf, catfish, prime rib, veggie burgers, skillet desserts, and the famous 4-lb Kookamonga burger — free if eaten within one hour! Table-top s’mores, kids’ menu, private parties. Open daily 11am–1am; bar open until 2:30am.

KRISPY KRUNCHY CHICKEN 51 S. Main • 524-5465

KUDZU’S BAR & GRILL 603 Monroe • 525-4924

LENNY’S SUB SHOP 22 N. Front • 543-9230 153 S. Main • 529-4377

LIL’ ANTHONY’S CAFE 341–45 Beale • 672-8510

LITTLE CAFE ECLECTIC 111 Harbor Town Sq. • 590-4645

LITTLE TEA SHOP 69 Monroe • 525-6000 Downtown workers have lunched here since 1918 for the best of Southern home cooking. Plate lunch standards include chicken pot pie, catfish, greens with hot sauce, black-eyed peas, and cobblers for dessert. Iced sweet tea is the authentic drink, and the decor, like the food, is homey and comforting in the middle of a stressful day. Works by local artists adorn the walls, adding to the feel of lunching in a cozy home. Mon–Fri 11am–2pm.

LOCAL GASTROPUB 95 S. Main • 473-9573

LUNCHBOX EATS 288 S. Fourth • 526-0820

MADISON AVENUE CAFE 143 Madison • 730-1373

MAGGIEMOO’S ICE CREAM & TREATERY 125 S. Main • 522-1912

MAGNOLIA GRILLE 250 N. Main • 527-7300

THE MAJESTIC GRILLE 145 S. Main • 522-8555 majesticgrille.com Home of the “Unforgettable Sunday Brunch” 11am–3pm. What began in 1913 as the Majestic Theatre is now a 1940s-style bar and grill, with an upscale, uniquely Memphis ambience and great food at reasonable prices, specializing in steaks, fresh seafood, flatbread creations, and gourmet burgers. Open daily at 11am. Kitchen open late.

MARMALADE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 153 G.E. Patterson • 522-8800 Marmalade Restaurant believes that sharing the South’s best-kept eatery secrets is one of our major contributions to Memphis’s population. Marmalade’s food offers the taste of home. This includes our grilled steaks and pork chops, Southern fried catfish and chicken, fresh garden vegetables, seafood gumbo, cornbread, and homemade peach cobbler. Full-service bar, on-site parking, and music with R&B, soul, and jazz DVDs. Facilities for group meetings and dinners. Tue–Thu 6–9pm, Fri–Sat 6pm–midnight.

EATING OUT & ABOUT (cont.)

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Granite Bathroom Vanities starting at $150.00 each. Call for details.

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MAX’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL 115 G.E. Patterson • 528-8600

MCEWEN’S ON MONROE 120 Monroe • 527-7085

MESQUITE CHOP HOUSE 88 Union • 527-5337

MISS CORDELIA’S GROCERY 737 Harbor Bend in Harbor Town 526-4772 • misscordelias.com Delicious sandwiches made to order, homemade daily soups. Fresh-baked breads. Authentic, fresh, fun dishes to enjoy at our table or on the patio with a bottle of beer — or to go. Call for catering needs. Cordelia’s Table open daily 7am– 9pm.

MISS POLLY’S SOUL CITY CAFE 154 Beale • 527-9060 misspollysmemphis.com Authentic soul food heats up Beale Street! Fried chicken and waffles, home-cooked vegetables like Mamma made, and all the down-home trimmings that make soul food a Southern tradition. Open daily.

MOLLIE FONTAINE LOUNGE 679 Adams • 524-1886

MOVIE AND PIZZA COMPANY 110 Harbor Town Sq. • 527-2233

NEELY’S BAR-B-QUE 670 Jefferson • 521-9798

ONIX RESTAURANT 412 S. Main • 552-4609

PA PA PIA’S 83 Union • 521-4331

PAULETTE’S 50 Harbor Town • 260-3300

PEABODY DELI & DESSERTS & THE CORNER BAR The Peabody Memphis 149 Union • 529-4000

PEARL’S OYSTER HOUSE 299 S. Main • 522-9070

PIG ON BEALE 167 Beale • 529-1544

PIZZA ITALIA 1 175 Peabody Place at Third 644-2021

PIZZA ITALIA 2 164 Union (across from The Peabody) 644-2021 Walk in for pizza by the slice at this authentic New York –style eatery located across the street from the historic Peabody Hotel. You’ll swear you’re in Manhattan! We also use our fresh ingredients to make gyros, Philly steak sandwiches, calzones, and made-to-order New York and Chicago-style pizzas. Five-star rating from Urbanspoon. We deliver! Mon–Thu 11am–10pm, Fri 4pm–midnight, Sat noon–2am, and Sun 1–9pm.

PURPLE HAZE 140 Lt. George W. Lee • 577-1139

REHAB DISCO 94 S. Front • 523-0275

RENDEZVOUS 52 S. Second • 523-2746

RENEE’S SANDWICH SHOP 202 G. E. Patterson • 525-2963

RIO LOCO 117 Union • 523-2142

RIVERSIDE GRILL 694 Riverside • 527-3946

RIZZOS DINER 106 G.E. Patterson • 523-2033

RUM BOOGIE CAFE 182 Beale • 528-0150

RUMBA ROOM 303 S. Main • 523-0020

RUSSWOOD PARK SPORTS BAR & GRILL 160 Union • 525-5491

SAIGON LE 51 N. Cleveland • 276-5326

SAM’S HAMBURGERS AND MORE 94 N. Main • 543-9977

THE SILLY GOOSE 100 Peabody Place • 435-6915

SILKY O’SULLIVAN’S 183 Beale • 522-9596

SKY GRILLE 668 Union • 521-9778

SOUTH OF BEALE 361 S. Main • 526-0388

THE SPAGHETTI WAREHOUSE 40 W. Huling • 521-0907

SPINDINI 383 S. Main • 578-2767

STARBUCKS 201 S. Third • 334-5940

SUBWAY SANDWICHES & SALADS 85 N. Main • 543-3782 110 Auction • 521-9753

SUPERIOR RESTAURANT 159 Beale • 523-1940

TEXAS DE BRAZIL 150 Peabody Place • 526-7600

TGI FRIDAY’S 185 Union • 523-8500

THAI BISTRO 149 Madison • 343-0303

TJ MULLIGAN’S 362 N. Main • 523-1453

TROLLEY STOP MARKET 704 Madison • 526-1361

TUG’S 50 Harbor Town Sq • 260-3344

2 GUYS CAFE 50 N. Front • 755-7312

WANG’S 113 S. Main • 523-2065

WESTY’S 346 N. Main • 543-3278 EatAtWestys.com We’re the Downtown restaurant with enough ambience that movies such as The Firm, The Rainmaker, and 21 Grams choose to film here. “Break the chain” and eat locally. We’ve served Memphis incredible food since 1983, so bring family and friends to the Pinch District and explore our extensive, diverse menu. Make sure to finish your meal with our world-famous hot fudge pie! Open daily 10–3am year-round; delivery 11am–2pm and 5pm–2am.

WET WILLIES 209 Beale • 578-5650

WRAPZODY GOURMET WRAPZ 99 N. Main, Ste 101 • 503-9842

ZAC’S CAFE 175 Peabody Place • 579-3300

Hungry to see your

restaurant profiled? Call 525-7118, ext. 17


For years, I have felt that society needs a greater sense of whimsy. We have become too serious with an inability to laugh and poke fun. To that end, I take it upon myself to inject whimsy into professional situations. Doctors. Real estate agents. Insurance professionals. County mayors. I look for situations in my non-whimsical sphere that might benefit from a jolt of jocularity, a flickering of snickering, or a small token of jokin’.

Case in point: When Janice and I decided we should step into the adult world of home ownership some 20 years ago, we began the process of contacting real estate agents, scouting for homes, and preparing financial matters for the grand inquisition of presenting one’s “papers” to the mortgage professionals.

We were told to have all documentation necessary to prove our credit worthiness: financial accounts, stock portfolios, and all other reflectors of solvency. I prepared, even placing bright, shiny dimes in my penny loafers. I was no financial slacker and intended to prove it.

As the arbiter (let’s call her Prudence) sorted through the stack, she nodded politely and occasionally smiled up at us, as if to say, “You have performed your duties well, my friends.” As Pru neared the bottom of the stack, I snickered. Janice shot me an “oh-my-Lord-what-have-you-done-now” countenance as Prudence gazed at a single piece of paper printed in fancy script. Her smile gave way to puzzlement.

“You have a letter from Publishers Clearing House. Did you win?”

“Oh, no,” I said. “But I feel very good about it this time!”

Pru regained her composure. “Well, we can’t count that.” I really hadn’t expected a sense of humor, but hope was my guide.

Whimsy No. 2: Now that I bore the responsibility of home ownership, I considered the need for a significant increase in life insurance. I contacted my

agent (let’s call him Farquard) to let him know I was about to throw some money his way.

I signed the necessary papers — on every yellow-highlighted line — pulled out my checkbook, filled in the dollar amount, and then hesitated, my pen hovering over the signature line. I could hear Farquard’s heart hammering.

I pushed the checkbook aside and looked him square in the eye. “Farquard, if my wife calls and asks for payoff specifics in the case of ‘accidental death’” — my fingers made a dramatic air-quote gesture here — “please call me immediately. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

He stared. I felt certain he had gone into a fugue state back when I stopped writing the check. Finally, he nodded. I signed the check and went on my way, realizing he might simply be immune to whimsy. Some people are, you know.

Next whimsy: Home ownership and the travails of age sent me packing to the emergency room in search of a doctor — or at least someone with pain medication. After the CT scan of my innards, Doc called. “I have examined the scan, and we see

nothing. Do you have any idea what could have caused your gastric distress?”

The opportunity presented itself. “Well, Doc, this might have to do with a small metal piece planted inside me during an alien abduction on the outskirts of Millington some 15 years ago.” Silence, and then a snicker. “Sure, alien abduction. Why not?” Ah, whimsy had finally come to life in the form of a young gastro.

And then there was the instance of glad-handing the county mayor at a corporate gathering. I was there doing my duty as a

communications specialist for the event sponsor. His mayorship stepped into

the room, and I stepped into action.

“Bilgewater,” I queried, “how the heck have you been?” Flanked by his lackeys, surrounded by his minions, propped by his P.R. flacks — none of whom had ever met me, including the mayor — he looked

flummoxed by this dude who was acting like an old drinking buddy.

He quickly regained his composure, flashed a smile, took a quick gander at my

nametag, and boomed, “Dave, man, it’s been a long time!” He pumped my hand and sped away. Yeah, it had been a long time — as in never. Sometimes you have to make whimsy happen, even at the expense of a politician. My guilt continues to this day.

I remember standing in a grocery store checkout line. A sign read, “Trouble with computers. Please bare with us.” I stepped up to the counter, smiled at the checker, pointed to the sign, and said, “I’m sorry, but I do not get naked with just anyone.”

She eyed me warily while scanning my groceries. As I accepted my change, I tried to enlighten her. “You might tell your manager that the proper spelling for your sign is b-e-a-r.” Evidently the lesson was lost. I’m lucky she didn’t call the cops.

So here’s the point: Potential for whimsy is with us always. Embrace it. Look for whimsical opportunities. Besides, if it’s fun and no one gets hurt, isn’t that reason enough for a bit of whimsy?

SO IT

GOE

S

On a Whimby David Tankersley

a unique, not-to-be-missed exhibit April 15 - June 22Icons in T ansfo mation

r r

in memory of Dottie Jones

Calvary Episcopal Church102 N. 2nd St. • Downtown Memphis

901-525-6602www.calvarymemphis.org/icons

www.courtsquarecenter.com 866.282.8541© Jeffrey Jacobs Photography

Stunning New Apartments.Court Square Center, three iconic buildings that combine historic reconstruction and modern architecture, all on a single city block at the center of downtown Memphis.

Call 866.282.8541 to book a private tour or for more information.

Lowenstein BuildingAward winning conversion of 19th Century department store with distinguishing ceiling heights, cast iron columns and varied windows.

Lincoln American TowerThoughfully restored 1925 gothic office tower with the privacy of small floorplates - two to three apartments per floor.

CA2 Court Annex 2

Modern design and function overlooking a park setting. Glass curtain walls make this the consumate urban treehouse.

downtowner

Documents

calvary episcopal

historian

cotton boll

themed songs

pink palace

patrick community

mud island

octagonal