APRIL 2010 FASHION FOR YOU • YOUR HOME • YOUR LIFESTYLE
Waterfront Living ATHOMETN.COM
Fresh Spring Fashions | Memphis’ Amy Howard Nashville’s Belle Restaurant
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID ROBERTS
contents april 2010
COVER FEATURES
48 Waterfront Living
20 Fresh Spring Fashions
HOUSE WITH A VIEW
SPRING AWAKENING
Cast sweaters aside and opt for light, airy looks this season. These eight great fashions from Tennessee shops blend feminine styles and bold shades to create the ultimate springtime ensembles.
To accentuate the breathtaking views of Fort Loudon Lake throughout his Lenoir City home, Mark Matlock incorporated ample windows and a natural color scheme into each room. A disappearing infinity pool and the expansive body of water are just the icing on the cake of this luxurious lakeside retreat.
46 Memphis’ Amy Howard
78 Nashville’s Belle Restaurant
THE HEIRLOOM CREATOR
BELLE—A SOUTHERN-INSPIRED CAFÉ
Amy Howard, owner of the Amy Howard Collection based in Memphis, combines her talent and artistic eye to create ageless furniture. “I want to be the one making the antiques,” she says.
Sample shrimp and grits at Belle Restaurant in Nashville or take on the gigantic 205 Burger during your visit to this Southern-inspired cafe.
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contents april 2010 62
66
30
80
SELF
bread Festival.
30 SPRING INTO BEAUTY
44 SPRINGTIME IN THE SOUTH
Step into spring with fresh new colors and this season’s best beauty products.
Welcome the season with historic home pilgrimages and art festivals. From Mississippi events to Chattanooga’s 4 Bridges Art Festival, the South has tons to offer in the springtime.
32 SHAPE UP FOR SUMMER Combine spinning class and toning exercises this month to sculpt a bikini-worthy beach body. Also learn simple ways to curb caloric intake.
HOME & GARDEN 58 WHY GIVING MATTERS
With tons of smartphone applications and websites dedicated to managing allergies, it’s easy to keep track of your family’s health on the go.
In June, look for coverage of St. Jude‘s dream homes fundraiser in At Home Tennessee. This month, find out why giving matters.
38 THE INSIDER’S GUIDE TO WASHINGTON, D.C. While well-known landmarks are must-sees in the nation’s capital, don’t overlook the city’s unique neighborhoods. Learn where the locals go and why in this behind-the-scenes look at Washington, D.C.
40 OUTDOOR ADVENTURES From Dollywood’s Splash Country to a picnic at Pickwick Lake, the state has plenty of ways to cool off.
42 FESTIVAL FUN FOR EVERYONE Ever wanted to sample jalapeno and ham cornbread? This month, South Pittsburg hosts the 14th Annual Corn8 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
68 EDIBLE GARDENING Save yourself a trip to the grocery store and plant your own vegetable garden this spring.
FOOD
34 ALLERGIES ON THE GO
TRAVEL
coat of paint? Learn the ins and outs of painting in this article.
60 SPRUCE UP YOUR HOME FOR SPRING
80 MY FAVORITE THINGS PARTY Celebrate a few of your favorite things this month with a party full of doit-yourself decor and mouthwatering treats. Not only will it be a great time—you’ll also learn tons about your friends!
Bring the outdoors in with these do-it-yourself projects from interior designer Teresa Zilinsky.
IN THIS ISSUE
62 ADD SPRING STYLE TO YOUR SPACE
70 by invitation—THE SOCIAL PAGES
Brighten your interior instantly with colorful accessories. From pillows to vases, we’ve got a pop of color for you.
64 CONQUERING YOUR CLOSET Tackle your closet clean-out with advice from experts at Memphis’ More Than Closets and Organize By Design.
66 TRANSFORM YOUR HOME WITH COLOR What better way to brighten up your home for spring than with a fresh
12 PUBLISHER’S NOTE
76 COOKING CLASS 88 SEE AND DO: TITANIC 90 SEE AND DO: TN’S TOP DOGS 92 BOOK REVIEW
94 HAPPENINGS 97 SOURCES 98 FINANCE
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April 2010 • Vol. 9 No. 1 PUBLISHER/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Margaret Monger - mmonger@athometn.com
EDITORIAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nikki Aviotti - naviotti@athometn.com MANAGING EDITOR Lindsey Phillips - lphillips@athometn.com SOCIETY EDITOR Lesley Colvett - lcolvett@athometn.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Fletcher, Terri Glazer, Jordana White CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Sarah Dobbins, David Roberts COLOR MANAGEMENT Charles Reynolds - cr@colorretouching.com WEB MASTER Donna Donald - donna@donnadonalddesign.com INTERNS Lauren McDermott and Katja Zurcher
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Virginia Davis - vdavis@athometn.com Hilary Frankel - hfrankel@athometn.com Janna Herbison - jherbison@athometn.com Carrie Russell - crussell@athometn.com Marcelle Schraer - mschraer@athometn.com Scharlene White - swhite@athometn.com REGIONAL SALES Melissa Hosp - mhosp@athometn.com
BUSINESS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Trip Monger - tmonger@athometn.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Ginger Goforth - ggoforth@athometn.com
HOW TO REACH US 671 N. Ericson Rd., Suite 200, Cordova, TN 38018 TOLL FREE 877.684.4155, FAX 866.354.4886 WEBSITE athometn.com BEAUTY INQUIRIES beauty@athometn.com WEBSITE INQUIRIES web@athometn.com At Home Tennessee does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. To inquire about freelance opportunities, send a letter, resume and three writing samples to - Lindsey Phillips, Associate Editor, At Home Tennessee; 671 N. Ericson Rd., Suite 200, Cordova, TN 38018.
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE Call 877.684.4155 or subscribe online at athometn.com. Annual subscription rate: $19.95. Single copy price: $4.99. At Home Tennessee is published 12 times a year. Postmaster: Send address changes to At Home Tennessee; 671 N. Ericson Rd., Suite 200, Cordova, TN 38018. We make every effort to correct factual mistakes or omissions in a timely and candid manner. Information can be forwarded to Lindsey Phillips; At Home Tennessee; 671 N. Ericson Rd., Suite 200, Cordova, TN 38018 or by e-mail to lphillips@athometn.com.
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publisher’s note
Tennessee Adventures March is behind me but never forgotten. For years, our spring break has been spent with just the four of us, traveling out west for our snow skiing fix. With our daughter away at college and on a different spring break schedule, we decided to try something different this year. My husband, son, two of his friends (Hugh and Terry) and I packed up and headed for a trip across Tennessee. It started with a bang in Nashville when our school, St. Georges, won the state basketball championship. I wondered how we could top that. Well, two more days in Nashville at Opryland Hotel, then a trip to Knoxville to visit Aunt Dorothy and crew at “Camp Moseley” quickly answered that. Then we traveled west to Gatlinburg where we covered everything on the strip, snow skied at Ober and anxiously awaited the Moseley crew and two more boys to join us in Gatlinburg for great weekend and the long waited experience of Zorb. Our last night’s dinner at Hard Rock Café was the ultimate end to a perfect week. The week was filled with laughter as well as lessons. I learned so many things traveling with these boys that I will never forget such as: If you give a girl money to spend at the mall, she shops for clothes; boys, however, shop for weapons and look for girls shopping for clothes. Thank God for pancake houses. Don’t let the boys eat a huge meal and talk you into watching a simulated ride with them in a closed in, small space. If there are 50 weapon stores in a three block range, the “seen one seen them all” rule does not apply. Hugh and my son Duncan like to ski; however Terry does not. Terry loves deep fried Oreo cookies and has no problem letting you know when he spots them while driving. I don’t like haunted houses when my guides are Duncan, Hugh and Terry. You don’t want to watch Tennessee play Kentucky at Mr. Gatties with an entire table of Kentucky fans across from you and when one of the friends your nephew brought with him happens to be Bruce Pearl’s son. A little rain doesn’t put a damper on boys’ fun as long as they can still get in a 12-foot plastic ball with 10 gallons of warm water and roll down a hill at 30 miles an hour. Boys entertain themselves as easily as hiding food in the ceiling tiles from each other. Boys never outgrow putt-putt golf or getting to sit in the car from the Dukes of Hazard. Randy, at Hard Rock, can’t stump our boys on rock trivia, especially when we have Terry and the questions have to do with Metallica. Thanks to the great state of Tennessee for offering such a wide variety of fun for kids of all ages. Thanks Eric, Dorothy, Jackson and Parker for the great time in Knoxville and for bringing friends and joining us in Gatlinburg and most importantly, thanks to Duncan, Hugh and Terry for making my spring break 2010 a week to remember. Happy spring everyone and no matter where you live in Tennessee, adventure is just around the corner. If laughter is the key to your adventure, just add teenage boys and remember the Febreze!
In March’s “Travel Mississippi” article a picture of Holly Springs was incorrectly labeled “Corinth.” We regret the error. 12 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
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contributors’ page
www.haljaffe.com
Lesley Harris Colvett is pleased to rejoin At Home Tennessee magazine. Her 10-year career in magazines began promptly after graduating from the University of Missouri – Columbia School of Journalism as editor of RSVP magazine, where she covered countless parties in Memphis. Most recently, she was one of the founders of by invitation Kansas City, a social magazine in Kansas City. Lesley is proud to bring social pages to Tennessee!
Mila Grigg is the president of MODA Image Consulting. MODA Image Consulting is creating better relationships, better jobs and happier lives from coast to coast. Life begins with you, your image and your brand. Visit modaimageconsulting.com to learn more or call Mila to discover how your image can improve your life!
Marty Marbry is West Tennessee Regional Manager for the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, a position she has held since 2005. She works with 21 counties developing tourism opportunities, creating and implementing strategic marketing plans and working with local, regional and national media to inform about the importance of tourism to the local and state economies. She also serves as the department liaison.
Mel Headley has owned Handyman Connection in Memphis since March of 2000. The business specializes in worryfree small-to-medium-size home improvement, repair and remodeling services performed by professional craftsmen who are licensed, bonded and insured and have a minimum of 10 years experience in trades such as carpentry, painting, window and door repair, tiling and remodeling work.
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contributors’ page
Stephenie Ward
is a registered dietitian who partners with clients of various medical and fitness backgrounds at Germantown Athletic Club. Her clinical experience includes pediatrics, cardiovascular disease, lifecycle changes, diabetes, obesity, eating disorders, osteoporosis and athletes desiring improved athletic performance. Outside of work, Ward enjoys training for triathlons, playing the violin, cooking and spending time with her family of five.
Becky Fox
is a certified personal trainer, nutrition consultant and owner of the Knoxville-based personal training and boot camp company, Fox Fitness. Becky enjoys helping individuals lose fat and tone their bodies through fun, efficient and challenging workouts. She has written for various publications including the Knoxville News Sentinel. Becky is an Optimum Nutrition sponsored fitness model who can be seen on the covers of Power Systems and Magazine Blu. You can learn more about Becky by visiting her sites at foxfitness.com or womenathomeworkout.com.
Stephanie Alexander
is a wedding and event planner and owner of You’re Invited Events in Nashville. Stephanie specializes in social events throughout the state of Tennessee. Helping her clients carry out their vision and truly making each event unique is her passion. She earned an MBA from the University of Memphis and a BBA in marketing and Spanish, and her extensive business background allows her to approach each event with the client’s budget and timeline in mind. Stephanie is also an avid entertainer, chef and baker and loves expressing her creativity through do-it-yourself projects. You can learn more about Stephanie by visiting her website at yistationery.com or her blog at yievents.blogspot.com. April 2010 • athometn.com | 15
PHOTOS courtesy of dreamstime.com 18 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
Claude Brown “Lillian” tank with beaded necklace, Claude Brown multi-color skirt all available at Frankie and Julian’s, Pelle Moda “Shantel” open toe platform booties in black available at Posh, Green Hills Opposite: Claude Brown rainbow maxi dress, Kim Gambrell “Fruition” earrings all available at Southern Couture Gianni Bini “Harbor” gladiator flats in “fenix yellow” available at Dillards, CoolSprings Galleria
Spring Awakening Greet the season with fresh, feminine styles, bold hues and daring details. See Sources for Details. MODEL Brittany Myers | PHOTOGRAPHY Sarah Dobbins | STYLING Mila Grigg | HAIR and MAKEUP Beth Ann Kreuter | LOCATION Gaylord Opryland Hotel
Tibi silk chiffon cami, J Brand pencil leg white jeans all available at Mam’selle Latico framed clutch, available at Posh Bangle, available at Southern Couture Antonio Melani wedges in “cristal orange” available at Dilliards, CoolSprings Galleria
Esley dress available at Gin-O Nina “Ulexa” sandal in “lt yellow multi” available at Dillards, CoolSprings Galleria
“Walkabout” shorts in yellow, “Lisbet” blouse all available at Anthropologie Gianni Bini “Boa” heels in “snow” available Dillards, CoolSprings Galleria Cuff available at Gin-O
Catherine Malandrino pointelle chain dress available at Lola B. Gianni Bini “Gretchen” satchel in orange, Gianni Bini “Cobra” shoe in “sand gold” available at Dilliards, CoolSprings Galleria
Lynn Ritchie Silver dress available at M.S. McClellan Vince Camuto bag in “bone� available at Dillards, CoolSprings Galleria
Thara “Bali” dress and cuff available at Posh necklace available at Anthropologie Kim Gambrell “Fruition” earrings available at Southern Couture Gianni Bini “Natal”heel in “blush” available at Dillards, CoolSprings Galleria
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self
Spring into Beauty
Spring has (finally) sprung! Isn’t everyone so tired of the gloom of the cold months? So say goodbye to dark winter colors this April and welcome pretty pinks! Feminine and flirty are what it’s all about this spring in both fashion and beauty. Trade dark hued nail polishes for this light pink color from Chanel. If your hair is dry and dull from all the cold, make sure to repair with Porosity the Fix for flawless warm weather tresses. Don’t get caught looking so last season! Pick up these great products for spring, and don’t forget to try cat-eye makeup for a daring evening look. We’ve got the how-to on page 31. TEXT Nikki Aviotti
Bobbi Brown Beach Shimmer Brick bobbibrowncosmetics.com White Sands Hair Care “Porosity the Fix” Repair Treatment whitesandsproducts.com
Chanel nail color in “Mistral” chanel.com
philosophy “The Color of Grace” Amazing Grace Coloring Book philosophy.com 30 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
Estée Lauder “Bronze Goddess” compact esteelauder.com
self
Get the Look: Winged Cat Eyes 1. Use a precision camouflage brush to apply gloCream eye liner, shaping color along eyelid. 2. Sweep powder shadow across lid with a smudge brush. 3. Using an angled eye brush, press color into eyelid and blend into the crease. 4. Line eyes along the lash line and inner eyelid.
gloMinerals gloCream eye liner in ebony gloskincare.com
gloMinerals metallic smoky eye kit gloskincare.com
All glominerals products mentioned are available at gloskincare.com April 2010 • athometn.com | 31
self
Shape up for Summer Conquer your beach-season fears by slimming down and toning up. Cut calories safely with these tips and get into shape by combining a spin class for cardio with these at-home toning moves.
Spin Your Way to Slim Consider Cycling Enroll in this cardio-based group exercise class to tone legs and burn calories. Cycling classes are great for different fitness levels and are held indoors on stationary bikes. Instructors incorporate two basic types of terrain—flat and hills—as well as different resistance levels and positions to create variety and mimic situations a cyclist would encounter when riding on the road, says Becky Fox of Fox Fitness in Knoxville. For bikers, cycling class is a great way to train in the off-season.
Calorie blasting cardio Spinning can burn 400-600 calories per class with the average session lasting 45 minutes to an hour, Becky says. To determine how hard you’re working, calculate your target heart rate, which usually falls between 65 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. To find your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220 (for your maximum heart rate) and multiply that number by .65 or .85. “Using a heart rate monitor is a great way to measure this,” Becky suggests. While a tough interval may raise your heart rate above the target number, it should generally stay in the calculated range. “If it’s below, step it up a notch,” she says.
Curbing Caloric Intake TEXT Stephenie Ward, Registered Dietitian, Germantown Athletic Club
Counting calories can be tedious, challenging and overwhelming if you seldom analyze food labels. Before drastically cutting calories, review your current portion sizes and cut back a fourth or fifth from what you normally consume. Americans tend to underestimate their current caloric intake so when they cut their average 2,500 to 5,000 calories per day intake down to 1,200 to 1,500, they feel drained of energy and hungry. This causes the body to go into starvation mode resulting in a weight loss plateau or bingeing. If you are unaware of the nutritional value of what you consume and are searching for a recommended caloric intake in order to gain, maintain or lose weight, a reliable source for a meal plan is mypyramid.gov. Research the nutritional content of what you are currently eating by using the new My Food-a-pedia tool available on the website. This tool will allow you to determine if you are consuming too much or not enough of a certain food group. Each person is unique and fad diets do not guarantee long-term health benefits. There is no “one perfect food” so strive to incorporate a variety of foods from each of the recommended food groups into your diet plan. Nutrient-rich foods will provide the protein, energy, vitamins and minerals your body needs. Below are tips to help you enjoy all food groups:
Spin Supplies In the beginning, regular tennis shoes and workout gear are fine, but frequent spinners should consider upgrading gear to include clip-in spin shoes (for a more effective and powerful pedal stroke) and padded cycling shorts or a padded seat cover to prevent soreness. Cycling gloves will help minimize sweatinduced slippage as well as soreness and numbness of hands and spinners should be sure to have a towel on hand—you’ll definitely be sweating. But don’t forget—a water bottle is the most important part of your spin supplies. “Pick one that’s easy to drink from while riding,” Becky says.
•Shop the four corners of the supermarket rather than the aisles, where items are usually processed, canned or frozen.
Mix it up
•Whole grains and high-fiber breads are in the bakery. Look for whole-grain breads that are 100 calories or less a slice.
Because spinning does not work the leg muscles evenly, it’s not a good idea to spin every day. Incorporate cross training exercises to avoid imbalances and injuries, according to Becky. Engage in other types of cardio one or two days during the week as well as resistance training to balance muscles like hamstrings, glutes and the inner thighs. “It’s also a good idea to include some upper body resistance training as well,” she suggests.
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•Frozen veggies can be a healthy alternative to fresh but avoid those with added high-fat sauces and other unnecessary ingredients. •Fresh fruits are better than dried fruits because they offer higher water content and a recommended serving size is lower in calories, sodium and sugar.
•In the dairy and organic food aisles you can find lowfat milk and milk substitute products. •When in the deli opt for lean proteins in the meat, fish and poultry sections that are labeled lower in sodium and fat.
Toning Techniques
self
Summer is on its way! Are you ready to squeeze into that bikini, shorts or tank top? If your answer is “No, not quite yet” or “Absolutely not!” then now is the time to start working toward that beach body. If you’re not already incorporating cardio into your exercise routine, make sure you do so you can start burning off fat. This may include running, biking, taking an aerobics class or hopping onto the elliptical. Make sure you are incorporating a sweat session 3-5 times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes. Now, to tone your body make sure you are hitting the weights. Adding some muscle will help you drop the pounds faster as well as give you a lean, toned appearance. Add these exercises into your routine to start shaping up legs, abs and arms so they can be beach-ready for the summer! Repeat each exercise 12-15 times using a weight heavy enough to fatigue those muscles. TEXT Becky Fox | MODEL Becky Fox
Plank with Alternating Dumbbell Row Works: core, shoulders and back Place your body in a plank position as at the top of a push up, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Keeping your stomach tight and back flat, row your right arm up to your side squeezing your back and abs as you pull up. Return to start and repeat on the other side. If this exercise is too difficult on your toes, start on your knees.
Ball Curl Works: hamstrings, glutes and core Lie on the floor with your feet on top of a stability ball. Raise your hips off the floor squeezing your glutes and keeping your abs tight. Once you are stable, slowly bend your knees and roll the ball in towards your body. Return to start and repeat.
Ball Transfer Works: abs, hips Lie on the floor holding a resistance ball in your hands with your feet straight up in the air. Slowly lower your arms with the ball overhead while also lowering your legs toward the floor. Be careful to keep your lower back pressed to the floor. If your back starts to arch do not lower your legs any more. The stronger you get the lower your legs will be able to go. Slowly lift your arms and legs back up transferring the ball to the feet. Again, lower your arms and legs toward the floor. Keep transferring the ball back and forth until you complete a full set. April 2010 • athometn.com | 33
self
Allergies on the Go Need help managing allergies? There’s an app for that. From pollen forecasts to handheld health journaling resources, technology has not overlooked this common health concern. TEXT Virginia Steele, Healthcare Business Development Consultant | PHOTOS courtesy of Trip Monger, dreamstime.com
I
t’s that time of year again. Spring means fresh flowers, warm weather and allergies. It’s a problem to which every one can relate. For moms, kids or asthmatics, allergies can be more than just problematic—they can even be life threatening. But wait, there’s good news. Technology has come to the rescue in a surprising way. There are new options and more tools we can use; more we can do than just the traditional precautions of old. Your phone and the internet can make allergy season much more livable this year. More importantly, these tools can help parents teach children how to manage their own allergy issues when Mom and Dad are not there to support and guide them. Here are a few of the best allergy related applications.
Pollen and Mold The first sign of allergy season is pollen. We breathe it before we know it is there. Soon we can see it, but by then it’s too late. WebMD (webmd.com) has a new locationdriven site that provides local forecasts for grass, weeds and tree pollens. This knowledge can be very advantageous when planning your day or week, activities and needed medicines to control allergy symptoms. Another similar and 34 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
helpful application that aids in identifying specific allergens is Pollen Lite, available on the iPhone. This free tool allows you to select your zip code and reports the pollen count and the specific source of current allergens in your area. Further features allow you to record your activities, symptoms, their intensity and the medications administered, ultimately creating an allergy journal for future discussions with your physician. Asthma Asthma Journal Free, also available through iPhone, provides patients with a daily journal to track symptoms, triggers and medications. Each journal entry is a questionnaire designed by physicians. It is a flexible tool that creates a personal asthma health dashboard, allowing you to view all journal entries at a glance and then adjust your lifestyle to promote wellness. Asthma Journal Free connects to your personal account in Google Health and updates it so you can chart the data and share it with family, friends and physicians. This is an enormous aid for children under the care of babysitters, at camp or traveling with friends or family on vacation. If you have not tried it out, take a moment to look at Google Health.
The site allows you to store and manage all of your family health information in one central place. All you need to get started is a Google username and password. The premise is your medical records are yours, you should have easy access to them, as well as control with whom they are shared. It is a simple way to keep your doctors up-to-date, stop filling out repetitive paperwork with different physicians and avoid duplicate tests by having your most current lab information accessible. It is an extremely useful tool to maintain ready access to all your family medical records, regardless of your location, and share all of this information with those whom you choose, when you choose. Food Allergies Food allergies can be even more difficult to manage. Even when food allergens are known, identifying them in food ingredients is highly complex and difficult to discern. Allergy Guard Lite is another free application aiding in the identification of allergens in your food. Of course extreme care should still be taken regarding food consumption, as there can be no guarantees about a product’s preparation. Even so, this is still an excellent reference tool and one which gives
self a clear indication of food ingredients to avoid. iCanEat OnTheGo Gluten & Allergen Free™ (allergyfreepassport.com) is one more example of how mobile technology can give those coping with food allergies the ability to eat safely. It is difficult to take the time to carefully study the menu and attempt to select safe foods in food establishments, especially for teens and kids. How great it is to quickly check your app and find the restaurant and the safe foods for you, then order alongside the rest of the group? iCanEat OnTheGo Gluten & Allergen Free™ gives you just that freedom. The website for this iPhone application is an excellent resource offering a wealth of information for allergy management and with a special focus on food allergies and international and domestic travel concerns. Another excellent resource is The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (foodallergy.org) This site provides access to educational communities specific to your particular food allergen, as well as videos and other resources for children, teens and adults. You can also sign up for email food alerts, giving you the most current information on food allergies. All of these applications are easily downloadable on an iPhone or through the internet. The majority are free at this time, while the others do have a nominal subscription fee. Children relate to these technologies, especially when it is just the touch of the icon on their phone. Even more important is their personal growth experience and the assumption of control over their health by using precautions regarding activity and properly administering allergy control medications without it coming from Mom or being managed by Mom! Then finally, the end result is an organized and written report of personal and family health matters.
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travel
An Insider’s Guide to Washington, D.C. For a true D.C. experience, look below the surface of the nation’s capital and visit sites the locals favor. Sample a chocolate donut brew in nearby Alexandria or exchange euros for falafel in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. (Don’t worry—the restaurant accepts dollars too.) TEXT Willow Nero | PHOTOGRAPHY Willow Nero
Y
ou spent day one staked out in front of the White House. After wandering around the various government structures, you ended up on the wrong Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th and unsuccessfully reenacted Jenny and Forrest’s jaunt through the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Maybe you even saw President Obama. Nevertheless, the general vicinity of the capital can be a boring place once you’ve had your fill of the gray federal buildings, T-shirt vendors and protestors. Try these vibrant neighborhoods for a vision of D.C. straight out of the movies:
Capitol Hill and Eastern Market Here you’ll find plenty of the iconic Victorian row houses with manicured herb and flower gardens slightly reminiscent of Tom Cruise’s digs in A Few Good Men. Getting closer to Eastern Market, the number of adorable couples with pampered babies and pug dogs grows exponentially with every block. Stop by Good Stuff Eatery (goodstuffeatery.com), run by Chef Spike Mendelsohn from Top Chef Chicago, for one of the city’s best inexpensive gourmet hamburgers and a toasted marshmallow shake. You can’t explore Eastern Market itself without visiting the flea and produce market (free samples!) and brunching at the short order counter on a Saturday. Make time for a pit stop at Capitol Hill Books (capitolhillbooks-dc. com), a darling used bookstore where 38 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
you’ll find foreign language selections on a shelf in the restroom (“In this country, foreign languages are in the toilet.”)
Georgetown If you’re in the market for pricy art and swanky shoes, Georgetown is for you. The neighborhood boasts a history older than D.C. proper, probably the longest stretch of upscale purse and shoe retailers in the city, and it’s by far one of the most exciting places for random wandering. The Key Bridge connecting Georgetown to Virginia makes for a picture-perfect afternoon run, especially when the Georgetown University rowing teams are practicing on the Potomac. For a real challenge, jog up (or just gander up) the eerie steps featured in The Exorcist. The line for Georgetown Cupcake (georgetowncupcake.com) often winds around the building on weekends, so plan ahead. Reservations aren’t as hard at Clyde’s (clydes.com), a local mixed-fare chain with a regal interior, suitable for special occasion dinners or more casual ones. Critics also love Two Amys Pizza (2amyspizza. com) off Wisconsin. If you’re already there, walk north a bit more to see the imposing Russian Embassy (à la Burn After Reading) and the National Cathedral (nationalcathedral.org).
Dupont Circle Dupont’s entirely gentrified these days, but it’s still a hot spot for anyone wishing to feel a little more youthful.
The area is peppered with hot clubs like Lucky Bar (lucky-bar.com), the Eighteenth Street Lounge (eighteenthstreetlounge.com), the Hunt Club, and others with fun themes like Science Club (scienceclubdc.com) and the Madhatter (madhatterdc.com). Young professionals flock to Kramerbooks & Afterwords (kramers.com) to catch up over appetizers or desserts. Plus, the bookstore-restaurant combo stays open late. Other dining options vary from truly imported steak frites and rabbit in mustard sauce at Bistrot du Coin (bistrotducoin.com) to cheap Greek at Zorba’s Cafe (zorbascafe.com). If you’re into embassy-spotting, Dupont is great territory for a game of “name that flag and accent.”
Alexandria Not a part of D.C. according to its residents, but spoken for by those in the District, Old Town Alexandria is a cute detour in Virginia. King Street makes for another great window-shopping opportunity with antique shops, handmade jewelry stores, wine and cheese vendors and even a few retail chains. The free King Street Trolley will take you to the waterfront, where you’ll find the famed Torpedo Factory museum and art center (torpedofactory. org) that pays homage to Alexandria’s World War II weapons history. The area has other museum options too, like an apothecary museum and National Masonic Memorial (gwmemorial.org) honoring George Washington. The crowd
travel
gets rowdy singing old Irish folk songs in Murphy’s Grand Irish Pub (murphyspub.com), but Gadsby’s Tavern (gadsbystavernrestaurant.com) has an even older feel because it’s partially a museum. If you’re into strange brews, check out Shenandoah Brewing Co. (shenandoahbrewing.com) closer to the Van Dorn St. metro station. It’s quaint but well worth the payoff of a chocolate donut stout and banter with their friendly regular clientele.
Adams Morgan Adams Morgan is not for the faint of heart. Actually, that’s a lie. Some of the buildings look as though their porches might crumble off into the alleyways, but this is the entire intrigue of 18th Street NW. Here Ethiopian curio shops, authentic-ish Dutch falafel at Amsterdam Falafelshop (euros accepted) (falafelshop. com), greasy pizza slices bigger than your head, the fish tank-lined Reef bar (thereefdc.com) and consignment outlets blend to make a mishmash of grace and grunge. Late night or not, Julia’s Empanadas (juliasempanadas.com) are a must. Definitely swing by the closeby (and free) National Zoo (nationalzoo. si.edu) during daylight hours to say hello to the capybaras.
Miscellaneous You can’t speak of hot spots in D.C. without mentioning the slightly gritty U Street corridor housing the city’s hottest music venue, the Black Cat (blackcatdc. com), great coffee and sandwiches at the revolutionary-inspired Busboys and Poets bookstore and cafe (busboysandpoets.com) and Ben’s Chili Bowl (benschilibowl.com), a D.C. institution. H Street is a little funkier with a burgeoning nightlife scene that includes the H Street Country Club (thehstreetcountryclub. com), noted for its D.C.-inspired miniature golf course composed of national monuments and local points of interest. Back downtown, restaurants like Wolfgang Puck’s The Source (wolfgangpuck. com) inside the Newseum (newseum. org) or PS 7’s (ps7restaurant.com) and Corduroy (corduroydc.com) offer finer fare of the acclaimed variety. Just keep in mind, D.C.’s got something for everyone, so don’t limit yourself to mainstream activities for your entire stay. April 2010 • athometn.com |39
travel
Outdoor Adventures As the weather grows warmer, everyone is itching to get outside. Whether you’re searching for a family friendly picnic locale or an Olympic-worthy rafting course, we’ve found some of the best outdoor water excursions in Tennessee. TEXT Lauren McDermott and Katja Zurcher| PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of Kay Kinnard
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et outdoors this spring and take advantage of Tennessee’s aqua offerings. With Olympicworthy whitewater rafting, scenic picnic locales and top-notch hiking trails, there’s no reason to stay inside. Whether you’re packing up the family for a day trip to Pickwick Lake or embarking on a relaxing river cruise, we’ve got a great destination for you.
For the Family Dollywood’s Splash Country (dollywood.com) features more than 23 water adventure slides and thrill rides, making this a great family-friendly water activity. New for 2010 is the Slick Rock Racer, a giant mat slide that spans 300 feet with four waterdrenched lanes. Splash Country’s Riverside Trading Post sells everything you need for water park fun, from swimsuits and towels to sunscreen, while Dollywood’s restaurants and concession stands offer snacks including barbecue, burgers and shaved ice. After a long day in the sun, relax under one of Splash Country’s shaded rentals. You can choose one of the shaded Cascade Canopies for two or a Riverside and Waterside Retreat for the whole family. Cascade Canopies come with lockers for personal belongings, and the Riverside and Waterside Retreats include secure storage, a 27-inch satellite television, 40 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
lounge chairs and a table with dining chairs. Pickwick Lake (731.689.3129) offers a large array of activities, from fishing and golfing to camping. The lake has two public boating ramps, and all types of boats are allowed on the body of water. Pickwick Lake is famous for its smallmouth bass and Tennessee River catfish, so make sure to pack your fishing rods. The park’s day-use area also offers six picnic pavilions that include tables, grills and nearby restroom facilities, so you and your family can cook out by the waterfront. Don’t forget that you can’t go to the lake without taking a refreshing dip in the water. The park has both indoor and outdoor pools, along with three swimming beaches on the lake.
For the Thrill-Seeker Pigeon River’s breathtaking scenery helps make this site, skirted by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee National Forest, Martha Sundquist State Forest and the Appalacian Trail, a great whitewater rafting locale. Through Rafting in the Smokies, you can personalize your trip based on experience. If you are looking for thrills and adventure, opt for the Class III or IV rapids. If you have young children or just want a relaxing rafting ride to enjoy the scenery, Class I or II rapids are just what
you are looking for. The Ocoee River was used for the 1996 Summer Olympic whitewater competitions with its famous milelong Olympic whitewater course and a four-and-a-half-mile rafting area. Located in the Cherokee National Forest, the river runs through a scenic gorge surrounded by both wildlife and natural beauty. Rafting trips guided by Ocoee Rafting run on weekends throughout April, May, September and October and daily during the summer months. Ocoee River Rafting has a highly experienced staff with a reputation of being some of the best guides on the river and a matchless safety record. Each staff member promises their guests a gripping adventure that no one will want to miss! So whether you’re looking for the rush of rapids or just a quiet afternoon peacefully drifting down the river, the Ocoee has it all.
For the Nature Enthusiast Blue Heron Cruises (blueheroncruises.com) in Ashland provides options for everyone. Starting in May, pack a picnic lunch and board the three-hour Saturday morning Kids Adventure Cruise or enjoy 90-minute nature cruises in April. With snacks and beverages available onboard and a private party rental option, Blue Heron Cruises are great for parties, reunions and church groups.
travel
Depending on the season and the birds’ movements, you could see kingfishers, cliff swallows, bank swallows, American bald eagles, osprey, double-crested cormorants, prothonotary warblers, mallard ducks, wood ducks, wild turkeys, white herons and Canada geese. Fall Creek Falls State Park stretches over more than 20,000 acres, and is home to the highest waterfall in the eastern United States, White Fall Creek Falls, at 256 feet. Other waterfalls in the park include Piney and Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades. Fishing boat rentals are available year round, and with a valid Tennessee fishing license, you can fish the 345-acre Fall Creek Falls Lake. Paddle boat and canoe rentals are available April through October as well as pontoon boat rides which can be arranged through the programming staff. If you feel like a swim, Fall Creek Falls offers an Olympic-sized swimming pool and a wading pool. There are more than 34 miles of hiking trails around the park, and you can opt for short or long walks around the lake and to and from the base of Fall Creek Falls. The Obed Wild and Scenic River stretches along the Cumberland Plateau. Some of the river’s biggest draws are canoeing, kayaking and rafting. With three different difficulty classifications (II-IV), the Obed is one of the best whitewater rivers in the eastern United States. It’s also a great spot for fishing. Smallmouth bass, bluegills, catfish and muskie populate the Obed’s waters. Visitors can also opt for a relaxing hike along the riverbed to experience the breathtaking scenery of the park. And don’t forget rock climbing. The Obed’s sandstone rock provides an exciting challenge for experienced climbers, with several hundred climbing routes throughout most of the park.
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travel
Festival Fun for Everyone This month, experience cornbread like you never have before during South Pittsburg’s annual National Cornbread Festival and celebrate art in Chattanooga and Knoxville. TEXT Marty Marbry, Katja Zurcher | PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of State of TN, South Pittsburg
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ituated in one of the most scenic valleys on the banks of the Tennessee River, South Pittsburg becomes the Cornbread Capital of the world once a year when cooks from all walks of life vie for the title of national champion during the National Cornbread Festival (nationalcornbread. com). Plan your trip now because this year’s festival, designated one of the Top 20 Events by the Southeast Tourism Society, takes place April 24-25 and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Although it started off as a small, regional festival the event has grown to include more than 1,000 volunteers pulling together each year to give local residents and visitors alike the time of their life. Just 25 miles west of Chattanooga off Interstate 24, South Pittsburg will transform for the 14th Annual Cornbread Festival. Plan on spending at least one full day at the festival but be prepared; you won’t want to miss day two! With crafts and art, singing, dancing, agricultural displays, cornbread cook-offs, historic homes tours, antique car shows and so much more, there is just no way you can see and do it all in one day. There are also lots of good things to eat in Cornbread Alley! For $2 you get to sample nine different cornbreads, and this is not your mother’s Jiffy mix. Taste Mexican cornbread, broccolicheddar cornbread, Raymond’s jalapeno and ham cornbread, Cornbread Fritter Surprise, Very Berry cornbread, cracklin’ cornbread fritters, M&M cornbread cake
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and Timberlake hushpuppies. To make Cornbread Alley even better, all of the proceeds go to local charities.
Local Lodging If you’re looking for a place to stay while in South Pittsburg, your choices are as plentiful as the activities during the festival. From local motels to campgrounds, pick your level of comfort and get ready to have fun. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery at one of these campgrounds. Raccoon Mountain Caverns and Campground (racoonmountain.com) is the ideal place to stay while in the area. Conveniently located at the base of Raccoon Mountain, this facility offers full-service sites, water and electric sites, primitive camping sites and even genuine log cabins. With hiking trails, a swimming pool, batting cages, a playground, horseshoes, volleyball, tetherball and a large activity field, there is always plenty to do. Hales Bar Marina and Resort (halesbarmarina.com) includes land cabins, floating cabins and impressive RV sites. With lots of activities and the beautiful Tennessee River and Nickajack Lake, you may find yourself booking a place for more than a weekend getaway. The Galley restaurant, waterslide and miniature golf course are now open, allowing for even more fun while at Hales Bar. Lookout Mountain KOA (koa.com) invites folks to unwind, but with so many great activities who has time? Start your day off hiking your way
through 15 acres of forest and natural landscape then cool down in the freeform pool. On Friday and Saturday enjoy the one- hour horseback trail rides. If that is not enough then head on over to the disc golf course and play a round. Accommodations also include heated/air conditioned rustic cabins or cottages, or you can camp under the canopy of the forest while enjoying a nice campfire. Hotel chains such as Holiday Inn Express and Comfort Inn are located in South Pittsburg as well, so you can always find a place to rest, relax and get a good night’s sleep. —Marty Marbry
Other Fun Festivals in Tennessee Art Appreciation in Chattanooga Named as a “Top 100 Fine Arts Show” by Sunshine Artist magazine, the 10th annual 4 Bridges Art Festival features original art for every taste and budget, from contemporary to traditional, by national, regional and local artists. The festival attracts many visitors including amateur art buyers and serious collectors because of its extensive selection. The 150 artists are chosen out of about 550 applicants and work in a wide variety of media including painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, fiber, wood, metal and more. The festival is held at the First Tennessee Pavilion in Chattanooga on April 17-18 and is one of the highest profile cultural events in the city. 4 Bridges Art Festival
travel also features live music from local and regional artists such as Hudson K and Sweet Georgia Sound, food and drinks from the “Art of Cuisine,” and handson projects for kids taught by trained art educators. Serving a significant role in supporting the artistic and cultural strength of the community, the festival represents an overall $1.5 million in economic impact over the course of the weekend. The Association of Visible Art offers a festival scholarship to five top artists, and at the end of the festival merit awards are presented to outstanding exhibitors. Admission is $5 for adults 18 and over and free for children under 18. Be sure to take part in this special event. You will definitely find something oneof-a-kind. Visit 4bridgesartsfestival.org for more information.
Knoxville’s Dogwood Arts Festival Celebrating the cultural and natural beauty of eastern Tennessee, the Dogwood Arts Festival of Knoxville is coming upon its 50th anniversary in April. The month long festival’s events range from “blue jean to black tie.” With such an exciting range of activities, expect even the unexpected. Be sure to attend the Dogwood Parade, twisting through the streets of downtown Knoxville, the Diva Luncheon, featuring a wearable art fashion show and historic tours and art fairs galore. The festival events are held all over Knoxville in many different and exciting venues. Visit the festival website, dogwoodarts.com, for a full list of event dates, times and locations. Featuring a vibrant mix of blooming flowers and trees, fine arts, crafts, theater, dance, American music, film and literary arts, the Dogwood Arts Festival is an ideal way to celebrate spring. The Dogwood Arts Festival is a non-profit organization whose mission is to strive to help support arts education in schools, promote visual and performing arts and to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the region. Included in the festival’s elaborate repertoire are The Very Special Arts Festival and the Dogwood Arts Student Art Show featuring the creative skills of children ranging from kindergarten through high school. Come be a part of the Dogwood Arts Festival’s special mission as you enjoy the innovation of Tennessee fine arts along with the emerging scenic beauty of spring. —Katja Zurcher April 2010 • athometn.com | 43
travel Oxford
Starkville
Celebrate Springtime in the South Spring in Tennessee and Mississippi means festivals, historic home tours and celebrations. Here are some great ones going on this month. PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of Holly Springs CVB, Starkville CVB, Oxford CVB, Tupelo CVB
Experience History in Columbus Experience Columbus, Mississippi’s annual Spring Pilgrimage on April 5-17. It is an award-winning event that over its 70-year history has earned a coveted reputation as one of the best and most authentic collections of historic home and garden tours in the South. Many tour homes feature recreated activities of the 1800s complete with period attire. Homes on this year’s tour include Amzi Love, Belle Bridge, Bryn Bella, Colonnade Garden, Corner Cottage, Hamilton Hall, Riverview, Rosedale, Rosewood Manor, Shadowlawn, Snowdoun, The Stephen D. Lee Home and Museum, Temple Heights, The Tennessee Williams Home, Twelve Gables, Waverley Mansion, White Arches and Whitehall. Pilgrimage-goers can also enjoy Tales from the Crypt, a popular, fun-for-thewhole-family event that brings to life noted personalities interred at Columbus’ historic Friendship Cemetery. Tales is an award-winning program made up of dramatic vignettes that are researched and presented by history students attending the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women. Other events occurring during pilgrimage are the Living History and Artisans Alley, the second annual Tour of Kitchens benefiting the Columbus Girlchoir, the Giant Possum Town Yard Sale and Grilling on the River—the Kansas City Barbecuesanctioned Magnolia State BBQ Championship and Food Fair. A block party on April 5, Noon Tunes on Thursdays, carriage rides, double-decker bus rides and walking tours will also be available to enrich your Columbus Spring Pilgrimage experience—one you will long remember! For more information call 800.920.3533 or 44 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
visit columbus-ms.org.
A Celebration of Preservation in Corinth Nothing says “spring” in the South like a city home tour. Although many towns host these events, the Home and Garden Tour in Corinth, Mississippi, on Saturday, April 24 has a special purpose—to raise funds for the Verandah/ Curlee House. A National Historical Landmark, the Verandah/Curlee House was built in 1857 by Hamilton Mask, a founder of Corinth. During the Civil War, the Verandah/Curlee House, serving as headquarters to several generals, was the site of order number eight, resulting in the Battle of Shiloh. Currently, the house is experiencing structural problems and the organizers of the Home and Garden Tour hope to aid the preservation efforts by featuring three historic properties on Fillmore Street in Downtown Corinth: the Oak Home, Columns and the Fillmore Street Chapel. The Oak Home, built in 1856, was headquarters for Confederate General Leonidas Polk and Federal General Alfred Pleasant during the Civil War. Columns, built in 1896, has been used for both commercial and residential purposes and has recently undergone a major refurbishment. The Fillmore Chapel, circa 1871, is the oldest church building in Corinth. Music will be performed inside the Chapel throughout the day of the tour. Admission for all three sites is $10. Hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Other activities include a fine art auction; a Greens & Things Tent featuring plants, yard art, bird houses and hanging baskets; and a Sweets & Things Tent offering homemade breads and sweets. For more information, call 662.415.1999 or corinthhometour.org
Enjoy Art and Scenery in Ridgeland
It takes a delicate touch to create culinary masterpieces, patience to weave a perfect basket and vision to transform a lump of clay into a piece of graceful pottery. This and more has helped Ridgeland, Mississippi, grow from a small artists’ colony to a premier shopping destination. The city is home to the Mississippi Craft Center, unlimited shopping venues and now the Viking Cooking School. If you appreciate great food, the Viking Cooking School is the place to indulge your passions. The school offers recipe ideas in hands-on and demonstration classes. The Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444mile, All-American Road and National Scenic Byway meanders through the city with miles of scenic trails and a roadway perfect for recreation. You’ll find 157 types of birds, state parks, riding trails, historic interpretations, American-Indian artifacts and cultural and heritage opportunities along the way. The 33,000-acre Ross Barnett Reservoir features parks, campgrounds, boating, fishing, swimming, paved trails, pavilions, disc golf and wildlife viewing. Situated near the parkway is the 20,000 square foot Mississippi Craft Center. Recently named Mississippi’s attraction of the year, it showcases traditional and contemporary Mississippi crafts created by artisans of the Craftsmen’s Guild. It houses a sales gallery, permanent art collection and meeting space. Shopping for art in Ridgeland doesn’t end there as you admire and purchase works from the numerous local art galleries, specialty shopping malls, boutiques and antique stores. Recharge in quality hotels and have a delicious meal at one of the more than 140 restaurants. Before coming, explore
visitridgeland.com to view the calendar of special events.
Relive Southern History in Holly Springs Now in its 72nd year, the Holly Springs Pilgrimage is truly a festival of art and architecture. The third weekend of April every year (April 16-18 2010) visitors feast on antebellum splendor and enjoy local storytellers brimming with the colorful tales of Holly Springs’ past. Costumed guides greet guests and tours of historic Hillcrest Cemetery are guided by characters from Holly Springs’ past. Free rides in antique carriages pulled by Percheron draft horses as well one-of-a-kind arts and crafts surround the historic downtown square. Every year the event offers Pilgrimage patrons something different while still giving the authentic pre-Civil War experience. The homes on tour this year include Athenia, with its impressive display of eclectic and traditional art; Walthall Place, once the home of famed artist Kate Freeman Clark; Montrose, featured in many Hollywood movies including Cookie’s Fortune and Heart of Dixie, as well as the Davis Home at Strawberry Plains, once burned and now restored; and Cuffawa, built in 1832. Friday evening guests enjoy carriage tours along the road once referred to as “Silk Stocking Row” for all its grand southern mansions, Sunset on Salem. Then get out your go-go boots and fluff your hair because the Sweet Potato Queen Jill Conner Brown will be in town Sunday afternoon dishing out her usual quit-witted southern charm after guests enjoy “Knock You Naked” margaritas! Year-round Holly Springs offers daily home and garden tours, museums and more. For more information go to visithollysprings.com or call 888.687.4765.
A Weekend of Fun in Starkville Starkville, Mississippi is at the crossroads of your Mississippi experience, the perfect stop on your next weekend trip. A unique blend of progress and tradition, the vibrant community truly offers something for everyone. You can always count on top-notch experiences, a diverse culture, delicious dining and eclectic shopping when you make Starkville your home for the weekend. Spring blossoms in Mississippi State Bulldog country with an outstanding array of events this April. Super Bulldog Weekend on April 16-18 brings the best of tailgating, barbecue eating, collegiate spirit and unmatched Southeastern Conference baseball. The community will roll out the maroon carpet with sidewalk sales, special events and Southern hospitality. As if that weren’t enough to wet your appetite for weekend fun, April 17 also brings the Cotton District Arts Festival, a celebration of the arts held in the nationally acclaimed Cotton District. Featuring fine arts vendors, a juried art competition, music and drama presentations and the famed Taste of Starkville restaurant showing, the festival is one of Starkville’s most popular events. This spring you can also enjoy Starkville’s sampling of cultural opportunities with a dynamic calendar of events such as plays, musical presentations, rodeos and circuses—even a visit from the famed Lipizzaner stallions—presented by organizations like the Starkville Community Theatre, the MSU Lyceum Series and the Mississippi Horse Park. For a calendar of events, log on to visit. starkville.org or call 800.649.TOUR. On the road to weekend fun, pull over in Starkville, Mississippi!
Oxford Charm and Culture Offers Something for Everyone A town of only 19,000 residents, Oxford has long been recognized as a culturally and historically rich tourist destination. Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner first brought attention to the town in the 1930s while writing such novels as Light in August and Absalom, Absalom! from his Oxford residence Rowan Oak. Other nationally celebrated writers have followed Faulkner’s lead by making Oxford their home. Independent bookstore Square Books and annual events such as the Faulkner & Yoknapatawpha Conference and the Oxford Conference for the Book have made the town a destination for writers and readers as well. In April, the Double Decker Arts Festival brings food, music and art to life on the Square during the day-long festival. Held this year on April 24, the 15th Annual Double Decker Festival draws 55,000 people to Oxford to experience cultural life at its best. More than 130 art vendors from around the country, two stages of live music and more than 35 food vendors selling dishes from some of Oxford’s best restaurants make the day a favorite for locals and visitors alike. Free to the public, there are activities for all ages. On the University of Mississippi campus one can explore the Blues Archive containing the world’s most extensive collection of blues recordings and related memorabilia as well as the University Museum featuring a variety of interesting exhibits. Make plans now to visit Oxford or attend the Double Decker Arts Festival by visiting oxfordcvb.com
An “American Original” Adventure in Tupelo Tupelo, located in the northeast corner of Mississippi, is well-known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley. The roots of rock and roll run deep in the town where visitors can tour the actual home where Elvis was born or the church he attended as a child and stand where he stood when his mother purchased his first guitar – Tupelo Hardware. It’s an authentic story—a true American original. Maybe the story starts with Elvis but it certainly doesn’t end there. American originals make up the town. From the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo where exotic animals roam the same countryside that Elvis did to the Tupelo Automobile Museum, a one-of-a-kind, multi-million dollar collection, Tupelo boasts many attractions with a family-wide appeal. The HealthWorks! Kids Museum, the 2nd of its kind in the country, uses fun to teach healthful habits before you even know there is a teacher in the room. The Natchez Trace Parkway, a scenic byway and headquartered in Tupelo, is one of the nation’s most unique national parks. Tupelo celebrates this originality and these wonderful attractions throughout the spring with many events including the GumTree Arts Festival, the Tupelo Blue Suede Cruise, the Tupelo Film Festival and the Elvis Presley Festival. Other events are centered on music, azaleas and dudies burgers—doesn’t sound appealing but it is southern and delicious! Tupelo is a family-fantastic destination that has inspired American originals and will leave your family with a lifetime of memories.
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at home with
The Heirloom Creator
Amy Howard, owner of the successful Amy Howard Collection, strives to create personal furniture through her love of the job and her artistic talent. Here, the Memphis native reveals what’s behind her carefully crafted pieces. TEXT Jordana White PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of the Amy Howard Collection
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my Howard is owner of the Amy Howard Collection, a line of classic 18th century French, Italian, Paris Moderne and Gracious 1930s style furniture. From line inspiration to material choice to actual furniture design, Howard is involved in every step of the creative process. While the range of furniture, design services and other products Howard produces is extensive, she considers everything she does to be personal. That personal connection began years ago. Born and raised in Memphis, Howard grew up in an entrepreneurial family. Her father, now 90 years old, was a builder in Memphis for 57 years; her mother was also involved with the business. “My dad really taught me a work ethic,” Howard says. “I get a great deal of enjoyment from my work because I am so passionate about it. I don’t know that I’ll ever retire—I love what I do.” Exactly what Howard does is
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always evolving. Her background is not just in furniture design; in fact, Howard began her career as a decorative artist with a studio in Memphis, teaching the art of painted finishes, gilding and furniture restoration. Over the years, she amassed training in numerous areas. “I studied the art of painting furniture in New York,” Howard says. “I learned trompe l’oeil (a mural technique) in San Francisco and I delved into Toscana finishes while studying in Italy. Basically, I’ve trained all around the world.” Having such a wide range of experience, Howard felt she knew what elements designers needed to style artful creations and she wanted to meet those needs. Together with her husband, Gene, who is COO of the Amy Howard Collection, she began her own line of products, creating turneau mirrors and three-piece panels to take to market. “My husband and I would go out and start shopping,” she says. “We’d pick pieces that had beauti-
ful lines, but maybe the finishes weren’t quite right, and we’d start redoing them. We’d repaint and refinish them and designers would come and buy them. After doing that for a few years, we realized that we really needed pieces that could be replicated on an ongoing basis. So we started making chests, consoles…three pieces turned into over 300 pieces today…we just grew.” As the business grew, the Howard family grew as well. The couple has three children: Brooke, Megan and Preston. According to Howard, she has passed on a “curse” to her kids. “They’ve all grown up seeing (their parents) owning our own business, and have each become entrepreneurs in their own right,” she says. Even while building their own projects, Howard’s kids still contribute to the Amy Howard Collection, each in their own way. So how tough is it to work with your family? Howard says they’ve got it figured out.
at home with “When you respect one another for what each brings to the table, there’s no problem—it’s actually a treat. My office is in the (Amy Howard Collection) mill; Gene’s is in the finishing building. He’ll come over to me and bring lunch and we get to just chat.” The only catch? “Sometimes we have a hard time turning it off and just keep talking about business,” Howard says. “That’s when the kids step in and tell us to have some plain old family time!” That family time is particularly precious to Howard with all the projects she juggles. “If I’m not working on 10 things at once, I’m not happy,” she says. “I love working in chaos.” In fact, right at this moment, Howard has three new projects in the works—an accessory line set to debut this spring, a line of
paints for the home and a book that takes readers through the process of home beautification, DIY style. But even with all of these projects, Howard still has her time-honored favorites. “I love working on bedroom pieces,” she says. “Especially four poster beds—they have such a cocoon-like aspect to them. We’re born in bed, we die there—it represents a lot to me as an artist.” So much of what Howard does reflects her inner artist, she says. “I always tell my husband that our house is an extension of myself. I’m never really that concerned about how I dress—I’ll have on jeans, an oversize shirt and Ferragamos and feel like I can show up anywhere. But when it comes to my house—that’s where I really reflect my personality. The art on my wall—those are pieces I’ve chosen because they make me
cry. The china in my cabinets is collected—not purchased as a set of twelve. I have a beautiful life and I reflect it in the things that I keep around me.” Ultimately, Howard hopes that her designs will help clients do the same thing in their own homes. “I want to create heirlooms,” she says. “In the coming years, when children look through their parents’ homes, I want them to see my furniture and say, ‘That was Mom’s favorite.’ I want to be the one making the antiques for them. That’s what we’re making for the future.” See Sources for Details
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The Turkish travertine pool deck in the rear of Mark Matlock’s Lenoir City home features an infinity edge pool, imported coraline coping and breathtaking views of Fort Loudon Lake. For people traveling via the lake, Matlock installed a 45-foot waterfall.
House with a View For homeowner Mark Matlock, Fort Loudon Lake is not just the beautiful backdrop of his Lenoir City residence—it’s an integral part of the design. With views of the waterfront from every room in the house, Matlock and his design team accented the outdoors with a neutral color scheme and natural materials. TEXT Lindsey Phillips | PHOTOGRAPHY David Roberts, D. Roberts Photography
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hen Mark Matlock first laid eyes on his future residence, he was waterskiing across Fort Loudon Lake, in Loudon County. A teenager at the time, Matlock was not aware he would someday purchase and oversee an extensive renovation of the house on Beals Chapel Road, but he was sure of one thing—the Loudon County native knew he was meant for lakefront living. “I’ve always been on the lake,” he says. “I grew up on the lake and that’s always been one of my life goals and ambitions, to live and be and retire on the water.” Matlock, a general contractor, architect, land developer and president/CEO of Construction Design and Management, purchased the 1.6-acre piece of property in August 2007 and began renovating the house in October of the same year, his third experience renovating or building his personal residence. (“I said I’d never do it again after the first time,” Matlock laughs.) It was not the first time the home had undergone extensive work, either. “[The house] was built as just a one-room lake cabin in 1952,” Matlock explains. “Its original owners sold and then there was an addition done sometime in the 1960s to take the home from a one-level cabin to a tri-level arrangement.” The 1960s-era addition added a master bedroom and bath upstairs, as well as more bedrooms downstairs, while Matlock’s recent expansion allowed for the addition of a new home office, kitchen and breakfast room, as well as a sunroom set over the lake and pool deck. After an exterior overhaul (he replaced the home’s bricks, mismatched from years of previous owners’ projects, with Indiana limestone, a project costing about $200,000) a broad interior re-do and the new addition, Matlock finally completed the project in late November 2009. “It wasn’t rushed,” Matlock says. “I just took the time that I needed to make sure that whatever we did was done to the level and expectations I was desiring. I certainly felt a sense of satisfaction [when it was finished.]” And while the 7,800-square-foot home itself is definitely impressive, it was the location of the house that first drew Matlock to the residence and continues to be one of his favorite features.“It’s on a very unique piece of property,” he explains. “The house is on a peninsula. It’s bordered on one side, the rear of the house, by the main channel. In the front of the house is a big cove, an off-shoot of the 50 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
Melograno marble and a custom cherry wood mantle add an air of elegance to the master suite, while natural design elements and a neutral color scheme accent the view. April 2010 • athometn.com | 51
Barstools crafted from water hyacinth fiber and rattan weave blend with a stained concrete floor, distressed cabinets and black, antiqued Marron-Cahiba granite countertops for a natural, elegant atmosphere. In the background is the family room, which boasts a custom stone fireplace and a cathedral ceiling.
feature main channel.” The private cove allows Matlock to dock his 58-foot Cruisers Yacht at his home. “Not many people have the opportunity to do that with this size of a boat,” he says. The Turkish travertine pool deck in the rear of Matlock’s home also plays off of the waterfront location, offering breathtaking views of the lake. The deck features an infinity edge pool, built by Knoxville-based Tipton Builders, that seems to disappear into the main channel of the Fort Loudon Lake. For people passing by via the lake, Matlock installed a 45-foot waterfall. “Basically I get two different effects,” he says. “I get one if you’re sitting on the pool deck looking out, it looks as if [the pool and lake are] just one big body of water. From the lakeside as people come by, I’ve got the waterfall. It’s an aesthetic quality that I like.” The pool deck also features an integrated raised hot tub as well as imported coraline pool coping. The lake is prominent inside the home as well. With ample windows, each room has its own view of the main channel or cove, and the glass allows for plenty of natural light, giving the interior an airy, open feel—exactly what Matlock says he wanted in a the structure. “Obviously I’m a fan of the outdoors,” he says. “I’m just taking advantage of the beauty of living on the lake. Even when you’re inside it feels like you’re outside.” Matlock worked with designer Megan Long on the interior (and many exterior elements) of the home, accenting neutral walls with flooring, furniture and cabinetry and creating an open space. Natural materials like a custom stone fireplace paired with a cathedral ceiling add warmth to the family room, while a custom Melograno marble fireplace with a cherry mantle is an elegant component of the master suite.“We wanted a natural, simple, classic color palette 54 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
to blend well with the earth tones of the wooded setting’s natural hues,” Long says. “[The home is] designed with an open floor plan for entertaining and promoting beautiful views and open circulation to the outdoors, with several exterior living spaces to enjoy the lake and wooded surroundings.” The new, L-shaped kitchen flows easily into the main living area and features two islands, a stained concrete floor with a diamond-cut pattern and a hutch, complete with a custom-made hood with hammered copper panels. The hutch is a solid African mahogany cabinet with a solid mahogany custom butcher block, says Chris Veal of Whitestone Enterprises, who designed the kitchen. The perimeter countertops feature Marron-Cahiba black antiqued granite, Long says. “[We were going for] a simple, clean look that brought in the outdoor feel of the space by using natural tones and materials,” Veal explains. “We wanted a masculine, elegant kitchen that worked well with the outside, due to the fact that we had so many windows in the space.” To complete the kitchen’s look, Veal selected all Viking appliances; they then paneled the refrigerator so it would not compete with the cabinetry and hood. The kitchen also includes two dishwashers and a paneled wine cabinet hidden in the hutch, making the space great for entertaining or cooking with ease. And while everyone involved refers to the two-year, detail-oriented project as “a journey,” they are pleased with the end result. “I wanted to come home at the end of the day and feel like I had a place that was very warm, very inviting,” Matlock says. “When we got done I said, ‘Job well done.’ There’s not many things I would change. Actually, I don’t want to change anything.” See Sources for Details
Even Matlock’s private home office boasts ample windows and views of the waterfront.
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Why Giving Matters Each year, local partners help with construction and promotion of dream homes for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Dream Home Program, a fundraiser for the facility. Check back in June for At Home Tennessee’s coverage of our state’s three homes, but this month find out why giving matters. TEXT Lindsey Phillips | PHOTOGRAPHY, courtesy of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Lindsey Phillips
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t costs nearly $1.5 million per day to keep the doors open at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a top pediatric cancer care facility in the world. Located in Memphis, St. Jude is the first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Care Center dedicated solely to finding cures and treatments for children. Because the percentage of pediatric cancers and diseases is so low compared to the rest of the population, many pharmaceutical companies do not focus on drugs specific to children, and that’s where St. Jude’s research comes into play. “The money that’s raised for St. Jude goes to developing drugs when there’s really no other options,” says Dr. Michael A. Dyer, co-leader of the Developmental Therapeutics for Solid Malignancies program at St. Jude. Dyer is working on developing a drug for retinoblastoma, a type of cancer that forms during development, growing behind the eye and affecting vision. While developing a medicine
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can take as many as 20 years from discovery to patient administration, St. Jude’s research has increased the survival rate of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer, from four percent in 1962 when it was founded to 94 percent today. “It’s [St. Jude] the only place where donations go specifically to childhood cancer,” Dyer says. “... And sometimes, when you invest in childhood cancer, you come back with things for a broader audience.” St. Jude staff cares for about 5,700 patients annually from around the world, many of whom receive outpatient treatment. The hospital’s housing options, including the short-term Memphis Grizzlies House (located just steps away from the hospital’s entrance on the 2.5 million square-foot-campus and providing accommodations for patients staying one to seven days), the intermediate-stay Ronald McDonald House (stays here range from eight days to three months) and the longterm Target House, allow patients and their families
to spend as much time outside the hospital as possible. Since about 50 percent of families that come to St. Jude and stay for the first time have received the cancer diagnosis less than eight hours before, providing housing and meal options helps relieve some aspect of the stressful situation, says Brent Adams, director of patient housing for St. Jude. Additionally, patients and their families are able to interact with others who are in the same situation. “Housing is not part of the caregiving process,” Adams says. “It’s part of the healing process. What happens in the houses is we build a community. There’s strength in that.” For Josie and her six-year-old daughter Zowie, the ability to stay in one of the Target House’s 96 apartments has helped tremendously. “It has been a lifesaver, honestly,” says Josie. “We’ve become best friends with our neighbor and we’ve also gotten to meet a lot of people who are going through the same thing.” Target House’s ample activi-
(left to right) St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital exterior, St. Jude campus, sixyear-old patient Zowie and 15-year-old patient Shane with his mother Trina.
ties help pass the time between treatments at the hospital. Zowie loves the crafts room as well as the outdoor playground— “When the weather is better, she’ll ride a different bike every day,” Josie says. I meet Zowie and Josie on a cold Monday afternoon in late February; Zowie enters the furnished, two-bedroom apartment at Target House dressed in a bright pink, hooded sweatshirt dress and patterned Ugg boots, clutching a magazine. She flips through the publication and shyly holds it out, revealing a glossy picture of herself and country music superstar Carrie Underwood, who sings Zowie’s favorite song, “Before He Cheats.” “It’s not just this one,” her mother says. “She’s been in People, too.” The photograph was taken when Underwood visited St. Jude recently, where Zowie has been receiving treatment for leukemia for the past eight months. And while this is Zowie’s second time fighting cancer (previously, she received treatment at a hospital in the family’s home state of Missouri), Josie says their first experience with St. Jude has been quite a different one. “I love the way that St. Jude lets us be outpatient as much as possible,” she explains. Since Zowie began treat-
ment at St. Jude on August 28, she has only been inpatient three times. St. Jude has 78 inpatient beds but treats more than 260 patients each day. Additionally, the hospital never turns away a family because of its inability to pay, or charges families for treatments not covered by insurance. For school age patients, such as 15-year-old Shane of Indiana, teachers ensure that they stay up-to-date on their studies. This is great for Shane, who, after a year in Memphis returned home with his mother Trina at the end of February. And with everything taken care of, from specialized care and treatment to housing, transportation and schooling, patients and their families can concentrate on what’s really important—recovery. “We’re so far from home,” says Trina. “You just focus on getting your child healthy again.” The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of the founder, Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. April 2010 • athometn.com | 59
home and garden
Spruce up for Spring As new life blooms outdoors, brighten your home by bringing fresh greenery and flowers indoors. These simple do-it-yourself projects will add a splash of spring colors to your post-winter interior. TEXT Teresa Zilinsky, Allied ASID | PHOTOS Courtesy of Teresa Zilinsky
Jump start bulbs There are many kinds of bulbs to jump start, but paperwhites are one of the easiest with which to work. Place your bulbs in the refrigerator for about a month before taking them out. Put the bulbs in bulb vases with water (the vases allow the water to touch only the bottom of the bulb) and allow them to slowly warm in a cool place with indirect sunlight like a windowsill—too much sun can dry them out. Very quickly the roots will begin to appear. Just keep adding water as they grow. With a little more planning you can jump start bulbs like tulips, narcissus and crocus, but some require a long chilling time. (Next year, purchase the bulbs on clearance at the end of fall, then leave them outside in a storage room. On a slightly warmer early spring day, bring them indoors and place them in bulb vases with water.)
Fresh looks for store-bought flowers If you really want to make it easy on yourself just purchase plants already in bloom from a grocery or hardware store. Try placing the store-bought pots into more decorative containers. You can transfer the whole arrangement or just put the pot inside another pot. Be creative—you can transfer it into a kitchen item like a cup, bowl, basket or even a canister.
Bring in the blooms Usher spring indoors by cutting flowering tree limbs and coercing them into bloom in your home. Do this by choosing long stems and placing them in large vases of water. If you’re cutting while it’s still cold outside, bring the branches in and keep them in a cool place away from direct sunlight until you see the buds begin to open. If you’re cutting them closer to their natural bloom time, you may be able to skip this step. Once you see leaf or flower buds opening, place the vase in the light. The flowering limbs will look beautiful on a mantle or as a centerpiece and the warmth of your home will help them bloom. Some favorites are forsythia, redbuds or fruit trees, but almost any flowering tree or shrub will work. The grass is greener Go green and grow some wheat grass indoors. You can purchase it at a garden supply store or pet store and it’s easy to grow. I like filling a simple tea cup with soil and adding the grass, but you can put it in almost any container and let it grow. It’s so easy to decorate with and it will add that beautiful touch of spring green to your home. Once the grass has grown, if it’s close to Easter, you can add little chicks or eggs to it. You can also make a pretty Easter display by using an egg shell as the container—just fill the egg shell with soil and grass and place on an egg holder. Make sure to only crack the top of the egg, leaving about 3/4 of the shell for the container. You can use decorated eggs or even write names on them in lieu of place cards. Also, scatter jelly beans in the egg’s grass for an adorable look.
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home and garden
Add Spring Style to Your Space This month, brighten up your home with these vibrant accessories—they’ll add a pop of spring color to any space in no time at all. Never underestimate the power of details!
Anthropologie Pink Poppy Knob anthropologie.com Pier 1 Seaglass Embossed Wall Hooks pier1.com
Bed, Bath and Beyond Audrey 16-Piece Ceramic Dinnerware Set in Cinnabar bedbathandbeyond.com
Say it wtih Vases Portable, Expandable, Reusable Plastic Vases sayitwithvases.com
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Villeroy & Boch Classic Buffet Plates in Aquamarine eshop.villeroy-boch.com/us/
Anthropologie Creeping Daisy Vase in Teal anthropologie.com
Pottery Barn Bold Floral Embroidered Pillow potterybarn.com
Pier 1 Red Flower Ceramic Bowl pier1.com
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Conquering Your Closet This spring, it’s finally time to tackle those closets you’ve sworn so many times to clean out. It may seem daunting, but At Home Tennessee has you covered. We’ve talked to two experts in the field of organization and design so you can finally check “clean out closet” off your to-do list. TEXT Nikki Aviotti | PHOTOGRAPHY Nikki Aviotti
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f cleanliness is next to godliness, then your closet is probably closer to hell. Honestly, when was the last time you tackled your clothes closet? According to Maryanne Macdonald, founder of Organize by Design, we should all be cleaning out our closets twice a year. “I suggest cleaning out your closet in April and October,” she says. Step 1: Everything Must Go The first rule is that everything must come out, explains Maryanne. It is important to know how much you have (literally count the number of shoes you own) and how the space is being used, says Dick Carruth, owner of More than Closets in Memphis. When asked to redesign a closet, Dick first evaluates the space. “[It is a challenge] getting people to think about a closet as something other than a too-small space with a rod and shelf in it,” he says. “There is almost always something that can be done with it.” According to Maryanne, we only wear 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time,
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so it’s important to get rid of the clothes we aren’t wearing. She recommends keeping no more than two sizes in your closet. And if you haven’t worn it in two years, get rid of it! We should all strive to maintain what she calls an “active clothes closet” — one in which you get up in the morning and everything in your closet is an option to wear that day. When you sort through your clothes, Maryanne suggests having three piles of clothes— keeping, giving away and items that need attention. The “needs attention” pile is for anything that must be altered, dry cleaned, etc. Step 2: Organization and Design Go Hand in Hand Once you’re done cleaning out, organize and hang your clothes by type and style. For example, all white blouses should hang together and all black pants should be together. Maryanne also advises hanging as much as possible or folding items on shelves. “If you see things,” she says, “you are much more likely to wear it.”
When it comes to redesign, the essential elements in a closet are adequate hanging space and shelving, says Dick. Beyond that, it becomes more specialized and more expensive. One important factor is to make sure you can change or adapt the closet later. Dick often works with European frameless cabinetry, which allows for change later and is much more efficient in terms of the use of space—it creates one continuous system that all fits together. And remember, organization and design go hand in hand. “When you organize the space and divide it,” explains Dick, “it will automatically stay neater, be easier to find things, and encourage you to discard and delete your stuff on a regular basis because you’ve got a place for everything and the tendency is to put everything in its place. An eight foot long hanging space will never be as neat as that section divided in thirds. It is a differentiated space, and differentiated spaces stay neater.”
home and garden Ongoing Organization Stay on track after the initial closet clean-out. Small changes can make a big difference when it comes to closet organization: •Keep a give away box or bag handy. That way, once you decide to get rid of it you can get it out immediately. •Your closet should reflect who you are now, not who you were. •Remove cleaner bags before you hang clothes in the closet. •Don’t hang pieces of a suit or outfit together. You’ll see more options this way. •You only need about six extra hangers in your closet. Hang them at the end of the rod and put all extra hangers in a basket in the closet. Closet Overhaul Contemplating redesigning your closet? Consider these points: •Know the dimensions of your closet. •Have an idea of what you want. Dick suggests looking online or going to a showroom to view possibilities. •Know your priorities. You may want six drawers, but you really need more hanging space and three drawers. Take into consideration what you really need. •Make a list of things you don’t like about your current closet situation. •Be aware of the costs. You may pay less for the products over the internet, but in the end you won’t save any money (you will still have to have someone install it). Plus, there is no one to come measure your actual space when you work with a website. See Sources for Details April 2010 • athometn.com | 65
home and garden
Transform Your Home With Color Jazz up your home for spring with a fresh coat of paint. From prepping to priming, learn how to get the biggest bang for your buck (and brush) with these do-it-yourself home improvement tips. TEXT Mel Headley, owner of Handyman Connection | PHOTOS Courtesy of dreamstime.com
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fresh coat of paint can change the entire look of a room for far less than it would cost to purchase new furniture or install new floors. With myriad brands, colors and finishes on the market today, there is an option out there to complement any abode. But before you don your painter’s cap and channel your inner Picasso, consider these steps to complete the job as efficiently as possible. Doing it Yourself 1. Determine the year your house was built. If it was before 1980, chances are that the interior was painted with lead paint. As it ages, lead paint chips and can pose serious health problems— especially for children and pregnant women—so instead of just painting over the existing color, remove it as safely as possible. Use a method that creates the least amount of dust and fumes and if the job is a large one, arrange to live elsewhere until the project is complete. Be sure that all items are removed from the room before 66 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
the work begins and that the room and its ventilation ducts are sealed off from the rest of the house to limit the risk of contamination. If you are feeling at all hesitant, hire a professional contractor with experience in lead paint removal to handle the job. 2. Next, prepare the walls for their new coating. Remove all wall decorations, switch plates, outlet covers and window treatments and use two-inch blue painter’s tape or masking tape to cover baseboards. If hooks or nails have made holes in the walls, use your finger to fill in the holes with spackle so that you are working on an even surface. 3. Now it is time to prime the walls. The type, color and amount of primer will depend on the existing type of paint, the existing color of the walls and the color you’re planning to paint them. For example, the interiors of older homes were often painted with oil-based enamels and should be primed with an oil-based primer. If your paint (existing or future) is
a deep color, use a gray primer or a tinted primer that matches the paint color to reduce the number of coats. And don’t even think about cutting corners here to get the job done faster! Paint preparation is the foundation for the entire job—if it is done incorrectly, even the best paint will crack, peel or chip. 4. From there, choose your paint color while keeping the perceived space of the room in mind. Dark colors tend to make a room look smaller while light colors open up the space. Test drive your color by investing in a quart-sized (or smaller) can of paint in the color you’re thinking of using before you buy a bigger can. Paint a small portion of your wall and view how the color looks in different lights throughout the day. This way, you won’t get stuck paying for a color that only looks good in broad daylight or only at night. If you are painting your walls prior to selling your home, forgo your personal tastes and stick with neutral colors. Potential buyers will be more apt to make an offer
home and garden if they can visualize how their furnishings will look in your home and that task is made much more difficult when walls are a hard-tomatch shade. 5. The last step—quite fittingly —is choosing a finish from flat, eggshell, semi-gloss or gloss. If the wall has many imperfections, a flat paint can conceal them better than one of its glossier counterparts. Unfortunately, flat paint is harder to clean, meaning that more imperfections could be in your future. Opt instead for an eggshell finish, which has a slight shine but holds up much better when it comes to cleaning. If you have kids or pets, consider upping the finish even more to semi-gloss or gloss because the higher the sheen, the better it will stand up to washing, cleaning and overall wear and tear. Working with a professional Although most homeowners are fully capable of interior painting, work and familial commitments often prevent them from doing the job themselves. If you are hiring professionals, sit down with them and map out exactly what will be done, what products will be used (brushes, rollers, brands and types of paint and primer), the amount of surface preparation and how many coats of paint will be applied. Get all of this as well as the estimated timeframe and the final cost in writing before any work is completed so you are not overcharged for additional labor and products. For more information on Handyman Connection or painting your home, visit handymanconnection.com or contact Mel directly at 901.405.3150.
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Edible Gardening Don’t forget to prep your summer vegetable garden this month—with the last frost occurring in mid-to-late April in most parts of the state, you’ll be able to plant the majority of your produce at the very end the month. Be prepared with this expert garden guidance from Tommy Bennett of Bennett-Burks Farm Nursery. TEXT Lindsey Phillips | PHOTO Courtesy of dreamstime.com and Bennett-Burks Nursery
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t may just be early spring, but it’s already time to start planning your summer garden. To minimize the risk of a late freeze, sow your seeds after your area’s last frost date and spend the beginning of the month prepping your plot of land and choosing your crops. Garden Prep 101 “Right now if you haven’t done it, you should be preparing and amending your soil,” says Tommy Bennett, of Bennett-Burks Farm Nursery in Horn Lake, Mississippi. “Proper liming and fertilization is key to home garden production.” Bennett also suggests selecting an organic fertilizer as well as composted manures to help prepare the soil. When choosing the type of vegetable garden you want, keep in mind that raised beds are quite popular and can be purchased in kits. “There’s a value to raised beds,” Bennett says. “One of the values is the soil, comfort and style. And there’s some gain with the sunlight because they warm up quickly in the spring and allow you to get a jump on the season.” The outer ledge of raised beds sometimes allows the gardener to sit, while also offering an alternative to planting a garden directly into the ground. “Most people are quite
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busy so they don’t have the time to turn their entire lawn into growing beds and many people have smaller places,” Bennett says. “A typical small raised bed can even be incorporated into an existing flower bed. What it allows you to do is customize the soil for the vegetable garden within an enclosed area. As for selecting your crops, Bennett suggests evaluating your favorite foods and which of those ingredients you can realistically grow in your home garden, such as peppers and tomatoes. Don’t plant crops like black-eyed peas, which require acres of space. Make the Most of Your Space Not enough space for a raised bed or a traditional garden? No problem. Many produce varieties can easily be grown in containers. “You can have the entire garden [in containers],” Bennett says. However, there are a few tricks of the trade that you should know when container gardening. First, be sure to use potting soil— not garden soil. Fill your appropriately sized container with a fifty-fifty blend of potting soil and composted cotton burr, Bennett recommends. Opt for liquid fertilizer when working with a container garden as well. When choosing your actual plants, sow compact or determinate plant va-
rieties, such as dwarf tomato plants, which have a shorter growth habit. But perhaps the most important tip, Bennett says, is watering the plant from below instead of above. “It is recommended that the pot be placed in a drainage pan and that the plant be watered by putting one inch of water in the drainage pan so that the water may be pulled up from underneath,” Bennett says. “It allows for cooling and the plants roots will grow into the zone where the moisture in the soil meets from underneath. Many a container plant overheats, and excessive container overheating will cause failure of garden plants.” So with these tips in mind, get to work planning your summer garden!
Average Last Spring Frost Chattanooga Knoxville Memphis Nashville
April 15-30 April 1-14 April 1-14 April 15-30
Source: National Climate Data Center
home and garden Gardening Guidance Consider companions When planning your garden, consider using companion plants to ward off pests. For example, basil goes well with tomatoes because tomato pests do not like to be around those plants. Time your transplant If you choose to use transplants instead of grow from seed, it’s best to plant in the evening in a properly mulched plot, Bennett suggests. “If you put them out in the morning in the hot sun, they’re going to go through transfer shock,” he says. Remember Rotation Practice crop rotation even in a small home garden. “Avoid planting the same varieties in the same place each year to avoid disease and pest problems,” Bennett reminds. Create compost “Construction of a composting bin is one of the best additions you can do to your home garden,” Bennett says. Instead of throwing out dead leaves in fall, compost them to use in your spring and summer gardens. Be wary of weed killer “Lawn services should be instructed not to spray weed killer within 20 feet of a home garden as the herbicides for the lawn are extremely detrimental to home garden plants,” Bennett says. “I don’t recommend any chemical weed killer.” Go organic “As for pesticides, I prefer the organic products that are available as they have become more effective than traditional,” Bennett says. Shared Space “I’ve been teaching folks you simply plant your summer crops among your early crops,” Bennett says. For example, plant taller plants like tomatoes and peppers over spring crops like lettuce, and harvest the lettuce from underneath them. Avoid watering from above “A common mistake is wetting,” Bennett says. “Garden plants do not like their leaves left wet— it increases fungus, mildew and plant disease.” Bennett suggests using a soaker hose to water plants from underneath. Need more info? Contact Bennett at 662.781.0139, visit him at the Memphis Farmers Market or pick up a gardening guide—Bennett recommends The Veggie Gardener’s Answer Book by Barbara Ellis.
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food
Cooking Class Ring in spring with this cool dish courtesy of Chef Spencer McMillin. It may look intimidating but this smoked salmon, potato and leek terrine is actually simple to put together. “If you can make a lasanga, you can make this,” McMillin says. Check back monthly for more recipes from chefs at L’ECOLE
Finished dish
Culinaire in Memphis. PHOTOGRAPHY Nikki Aviotti
Smoked Salmon, Potato and Leek Terrine
When layering the salmon and potato slices, make sure not to overlap. Overlapping will cause the terrine to tear when you cut it. This loaf contains about 20 alternating layers.
Be sure to weigh the terrine down overnight to compact the loaf. Place a bamboo mat or piece of cardboard over the terrine and arrange weights on top to evenly distribute the weight. 76 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
1 lb. thinly sliced smoked salmon 4 extra large Idaho russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick rectangles that will fit into the terrine mold. Steam the potato slices until they are just cooked. (Overcooking will result in a soggy terrine). 2 large leeks, green parts only cut into 8-10 inch long pieces, scrubbed clean and blanched for one minute to soften and bring out color. Place in ice water to stop the cooking process, pat dry. Salt and pepper to taste 1. Line a rectangular terrine mold or skinny bread pan with wet plastic wrap. Push the plastic wrap into the corners so it sticks.Leave plenty of overhang to wrap the finished terrine with. Put the blanched leeks on top of the plastic wrap that runs the length of your mold and push it down into the corners. 2. Place a layer of sliced and cooked potato on the bottom of your mold, making sure not to leave any gaps between the potatoes or between the potato and the wall of your mold. The fit should be snug. Salt and pepper the potato layer slightly. 3. Place a thin layer of smoked salmon on top of the potato layer. Repeat with the potato and alternate layers until you’ve reached the top of the mold. (It’ll be like making a lasagna.) Fold the blanched leeks over the potato and salmon layers and trim any extra leek.Wrap the whole thing in the plastic wrap tightly. 4. Weigh the terrine down with at least two pounds of weight overnight to set the terrine. 5. Slice into ½ inch thick segments and serve.
food
Grilled romaine
Grilled Hearts of Romaine 1 heart of romaine 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste 1. Season each side of the romaine with salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil over both sides. 2. Grill on a hot grill for about 1 minute on each side. Chop the grilled romaine up into desired sized pieces and serve hot with the cold terrine and barbecue sauce.
Chang Mai Barbecue Sauce ½ cup molasses ¼ oz. barbecue sauce, not too sweet 2 oz. ketchup 1 tsp. red wine vinegar 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar ¼ tsp. liquid smoke 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard ¼ tsp. crushed red chilies 1 tsp. Chinese five spice powder 1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl with a whisk. Refrigerate. See Sources for Details
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food Fried Green Tomatoes
Shrimp and Grits
BELLE – A Southern Inspired Café Belle Restaurant’s chef, Brian Hainley, incorporates local ingredients and Southern-inspired flavors to create quality cuisine at Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville. With classic dishes like fried green tomatoes and what may be the world’s best Reuben sandwich, the menu at Belle is bound to impress. TEXT Aaron Dalton | PHOTO Courtesy of Belle Restaurant
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hen Belle Restaurant’s impressive 205 Burger arrived at my table, I immediately wished that my mouth was capable of taking gigantic bites. How else was I to tackle the thick ground beef patty stuffed with braised short ribs and stacked on a hefty bun slathered with Dijon mustard and piled with red onion jam, organic mesclun greens and a couple of tomato slices? Taking advantage of my opposable thumbs, I resorted to deconstructing the burger and digging in with a fork and knife. Belle had some pretty big shoes to fill when it opened in September at the historic 30-acre Belle Meade Plantation located approximately six miles west of Nashville’s downtown core. For more than eight years, chef Martha Stamps (author of The New Southern Basics cookbook) had charmed a diverse cross section of Nashvillians and visitors alike with her definitive renditions of country classic cuisine. Belle Restaurant Chef/Proprietor Brian Hainley has wisely avoided trying to duplicate Martha’s magic. Instead he’s charting his own path under the heading of “Southern inspired” café cuisine. Take the new Southern Belle salad (a steal at
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$7) – strawberries, locally-sourced goat cheese, spiced pecans and salad greens dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Everything in the salad is fresh and delicious. The goat cheese is so light and creamy that it practically melts in your mouth. The spiced pecans are heavenly. Fans of fried green tomatoes will want to sample Hainley’s traditional version. A generous helping of four just-right slices (not too thick, not too thin) arrives lightly battered in a simple cornmeal breading and topped with a remoulade sauce composed of mayonnaise, ketchup, shallots, herbs and capers. Hainley’s light touch here shows that sometimes simple works best. One of the most tasty and memorable dishes on Belle’s menu seems to owe as much to Jewish deli cuisine as it does to the South. I’m convinced that Belle’s Reuben sandwich may be one of the best I’ve ever tasted. Unlike the Tyrannosaurus-sized burger, the Reuben is manageable and perfectly proportioned. Hainley makes the corned beef himself—marinating it in water, sugar and salt until the tissue is loosened from the brisket. Then the meat is braised in the oven with water and pickling spices for about four hours, following which it’s
chilled and sliced paper-thin. Hainley piles this delectable corned beef atop marble rye bread and adds some Swiss cheese and a moderate helping of sauerkraut. He serves the sandwich with a side of Southern inspiration in the shape of a towering portion of sweet potato fries poured into a stainless mint julep cup. Well, if the Reuben isn’t quite down home enough for you, Hainley turns up the ‘Southern’ dial with a Carolina shrimp and grits platter that is smooth, rich and off the charts on the taste meter. The chef starts with high-quality antebellum Anson Mills grits milled in Charleston, South Carolina. He then laces the grits with Tennessee Sweetwater Valley white cheddar, sprinkles in some spicy tasso ham for a Cajun kick and douses the whole thing with melted butter that’s been dosed with garlic, sun-dried tomato and scallions. This is a sinfully rich dish with one heck of a heavenly taste. At this point, if you’ve sampled three or four of the dishes above, you may want to go and spend a couple of hours napping or walking on a treadmill. Or you could surrender to your sweet tooth and give in to Hainley’s signature warm chocolate cake. That’s because through a miracle of
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microwave-based transmogrification, Hainley has accidentally discovered the secret to making flourless chocolate cake as light and airy as a chocolate mousse, while still delivering a concentrated chocolate flavor. The accompanying homemade pistachio ice cream was surprisingly light. Ice cream flavors change frequently, so you might have a chance to substitute the pistachio for butter pecan, chocolate, vanilla or cinnamon. Now that the weather has warmed, look for Hainley to begin incorporating even more local ingredients into his menus, taking advantage of the Plantation’s own weekly farmers market that runs year-round on Thursday afternoons. He’s hoping to tap into the region’s wealth of beans and okra, maybe experiment with some light pork dishes, try a bit of a Southern spin on succotash. He’s also adding a meatloaf to the menu based on his mother’s recipe and fittingly titled “MaBelle’s Meatloaf.” All of the dishes profiled above come from Belle’s lunch menu. At night, the restaurant amps the sophistication level a bit with Gulf black grouper over grits, crispy pheasant leg confit and seven-ounce filet mignon. Oh, and don’t neglect Belle for Saturday or Sunday brunch. That’s when you’ll find special dishes like almond-crusted brioche French toast or the Belle Benedict—eggs benedict served on a biscuit with country ham and fontina cheese. Now that’s one Belle sure to charm everyone.
Belle Restaurant 5025 Harding Pike Nashville, TN 37205 615.356.0096 bellerestaurant.com In addition to its regular menus, Belle produces occasional special themed wine tasting dinners. The restaurant can also be reserved by groups of up to 120 people for private events.
April 2010 • athometn.com | 79
My Favorite Things Party Celebrate your favorite things (and learn about your friends’ obsessions) by hosting a “favorite things” party, complete with gifts, delicious dishes and party favors. TEXT Stephanie Alexander, event planner| PHOTOGRAPHY Rachael Roy Melton
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n the spirit of Oprah’s “favorite things” (and seriously, who doesn’t love a good insider tip from the woman who has everything?), host a “My Favorite Things” night with your girlfriends. The rules for the evening are easy. You simply bring your favorite thing, whether it’s a beauty product, a kitchen gadget, a book or a combination of smaller items. But there’s a catch— you can’t spend more than $10. I recently hosted this party at my friend Lori’s house in Brentwood and when our husbands found out the money limit, they all wanted to see if we could really pull this off! I imposed the money limit because it forces people to get creative! I have a group of girlfriends who get together at Christmas, and we all exchange gifts, but they have to be less than $10. You would not believe what amazing presents we receive each year, and what lengths some women will go to in order to stay under $10. I have one friend who buys the day after Christmas for the following year, just to stay under the limit. I thought it would be fun to do a similar gift exchange during our monthly girl’s night. As guests sent in their RSVPs, I asked them to bring an appetizer or dessert. Once again, it had to be a favorite! The night of the party, each girl showed up with her gift bag in tow (all items had to be wrapped). While we waited for everyone to arrive, we nibbled on some yummy appetizers and desserts. Asking everyone to bring her favorite food item turned out to be a huge hit of the evening. Our appetizer table was filled with sushi, homemade stuffed mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, mango chutney cheese ball (recipe follows), brie with raspberry jam, and crudités with dip, just to name a few. We even had Chick-Fil-A nuggets (We all know adults love them as much as kids!) The conversation around the food and who brought each item definitely started the evening on a great note! Not to mention, after we stuffed ourselves full of delicious savory appetizers, we had a whole buffet of desserts to conquer. The girls really outdid themselves in this category. We sampled cream cheese and Oreo balls dipped in white and dark chocolate, gingersnaps with a pumpkin spice dipping cream, mint chocolate chip mini cookies, and mini-turtle cookies (recipe follows). After everyone got their fill of delicious favorite foods, we moved into the family room for the excitement to begin. I wanted to make the evening very casual, and I wanted to make sure we all left knowing a little something
about each other. As part of the decorations, I created a “Favorite Things” tree that would determine the order each girl went in (do-it-yourself instructions follow). On this tree, I hung individual cards from pink and silver ribbon. On the back of each card was a number and a question. We had 27 guests, so each card was numbered 1-27. In addition, each card asked a different question ranging from “What is your favorite date night spot?” and “Where is your favorite place to vacation?,” to “What was your favorite TV show in the 80s?” Once we knew everyone’s order, each guest started by reading her question, answering and making her choice from the bevy of gifts. Once the gift was opened, the woman who brought it explained why it was her favorite thing. Another catch to the evening was that each gift could be exchanged a total of three times. (We use this rule— “You Pick It, You Steal It, You Keep It,”—for our annual ornament swap.) This rule makes the game a little more entertaining because the gift can exchange several hands before it is considered “dead.” As the night went on, I kept a running list of the items each guest brought and emailed the list to each participant after the evening. It was a great way to help everyone remember what we all brought. Since we shared what we love, I made individual pink heart cookies in glassine bags to give to each guest as she left. (See recipe and do-it-yourself instructions below).
A Few Of Our Favorite Things: Need gift ideas? These great products are $10 or less! •Gouguenheim Malbec 2007 Argentinian wine •Covergirl Outlast lipstick in “Forever Fawn” •Aveda Rosemary Mint Shampoo •Pampered Chef ice cream scoop •Walgreens’ Alpha-Hydroxy face cream •Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla •OPI nail polish in “Suzi Loves Sydney” •Vaseline Intensive Rescue Clinical Therapy Body Lotion •Trapp candle, mango-scented April 2010 • athometn.com | 81
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DIY Decor Tree Branch Centerpiece What you need: Pruning shears Branches from your yard Large glass vase Filler for the vase (glass beads, river rocks, etc.) Spray paint (For this party I chose a metallic silver) Rubber gloves Ribbon (For this party, I chose pink and silver) Various scrapbooking paper or cardstock Photo-corner rounder scrapbooking tool Hole-punch Decorative lanterns (On this tree, I found hot pink lanterns for votives in the $1 bin at Michaels craft store) 1. Start by choosing branches of various lengths from a variety of trees. 2. Cut the branches and lay them all out on large sheets of newspaper in a well-ventilated area. Wearing rubber gloves, spray paint each branch. After letting the first side dry, turn each branch over and spray the other side. Let the branches sit overnight to ensure they are fully dry. 3. Place your filler in the tall glass vase. For this party, I used clear glass beads. 4. Fill the vase with the branches. Make sure to stagger various heights and types of branches for a full centerpiece. 5. Now that your tree is ready, it’s time to make the cards that hang from the branches. I selected a beautiful butterfly scrapbook paper and mixed it with inexpensive textured-linen pink scrapbook paper. I cut the paper into long rectangles and used the photo corner rounding tool on the edges. (You may choose a variety of options, including using a Cricut machine for perfect cutouts or maybe a square or circle cutter punchout tool that’s found in the scrapbooking aisle of many craft stores.) 6. Once you’ve cut all your shapes out (don’t forget to cut one for each guest), write a number on the back of each as well as a question. 7. Finally, punch a hole in the top and hang from tree with various colors of ribbon. 8. Intersperse all the different types of paper, hang the lanterns, and your tree is finished!
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Waste Not, Want Not Don’t toss this cute tree after the party ends. Here are some creative ways to reuse: •Baby Shower Wishes Tree: Ask each guest to write a wish for the baby and hang it on the tree. •Birthday Memory Tree: Guests write memories about the birthday boy or girl and place on the tree. •Wedding Wish Tree: Wedding guests sign the card, write a note to the bride and groom and place it on the tree.
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Party Banner What you need: A circle punch Thin pink ribbon Pre-cut letters (I bought mine in the scrapbook section of Michael’s. They have them in all shapes and sizes, and I chose the hot pink glittery ones). 1. Cut one circle per banner letter 2. Using double-sided tape or craft glue, affix each letter to a circle. 3. Next, punch two holes in each side of the circle. Run a long strand of pink ribbon through each hole to make the “My Favorite Things” garland. 4. Hang on a fireplace, in an entry way or across a food buffet.
Sugar Cookie Party Favor Sugar cookies (recipe follows) Glassine bag or any type of clear bag from a craft store Labels (instructions follow)
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Ella’ s White Sugar Cookies 1 c. butter 1 c. powdered sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 1⁄2 tsp. almond extract 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. salt 2 1⁄2 c. flour, sifted 1. Cream butter. Add powdered sugar and blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. 2. Chill dough until firm. 3. Roll to 1⁄4” thickness on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. 4. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes. Cookies should not brown. 5. When cool, frost and decorate. Icing Cook’s note: I actually use two different icing recipes. I don’t like the taste of meringue powder, and I don’t like the idea of using raw egg whites. So, my solution is to “pipe” the outside of the cookie with a traditional royal icing recipe and then I “flood” the inside of the cookie with a corn syrup-based icing recipe. It really works for me, although it is a non-traditional way to ice a sugar cookie! Royal Icing with Meringue Whites— to pipe outside of cookie 3 c. powdered sugar 2 Tbsp. meringue powder 1/4 c. cold water Food coloring paste 1. Beat first three ingredients at high speed with a heavy-duty electric stand 84 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
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mixer, using whisk attachment, until glossy and stiff peaks form. 2. Tint icing with desired amount of food coloring paste and beat until blended. Place a damp cloth directly on surface of icing (to prevent a crust from forming) while icing cookies.(Cook’s Note: I use a pastry bag fitted with a number 1 or number 2 tip, but you can use any tip you like. I pipe an outline on each cookie and allow to harden before I flood the cookie with the following royal icing recipe). Royal Icing with Corn Syrup—to flood the interior of the cookie Source: Southern Living 1 c. confectioners’ sugar 2 tsp. milk 2 tsp. light corn syrup 1/4 tsp. almond extract Assorted food coloring paste 1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup. 2. Divide into separate bowls and add food coloring paste. Using a spoon or offset spatula, “flood” the entire inside of the cookie with the icing. 3. Once iced, let dry for several hours (preferably overnight). Place each cookie in a glassine bag and affix a label on the outside to keep it closed. The cookies should stay fresh for about a week. Labels 2x4-inch white mailing labels, compatible with an ink-jet printer (like Avery 8163) A high-quality ink-jet printer April 2010 • athometn.com | 85
food 1. Using the label template in your Microsoft Word (choosing the appropriate size of label you have purchased), design one label, then copy and paste into each additional label. Party Recipes Mango Chutney Cheese Ball 2 (8 oz.) blocks of cream cheese, softened 8 oz. sharp fancy shredded cheddar cheese 1 jar mango chutney 4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1. Cream the two cheeses together until thoroughly mixed. Pour onto serving platter and shape into a large circle. 2. Pour the entire jar of mango chutney over the cheeses. Sprinkle with bacon and green onions. Serve chilled with sliced and toasted French baguette, or with crackers. Chocolate Chip Pecan Turtles (brought that evening by Rachael R. Melton) 48 mini (1-1/2 inch) chocolate chip cookies from pre-made refrigerated dough 1 package (9 oz.) soft and chewy caramels 48-96 pecan halves (about 2 c.) 1 c. semisweet chocolate chips/pieces 1/4 c. chopped pecans 1. Cover two baking sheets with wax paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange cookies on the trays. 2. Bake cookies according to directions on the package. Remove from oven. 3. Combine caramels and 4 tsp. water in a large glass measuring cup. Microwave uncovered at 100 percent power for 30 seconds. Stir to mix then microwave at 15 second intervals until melted. 4. Top each cookie with 1/2 tsp. caramel. Press four pecan halves into the caramel, making it look like turtle legs. 5. Melt chocolate chips in microwaveable bowl. Spoon 1 tsp. over pecans. 6. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes to set chocolate.
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April 2010 • athometn.com | 87
see and do
A Titanic Experience Relive the maiden voyage of the Titanic with a trip to the three-story, 30,000-squarefoot Titanic Museum attraction in Pigeon Forge. Opening April 8, the museum offers an interactive education experience for everyone in the family. PHOTO Courtesy of Titanic Pigeon Forge
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pril marks the grand opening of Pigeon Forge’s new Titanic museum, a 30,000-square-foot structure anchored in the water and built in the shape of the famed vessel. The attraction features 20 rooms of interactive exhibits and more than 400 historic artifacts with a special section—Tot-Titanic—for guests eight and younger. At half the size of the original ship, the three-story, $25 million Titanic Museum is the world’s largest permanent facility of its kind. It affords visitors the opportunity to experience the ill-fated night, right down to the temperature-controlled, chilly weather. “The environment is exactly like the Titanic,” says Rick Laney, spokesperson for the museum. “It’s an all-around experience, not a static museum experience.” Explore history for yourself on the two-hour, self-guided tour during
88 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
which guests can send an SOS signal from the ship’s wireless communication room, view a first class stateroom and a third class cabin, stroll an actual-size replica of the Grand Staircase and touch an iceberg. When vistitors enter the attraction they receive a boarding ticket with the name of one of the actual 2,208 passengers and crew members. While viewing the exhibits they’ll learn more about their passenger and at the end of the tour, in the memorial room, they will discover their fate. Titanic Pigeon Forge opens April 8, with a public christening event and guest appearance by Regis Philbin. The attraction, created by Cedar Bay Entertainment, is the second of its kind. The Titanic museum in Branson, Missouri, has attracted more than 2 million visitors since 2006. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit titanicpigeonforge.com. Katja Zurcher and Lauren McDermott contributed to this article.
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see and do
It’s a Dog’s World Each year, top dogs from around the world flock to New York for the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. At Home Tennessee’s Elizabeth Fletcher shares her behind-the-scenes look into this famous canine competition and the Tennessee dogs that took home big wins. TEXT Elizabeth Fletcher | PHOTOS Courtesy of Beth Nelson
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very year in February, New York is taken over by dogs, their handlers and their owners for the Westminster Kennel Club dog show in Madison Square Garden. This year, 31 Tennessee dogs were among the total 2,500 participants to compete for the coveted Best in Show. To participate in the show, canine competitors must be invited or win the “lottery.” To win the lottery, your dog must have his “Champion” title; to be invited, the dog must be one of the top five in the country based on the previous year’s winnings. Being an animal lover, but especially a lover of dogs, this was the perfect place for me, spending two days with the top dogs in the world. As we all know, New York does not have ample green space for dogs to romp and relieve themselves, but this was not a problem. The Hotel Pennsylvania, one of the host hotels, had set up bathrooms in a banquet room with the boys’ area to the left and the girls’ bathroom to the right. The facility also had an exercise room for dogs complete with different sized treadmills so competitors could do their aerobics to maintain their coveted physiques. The spa for dogs was my favorite and reservations were a must. The Hotel Pennsylvania was all about our four-legged friends and their comfort and beauty for preparation for the show. After the first day at the Westminster we came
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back to the Roosevelt Hotel (theroosevelthotel.com), built in 1926, to rest our weary feet and aching backs and to enjoy what are arguably the best sliders ever at the Madison Club Lounge. For dessert we found a street vendor and opted for the complete New York experience with a bag of roasted chestnuts. We ended the evening at the famed Whiskey Blue (gerberbars. com), Rande Gerber’s bar at the W Hotel in Manhattan. With only three groups left to be judged before that night’s grand finale, the second (and last) day of the Westminster was a day of nerves. However, Tennessee’s canines did great with the greater Swiss mountain dog of Brad and Chrissy Selleck of Collierville taking home Best of Breed. Corryton resident Pam Haig’s Pharaoh hound won Best of Opposite Sex, as did one of the state’s Polish lowland sheepdogs, owned by Jenny Devlin, Steve Gough and Jeffrey and Merrilee Cirtwell. Valerie and Katrina Hamilton of Lewisburg took home an Award of Merit with their saluki. Not bad for a day’s work among the stiffest competition in the world! Then it was time to pack our bags and return to daily routine, devoid of indoor plumbing for canines and dog-manicurists. My bucket list is one item shorter, but the experience of a lifetime will last forever. And who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to enter a dog in the famed Westminster.
book review
Interview with Author Tisha Morris
27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home Turner Publishing Company, April 2010 TEXT Lindsey Phillips
Did you know that adding rose quartz (or even a piece of pink construction paper) to a specific corner of your home can enhance your romantic relationships? Or that a purple throw pillow placed in the Wealth and Prosperity area of home will help bring just that into your life? These are just some of Nashville author Tisha Morris’ suggestions in her new book 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home, a guide to space clearing, clutter clearing and promoting positive energy in the home in general. “Like the oxygen flowing through your body, it is important to have a positive energy flow throughout your entire home,” Morris writes in the book’s introduction. “... People around the world have been using these same techniques for centuries because of their steadfast results.” Based on an ancient Chinese proverb stating “If you want to change your life, move 27 things in your home,” Morris’ book combines traditional Feng Shui elements (such as incorporating mirrors to promote energy flow in the home) with modernized versions of the ancient Eastern tradition. Each of the chapters focuses on one of the 27 Things, with every topic chosen carefully based on Morris’ experience as a Feng Shui consultant and energy healer. “The 27 things I have chosen are all changes I have personally seen make a profound difference in either my life or the lives of my clients,” writes Morris. (She’s also an interior designer, so you’re covered on an aesthetic level as well.) While the first chapter—Clean Out Your Closet—may seem daunting, Morris reminds that clearing clutter (both physically and energetically) is key to good energy in the home. She also provides an easy plan and checklist in the back of the book to help break up the process. And while you don’t have to implement the steps in the order the book lists them, Morris has arranged the 27 Things logically, so it might be best to stick with the plan. You know you’ve been meaning to clean out that closet for years now anyway. 27 Things to Feng Shui Your Home provides readers with an easy-to-follow, knowledgeable guide to applying Feng Shui principles to your own home. Who isn’t tempted to try these steps when something as simple as cleaning out underneath your bed can improve sleep? You’ve probably noticed the difference you feel in your home when you rearrange furniture or spring clean, so this guide is great for every homeowner, even if you’re a Feng Shui skeptic. 92 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
At Home Tennessee: How did you get involved in Feng Shui? Tisha Morris: I arrived at Feng Shui through the back door, so to speak. After not feeling fulfilled with practicing law for many years, I followed my passion and love for the home by obtaining a fine arts degree in interior design. Soon after that, I trained and then taught yoga and became interested in the healing arts. While it would seem that interior design would be the logical prelude to Feng Shui, it was actually through my experience as an energy healer. I wanted to heal spaces the same way we heal the mind and body. AHT: What inspired you to write this book? TM: For my very first Feng Shui workshop, I provided my participants with tons of great information and inspiration. At the very end, one woman raised her hand and said, “What should we do first?” I thought that was such a great question and it became the cornerstone of my future workshops and then the inspiration for this book. So many of us are overwhelmed with where to begin. I wanted this book to be an easy, logical and organized way to understand such a right-brain concept. As with everything I do, I am inspired to help people make desired changes, especially without being overwhelmed. AHT: Which of the 27 Things do you feel is the most important? TM: It’s really hard to pick just one; after all, we all have our vices. For me, number three, “Clearing Out Old Pictures,” was a huge step for me moving forward. As a typical Cancer sign, I was prone to hang onto nostalgia to the point that it just kept me in the past. To determine what is most important for you, I recommend looking down the list of the 27 Things and see to which one you have the most resistance. That will be the one that will be the most important of the 27 Things for you. AHT: Why did you pick that particular Chinese proverb to base the book around? TM: The title is inspired by a Chinese proverb that says, “If you want to change your life, move 27 things in your home.” This proverb speaks to the power of just how interrelated our energy is with the energy of our home. As you make changes in your home, you are making changes within yourself. I selected the 27 things that I have seen make the most impact on either me or my clients, ranging from aspects of de-cluttering to traditional Feng Shui techniques. AHT: Are you working on anything else right now? TM: I have been working on another book that relates to Feng Shui over the last three years. It was inspired by a house I purchased and renovated a few years ago. As I made changes to the house, I noticed correlating changes within myself. So it will be more about the metaphysical connections with Feng Shui. When not writing, I will continue to hold workshops and provide private Feng Shui consultations.
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happenings
April 8
The Temple, Nashville
423.265.4282,
Rodney Carrington
615.352.7620,
4bridgesartsfestival.org
Tivoli Theater, Chattanooga
templeartsfestival.org
423.265.5156, chattanooga.gov
April 15-22
Rib Fest and Wings
April 8-11
Nashville Film Festival
Downtown Gatlinburg
Southern Women’s Show
Regal Green Hills Stadium 16
865.436.4178
Nashville Convention Center
615.742.2500,
800.849.0248,
nashvillefilmfestival.org
southernshows.com
April 22
Mule Day
April 23-24 Country Music Marathon
April 15-17
Centennial Park, Nashville
April 9-10
Rivers & Spires Festival
800.311.1255,
Rockabilly Music Festival
Downtown Clarksville
nashville.competitor.com
Rockabilly Hall of Fame, Jackson
931.552.9006,
731.265.1841, rockabillyhall.org
riversandspires.com
April 10
April 15-17
Oak Ridge Civic Center
Blooms for the Cure
The Lincoln Symposium
orearthday.org
Crescent Bend House and Gar-
Abraham Lincoln Library and
dens, Knoxville
Museum, Harrogate
865.637.3163, knoxtix.com
800.325.0900, imunet.edu
April 10
April 17
A Tennessee Waltz
Historic House Museums of
State Capitol, Nashville
Knoxville Bus Tours
800.407.4324, tnmuseum.org
Knoxville
April 24 Earth Day 2010 in Oak Ridge
Bill Johnson, HorsePix Photography
April 2010
Jeni Housley of Franklin rides Hooch during the annual Mule Day celebration.
February 12
Tennessee Central Railway Mu-
Champagne and Truffles
seum, Watertown
The Factory in Franklin
615.244.9001, tcry.org
This month, don’t miss the Mule Day Celebration in Columbia, the Downtown Crossville self-proclaimed Mule Capital of the Cruise-In world. Started in 1840, Mule Day is an annual festival that attracts more Downtown Crossville than 200,000 people every year. In 931.787.1324, addition to celebrating everything downtowncrossvilleinc.net mule, attendees can taste traditional Appalachian food like barbecue, April 24 roasted corn, homemade pies and Historic Home & Garden Tour funnel cakes. Other activities include Corinth, Mississippi clogging, a crafts festival and a flea corinthhometour.org market. The celebration even hosts various competitions for both man April 24 and beast. While people take part Pegasus Spring Fashion Show in the Liar’s Contest, a rural-based and Luncheon storytelling contest and a lumberjack The Racquet Club, Memphis competition, mules line up for “best of breed” and the “mule pull contest” 901.355.2460 which requires a pair of animals to April 24-25 pull a sled loaded with cinder blocks. Since 1934, the festival has held a 14th Annual National Mule Day Parade on Saturday with Cornbread Festival lavish floats competing to win honorSouth Pittsburg ary ribbons and money. Also held 423.837.0022, on Saturday is the Mule Day Queen nationalcornbread.com pageant. Mule Day has grown tremendously over time with the heavy April 30 involvement from Maury County, “After the Thaw” Opening making it one of the largest livestock Reception markets in the world.
615.969.0064
April 17-18
winterartsmemphis.com
April 10
865.523.7521, knoxtix.com
Celebration of Craft
April 17
Appalachian Center for Craft,
5th Annual Flower Show,
Smithville
Garden Show and Sale
931.372.3051, tntech.edu
Sevier County Fairgrounds 865.774.8410, scamga.org
April 10 Dumplin Days at Fiddler’s Grove
April 17
James E. Ward Agricultural
Hallowed Ground: A Lantern
Center, Lebanon
Tour of Stones River National
615.444.5503
Cemetery Stones River National Cemetery
April 10
Visitor Center
Music of the Mountains
615.893.9501, nps.gov
W. L. Mills Conference Center, Gatlinburg 800.568.4748, gatlinburg.org
April 17 Spring Mile-Long Yard Sale and Excursion Train
epitourean.com
4 Bridges Art Festival
April 10-12
First Tennessee Pavilion,
Temple Arts Festival
Chattanooga
94 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
April 24
Memphis,
-Lauren McDermott
April 8-11 Columbia muleday.net
April 2010 • athometn.com | 95
sources 20 Spring Awakening Anthropologie at Saddle Creek, Germantown, 901.309.3440, anthropologie. com; Nashville, 615.279.9109; Dillard’s at CoolSprings Galleria, Franklin, 615.771.2128, dillards.com; Frankie and Julian’s, Chattanooga, 423.266.6661, northshorechattanooga. com; Gaylord Opryland Hotel, Nashville, 615.889.1000, gaylordhotels.com; Gin-O, Franklin, 615.591.8450; Lola B., Knoxville, 865.909.9059, shoplolab.com; Mam’selle, Jackson, 731.668.2420; M.S. Mclellan, Knoxville, 865.584.3492, msmclellan.com; Posh at Green Hills, Nashville, 615.269.6250, poshonline.blogspot.com; Southern Couture, Memphis, 901.682.1128 46 The Heirloom Creator Amy Howard Collection, Memphis, 901.547.1448, amyhowardcollection.com 48 House With a View Builder—Construction Design and Management, Inc., Lenoir City, 865.986.7090 Architect—Mark Matlock, Construction Design and Management, Inc., Lenoir City, 865.986.7090 Interior Design—Megan Long, Construction Design and Management, Inc., Lenoir City, 865.986.7090 Furnishings—Braden’s Lifestyles, Knoxville, 865.777.4059, bradens.com Flooring—Blue Jack Concrete Surfaces, Knoxville, 865.588.3244 Kitchen Design—Whitestone Enterprises, Franklin, 615.533.6508 Granite Countertops—White’s Marble Works, Sweetwater, 423.337.2138 Appliances—Ferguson Enterprises, Nashville, 615.385.3054, ferguson.com Landscape—Site Solutions, Blaine, 865.851.5381 Pool—Tipton Pools, Knoxville, 865.689.7665, tiptonpools.com Pool Deck—G&L Marble, 865.988.0140, Knoxville, glmarble.com Exterior/Interior Masonry—Williams Exteriors, Greenback, 865.856.7475 Exterior Windows/Doors—WM.S Trimble Co., Knoxville, 865.573.1911 60 Spruce Up for Spring Teresa Zilinsky Designs, Memphis, 901.481.3738, beautifulinteriordesigns.com 64 Conquering Your Closet More than Closets, Memphis, 901.937.1880, morethanclosetsmemphis.com Organize by Design, Memphis, 901.761.7911, organizebydesign.biz 68 Edible Gardening Bennett-Burks Nursery, Horn Lake, Mississippi, 662.781.0139 76 Cooking Class L’ECOLE Culinaire, Memphis, 901.754.7115, lecoleculinaire.com
April 2010 • athometn.com | 97
finance
Scary News Isn’t Scary (If You’re Debt Free!) TEXT Dave Ramsey, The Dave Ramsey Show
I
receive a lot of calls and emails on my show from scared people. Over the past few years the news media has created a lot of drama around the economy and reporting only doom and gloom. As consumers, this freaks people out. What’s going to happen to your house? Your car? You can’t walk around not paying attention to the economy but the thing is that if you’re debt free, there’s no reason to be scared. Let’s say Joe has $20,000 in his emergency fund in cash and has no debt. His house is paid off and he has half a million dollars in mutual funds. Robert, on the other hand has a mortgage for a house he can’t afford, a loan on a car he never should have bought and credit card debt coming out of his ears.
that when the economy is struggling that you will prosper. It’s the same plan I’ve been telling people for two decades and now that the news has been scary, it suddenly makes sense – even to some people who have made fun of me for those same two decades. Some of you may be asking “why are you so calm about all this?” The truth is, I’m almost yawning at some of this stuff. “Well Dave, if I had your money I would be yawning, too.” That’s not the point. I’m calm because I don’t have any debt and I have an emergency fund! When the news is scary but you have a house that is paid for, money in the bank and a few bucks in your mutual funds, you’re not scared. And that’s where I want you to be.
See, the difference is this: Robert is at the mercy of the economy because nothing he owns is actually his. His home, his car and all his stuff is owned by creditors. He has no savings and is living month to month. How twisted up would he be if the economy was to go south?
Being debt free may not be normal, but it’s far from impossible. Security isn’t something that’s unachievable for anyone. I’m living proof. I had to work for it twice because I was stupid. I was too stupid to do it right the first time and I lost it all.
The point is that you want to recession-proof yourself. You want to ensure that when the economy is booming that you will prosper and
The thing is, the debt-free formula works. You can do it. You can build financial stability in a slowing economy and it doesn’t have to
98 | At Home Tennessee • April 2010
have a lot of zeros on it. You don’t have to be worth 10 million dollars to have peace in the middle of these kinds of things – financial peace – two words that don’t go together in our society. You can have that, it’s doable. I’m sitting here with my home paid for and my office building is paid for. I don’t buy anything that’s not paid for. I don’t have any payments. And so I have the security to see all these new stories are nothing more than news stories. Getting out of debt isn’t a complex formula, but it requires truckloads of effort. Set a written budget, stop buying stuff you don’t need and attack your debt as fast as you can. So if you’re up to your eyeballs in debt and the news is freaking you out, get gazelle intense. Attack your debt with all your energy so that you can start building wealth and security. The bottom line is that it is easy to become wealthy if you don’t have any payments. If you don’t have a car payment, a student loan, credit card debt coming out of your ears, medical debt, or even a mortgage, it can happen quickly. Get rid of that debt as fast as you can and you too can gain security.