Invitation Magazine - November 2026 by Invitation Magazines

S E R V I N G

CO U N T I E S

I N

N O R T H E A S T

M I S S I S S I P P I

THE

HARVEST ISSUE

A COUNTRY SOIREE SET TO MUSIC BAKERS, MAKERS AND FA RM E R S G ROW TH E LO C A L FOOD SCENE APPLE CIDER RECIPES FO R YO U R FA LL TA B LE

HARVE ST

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YOUR INVITATION

IN EVERY ISSUE 12

Our Take

The Talent

Bites & Vibes

Restaurant News

Social Hour

RSVP

Post Toast: Shane Brown

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IN THIS ISSUE 32

Sunday Bagels, Southern Style

Andrew Vallone and Lizzy Lamarche didn’t set out to build a business. Then people started lining up for their handmade sourdough bagels.

Anchored in Mississippi

After 15 years in Atlanta, Molly Trost, an interior designer with Mississippi roots, finds her way back home.

Granola, for Starters

Israel Rivera’s cherry pistachio granola is winning over farmers market shoppers, but his vision for Cousins Food Company goes far beyond breakfast.

Country Concerto

Every fall, a posh country cabin party unfolds at Spring Creek, Curtis and Kathryn Downs’ scenic New Albany estate.

Homegrown Flavor

At HalleluYah Gardens, Mart Mounger and Ashley Peebles are growing heirloom tomatoes, seasonal vegetables, and the kind of food that tastes like it came from your own backyard.

ON THE COVER From local food to family and friends, harvest season is worth celebrating. Get an exclusive peek inside a beautiful fall party on page 52. PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

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OU R TAKE WITH

ood and family often take center stage from late October through the first of the year. There are extended family meals, parties with friends and neighbors, and leftovers to enjoy after the festivities are over — food becomes both a conversation starter and a recurring theme this time of the year. More than two years ago, my family’s relationship with food changed. My daughter, who was 12 at the time, was diagnosed with celiac disease. It’s a chronic autoimmune and digestive disorder in which eating gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley and rye — triggers an immune system reaction that damages the lining of the small intestine. Suddenly, we found out foods we loved were making her very sick. Cakes, donuts, pies, bread and much more were no longer readily available to her. So, when it was time to plan holiday meals, we began looking beyond our traditional favorites for dishes the whole family could enjoy, including my daughter. Along the way, we discovered new favorites, including this one:

EASY GLUTEN-FREE SAUSAGE BALLS 1 box Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix (found in the gluten-free section at most grocery stores) 1 pound ground sausage Preheat oven to 425°F. Follow the directions on the box to make the biscuit dough. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook sausage until browned. Drain well. Stir sausage into biscuit dough. Roll into small balls and bake in preheated oven on a baking sheet for 14-16 minutes. Enjoy!

Most people have no idea these are gluten free! They are a delicious addition to a traditional brunch or a tailgate where gluten-free offerings can be limited. Throughout this issue, we’ve highlighted not only some delicious food but also the local people who grow it, make it and bake it. You’ll also see we are bringing back our monthly recipe feature. It’s a great place to find fresh inspiration and discover something new to try in your own kitchen. We hope you enjoy this issue — and bon appétit!

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PUBLISHER Rachel West

E D ITO R I A L

ART

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Emily Welly

Bryan Nigh

EVENTS EDITOR

SENIOR EDITORIAL

AND SOCIAL MEDIA

PHOTOGRAPHER

COORDINATOR

Joe Worthem

Meg Kennedy CONTRIBUTING FOOD EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Sarah Godwin

Elsie Jane Adams Rebekah Clayton Deborah Freeland Maria Fudge Olivia Jones Kimberly Leonard Miller Meisenheimer Caroline Pugh Lisa Roberts

COPY EDITOR

Ashley Arthur CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lena Anderson Eugene Stockstill Sonia Thompson

O FFI C E

A DV E R T I S I N G ADVERTISING

BUSINESS MANAGER

CONSULTANTS

Hollie Dalton

Allen Baker Brian Hilliard

Alise Emerson Leigh Lowery Lynn McElreath Moni Simpson Whitney Worsham

MAIN OFFICE

ADVERTISING

662-234-4008

DESIGNERS

DISTRIBUTION

Paul Gandy Markka Bartlett Ryan Strickland For advertising information, contact ads@invitationoxford.com. To subscribe to one year (10 issues) or to buy an announcement, visit invitationmag.com. To request a photographer at your event, email invitationmag.events@gmail.com. Invitation Magazines respects the many diverse individuals and organizations that make up north Mississippi and strives to be inclusive and representative of all members of our community.

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TH E TALE NT R YA N S T R I C K L A N D

DESIGNER

Graphic designer and freelance marketing manager Ryan Strickland has been working with Invitation since 2025. Originally from South Georgia, she has made Oxford her home since she started her freshman year at Ole Miss in 2020. A defining thread in Ryan’s work is drawing inspiration from the Velvet Ditch’s charm and creative energy. Through her freelance business, The Stamp Creative, she enjoys building and managing thoughtful brands, creating intentional content and transforming businesses by connecting them with their audiences in meaningful and memorable ways.

SONIA THOMPSON

WRITER

NINA MARIA FUDGE

Sonia Thompson has a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and has worked in magazines for much of her career, writing for Lucky, Woman’s Day, espnW and Garden & Gun, and as editor of Invitation Oxford. She is director of marketing and communications for the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area. She has been part of the Oxford community for nearly 20 years, where she lives with her husband and their two daughters.

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHER

A wife and mother of two teenagers, Michael and Michelle, event photographer Nina Maria Fudge loves capturing special moments through her lens. In addition to taking photos for the magazine, she’s often found clicking away at dance performances or on baseball and soccer fields. She says meeting new people and taking their pictures can be nerve-racking but rewarding, and nothing makes her happier than seeing someone share her work.

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LY N N M C E L R E AT H

ADVERTISING CONSULTANT

Lynn McElreath has been part of Invitation Magazines since 2007, back when the publication was just beginning to take shape. A native Oxonian, she is grateful for her clients, many of whom she has worked with all these years. With the holidays fast approaching, Lynn looks forward to spending time with family. With five sisters who all have adult children with families, holiday gettogethers are quite the event. Not much of a cook, Lynn typically just brings along another sister — Sister Schubert — to contribute!

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B ITE S & VIB E S

Apple Cider Delight APPLE CIDER IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL TASTE OF THE HARVEST SEASON.

RECIPES BY SARAH GODWIN

| PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

reat your guests to homemade apple cider donuts and a make-ahead apple cider punch — with or without the spirits — for sweet treats that work beautifully in the Grove or at any family gathering this season.

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APPLE CIDER DONUTS 1 ½ cups apple cider 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon apple pie spice ½ cup milk 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup light brown sugar 3 tablespoon butter, melted 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Topping 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon apple pie spice 4 tablespoon butter, melted In a medium saucepan over low heat, simmer apple cider, stirring occasionally, until reduced to almost ½ cup, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes. While cider cools, preheat the oven to 350°F, and spray a donut baking pan with cooking spray. Set prepared pan aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and apple pie spice, until combined. In a small bowl, combine milk and apple cider vinegar, and let sit for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, stir together granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, egg, vanilla extract and milk mixture until combined. Add flour mixture to milk mixture, and fold until lightly incorporated. Stir in cooled apple cider just until fully incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Spoon batter into a gallon-sized ziplock plastic freezer bag, and cut off one small corner; pipe batter into prepared donut pan. Bake donuts at 350°F until edges just begin to brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool for about 5 minutes.

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For the topping, in a shallow bowl, stir together granulated sugar, cinnamon and apple pie spice. Brush the donuts with melted butter, and dip each side in cinnamon-sugar mixture to coat. Continued on page 24

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APPLE CIDER PUNCH 6 cups apple cider 1 cup orange juice ½ cup lemon juice 1 liter ginger ale 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 orange, sliced into wedges 2 apples, sliced into wedges 5 cinnamon sticks 1 cup bourbon or rum, optional ½ cup granulated sugar, for garnish 2 teaspoons cinnamon, for garnish 4 star anise, for garnish

Add apple cider, orange juice, lemon juice, ginger ale, vanilla, orange slices, apple slices and cinnamon sticks to a pitcher, and stir to combine. Stir in bourbon or rum, if desired. Chill 6 hours or up to overnight. Mix together sugar and cinnamon, and set aside. To serve, coat the rims of 4 rocks glasses with the cinnamonsugar mixture. Add ice to glasses. Pour punch into glasses, and garnish each with a star anise.

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RESTAURANT NEWS

Hotel Leighton Bar

Parlor 1858

Able Mabel

NOW OPEN 4 07 N . M A I N S T R E E T, WAT E R VA L L E Y

NOW OPEN 9 02 S I S K AV E ., O X F O R D

Open for lunch and dinner every day except for Wednesdays, Parlor 1858 features pizzas, salad, appetizers and more, along with a full bar. instagram.com/parlor_1858

S u nday B agels

A Southern market featuring ready-to-heat suppers, fresh-baked sweets, salads, sides and sips that are perfect for any occasion, from weeknight meals to tailgate parties to special celebrations. instagram.com/ablemabeloxford

NOW OPEN 3 0 9 N . L A M A R B LV D., O X F O R D

Dutch Bros Coffee

Hand-rolled sourdough bagels, available Thursday through Sunday, 8 a.m. until noon, or until sold out. Read more on page 32. instagram.com/sundaybagelss

NOW OPEN 704 S I S K AV E ., O X F O R D

B a r Ne ro

Hand-crafted coffee drinks and other specialty beverages. Open daily for drive-thru, curbside pickup and takeout. dutchbros.com

COMING SOON 2 6 5 N . L A M A R B LV D., O X F O R D

Hotel Leighton Bar

Oxford’s beloved Bar Muse is being reinvented as Bar Nero, an Italian-inspired cocktail bar featuring aperitifs from Joe Stinchcomb, Italian wines and small bites. instagram.com/barnerooxford

Mea Culpa Bar & Deli COMING SOON 2 6 5 N . L A M A R B LV D., O X F O R D

Sister restaurant to Bar Nero, this fast casual lunch spot will feature focaccia sandwiches, cocktails and wines on tap, and creative graband-go options. instagram.com/meaculpaoxford

Sunday Bagels

NOW OPEN 1 1 2 T O W N S Q U A R E L A N E , TAY L O R

Inside the recently opened Hotel Leighton in Plein Air, this welcoming, New Orleans-inspired gathering space is the perfect spot for a night out with friends. instagram.com/hotelleighton

Brown & Covington COMING SOON 3 01 S . C O M M E R C E S T., R I P L E Y

Located across the street from The Cut-Off, this artisan marketplace is designed as a community gathering space complete with a gelato stand. visitripleyms.com Able Mabel

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SUNDAY BAGELS, SOUTHERN STYLE

ANDREW VALLONE AND LIZZY L AMARCHE DIDN’T SET OUT TO BUILD A BUSINESS. THEN PEOPLE STARTED LINING UP FOR THEIR HANDMADE SOURDOUGH BAGELS. WRITTEN BY LENA ANDERSON

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| PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

n a busy, buzzy Saturday morning inside the Oxford Creamery on the Square, the line for Sunday Bagels is long. Luckily for hungry customers, the line moves quickly, and the smell of freshly baked bagels reminds them the wait will be worth it. For owners Andrew Vallone and Lizzy Lamarche, it’s still a little hard to believe how far and how fast Sunday Bagels has come. What began about a year ago as a simple Sunday morning ritual between the couple and their friends has grown into a full-fledged business producing 700 to 800 bagels a day. But Sunday Bagels didn’t start with a breakfast pastry: it started with pizza. Vallone, who grew up around the restaurant industry with his Sicilian family, got a pizza oven and began experimenting with sourdough pizza. That led to more dough experiments, and eventually he decided to try his hand at bagels. He brought a test batch to Lamarche and her roommates. They were a big hit. Soon, Sundays became bagel days. Friends would gather while Vallone made bagels and Lamarche put together a big cream cheese board and toppings. More friends started showing up. Eventually someone suggested they make an Instagram account. Lamarche created the account and designed the logo around Vallone’s dog, Remi, who remains part of the Sunday Bagels branding. A sorority sister with a small food-review account came for bagels one Sunday and posted a video that racked up about 25,000 views. Within hours, Sunday Bagels went from roughly 200 Instagram followers to about 1,000. Soon, strangers were showing up at the apartment to pick up orders. Eventually, Vallone’s roommate walked out NOVEMBER 2026 | INVITATION

of his bedroom, looked around at the unfamiliar faces, and asked, “Hey, who are these people?” That’s when they knew they had outgrown the apartment. With advice from Oxford chef and mentor Corbin Evans, Vallone reached out about getting into the farmers market. Oxford City Market director Betsy Chapman welcomed them in, and on March 17, their first market day, they arrived with about 70 bagels and low expectations. Instead, roughly 150 people lined up before the market even opened. They sold out in less than an hour. After several months at the market, and with demand continuing to grow, it became clear: They needed a commercial kitchen. That led them to Andy O’Brien at Oxford Creamery, who offered them unused space. They signed a one-year lease and opened shop on Aug. 27. The move came with its own growing pains, including a malfunctioning oven that forced a temporary closure. But they were back up and running just in time to feed hungry football fans for LSU weekend. By then, they had learned that scaling up meant protecting what made Sunday Bagels special in the first place. The bagels themselves are intentionally a little different. Sunday Bagels uses naturally leavened sourdough with no commercial yeast and high-quality flour that costs more but produces the flavor and texture Vallone wants. They’re very clear that they aren't trying to

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make a traditional bagel. Vallone describes theirs as closer to a fluffy dinner roll. The dough is still boiled and baked like a traditional bagel, but instead of rolling it into a rope and wrapping it around the hand, they shape it like a small dumpling, let it proof, and then poke the hole through the center. A New Yorker might object. They’re okay with that. “We’re making a Mississippi bagel,” Vallone said, laughing. And these Mississippi bagels are rolled by hand, every single day. That means getting to the shop around 3:30 a.m. to get started. It’s a demanding schedule for even the most seasoned business owner. Still, for Vallone and Lamarche, both recent Ole Miss graduates in their early 20s, it also means living a lifestyle that looks pretty different from most of their friends. While others might be out late on a Friday night, they’re usually thinking about an early Saturday morning at the shop. The work has grown beyond the two of them. Sunday Bagels now employs eight people, including some customers who were there from the beginning. The menu stays relatively simple, with plain, salt, everything, cinnamon sugar and cheddar bagels forming the foundation. And Lamarche leads the schmears, dreaming up flavors such as a fully loaded version with bacon, chives, cheddar and jalapeño. She also created

a chocolate chip banana bread schmear that became a crowd favorite. Since the opening of the storefront, they no longer sell at the Oxford City Market. Still, they remain regular customers and try to incorporate locally purchased ingredients whenever they can, especially seasonal fruit such as strawberries and peaches in their schmears. “There’s nothing like this in Oxford,” Lamarche said. For now, that may be exactly the point. Sunday Bagels filled a gap they saw in Oxford: a handmade, naturally leavened bagel that wasn’t trying to be something it wasn’t. The next chapter for Sunday Bagels may involve more space, bagel sandwiches and eventually a restaurant of their own. Their ideal setup sounds almost too good to be true: bagels in the morning, pizza at night. It would bring the business full circle, back to the sourdough pizza that started it all. The young entrepreneurs also dream of pop-ups, outdoor dinners and eventually expanding into other college towns, particularly SEC communities where they see the same gap they found in Oxford. But for now, Lamarche is just appreciating what’s happening right in front of them. “We get to look at each other, when the store is packed, and everyone’s smiling, and eating a product that we put out, and we’re like, yeah, this is really cool,” she said.

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ANCHORED IN

MIS SIS SIPPI AFTER 15 YEARS IN ATL ANTA, MOLLY TROST, AN INTERIOR DESIGNER WITH MISSISSIPPI ROOTS, FINDS HER WAY BACK HOME. WRITTEN BY SONIA THOMPSON

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| PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

ometimes, the house chooses you. At least, that’s how it felt to interior designer Molly Trost when she and her family were house hunting in the Oxford area two years ago. Molly’s husband, Heath, grew up in Oxford, and the pair met at the University of Mississippi, so it wasn’t that they weren’t familiar with the area. But the neighborhood where they ended up was not initially on their radar. It was her brother-in-law who already lived in the neighborhood — which is about halfway between Oxford and Water Valley, just off Highway 7 — who sent them a short video of the house. “Even though we had been to visit him

numerous times, we didn’t even know this was tucked back here,” Molly said. The winding, gravel driveway leading up to the peaceful acreage and white farmhouse-style home is what sold Molly in particular. “It reminded me of the house from the movie ‘Baby Boom,’” she said, laughing. Thankfully, the Trosts’ house came with better neighbors than the cinematic version. “This community is just unbelievable,” Molly said. “It’s the kind where we moved in, and they’re bringing pies and desserts, and they’re there at the drop of a hat. And to have family just up the road, too, is just the best.” Now fully settled, the family calls their property Anchor Farm — a tribute to the Anchor

Baptist Church that’s across the street, where they are now members — but also to the feeling the place evokes in their family of five. Two enormous oak trees, believed to be more than 200 years old, stand at the center of the land. An addition of a pool and pool house give the backyard the feeling of a private retreat, while a large screened-in porch has become the real heart of the home. It is where they eat, watch football, play mahjong, entertain friends, and spend time together. That connection to family can be felt throughout the house. When they first bought it, the home needed some imagination. The previous owners had loved it well, but the interiors were dark and dated. Rather than erase the house’s personality, NOVEMBER 2026 | INVITATION

she wanted to bring it back to life. “I didn’t just want ‘farmhouse,’” she said. “I love Southern, just a Southern classic, traditional home.” The result is layered and personal. Blue and green fabrics sit alongside traditional furnishings. Wallpaper adds color and pattern. Antiques mix with newer pieces. Books and collected objects fill the rooms. Her design philosophy, she jokes, is influenced by her “inner Jessica Fletcher,” a reference to the cozy, grandmillenial-style interiors from 1980s TV show “Murder, She Wrote.” “I’ve always treated my interiors like that,” she said. “This is your home. This is where you’re going to be living with your family. This should be so fun.” That idea has followed her throughout a nearly 25-year career in interior design. She worked in Atlanta as a design coordinator for a high-end design-build company, an experience that taught her to think beyond decorating and into the bones of a house. Today, her work includes everything from house plans and kitchens to the details of a single powder room. She works with clients in Mississippi and other states, but Oxford has become home base again. And now, she is bringing another piece of her life home. Continued on page 42

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The House of Vivian Jane Molly met Christy Larson in college, and the pair opened their first interior design business, the French Foyer, together in Oxford nearly two decades ago. Years later, after different careers and years spent in Atlanta and Mississippi, the friends found themselves sitting over coffee and talking about what might come next. That conversation eventually became a business. The House of Vivian Jane, which had its grand opening just last month, occupies a renovated 1970s ranch house off South Lamar. The decision to locate the shop in a house was deliberate. “We really wanted to be in a house,” Trost said. “We want it to be a destination that you have to find.” The name itself is a nod to family. “Vivian is Christy’s grandmother and Jane is mine,” she said. Inside, the space brings together the things the two friends love: interiors, fabrics, books, entertaining, mahjong and needlepoint. But The House of Vivian Jane is intended to be more than a shop. One room is dedicated to mahjong, where visitors can reserve a table, attend events or gather with friends. There will also be a space for needlepoint, a hobby she discovered through Christy and quickly embraced. “I’m obsessed,” she said. The space will eventually host luncheons, sorority gatherings, mahjong parties and other events. And there is no dress code. “We want it to be a place like, you come with your baseball cap and no makeup,” she said. “And, ‘hey, come on in. You’re welcome.’” That sense of welcome is central to the shop and the home she has created. Both are places that anchor Molly, her family and friends, and anyone who might walk through the door.

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The House of Vivian Jane 716 Prestage Rd., Oxford

Instagram: @houseofvivianjane houseofvivianjane.com

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granola,

for starters

ISRAEL RIVERA’S CHERRY PISTACHIO GRANOL A IS WINNING OVER FARMERS MARKET SHOPPERS, BUT HIS VISION FOR COUSINS FOOD COMPANY GOES FAR BEYOND BREAKFAST.

WRITTEN BY LENA ANDERSON

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| PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

f you happen upon a farmers market where Israel Rivera is selling his signature Cousins Granola, here’s a bit of advice: don’t buy just one container. For those with weaker willpower, it doesn’t take long to blow through this highly addictive snack. Rivera hears this all the time from customers.“They always want more,” he said, laughing. The granola began with a Christmas gift last year. Rivera thought it was the best granola he had ever tasted, so he tracked down the recipe. But no matter how many times he made it, he couldn’t recreate what he had tasted. With years of experience in professional kitchens, Rivera suspected he was missing something. So he started experimenting. The missing piece turned out to be an ingredient from his earlier restaurant days in New York: a praline wedge made for a decadent whiskey cake. These praline pieces were kept in the pantry, where kitchen staff would often sneak bites whenever they passed by. Rivera wondered what would happen if he incorporated those elements into granola. Eventually, he found the flavor he had been chasing. That experiment became the foundation for Cousins’ signature cherry pistachio granola. Soon, Rivera’s taste testers were asking the inevitable question: Where are you selling this? Turning something made for fun in his kitchen into an actual business venture was intimidating. Rivera said he had to overcome a tendency to undervalue his own work. But the local food community helped convince him that his product was worth it. Cousins Granola is intentionally versatile. Continued on page 48 NOVEMBER 2026 | INVITATION

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Rivera thinks of it less as a breakfast food and more as a flavor and texture component that can move between sweet and savory dishes. He is particularly focused on texture, and granola provides the crunch that can make a dish work. That attention to detail carries through the process. The ingredients are straightforward, but Rivera is selective about what goes into the recipe. Everything is toasted by hand, then baked and cooled in a particular way. Rivera's daughter, Eviana, is often by his side, helping out in the kitchen. Rivera describes Cousins Food Company as a family operation built around the idea that everyone has something they do especially well. Entrepreneurship runs through his family, he said, going back to his great-grandmothers. When Rivera launched the company, he deliberately framed it as something belonging to the whole family. “This isn’t mine, it’s ours,” he said. Rivera has been cooking since he was 17, when he started as a dishwasher at Pierce’s 1894, a four-diamond restaurant in Elmira,

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New York. His uncle, Chef George Edward Hill, an executive chef and pastry chef, was a major influence and helped instill in Rivera a serious appreciation for food. During the pandemic, Rivera found himself cooking more and experimenting again. He reconnected with people from that first restaurant and began working with some of its old recipes. Their encouragement helped reignite the idea that food could become something more than a hobby. Now, demand has outgrown Rivera’s home kitchen. He has secured a dedicated commercial kitchen in Water Valley, where most of the equipment is already in place. Once he gets the final details and receives health department approval, Cousins can move into wholesale and retail. Rivera already has purchase orders and commitments from supermarkets, restaurants and other businesses waiting for him to supply them. But selling granola is only the beginning. Rivera envisions Cousins eventually encompassing restaurants, food trucks, grocery products and manufacturing. More importantly, he wants the commercial kitchen to become a

platform for other people who have big ideas but lack the money or infrastructure to bring them to life. “How can we help you bring something to the table?” he said. “How can we help you get this thing out of your mind and into the real world?” It is an ambitious vision, and Rivera acknowledges that some of it is admittedly utopian. But for him, the point of building a business is not simply to sell more food. It is to create opportunities for people to pursue the things they are good at. That philosophy starts at home, with his family and the people who work alongside him. Rivera believes taking care of the people inside the company first will naturally shape how Cousins treats its customers and the broader community. For now, it starts with a container of granola at the farmers market. But Rivera is already thinking about everything else that might eventually come to the table.

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C OUNTRY C ONCERTO EVERY FALL, A POSH COUNTRY CABIN PARTY UNFOLDS AT SPRING CREEK, CURTIS AND KATHY DOWNS’ SCENIC NEW ALBANY ESTATE. WRITTEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL

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| PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

here are country parties, and then there are country parties with an orchestra. One night each fall, that’s exactly what Curtis and Kathryn Downs host at Spring Creek, their sprawling 140-acre property off County Road 107 in New Albany. Since 2019, the annual party has drawn university chancellors, corporate CEOs and at least one professional baseball player. The main attraction is a concert by the Curtis Downs Orchestra, with Downs himself as the lead vocalist (read more about that on page 56). This year’s party took place Oct. 8. When Downs talks about Spring Creek, though, it’s clear even he can be taken aback by the sheer scale of the place. For all its grandeur, Downs is quick to give credit to someone else for the magic: his wife, Kathy. “My wife deserves most of the credit,” along with his staff, he said during a relaxed interview on a beautiful, blue-skied September morning at Spring Creek. We took a quick ride in a Jeep and explored the terrain. The first notable feature is a lush, private nine-hole golf course, Fore Ducks, which will be expanded in size at some point down the road, Downs said. The property has two ponds, one springfed, the other drawn from a well, and several creeks pour out of the ponds and empty into the Tallahatchie River. At one end of the site sits a big red barn with full-service living quarters, a structure that Downs refers to as the barn-ominium. No one is living inside there right now, but three beautiful horses thrive all around it. At Spring Creek, there is also a high hill from which, as you might imagine, you can enjoy an overwhelming view of the surrounding NOVEMBER 2026 | INVITATION

area, especially at sunrise or sunset. The little white house with the green room that sits right at the roadside front of the site? That’s the house where Downs and his older brother and sister grew up. So how exactly did this unique property called Spring Creek come about? Downs, who went to school in Ingomar, worked in the pharmaceutical industry before starting his own financial consulting business in Memphis. It seems fair to say that he did pretty well for himself, since he has another part-time residence in Naples, Florida, as well as a house in Oxford. When Downs’ mother died, there was talk of building a storage shed to store her furniture. But as often happens, the creative muse took things in a different direction, and a rustic cabin fully stocked with modern conveniences — and memories — came into existence. “The ceiling was the roof of the old barn,” he said. The idea for a party materialized when a friend, Rex Harrison Brunt, first set foot on the developed acreage. Downs said Brunt “immediately proclaimed, ‘This is a great place for a party. We need to start this year.’ So, we acted accordingly, and it’s been ongoing every year except one when it was rained out.” The festivities draw around 50 guests from New Albany and Oxford, plus 20 or so musicians, sound techs and catering staff. The event is catered by Tallahatchie Gourmet. The party garners rave reviews from those in attendance. “I’ve been going to these cabin parties really from the outset,” said longtime friend Patty Lewis, who grew up in Holmes County and now lives in one of the biggest and oldest houses in Oxford, the Neilson-Cully-Lewis House, a two-story Greek revival residence on 11th Street that was built back in 1856. “Curtis has left no stone unturned,” Lewis said. “There’s not a bad view.” Cocktails are served as guests arrive. The attendees have a variety of dining spots to choose from, including a nice-sized gazebo near the cabin. Hay bales, pumpkins, chrysanthemums, a waterfall and an automatic food dispenser that drives pond catfish wild. These are the sorts of delights that partygoers get to enjoy during the evening. “Each year you see something new that has been added or some improvement made in the property,” Lewis said. Twenty years ago, did Downs think he’d be throwing this kind of posh shindig way out in the country in Union County? “Absolutely not,” he said. But it’s clear that the hosts and guests alike expect to continue looking forward to it for years to come.

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O NE M AN BAND

ow exactly did the Curtis Downs Orchestra come into being? Well, Downs was a part of a rockabilly band during his high school days. Then he took a 55-year sabbatical from music. About nine years ago at a party at the University Club in Oxford, he heard a band that really caught his attention, especially the saxophonist. “When they took a break,” Downs said. “I cornered them and said, ‘I’m going to record an album. I want to use your band.’ One week later, I was in the studio.” Downs had realized a lifelong ambition. They recorded 10 songs at a home 56 I N V I T A T I O N | N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 6

studio for an LP, “Just for the Hell of It,” that included swing, jazz, Latin tunes — “a little bit of everything,” Downs said. As a result, he started singing Friday nights with that eight-piece band, Moonstone. The experience was magical for Downs. “Exhilaration and disbelief that someone with no musical background could actually be singing in front of a great band,” Downs said. “Can you imagine that?” Four years ago, Downs connected with Gary Topper, a legendary session musician, conductor and arranger in Memphis who has his own band, Gary Topper and Sym-

metry. Downs and Topper struck up a partnership that brought in some of Symmetry’s band members, along with three backup singers, and the Curtis Downs Orchestra was born. Downs said his life’s musical turn astounds him. “Make no mistake, I had to work hard to feel like I belong with this group,” he said. “I don’t read music, so it takes me about 10 times as long to learn a song as most people.” The Curtis Downs Orchestra plays at the Spring Creek cabin party, corporate events and occasional benefits in the Oxford area. They’ve cut several LPs. Listen to the most recent, “From Us to You,” at curtisdowns.com.

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Home grow n Flavor

AT HALLELUYAH GARDENS, MART MOUNGER AND ASHLEY PEEBLES ARE GROWING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, SEASONAL VEGETABLES, AND THE KIND OF FOOD THAT TASTES LIKE IT CAME FROM YOUR OWN BACKYARD. WRITTEN BY LENA ANDERSON

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| PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

few miles south of Calhoun City, HalleluYah Gardens sits tucked into the countryside, where Mart Mounger and his fiancée, Ashley Peebles, have spent the past decade turning a humble backyard garden into more than 10 separate growing spaces across the property. Mounger is careful to call them gardens rather than a farm. The distinction is intentional. Rather than fields planted in rows and worked by tractors, HalleluYah’s growing spaces were built more like large backyard gardens. They brought in soil and mulch, created each space individually, and they still do nearly everything by hand. That includes weeding, mulching and dayto-day plant care, all handled by Mounger and Peebles themselves. One of the secrets to their gardens is the soil. A nearby cotton gin produces a byproduct that eventually decomposes into rich, black soil. Mounger collects it and works it into the gardens. It can bring plenty of weeds, but the mineral content makes a noticeable difference in what comes out of the ground. “People always ask us, ‘Why does everything taste so much better?’” Mounger said. For him, the answer comes back to the living soil. He sees a difference between a tomato grown in someone’s backyard, one grown in a field, and one bought at the grocery store. HalleluYah Gardens aims to replicate that backyard-grown flavor on a larger scale. And in the South, there may be no better way to know your audience than by growing a really good tomato. Tomatoes account for about 90 percent of HalleluYah’s production. This season, the gardens produced roughly 65 varieties of heirloom NOVEMBER 2026 | INVITATION

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tomatoes, along with numerous types of cherry tomatoes. Mounger calls tomatoes the “heart and soul” of HalleluYah Gardens. Other crops they grow follow the seasons. Asparagus, blackberries and strawberries arrive in spring, while fall brings broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, carrots, snap peas and collards. That variety is part of what makes smallscale growing work. When one crop struggles, something else may be ready to take its place. “You have to learn to pivot,” Mounger said. It’s good advice for anyone trying to coax something from Mississippi soil. A stretch of heat can change the timing. An unprecedented ice storm can wipe out thousands of plants. Too much rain can alter a harvest, and a pest can show up overnight. “All you do every day is go outside and solve problems,” Mounger said. “You have to accept a certain amount of loss because you can’t simply wait for perfect conditions. It’s about taking the chance.” The work can be relentless, but it has also connected HalleluYah Gardens to the surrounding community. They supply tomatoes to many local restaurants and small grocers, including City Grocery, Snackbar, Saint Leo, Kingswood, SoLa and Chicory Market. But Mounger and Peebles feel most at home at farmers markets, including the Oxford City Market on Tuesday afternoons. “We would not be who we are today without that market,” Peebles said. The markets have given them a place to build relationships with customers, restaurants and other local food producers. They also provide an outlet for the volume of produce the gardens generate. Not wanting to waste anything they grow, they preserve as much as they can. When they have more produce than they can sell fresh, Peebles turns to pickling, canning, and saving it for later. They donate anything they can’t use, including through the Oxford Community Market’s food-access and food-pantry programs. It is another way the gardens stay connected to the community beyond the farmers market. That same sense of purpose carries into the work itself. For all the physical demands of growing food, something about the call of the land keeps Mounger and Peebles outside and coming back each morning. Mounger said he can’t imagine returning to a life of sitting in front of a computer all day, answering emails and sitting through Zoom calls. “Even though this work is strenuous physically, it’s such a blessing, too,” he said. NOVEMBER 2026 | INVITATION

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S OC IAL HOU R

S A LT I L LO R O D E O N I G H T S

altillo Rodeo Nights brought classic Western action to northeast Mississippi Sept. 25-26 with bull riding, barrel racing, roping events, rodeo clowns and more.

PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

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Rhodes, Parker and Zoe Woods with Sydney and Sawyer Sheffield Natalie Hill, Cory Perkins and Charlie Rilley Melissa Monteith, Skylar Morrison and Reagan Smith Copey, Laney and Lauren Grantham with Sterling and Hayden Johnson, Davis Claire Gable, and Lilly and Serenity Crump Ginny, Swayze and Alexis Johnson with Lindley Knight, and Jennifer and Ava Harris Rhea and Lilly Broome, Beaux-Avery Latimer, Riley and Peyton Cameron, Townes Tullos, Skylar-Rae Higgins and Aubrey Broome Jackie Beene, Kristi Davis, Shacanna Scales, Wydesha O'Briant and Tyesha Davis

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CO R I N T H H O M ECO M I N G PA R A D E

he annual Corinth High School homecoming parade took place Oct. 15. The community cheered on decorated parade floats and cars and then celebrated with a pep rally at the Courthouse.

P H O T O S B Y K I M B E R LY L E O N A R D

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Senior Maid Keiaza Jamison Sophomore Maid Kaleiana Johnson Hattie Alexander Antoine Stanton, Conner Miller, Makhi Stanton, Ayden Skelton and Anfernee McGee Marley Dixon Homecoming Queen Zakari Southward

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TA LL A H ATCH IE R I V E R FE S T

owntown New Albany came alive Sept. 26 for the annual Tallahatchie RiverFest, a celebration of the region’s culture, music and community spirit.

PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

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Chad Gaston and Harley Baggett Nicholas Gardner, Marilyn Adams and Ruphael Henry Sarah and Shelley Stacy with Janna Gillette and Dakota Yarbrough Conner Mathis and Jenni Skelton Corinne Tarnabine and Janice Holloway Sherry and Mike Moore Natalie Floyd Layla Gambrel and Zaria Thornton Mike Woods with Kayla and Jeremy McCormick

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E LV I S ’ 5 6 : T H E H O M E C O M I N G C O N C E R T

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eventy years after Elvis Presley’s historic 1956 homecoming performance, Tupelo revisited the moment Sept. 26 with a night of live music at Fairpark, the original concert site. The free concert featured the Brothers Windham, Elvis tribute artist Nick Perkins and musician Wyly Bigger. PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

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Brothers Windham Tawana and Tommy White with Romona Edge Judy Aven with Brenda, Martin and Brent Hildenbrant Molly Lovern, Kylie Boring, Courtney Holcomb and Jessica Clayton Peggy Watson and Kathy Brashear Karen and Richard McCarty with George and Ann Worthen Gaye Hudani and Sherry Abraham Greg Burks, Roy Turner and Tom Brown

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WALK TO END AL ZHEIMER ’ S

n Sept. 27, community members gathered at Ballard Park for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, joining families, caregivers and advocates in the fight against the disease. Participants raised awareness and funds to support the Alzheimer’s Association’s work in advancing research, providing education and care resources, and supporting those affected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

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Douglas Strickland with Caroline, Cassie and Carter Rodriguez Amanda Chappell Davis, Beverly Chappell and Julia Davis Sars Odom and T.J. Harvey Makenzie Eaton Kacie Wood with Phoebe and Lucas McElwain Brian Welton, Jordan Williams and Jennifer Traylor Lauren Ann Cobb with James Baker and Chase Fuller Edward Jones group Tony Cooperwood, Louvenia Turner, Penny Farrell and Cynthid Griffin Nell Jones, Misty Brunson, Renea Ethridge, Claudia Hodges, Brianna Payne and Miranda Estes Suzette Mann, Mary Dill, Sonya Harris, Cheryl Bunton, Joel Harris, Izy Ward and Marsha Sneed

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ROBINS STREET ART STROLL

he annual Robins Street Art Stroll took place Oct. 3. It was moved indoors to the Huntington Bank Conference Center due to weather, but it still featured local artists and other vendors celebrating and sharing creativity and community spirit.

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PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

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Casey Hinds and Angie Bin Russell and Lynnette Brown McKenzie Walter and J.T. Walter Deanna and Adele Boensch Mary Langford and Judy DeVenny Anna, Chris and Olive Kramer June Caldwell with Hannah and Carra Turner Zack Caldwell and Jason Whitenton G.E. and Elizabeth Jolley Kenya Barry and Joshua James Emma and Maisy Turner

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P I O M I N KO DAY

eld Oct. 12 at Fairpark, Piominko Day honored the legacy of the Chickasaw people with cultural demonstrations and more.

PHOTOS BY CAROLINE PUGH

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Sharon Postoak, Dixie Brewer, Alexander Hilinski, Donna Iti Tupa and Hugh Forbes Kenneth Laswell, Teresa Blake, Sarah McCullough, Patrick Sudduth, Anastasia Cary, Brad Deramus, Bret Holt and Brady Davis Bill Brekeen with Lee and Pam Martin and Lucy Hilbun John Franklin with Jamie and Jim Clapp and Secily Soto Sharon Postoak and Robert Perry Brenton, Waylynn, Shelby and Hanson Banko Lori, Rynn and Nola Wigginton with Alexander Hilinski Jeff Stafford and Jim Owen Kelvin Buck, Washington Aaron and Lynn Bryan Wovoka and Ama Sobukwe

BREMMA'S/FERGNDAN'S AD: 1/3 HORIZONTAL

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SNAPSHOTS REED’S TUPELO PHOTOS BY OLIVIA JONES

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Craig Helmuth, Randy Burchfield and Don Lewis Lucia Randle, Jessica Clayton and Allie Purnell The Reed’s Tupelo team Pamela and Alex Bejarano Jessica Roebuck and Lexi Harness

G A R NE R AT G O O D LE T T PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

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R SVP

HAPPENING NOW NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

DANCING WITH THE KING

PONTOTOC VETERANS DAY P R O G R A M

FE A S T THE N FA S HI O N

N OV E M B E R 1 | Tu p e l o Fu r n i t u r e Ma r ke t tupelo.net

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pontotocchamb er.com

DISNEY ON ICE

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NOVEMBER 5 | Huntington Bank Arena

ANTHONY HAMILTON

tupelo.net

NOVEMBER 13 | Huntington Bank Arena

PECANS AND PERSISTENCE NOVEMBER 6 | Pizza Grocery Corinth

CHICK-FIL-A CORINTH HALF MARATHON

tupelo.net

GINGERBREAD MARKET NOVEMBER 14-15 | Crossroads Arena facebook.com

NOVEMBER 7 | 1201 Harper Rd., Corinth

DECK THE DEPOT H O L I DAY M A R KE T

runsignup.com/Race/MS/Corinth/CFAcorinthhalf

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DOWNTOWN TUPELO H O L I DAY O P E N H O U S E

NOVEMBER 26 | TBD

tupelo.net

COOKING LIKE THE STARS

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NOVEMBER 22 | Park Heights

tupelomainstreet.com

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NOVEMBER 2026 | INVITATION

PO ST TOAST SHANE BROWN Shane Brown’s new book “A Place Called Tula” is a collection of short stories centering around community life in rural Mississippi. Brown, who works a day job at Brown Family Dairy, is the son of the late Mississippi literary icon Larry Brown. The book, published by Oxford’s Cofield Press, is available locally at Square Books. INTERVIEWED BY EMILY WELLY | PHOTOS BY DEBORAH FREELAND

Locals know you as a dairyman and ice cream maker at Brown Family Dairy. How do you make or find time to write? When and where do you typically write?

It actually took a while to write this book. The first story in the book was written 12 years ago. But others were recent. I would find time to write late at night after milking cows, delivering milk or ice cream, and making ice cream. And, of course, after the baby was asleep in bed. Or my wife making the ice cream and putting the baby to bed and telling me to go write. And I wrote in my father’s writing room. He called it the Cool Pad.

Q: A:

Do you have a personal favorite of the short stories in the book?

Q: A:

Why do you think a small place like Tula has provided so much inspiration?

My favorite story is probably George. I’ve probably read it the most and worked the hardest on it. I know people like George.

Tula brings plenty of inspirations, imaginations and, of course, experience through life growing up in and around Tula. My dad grew up in Tula, my grandmother lived in Tula, and we have a cabin in Tula. I think you know everyone in Tula. If not, it wouldn’t take you long to figure them out and know where they come from. It’s a pretty beautiful and peaceful place.

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You’ve been busy with the release of the book at author events and book signings. What is like to receive people who have read or are about to read your work?

I’ve loved hearing and receiving certain praises and things about the book. I was very nervous about it coming out into the public. I think I was nervous because of who my dad was. He’s a huge inspiration in my life. I didn’t want people thinking that I have a book out because of him. I know I’ll never be who he was, and that’s OK. No one will ever be him. It took a long time for me to realize that’s it’s OK to be Shane. And I’m OK with that.

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