Invitation Oxford | May 2015 H&G Issue

MAY 2015

You Know She’s Worth It

The South’s leader in Estate Jewelry and Diamond Solitaires Located in Historic Downtown New Albany, MS

1.866.VANATKINS vanatkins.com

We support the development of a hand surgery center at UMMC

LEGACY R EALT Y

Mississippi ... #1 Team in Oxford Oxford, The place you want to be!

Mark C. Cleary (713) 303-8924

Markccleary@gmail.com

Blake Cannon (662) 380-7144 blake@oxfordvip.com

Alison Alger (662) 832-1697

alisonmalger@gmail.com

•Beautiful, quaint, small subdivision!

•Neighborhood pool!

•Bike/Walk to the Square!

• 4 Acre Park!

•AMAZING LOCATION!

Starting at

Starting in the mid $300,000’s

$279,000!

Measuring in at just under 1 mile from campus, 800 Park includes luxury features like gas fireplaces, 10 foot ceilings and heart pine floors.

Professionally designed, each of the 4 floor plans are one level and have private screened in porches overlooking Pat Lamar Park and Davidson Creek. There is also a pet park that will be exclusive to the 800 Park owners. The 800 Park development has plans to include some specialty retail shops, as well.

The Ice House

Contact Mark Cleary (713) 303-8924

1403 Van Buren #201 $379,000

1403 Van Buren #204 $566,495

2504 Capital Street

71 CR 141

403 Timber Lane

1225 Beanland

305 Keri Cove

• 2 Oversized Courtyards •Outside Kitchen •Upgrades throughout

•5 BR/4.5 Bath on 6.3 acres •In-ground saltwater pool •White oak hardwood floors

•Lakefront property •Heated & cooled garage •open floor plan •opens up to screened-in porch

•Historic Downtown •Gorgeous Wooded Backyard •Screened porch

•Amazing covered porch •Beautiful yard in all seasons •Huge bonus room

$487,500

$688,285

LEGACY R EALT Y

$465,000

$499,000

$450,000

Search the entire Oxford Market at www.MarkClearyOxford.com and www.OxfordVip.com 662.234.5621 1923 University Ave Oxford, MS 38655 • Each office independently owned and operated.

All information deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and subject to change without notice.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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Brighton Village

3BR/3.5BA-1725 S.F. and 2BR/2.5BA-1325 S.F. PLANS STARTING IN THE $200’S. HARDWOOD/GRANITE THROUGHOUT/CUSTOM CABINETS/ STAINLESS APPLIANCES/POOL-CLOSE TO CAMPUS!

Castlehill

5BR/4BA NEW CONSTRUCTION ON LARGE WOODED LOTS STARTING IN THE $480’S. PRIVATE BOAT RAMP WITH ACCESS TO THE 80 ACRE BEAUTIFUL TROPHY BASS LAKE! 10FT CEILINGS/8FT DOORS, CUSTOM CABINETS, GRANITE COUNTERTOPS, CYPRESS BEAMS, LARGE SCREENED PORCH!

Augusta Place

The Lakes

BRAND NEW LAKE FRONT HOMES!!

4BR/3.5BA WITH OVER 2400 SQ FT STARTING AT $206,700 SOME OF THE AMENITIES INCLUDE: 10FT CEILINGS & 8FT DOORS/GRANITE COUNTER TOPS/STAINLESS APPLIANCES/ HARDWOOD FLOORS/COVERED PATIO!

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

BRAND NEW FROM THE GROUND UP! 3BR/3BA PLANS STARTING AT $274,900. LIVE RIGHT ON THE JIM FAZIO-DESIGNED GOLF COURSE AT THE COUNTRY CLUB OF OXFORD! 10 FT CEILINGS/OVER SIZED 1-CAR GARAGE/GAS FIREPLACE/GRANITE TOPS/STAINLESS APPLIANCES/2 BALCONIES OR PATIOS!

Matt McGraw

662-801-5170 matt@kessingerrealestate.com www.condosinoxford.com

IN THIS ISSUE MAY 2015

MAY 2015

COVER PHOTOGRAPHED

BY JOE WORTHEM

EVENTS 26 28 30 33 34 36 40 42 122 124 127 130 132 134 136

Miss-i-sippin’ Reads, Beats & Eats Fire Station No. 1 Dedication Oxford Art Crawl Montessori Spring Into Auction Secret Art Show OUS Auction Willie Price Art Show Ole Miss Grove Bowl Color My College 5K UM Big Event T.O.M.B. Beauty Review Hinge Dance Company Show Conference for the Book Big K.R.I.T. Concert

DEPARTMENTS 14 18 20 22 140 144

57

Letter From the Publisher What’s Happening Community Corner: Bike Month In Season: Cinco de Mayo Snacks Out and About I Am Oxford: Dianne Falkner

FEATURES 46 Gardens on Parade

74 Light and Bright

98 Farmhouse Fusion

Lafayette County Master Gardeners host a tour of their gardens and other local historic outdoor spaces during a gardening conference.

Having young children did not deter the McPherons from an all-white color palette.

Two historic houses are renovated and then joined together to create a weekend retreat.

84 Saddled Up on S. Lamar

106 Small Space, Big Impact

Only a mile away from the Square lies the Callicutts’ small country getaway, complete with a guesthouse and horse barn.

A bare, zero-lot-line backyard is reimagined into lush and inviting green space that feels private and relaxing.

94 Inspired Design

112 Family Style

Kimberly Ward of Kimberly + Cameron creates practical living spaces and highlights the work of African-American interior designers.

Bess and John Currence restored an 1830s home with cooking, entertaining and, most important, their daughter in mind.

57 Living in Style A 1950s ranch house is remodeled to be open and stylish with a bright, enviable kitchen (pictured above).

68 Written in the Stars The cosmos seemed to align for a 1st birthday party that was planned on short notice.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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the publisher

LETTER FROM

PUBLISHER Rachel Malone West EDITOR Phil West MANAGING EDITOR Sonia Thompson ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lena Anderson ART DIRECTOR Hallie M. Thomas PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Emily R. Suber STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Joe Worthem ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Cindy Semmes ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Alise M. Emerson, Sheena Hagemann, Leigh Lowery, Lynn McElreath, Mary Moreton, Moni Simpson DESIGNERS Rebecca Bailey, Zach Fields, Courtney Sims CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Caitlin Adams, Lanie Anderson, Meaghin Burke, Julie Cantrell, Melanie Crownover, Kate Lechler, Emily Welly, Jennifer Wilson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS Leslie Brooks, Paul Gandy, Elizabeth Evans, Caroline Beffa Franks, Ann-Marie Herod, Hunter Johnson, Danny Klimetz, Jessica Richardson, Faison Graves Weiss, Hubert Worley OFFICE MANAGER Hollie Hilliard

J

ust after Thanksgiving, as I backed out of my driveway, my 3-year-old daughter began crying loudly from the backseat. I stopped, thinking she was hurt. I asked her what was wrong, and she pointed out the car window.

“What is it, sweetheart?” I asked.

“Mommy, the flowers,” she said, sobbing.

The first frost had turned our beautiful, purple hydrangeas brown overnight. We began a lesson about seasons.

This month, it’s finally spring, much to my daughter’s delight. It’s time for fragrant flowers, fresh vegetables and vibrant outdoor colors.

Whether you are taking an early morning

bike ride or sipping a late afternoon glass of wine, there’s something for everyone in this issue. It’s one of our favorites to create. Our staff works more than a year in advance on this magazine, which features some of Oxford’s most beautiful homes and pristine gardens. We also share some ideas and recipes for parties, including my personal guacamole recipe, which is not complicated but usually disappears quickly at gatherings.

This month we celebrate all things new, and we certainly hope you enjoy this new issue.

We are honored to be a part of the Oxford community during all seasons, especially spring.

COPY EDITOR Kate Johnson DISTRIBUTION Donald Courtney, Brian Hilliard ADVERTISING INFORMATION (662) 701-8070 ads@invitationoxford.com MAIN OFFICE (662) 234-4008 To subscribe to one year (10 issues) of Invitation Oxford, send payment of $50 to: P.O. Box 776, Oxford, MS 38655 or visit invitationoxford.com to pay online.

To request a photographer at your event, email Lena at andersonlena@gmail.com.

To purchase an announcement, email Emily at emilysuber.invitationoxford@gmail.com.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

RACHEL M. WEST, PUBLISHER

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

I

love spring because it’s officially bicycle season, and May is National Bicycle Month.

Growing up, my parents only had one car, which meant my dad biked to work most days.

They have two cars now, but my dad still prefers to bike. He instilled in me his love for cycling, but it didn’t fully take hold until a few years ago, when I bought my first bike as an adult.

I remember going to pick it out, and I knew immediately when I saw it: seafoam green and white with a snazzy leather seat and cute front basket. It makes me happy.

I especially enjoy biking to work. I’m lucky to live close enough to the Invitation Magazines office that my ride is a short one. As I zip down the one small hill on my regular route, I feel sympathy for commuters in larger cities, stuck in their cars on freeways. I love feeling the wind whip around me and waving to neighbors as I pass. I hope you will participate in Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 15, as well as in the many additional events the city of Oxford and Bike Ole Miss have planned for cyclists this month. Read more in our Community Corner section on page 20, and then hop on your bike and join me.

SONIA THOMPSON, MANAGING EDITOR

Share in the bounty...

Local Produce Club CSA Season 2015

Join & Enjoy 8 Varieties of Vegetables Weekly!

Sign up on-line or contact

dawn@@@woodsonridgefarms.com • Produce Club • Full Service Catering Event Venue • R • estaurant Supplier

110 County Road 2068 Oxford elizabeth@elizabethheiskell.com 662-719-7409 • www.woodsonridgefarms.com

More information go to www.woodsonridgefarms.com May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD 15

Battle Sod Farm

• Delivery, installation and pick up available • Residential, commercial and sports turf

Serving North Mississippi, West TN, E Arkansas

• Celebration Bermuda • Jamur Zoysia •Tifway • Tall Fescue

www.battlesod.com 5475 HWY4; Tunica, MS 38676 Toll Free: 888-318-9853 Local: 662-363-2445

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

BEGIN A FRESH START IN A NEW HOME!

Wellsgate

Pending

163 Turnberry Condominiums

You can’t get closer to the Ole Miss Campus than this!

11016 Covington Way

Absolutely gorgeous home being constructed on a quiet cove in Wellsgate.

9015 Bristol Cove

Look no further! This quaint French styled home is located in Bristol Cove in Wellsgate.

This home has been so well cared for!

199 CR 371

Great Craftsman style home located on 10 acres just 15 minutes from the Ole Miss Campus.

2203 Long Spur Pointe

One of the most beautiful French country plans we have seen is now being built on a lake inlet lot at popular Wellsgate Subdivision!

16008 Woodview Drive

If you have been waiting for a brand new French Country home built by one of Oxford’s best and located in the most demanded subdivision, LOOK NO FURTHER!!

Lot 46 Highlands Circle Build your dream home on this gorgeous lot at the Highlands!

Visit jameyleggitt.com

7 Contract Pending Units Spring, a time for renewal, new life....

why not welcome the season in a new home!

Oxford Condominiums

6 County Road 376

408 Andalusia

4Bed/3.5Bath Attention to all details!

This charming home has everything you want with maintenance-free living.

Cross Creek

One of Oxford’s best kept secrets! Very conveniently located and several great new plans to be built to your liking.

WOW! This property is so well designed. will feel#10 like you are in a 708 Ridgewood 401 Bickerstaff stonebridge 908 HighpointeYou Manor 4 Bed/ 2.5 Bath ski lodge minutes from Oxford.Southern charm at it’s best!

4Bed/4Bath Great deal in Highpointe!

This condo is in great condition and features 3 bedrooms with 3 baths.

3Bed/3Bath You will not get closer to the Ole Miss campus in such a well planned condominium!

612 Centerpointe

13 CR (Levee Road)

4Bed/4.5Bath Beautiful Craftsman style home in popular Northpointe Subdivision. Inviting fireplace with exposed brick and open entertaining plan.

3Bed/2Bath Such a well planned community of carefree living. Units are selling as quickly as they are built.

Pending 3Bed/1.5Bath Charming cottage located on a tree covered lot with a convenient location.

Great investment property!

300 Winner’s Circle

4Bed/3.5Bath Steeplechase is the location of this soon to be constructed dream home.

Close to parks, schools, and downtown!

313 Fox hollow cove

4Bed/3Bath Taylor-Greene is the location for this well-planned home.

So many great features!

Wellsgate

359 N. 15th Street

Rare Find! Nearly 100 acres Absolutely gorgeous tract of land (wooded with pine/hardwood) in the Oxford School District!

Possibilities are endless. Build your dream home and lake, or have your own private getaway.

NG

Welcome home to this gorgeous colonialPENDI style condominium located1605within a seconds 420 Deer Run 810 Brentwood Jackson Ave #4 2202 Longspur Pointe walk toCove the Oxford Square.

Grandiose southern estate home located in Wellsgate subdivision. This home has itGrandeur all! awaits with superb finishes.

4Bed/3.5Bath

STONEBRIDGE

Convenience, Safety, and Ease of Use starting at $245,000

18007 Country wood Cove

Splendid home on a quiet cul-de-sac in Wellsgate! This home has a pool, beautiful kitchen! Everything you want!

Mature Crepe Myrtles line the entrance to this private estate home complete with a pool!

4 Bed/3.5 Bath Just a minutes’ walk to the SQUARE!!

5Bed/3Bath Space galore! This home was built by the builder for his family to reside-well done!

Jamey Leggitt

662-832-7620 Jamey Leggitt Visit jameyleggitt.com

236 St. Andrews Circle

Cell: 662-832-7620

Visit jameyleggitt.com jamey@kessingerrealestate.com jamey@kessingerrealestate.com

You have waited for this address! Absolutely wonderful neighborhood!

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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what’s happening May

A sampling of important, fun and interesting events in our area. For more events, visit invitationoxford.com.

GEORGE WARDLAW DAY

FUNDRAISERS May 1

ART, BOOKS, MUSIC, DANCE AND SPECIAL EVENTS May 1

May 8 and 15

Chantel Acevedo Reading

Double Decker Bus Tour

A fundraiser for the Clayton Stevens Fund which benefits Interfaith Compassion Ministries, Love Packs and other local charities. Attendees can enter the drawdown for a chance to win $10,000. Tickets $125 for two.

7 p.m., Oxford Conference Center

Latino International Book Award winner and associate professor of English at Auburn University, Chantel Acevedo reads from her latest novel, The Distant Marvels, based in Cuba in 1963 during Hurricane Flora.

5 p.m., Off Square Books, squarebooks.com

May 2

May 2

Hop on the Double Decker Bus for a historical tour of the University of Mississippi campus, the Square and other important locations in Oxford. Tickets are $5 and tours last one hour. For more information, call Visit Oxford at 662-232-2477.

2 p.m.; Visit Oxford office, 415 South Lamar Blvd.

St. John’s Catholic Church Drawdown

New Albany Garden Club Luncheon The New Albany Garden Club hosts its semiannual fundraiser “Celebrate Spring” with a luncheon featuring Peter Woods of Peter’s Pottery. Proceeds benefit the upkeep of the Faulkner Garden at the Union County Heritage Museum in New Albany. This is the 10th year of the garden. $25 Noon; First United Methodist, New Albany, Miss.

May 16 Live Strive Memorial for Cpl. Justin S. Haynes Event honors Oxford native Justin Haynes, a U.S. Marine, who died this year in a car accident and includes a silent auction, music and refreshments. Proceeds benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. $20 6 p.m., Rafters (above the Corner Bar).

May 25 Tunes & Tails The Oxford-Ole Miss Rotary Club hosts an all-you-can eat crawfish boil with drinks, entertainment and family-friendly activities. Benefits the Lafayette County Literacy Council.

3-7 p.m., the Powerhouse

Maker’s Market The Maker’s Market features art and crafts made by local artists and artisans.

10 a.m.-4 p.m., Courthouse lawn (in case of inclement weather: the Powerhouse)

May 2

University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan speaks at the Ole Miss graduation ceremony.

9 a.m., the Grove (in case of inclement weather: Tad Smith Coliseum)

May 11

The Koresh Dance Company from Philadelphia performs from its work Home to the music of the Idan Raichel Project.

General admission $30 7:30 p.m., the Ford Center, fordcenter.org

The Oxford Civic Chorus Presents Mendelssohn’s Elijah

May 2 Rowan Oak Mint Julep Party The Friends of the UM Museum host the second annual Mint Julep Party. The garden party will have drinks, refreshments and music by Chadwick Band. The event is free and open to the public. For information on the moderated discussion panel and artists’ studio tours taking place earlier that day, call 662-915-7028.

5:30 p.m., Rowan Oak grounds

Charlie Buckley Exhibit and Signing Tupelo-based artist Charlie Buckley signs prints from his newest collection of silk-screened pattern landscapes and nature pieces. The exhibit runs through May 9.

5-8 p.m., Southside Gallery Gallery hours 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tues.-Sat.

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

University of Mississippi Convocation

Koresh Dance Performance

May 8

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May 9

The Oxford Civic Chorus, joined by the Germantown Community Chorus and the Germantown Symphony Orchestra performs Mendelssohn’s Elijah, an oratorio in English. Tickets $12 adults, $7 students 7:30 p.m., the Ford Center, fordcenter.org

May 26 George Wardlaw Day George Wardlaw, A Life in Art: Works From 1954-2014, highlights the prolific artistic career of Wardlaw, a Mississippi native who grew up during the Great Depression.

The event includes a meet and greet with the artist and an exhibition of his original work.

5:30-8:30 p.m.; Blue August, 107 East Main St., Baldwyn, Miss.

May 26 Baptist Memorial Hospital Baby Fair Expert help and advice on pregnancy and newborns.

5-8 p.m., Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, cafeteria conference room

ILLUSTRATED BY LAURIE FISHER

SPORTS AND CAMPS May 1-3

Ole Miss Softball vs. Texas A&M Friday 6:30 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m.

Ole Miss Softball Complex

May 7-9 Ole Miss Baseball vs. Mississippi State Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday 6 p.m., Saturday 4 p.m.

Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field

May 14-16 Ole Miss Baseball vs. Texas A&M Thursday 6:30 p.m., Friday 6:30 p.m., Saturday 1 p.m.

Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field

Save the Date: June Summer Youth Camps The University of Mississippi Division of Outreach and Continuing Education hosts a series of camps for 1st-12th graders. The programs range from science, engineering and math to art, creative writing and more. For more information, visit outreach.olemiss.edu/pre_college.

Registration is due two weeks prior to each session.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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COMMUNITY Corner

May is National Bike Month. Whether you bike to work or school or ride to save money, be healthier, help the environment, or just explore, National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate cycling. Oxford marks Bike Month with the following activities.

MAINTENANCE MONDAYS 4-5 p.m., May 11, 18 and 25 Learn how to properly care for your bicycle at these workshops held in the Ole Miss Bike Shop, located across from the Turner Center on Kennon Observatory Loop. Sessions are free and open to the public.

BIKE TO LUNCH TUESDAYS Noon, May 5, 12, 19 and 26 Those who ride to lunch can enjoy discounts at local restaurants. A group will meet in front of the Lyceum.

BIKE NOW, LUNCH LATER WEDNESDAYS Noon, May 6, 13, 20 and 27 Enjoy an alternative lunch hour with a bike ride along the trail, beginning at the Depot.

DEPOT TRAIL RIDES SUNDAYS 5 p.m., May 3, 10, 17 and 24 Family-friendly rides leaving from the Depot

BIKE TO WORK FRIDAY 7-9 a.m., May 15 Free breakfast for cyclists is available in front of City Hall and the Ole Miss Student Union.

COMMUNITY WELLNESS SUNDAY 2-5 p.m., May 17, Courthouse Lawn Healthy Oxford’s wellness day includes a 1-mile family fun walk, free wellness screenings, healthy food tastings and more. Visit rebelwell.olemiss.edu/community-wellnessday-may-17-2015 for more information.

For more information and activities, visit oxfordms.net/bikemonth or bike.olemiss.edu.

CREATED BY UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI COMMUNICATIONS

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

“Plein Air blends classic architecture and distinct Southern Style.

It promotes neighborhood values from a hundred years ago, featuring quiet streets for neighbors to walk and visit, big front porches, and lots of common greenspace.”

- Southern Living Magazine

• Homes starting at $220,000 • Ready to build lots starting at $49,000 • 8 minutes to the Oxford Square and Ole Miss. www.pleinairtaylor.com | 662.234.3151 May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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IN SEASON

Cinco de Mayo Snacks M

other’s Day isn’t the only reason to celebrate in May. It’s also the time to buy a piñata, break out the blender and host a Cinco de Mayo party. The Mexican holiday commemorates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The day is also popular in the United States, and it has become an occasion to enjoy margaritas and Mexican fare.

Annie Zeleskey, who runs The Z bed-andbreakfast, hosted a Cinco de Mayo celebration last year on her South Lamar lawn. Zeleskey said the casual and comfortable concept of the celebration, combined with bright and colorful decorations, mariachi music and Mexican food, makes for the perfect party.

According to Zeleskey, the key component of a successful Cinco de Mayo bash is a margarita made with good tequila and freshsqueezed lime juice (not premixed) and served in a salt-rimmed glass. But just as important as the signature cocktail is making sure guests aren’t drinking on empty stomachs. She suggests preparing a fajita bar with all the fixings, chicken quesadillas and creamy queso dip.

The biggest crowd-pleaser is her fresh, made-from-scratch guacamole, featuring her homemade candied jalapeños. “Put that out with a plate of salty, crispy tortilla chips, and everyone is happy,” she said.

She also said that the laid-back atmosphere of a Cinco de Mayo party makes it an ideal event for everyone, including the host.

“I have a goal to have everything set up

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

WRITTEN BY Lena Anderson PHOTOGRAPHED BY Paul Gandy

30 minutes before the party begins,” she said.

“That way I’m not stressing out last minute when the doorbell rings, and I can just enjoy the party.”

Annie Zeleskey’s Candied Jalapeños 3 pounds fresh, firm jalapeño peppers, washed 2 cups cider vinegar 6 cups white granulated sugar ½ teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon celery seed 3 teaspoons granulated garlic 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon salt Wearing gloves, remove stems from jalapeño peppers. The easiest way to do this is to slice a small disc off the stem end, along with the stem. Discard stems.

Slice the peppers into uniform 1/4-inch rounds. Set aside.

In a large pot, bring cider vinegar, white sugar, turmeric, celery seed, granulated garlic, cayenne pepper and salt to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add pepper slices, and simmer exactly 4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers to clean, sterile canning jars, filling to within ¼ inch of the rim of the jar. Turn heat up under the pot with the syrup, and bring to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 6 minutes.

Ladle the boiling syrup into the jars over the jalapeño slices. Insert a chopstick into the bottom of the jar 2 or 3 times to release

any trapped pockets of air. Add more syrup if necessary. Wipe rims of jars with a clean, damp paper towel and fix on new, 2-piece lids to fingertip tightness.

Place jars in a canner, and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring water to a rolling boil.

When it reaches a full boil, set the timer for 10 minutes for half-pint jars or 15 minutes for pint jars. When the timer goes off, use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a cooling rack.

Leave jars to cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. When fully cooled, wipe with a clean, damp washcloth, and then label.

Allow to sit for 2 weeks to 1 month.

Invitation Magazines Food Blogger Kimme Hargrove’s Traditional Guacamole 3 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cubed 12 grape tomatoes, quartered 1/4 red onion, chopped 1 fresh jalapeño pepper, diced 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped Juice of 1 lime Salt and pepper to taste Mix together all ingredients, but don’t mash or blend. Lightly stir, and serve.

Invitation Magazines Publisher Rachel West’s Ranch Guacamole 4 large ripe peeled avocados, smashed 1/2 packet powdered ranch dressing mix 3-4 Tablespoons lemon juice Combine all ingredients, stir, and serve.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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events Miss-i-sippin’ View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

Miss-i-sippin’, a food and beer pairing, was held April 11 at the Powerhouse. The event benefited the University of Mississippi Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management and Yoknapatawpha Arts Council programs.

Amanda Knight and Karin Ballering

Heather Outlaw, Kim Patterson and Beth Blaha

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Katherine Baugh and Katherine Murphy

Kathy and Tony Saia

Matthew Riggins and Helena St. Claire

Heather Lopez, Kaylee Cunningham and Ciarán Farr

photographed by Jessica Richardson

Madeline Massey and Justin Entrekin

Diana and Peter Kokernot

Andy O’Bryan, Kirstie Montgomery and Mac Nichols

Christopher Ziemer, Lindsey McCollum and Tom Ayles

Mary Margaret Andrews and Courtney Hall

Grace Wickwire, Avery McLean and Laura Mesecke

• LAWN & BED WEED CONTROL & FERTILIZATION • LAWN & LANDSCAPE INSECT CONTROL • FIRE ANT CONTROL • CORE AERATION TRE • DISEASE TREATMENTS

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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events Reads, Beats & Eats View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

The Lafayette County Literacy Council held its Reads, Beats & Eats fundraiser on March 28 at the Lyric. It included book readings, local food, a wine pull and live music by the Kudzu Kings. For more information on the literacy council, visit lafayetteliteracy.org.

Melissa Groover and Dru Jones

Tom Guest with Gail and R.K. Patterson

Thaddeus Hooper, Annie Zeleskey and Ashley and Kevin Frye with Hallie and Brett Thomas

Kristina Carlson and Doug Alexander

1400 University Ave • Oxford, MS 38655 • 662.234.3232

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Jimmy and Jennifer Yancy

Jane Lutken, Callie Everett and John Hobson

photographed by Joe Worthem

Emma Scott and Madeline Henderson

William and Monie Henderson with Laura and Ken Parkinson

Carolyn Free, Meg Sinervo and Elizabeth Fowlkes

Elaine and Ike Sayle

Mia Sinha, Dottie Reid and Owen Barnard

Kevin and Libbie Patterson

Emma Tkachuck and Aaron Craig

Nancy Opalko and Susan Martin

Jessica and Adam Baskerville

C. Brooks and Jan Saunders

Alison and Dan Nemesek

Formerly Azalea Gardens - Emeritus at Oxford

Only the name has changed We are still the community you love & trust

(662) 234-9600 100 AZALEA DRIVE OXFORD, MS | 38655

WWW.BROOKDALE.COM May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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photographed by Lisa Roberts

events Fire Station No. 1 Dedication View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

The new Oxford Fire Department fire station No. 1 on McElroy Drive was dedicated as the Robert Elliott Emergency Operations Center and Fire Station March 27. The new station, named for a former mayor, has a fireman’s pole, an exercise facility, offices and bedrooms.

Anthony Bonner and Jonathan Porter

Corey Williams, Allen Brown and Randy Jones

Carolyn, Chris and Gary Carter with Lake and Bill Elliott

Jon Maynard and Bill Canty

John Morgan, Jimmy Allgood, Mayor Pat Patterson, Janice Antonow and Jay Hughes

Jeff Taylor, Corey Williams and Shawn Vaughn

ERIC THWEATT CONSTRUCTION

Start Building Your DREAM HOME Today!

662.202.5020 30

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Tami Tacke, Aaron Craig and Torie Marion

Randy Bundren with Sheila and Larry McKinney

Chris Jenkins and Joey Gardner

Clarence Williams, Butch Babb and William Stewart

Living in Oxford is like being on vacation year round..

Let Sample & Poole make buying or selling your home a reality!

Meta Poole Ginn Broker Associate 662-202-2964

Amanda Wymer Realtor 662-832-7685

Julie Sample Broker/Owner 601-906-2828

John Albriton Broker Associate 601-594-3774

Woody Sample Realtor 601-955-1797

662-234-0808 • 428 North Lamar, Suite 102 Oxford, MS • www.sampleandpoole.com

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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Will Guest, Broker 662.832.3987 662.238.3370 will@oxfordmsproperty.com

10years

OVER

www.oxfordmsproperty.com

OF REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE IN

Oxford.

Oxford Clinic for Women Obstetrics & Gynecology Baby Memories of Oxford R. Blake Smith, M.D. • William E. Henderson, M.D. Bo Martin, M.D. • Sam W. Cole, M.D.

Give the gift of cherished memories with a gift certificate for a 3D/4D Ultrasound to your Special Mom on Mother’s Day.

$139.00

Includes Photos and CD Must be between 28-32 weeks Scheduling through May 31, 2015

Deanna Mackie, C.F.N.P.

3D/4D Mother’s Day Special Gynecology • Obstetrics • Digital Mammography Bone Density • Endometrial Ablation Tubal Sterilization • Urodynamics • Infertility Proudly Performing da Vinci Robotic Surgeries!

(662) 234-1731 • 2200 South Lamar Blvd., Suite C • Oxford, MS 38655 • www.oxfordclinicforwomen.com 32

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

photographed by Jessica Richardson

events Oxford Art Crawl View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council hosts an art crawl the fourth Tuesday of every month. The March 24 event included exhibits at the Powerhouse and Southside Gallery, and a reception at the UM Museum for the opening of Martin Arnold’s Brief Encounters show.

Jason and Amanda Arman

Tracy, Arne and Anja Diercks with Brelynn Hudgins

Samuel Wilkens and Tasha Flemons

Katherine Anderson, Debbie Prestage and Makayla Harvey

Allie Billmeyer, Claire Whitehurst and Capel Howorth

Pam Locke, Linda Peters and Debbie Myers

Lauryn Tabor, Anna Kate Craig and Rebecca Rogers May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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events Spring Into Auction

View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

Magnolia Montessori School’s annual fundraiser was held April 10 at the Powerhouse. The event included musical performances by Greater Pyrenees and the Cakewalkers and live and silent auctions. It was emceed by Jim Dees of Thacker Mountain Radio.

Brooke Fly and Ivonne Liebenberg

Greg Johnson, Shaundi Wall and Adrian Baron-Robbins

Chip and Lisa Burr

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Jenn Petermann and Cyd Dunlap

Michael and Leslie Weldy

Ellen Meacham and John Winkle

Sarah Griffith and Laurie Woods

Bryn Mahan, Caitlin Hopper and Erin Austen Abbott

Maria Gondo and Katie Hunt

photographed by Jessica Richardson

Senior

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Medicare Supplements, Cancer Insurance, Dental, Vision & Hearing, Life Insurance, & more.

Call Jay today!

662-710-0707

310 Heritage Dr. Oxford, MS

Seong and Sharon Buiun

• 1, 2, and 3 Bedroom apartments • Pets welcome • Sparkling swimming pool • Fitness center • Tanning salon • Washer and dryer provided • Covered parking • Cable and Internet included • Tennis court • Outdoor games: horseshoes, bocce ball, shuffleboard & ping pong • Free cable TV & internet • 1 mile from campus

2000 Lexington Pointe Dr, Oxford, MS 38655 Ashley Fly and Rory Ledbetter

www.liveatlexingtonpointeapts.com 662-281-0402 lexingtonpointe@heritageproperties.com May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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photographed by Jessica Richardson

events Secret Art Show View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

The Secret Art Show was held March 20 at Insight Park. The location was announced the day of the show, which aimed to broaden what art galleries are and make guests part of live, creative processes. Ticket sales benefited United Way of Oxford-Lafayette County.

Janie Pittman and Audrey Schofield

Sean Kirkpatrick and Adrienne Brown-David

Kathy, Chelsea and John Herbert

Max and Allison Woolsey

36

Rumeal Burnett and Lisa Giles

Sujith Ramachandran, Jessica Dickson and Tristen Jackson

Melanie and Billy Thompson

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Nathan Adams and Blake Summers

Cliff and Laura Hall with Ouida and Wayne Drinkwater

Tiffany Bensen and Cindy Rimoldi

Jennifer Campbell and Joseph Dikun

Annie Zeleskey and Thaddeus Hooper

Rachel and Marquis Sledge

265 N. Lamar, Suite Q • 662.236.970 265 N. Lamar, Suite Q • 662.236.9707

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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EXCELLENCE BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

Now Offering Gunite Pools!

Serving North Mississippi for all your landscape design, installation, and maintenance needs.

Call Now For a Free Estimate

JASON TUBB Owner/Designer • 662-501-0181 • jason_cornerstone@yahoo.com 38

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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photographed by Ann-Marie Herod

events Oxford University School Auction View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

The annual Oxford University School auction “A Night Under the Stars” was held March 21 to raise money for the school. The event included silent and live auctions, food and music, and was held at the school’s new campus on OUS Drive.

Gaylen and Catherine Michael with Martie and Paul Gunoe

Allison Bunn and Jon Duncan

Durwood and Melinda Gordon and Kevin and Ashley Frye with Ray Garrett

Cristal and Ramiro Munoz

Cheryle and Bruce Patterson

Allen and Jill Layne

40

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Brad and Brandy Dickerson

Andrew and Holli Ratcliffe

Bessie and Avery Dunn

Heather and Chris Knapp

Pam and Lee Darnell

Misty Cooper and Jake Parmer

Maygan and Harland Jones

Jessica and Scott Beggs

Landscape Design, Installation & Maintenance

662.533.8977 • Josh Matthews - Owner

www.matthewslandscapellc.com • matthewslandscape@yahoo.com

www.bcbsms.com Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, A Mutual Insurance Company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Registered Marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, an Association of Independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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events Willie Price Art Show View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

Willie Price Lab School students exhibited their artwork March 27 at the “Willie Price Art Gallery.” The school is operated by the University of Mississippi School of Education and offers preschool education to 3- and 4-year-olds.

Layla and Lea Farese

Amanda, Sasan and Sanaz Salehi

Adam, Zoey, Ryleigh, Deborah and Addison Smith

Mohamed, Reem and Eman Radwan

Elizabeth and Pherron Randall

Sonya, Paxton and Ross Bjork

This Mother’s Day Give Her the Gift of Relaxation & Renewal!

Call or visit us to purchase your gift certificate!

42

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

1529 University Avenue 662.234.2445

www.vagaro.com/healinghandstherapeuticmassage.com

photographed by Lisa Roberts

Ryan and Fyntan Smyth

Peter, Owen and Hope Tulchinsky

Bonnie and Sarah Siebert with Joy Meek and Dennis Siebert

Amelia Armstrong and Chelsea Walters

Ryan and Brock Welborn with Linda and James Brock

Afton and Olive Thomas

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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Craig Williams, DPM Susan Yeager, DPM 1.877.744.6600 1735 University Ave. Oxford | MS | 38655 northmissfootspecialists.com

Producing successful gardeners since 1953

trees, shrubs, annuals, and perennials M i d S o u t h •Large N uselection r splant, e rofyand •Fertilome, lawn care products •Plants, 339 Coley Road, Tupelo Mississippi • 6pots, 6 2 . 8 4 garden 2 . 4 1 9 4 accessories, and MUCH more outh Nursery 339 Coley Road, Tupelo Mississippi • 662.842.4194

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44

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Your Premier Lighting Store & So Much More!

Hernando - 470 Hwy 51 North • 662.429.0416 | M-F 8-5 • Sat 9-1 Oxford - 2206 B. West Jackson Ave. • 662.236.0025 | M-F 8-5 Tupelo - 1730 McCullough Blvd. • 662.840.5533 | M-F 8-5 • Sat 9-1

Visit one of the Mid-South’s Premier Lighting Showrooms www.magnolialighting.com

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY Caroline Beffa Franks

TEXT CONTRIBUTED BY Lafayette County Master Gardeners

Lafayette County Master Gardeners hosted a tour of their gardens and other historic gardens last May for the Master Gardeners State Conference.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Watershed Moment

Master gardener Joe Ann Allen said her little postage stamp of native soil is a watershed management project, an ongoing art project and an ever-evolving garden rolled into one. The garden, located on South 14th Street, was named the Mid-South Garden of the Year in 1998 by the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The rock retaining wall helps prevent erosion while also functioning as a space where Allen’s artistic side can blossom.

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A Hilltop Haven

Master gardener Dicki King has lived under the trees in her Price Street yard for nearly 70 years. Many shrubs were gifts from her aunts, who loved gardening.

Several seating areas and benches invite visitors to relax and admire the many azaleas, irises, oakleaf hydrangeas, bear’s breeches, daylilies, loropetalum and hostas. King installed a tall fence to keep out destructive deer and planted a bank of liriope as a green solution to erosion control for her steep hillside yard.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Summer Camps th e uni versi ty of mi ssi s s ippi

ECOLOGY D AY C A M P

Hosted by The University of Mississippi Field Station

Campers will be exposed to various aspects of biology and environmental science through hands-on interaction and lectures.

JuNe 1-5 Grades 2nd - 4th JuNe 8-12 Grades 2nd - 4th JuNe 15 -19 Grades 5th - 6th JuNe 22-26 Grades 5th - 6th July 6-10 Grades 7th - 8th Each session is $150.00. Enrollment is limited. Apply now!

(662) 915-5479 • umfs@olemiss.edu

outreach.olemiss.edu/ecology Find out more about these and other summer camps at our website

d iv is ion of ou t re ach

SUMMER

2015

Rebel Quest 2.0 DAY CAMP FOR AGES 6-13

Hosted by the Office of Pre-College Programs in the Division of Outreach

for ages 6 and up

New lead teachers have made exciting changes to Rebel Quest, a day camp for rising 1st-7th graders, with programming specific to each age group.

Lil’ Rebels: Rising 1st - 4th graders Junior Rebels: Rising 5th - 7th graders JuNe 1-5 JuNe 8-12 JuNe 15-19 JuNe 22-26 July 6-10 July 13-17 July 20-24

Mad Scientists Gamer All About Oxford Ready, Set, Write It’s a Small World After All All About Art Imagination and Creation

Each week stands alone for registration purposes and is limited to 20 participants per group. Each oneweek session is $175 per child. Certain discounts apply; please visit our website to learn more.

(662) 915-7621 • rebquest@olemiss.edu • outreach.olemiss.edu/rebelquest

outreach.olemiss.edu/pre_college

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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Historic Charm

Christeen Shivers, who loves gardening (but is not a master gardener), describes her North Lamar yard as an “old lady garden.” The narrow side yard and backyard boast one of the city’s oldest crape myrtle trees, as well as an English dogwood and colorful Joseph’s Coat roses. A bed of hostas thrives in the shade, while roses and herbs can be found on the sunny side. Unique planters and bright yard art are found throughout the cheerful outdoor space.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

IS YOUR BUILDING

READY TO IMPRESS? Serving all of north Mississippi for over 18 years, Service Master provides exceptional commercial janitorial services and residential carpet cleaning. Please call 662-236-7867 for a professional consultation.

Let us help you!

382 HIGHWAY 30 EAST | OXFORD | MS | 38655

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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Giving Trees

Hardwood trees abound on master gardener Donna Gottshall’s established property on South Lamar. A variety of oak trees and ginkgo trees provide a shady, serene environment for azaleas, hydrangeas and peonies. Gottshall describes her space as an old-fashioned garden with newly created vistas.

Other gardens on the tour belonged to Patty Tatum and master gardeners Beckett Howorth and Martha Howorth.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Downtown Oxford

Van Buren Village

311 High Cotton Find the perfect house to call home in

Oxford!

1101 Stonebridge, Wellsgate 346 Winner’s Circle (Steeplechase)

765 Nottingham Drive

Glenda Keenan, GRI 662-832-0729

glenda@kessingerrealestate.com

4003 Links Cove, Grand Oaks Glenda Keenan, GRI Glenda Keenan, GRI 662-832-0729 662-832-0729 glenda@kessingerrealestate.com glenda@kessingerrealestate.com May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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Now Serving Lunch Buffet Monday - Friday, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm Sunday Brunch Buffet, 8:00 am - 2:30 pm

662.236.1512 1308 North Lamar, Suite 3, Oxford, MS 38655 www.mymichellesoxford.com

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Location, Location, Location

1605 Buchanan

Beautiful lakefront lot

The Highlands- 3.15 acres

CARLYLE THOMAS Mobile: 662.934.3515

Office: 662.234.3878 • Fax: 662.234.3876 carlylegraves@gmail.com • www.cmrehomes.com

Dianne Cannon 901.233.0282

Residential and Commercial Interior Designer dmcdetails@centurytel.net Visit us on facebook at Cannon Interiors

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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FAMILY DENTA E S E R L FA Our skilled staff, equipped with the latest technology, is here for all your dental needs.

We offer:

Same day crowns and veneers, non-surgical periodontal treatment, ZOOM whitening, invisalign, as well as oral appliances for snoring and sleep apnea.

*New patients welcome

662-234-8463 • 2212 W. Jackson Ave. Oxford, MS • www.faresedental.com

Starting At

FIND YOURS TODAY AT:

BIG DELTA

POWERSPORTS

662-578-7000

155 CRACKER BARREL DR. BATESVILLE, MS 38606 www.bigdeltahonda.com

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

ARCHITECT Howorth & Associates BUILDER Micky Babb Construction LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Community Design Project

WRITTEN BY Caitlin Adams | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

Living in Style After a long renovation, a midcentury ranch house on South 10th Street evolved into a stylish space for a young family.

When Emily Blount, a West Coast native living in New York City, moved south with her husband and two sons, the allure of owning her first house was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Oxford’s roomy, single-family options

were a stark contrast to the minimal storage space and square footage the Blounts grew accustomed to while living on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

“It was a little overwhelming,” Emily said.

After a deal on a house they wanted fell

through, the couple set their sights on a threebedroom, 1950s ranch-style house on South 10th Street. The quiet, family-friendly street had them excited about the neighborhood, but the closed-off floor plan posed obstacles for the family’s lifestyle.

The front entryway and formal dining room in the original part of the house boast dark hardwood floors, which are found throughout the home. Emily Blount took care to ensure that the original footprint and new addition blended seamlessly to help the space feel unified. Now the floor plan is open but still fits the midcentury style of the house.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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Open shelving, inspired by Emily’s mother’s kitchen, puts ornate pottery and artisanal cooking utensils within easy reach for the Blounts, who love to entertain. Emily’s favorite part of the kitchen was an unexpected perk: The main window overlooks the driveway, providing a spot to watch her sons play outside while she cooks dinner.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

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“What I thought was going to be a little remodel totally took on a life of its own.

We made a couple of core decisions, and it just kept developing from there.”

-Emily Blount

“I wasn’t totally convinced because the charm wasn’t built in,” Emily said.

But with the help of a local architecture firm, the Blounts knew they could reimagine the house to fit their needs. The renovation took a year to complete, and when it was finished, the house had nearly doubled in size to 3,400 square feet.

“What I thought was going to be a little remodel totally took on a life of its own,” Emily said. “We made a couple of core decisions, and it just kept developing from there.”

Gray shingle siding was replaced with white painted bricks, and a polished tin roof was installed.

“Luckily, for the neighbors’ sake, it has dulled over the course of the year,” she said, laughing.

Emily also made elevating the home’s curbside appeal a priority. Floor-to-ceiling French doors replaced the only two original windows, and plans were drafted for a covered front porch.

“It’s where we spend a lot of our time,” she said. “We love sitting outside watching the kids play in the neighborhood.”

Inside, the traditional ranch floor plan was re-created to become a spacious, open concept.

Walls that barricaded the kitchen were torn down, as was a covered garage, to make room for a new living area and a master suite.

The changes were drastic, but each was made with forethought and purpose.

“I really paid attention to consistency throughout the entire house,” Emily said, pointing to a new fireplace that evokes the original style. “I didn’t want there to be a glaring difference between the old part of the house and the new part.”

While Emily had no trouble picking which wall to tear down or what subway tile to use for the backsplash, she found it difficult to make decisions about textiles and décor.

“When it comes to pillows and stuff, that’s where I wanted to tear my hair out,” she said.

Luckily, she had a professional interior

The formal dining room in the original part of the house.

Interior designer Sam Blount, of Sam Blount Inc. in New York, helped choose a neutral color palette that made sense with the house.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Adam Quick

Cell: 662-832-5051 adam@kessingerrealestate.com

Augusta Place Condos The Mark Condominiums ON THE GOLF COURSE AT GRAND OAKS

Off Old Taylor Road

Phase III over 40 units sold Starting at $133,500

You won’t believe

what can go outdoors..

BUILDING 45 NOW OPEN

3 Bedrooms, 3 baths New Construction starting at $274,900

25 Acres of Prime Development Land •Adjoins Oxford Country Club •Residential and Commercial Zones (2 Acres sold)

Call Adam for details

Resale units in Phase I and II are available.

Call Adam for details.

adam has sold over

mark units

#603- $99,500 #608- $99,500 #4303-$104,500 #1802-$105,500

BEST VALUE IN OXFORD

97 +/- Acres $194,000/MLS#132472

300

PENDING

SOLD

SOLD

2 Pools/2 Tennis Courts,Walking Track, Fitness Center, and Tanning Beds

1154 West Main Shopping Center (662) 840-6145 • www.KeepItCasual.com May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Mirrored built-ins are a recent addition. The coffee table is made of driftwood and resin, and the mirror, made in Mississippi, was a focal point in their New York apartment, only to make its way back down South.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

63

designer in the family to help. Her husband’s uncle Sam Blount, a professional interior designer in New York, served as the expert consultant and helped rein in Emily, who entertained thoughts of Moroccan tile and bold prints from the start.

“He forced me to pick what this house was,” she said.

They settled on a neutral palette of black, brown and white. Emily, whose mother renovates and sells houses, grew up immersed in interiors and developed a penchant for a sleek, modern aesthetic. When it came time to make decisions, she knew what she liked – and what didn’t make the cut.

“I knew right away that I wanted dark hardwood floors,” she said.

The biggest hurdle was designing a kitchen

that would be conducive to both entertaining guests and keeping an eye on two rambunctious boys.

Open shelving and handmade-tile walls create a chic but approachable feel in a space that hosts both snack time and cocktail hour.

And one of the home’s most unique furnishings, a vintage oven passed down from Emily’s mother, anchors the space.

“It was just sitting in storage for like 10 years in Montana,” she said. “When my mom told me we could have it, I couldn’t pass that up.”

Other rooms boast one-of-a-kind fur­ niture and original artwork. Armed with a carefully curated collection accumulated over time, including an Eames chair purchased in New York, flea-market finds from her college years and hand-me-down chairs from her

The move to Oxford was not only the first time the Blounts had bought a house; it was their first opportunity to own a large bed. Emily commissioned California-based furniture designer Charles Hollis Jones to construct the brass and Lucite frame.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

JOIN US FOR A CELEBRATION OF HOMECOMING: GEORGE WARDLAW DAY TUESDAY, MAY 26TH 5:30-8:30PM BLUE AUGUST 107 EAST MAIN ST BALDWYN, MISSISSIPPI

Join us for a special presentation.

Meet the artist and enjoy several pieces of his original work.

Visit www.BaldwynLiving.com for for more info.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

65

grandparents, the house is an eclectic mix of high and low end, but no furnishings are too precious for their two sons. The leather couches have endured sticky hands, and marble countertops make it easy to wipe up spills.

“I knew we were going to be here a long time,” she said. “The home will continue to change.”

The dichotomy of new items alongside family heirlooms, such as a Lucite and brass four-poster bed juxtaposed against a wooden bunny carved by her late father, aligns with Emily’s concept for the home’s evolving scheme.

“I knew I had all this stuff we’d accumulated from our families, each with its own story,” she said. “It was important to me to use it, even if incorporating each piece changed the original vision of the home.”

Landscape architects Jenny Long and Damian Augsberger of the Mississippi-based Community Design Project helped the Blounts create a yard with greenery that is easy to maintain.

There is also plenty of room to entertain and for the children to play. A backyard vegetable and herb garden is easily accessible from the kitchen, and Emily likes to cook with its bounty.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Becky Taylor,REALTOR Let my

•Buying •Selling •Investments

experience work for you!

Looking for your dream home or a weekend condo? Oxford is the place to be.

Let Becky use her real estate experience to help you with all your property needs.

Give her a call today.

(662) 544-2146 I www.cmrehomes.com

* Accepting new patients * Free prenatal consults * Same day appointments

BEAUTY

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specialty! itality is ourd, MS southern hospd loo • 234-1844 p su ite 113 • Ox for 2704 West Ox for

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Barn)

get a pink manicure or pedicure from oct 13-17

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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The cosmos aligned perfectly for a laid-back, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star-themed 1st birthday party planned on short notice.

WRITTEN BY Sonia Thompson | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Faison Anne Photography

Allie Rose Baquie’s 1st birthday party looked as

though professional perfectionist Martha Stewart might have planned it.

A cake, with icing made to look like pink ruffles and complete with a glittery No. 1 candle, adorned the food table, which also held plates of star-shaped peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches and cookies in milk containers. Confetti-filled balloons floated overhead, and feathered headdresses were the perfect complement to a pink-and-white striped children’s tepee set up on the back deck. The birthday girl was the star of the show as she toddled around under a large blackboard that her father built for her.

The picture-perfect Sept. 9 event looked like it had taken weeks to organize, but hostess Lindsey Baquie said that was not the case.

“I’m not supermom,” Baquie said, laughing. “I planned the party on Sept. 7 and overnighted everything. I didn’t even have time to send out the Evite that a friend created for me. I just ended up inviting people by text message.”

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Baquie chose the theme Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star for Allie Rose’s party because it was the decor theme of her nursery. It was a convenient choice, but it also turned out to be a prescient one. The way the party came together with the help of family members, friends, co-workers and neighbors seemed written in the stars.

The tepee was a surprise birthday gift from Baquie’s childhood friend Hallie Thomas, and the feathered headdresses were a gift from friend Mary Seay Taylor, a jewelry designer. The presents were a lucky coincidence, and not only did they pair perfectly with each other, but they also delighted the birthday girl. Baquie did not hire a photographer, but friend Faison Weiss, a party guest and professional photographer, offered to take photos.

“There was this manifestation of creativeness going on that I didn’t know about or plan,” Baquie said. “I got the photos back, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ ” In addition to the creative, laid-back vibe, Baquie wanted to be sure

Birthday girl Allie Rose Baquie enjoys her party. Her father, Phil, built the chalkboard, and her mother, Lindsey, wrote the artistic message. Lindsey bought plain white milk cartons that she decorated with gold stars and then filled with cookies. The star-shaped peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches not only matched the star-themed party, but were also kid-friendly.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Opposite page, top left, all the children who live in the neighborhood and are regular playmates for Allie Rose were invited to the party. This page, Lindsey and Allie Rose play in a tepee that was a birthday gift. The feathered headdresses were also a birthday gift.

the party was child-friendly. All of Allie Rose’s neighborhood friends were invited.

“Our neighborhood is like one big family,” Baquie said. “The older girls who live on our street come over after school to visit Allie Rose. It’s been really awesome to have those girls be big-sister figures to her. Little do they know they’re actually setting a very important example for her. We’ve got this real sense of community.”

Besides support from parents, neighbors and friends, Baquie said the biggest help, during party planning and beyond, came from her husband, Phil.

“He’s hanging everything last minute and keeping me sane,” Baquie said. “He’s a calming force. With him being a therapist, he’s so good about that.”

The day was special for the whole family, and Baquie felt it was the generosity of others that made it easy to keep the focus on the most important thing of all – her daughter.

“It was definitely a team effort,” Baquie said. “All these people who are near and dear to us came together to help and support Allie Rose.”

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Home for sale in Northpointe • 317 Centerpointe Dr. $319,900

3BR/2.5 Bath PLUS Bonus Room AND Office

•

• Oxford City Schools

Swimming pool with NEW liner

• 12’ ceilings • Hardwood floors

• Granite countertops • Stainless appliances

Call (662) 419-0844 to set up an appointment today! * For sale by owner, but sellers will work with buyer’s agents

See more photos online at http://fsbo.com/174046

The Nest The Eagle’s Eagle’s Nest OUS SummerCamp Camp OUS Summer

June and July June July2014 2015 Children ages 3 Children ages 3toto1010 Gardening/Spanish/Drama Melodic Music • Great Gardening Sports Water Spectacular • Edible Creations Wipeout/Music The Great Outdoors/Edible Spanish Spectacular • Arts Creations and Crafts Wet and Wild Visit our website today, Visit our website www.ouschool.org, totoday, download www.ouschool.org, to download a registration form or call a OUS registration form2200 or call at 662-234OUS at 662-234-2200 200 OUS Drive Oxford, MS 38655

Oxford University School admits students of any race, color, creed, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. Oxford University School does not discriminate based on race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

200 OUS Drive Oxford, MS 38655

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Catering Good Eats

Alice & Company Salon Cuts, Color, Nails & Waxing...

we're here also for those special events and wedding celebrations!

25 YEARS

& STILL Serving our community!

662.234.3896

• 1729 University Ave • www.AliceandCompanySalon.com

Small and large events across North Mississippi Weddings • Rehearsal Dinners 662-534-3250 New Albany, MS

specializing in custom designed gunite swimming pools, spas, renovations on existing pools and fountains master pool builders jess@pinkstonstonseablueinc.com • 662-515-0681 robertrhyne@pinkstonseablueinc.com • 662-897-1156 greenwood, ms 662-453-0372

www.pinskstonseablueinc.com May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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HOMEOWNERS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN WERE NOT AFRAID OF AN ALL-WHITE COLOR SCHEME FOR THEIR NEW GRAND OAKS CONSTRUCTION. WRITTEN BY Jennifer Wilson | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Hubert Worley

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75 ARCHITECT Corey Alger INTERIOR DESIGN Susan Lovelace/Lovelace Interiors

McPheron

MOST FIRST-TIME VISITORS TO THE HOUSE SEEM SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT CHILDREN LIVE THERE. The pristine front hall gleams with immaculate white walls and floors, one-ofa-kind light fixtures and delicate antiques.

Accents of turquoise and gray provide splashes of color throughout the house, and every room feels clean, bright and fresh.

This includes the bedrooms occupied by 4-year-old Preston and 2-year-old Parker, done in the same color scheme and kept in perfect order.

“It is funny because people do often come in and are so surprised,” Summer McPheron said, laughing. “Like, ‘You have two boys. You have all these nice things.

How?’ Honestly, I just started when they were born, teaching them. I want them to be able to go anywhere and be respectful of other people’s things. Plus, I like nice things, so they had to learn early.”

Nice things are plentiful in Summer and Travis McPheron’s home. The couple, who have been married almost six years, loved the idea of living in a family-friendly neigh­borhood, but they also craved space for their children to grow. Summer, who is originally from Batesville, Miss., didn’t want to raise her family in a big city. In 2013, when they moved from

PREVIOUS PAGE: White marble floors and light countertops and cabinets make the kitchen feel fresh and airy. A trio of glittery chandeliers hang over the breakfast table.

THIS PAGE: A grand piano and arched doorway add sophistication to the opulent front entrance.

OPPOSITE PAGE: The formal living room is furnished with light upholstery but still offers an inviting and comfortable space for the young family.

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TOP: Soft hues make the master bedroom a serene retreat.

Large French doors open to a screened-in living room that is the family’s favorite place to hang out.

BOTTOM LEFT: The light and bright theme is carried over into the master closet.

BOTTOM RIGHT: A chandelier adds glamour to the all-white master bathroom. Plenty of storage space keeps clutter to a minimum.

Dallas, Texas (where Summer and Travis met as Southern Methodist University students), they chose Oxford’s Grand Oaks as the building site for their new home.

Summer’s mother, Rhandy, worked with an interior designer to help her daughter create the design aesthetic, which Summer describes as “contemporary casual.” A neutral palette of white and gray, with a few regal touches of gold, was chosen for the furniture in the main areas of the house. Summer then put her individual touch in each room by choosing backsplashes, hardware and fixtures. She said her vision for the house was classic but with modern accents.

“I chose white because it’s timeless,” Summer said. “And then I just sprinkled in

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pops of color. Right now I love turquoise.

I think that’s due to having two boys. But if I get bored and want to change out, say, my entire kitchen, for instance, I can just change the ‘pop.’ It’s easy.”

Those pops are seen in the screened-in living room, the family’s favorite space. Meant for either relaxation or entertaining, it has cozy furniture, a full kitchen and bar, a grill and Big Green Egg, plenty of seating, and a television for watching Ole Miss sports. The glass doors are often thrown open to enjoy nice weather and blend the indoor and outdoor spaces.

“The house was designed for entertaining.

We have tons of dinner parties. I can seat up to 28 people,” Summer said.

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“We really like to open up the whole house and just let the party flow throughout,” Travis added.

Upstairs, each boy has his own bathroom and bedroom. Between the bedrooms, there is also an expansive playroom, a small kitchen and a laundry room, which will allow the boys to grow with the space and become more independent as they get older.

Another favorite area of the couple’s, as well as their many guests, is the temperature-controlled wine room, which is just off the kitchen and filled with favorite bottles.

“We were married in Napa. Wine is very important to us,” Summer said.

The McPherons’ home is filled with exquisite pieces of art, delicate vases and figurines, and perfect white walls and floors, but ask Summer what her favorite part of the house is, and there is no hesitation.

“My family wall, with all the photos of my boys,” she said. “I smile every time I look at my babies’ pictures. That is my true happiness.”

PREVIOUS PAGE: The screened-in porch in the back of the house has a full outdoor kitchen and seating area to watch television. The teal and yellow accent colors are a few of the bright spots.

ABOVE: Wide steps accented by large planters lead to the oversized front doors.

RIGHT: An outside dining area overlooks the backyard and is one of several locations where the family likes to entertain guests. Summer can seat up to 28 people for formal dinners.

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Let Tina or Tony Help You Find The Perfect CONDO to call HOME!

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SADDLED UP on South Lamar

A horse barn tucked away in the middle of town gives the Callicutt family a place to kick back on the weekends.

ARCHITECT Corey Alger BUILDER Johnny Fowler

WRITTEN BY Lena Anderson | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

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EMILY AND ANDY CALLICUTT have discovered the perfect hybrid of city and country living. Still inside Oxford’s city limits, just south of the Square and past Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, lies their horse barn with an attached guesthouse. The Callicutts don’t have to go far to reach their quiet country retreat, which is tucked away on a winding dirt path off busy South Lamar.

Their family home is in Grand Oaks, but the couple and their two children, Hugh (12) and Cate (7), enjoy spending time at the barn retreat relaxing, hosting family gatherings and, of course, riding horses Sunny and Snowman.

“I just wanted a place where we could get away,” Andy said. “I grew up with horses and wanted the kids to grow up with horses, too.”

The land, now named Callicutt Farms, has belonged to Emily’s family since 1943 and is where her father and uncle grew up. The house where they were raised is still on the property.

“There are turkeys all over, and when my grandmother was alive, they were like her pets,” Emily said. “Thirty or 40 of them would be in her front yard, and she’d roll down in her golf cart and feed them.”

Before the city annexed part of the land last year for the new hospital, the family used the property to hunt. Hugh and his cousins killed their first deer there.

The inspiration to build on the property came from Andy, who was driving near The Callicutts opted for rustic and neutral decor for their guesthouse. The authentic country vibe complements the attached horse barn.

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“You’re here, in the middle of town, but it’s so quiet.

Especially during crazy weekends, it feels so good to be tucked away.”

-Emily Callicutt Repurposed McCarty Pottery planters serve as light fixtures above the kitchen island. The open concept of the room makes it a popular gathering spot during the Callicutts’ family get-togethers.

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A screened-in porch furnished with a daybed swing and dining table offers a view of the property, which has been in Emily’s family since 1943. The quiet surroundings give the house a feel of being in the country, though it sits just 1.5 miles from the downtown Square. The family enjoy riding their horses, Sunny and Snowman, around the 200 acres.

Hernando, Miss., one day and spotted the barn of his dreams. He contacted a family friend who is an architect and asked for help.

Together they designed a one-story structure with a living area on one side, a horse barn on the other, and an open breezeway in between to connect the spaces. They went back and forth on whether or not to enclose the middle part, but in the end opted not to.

“We’re so glad we did that,” Andy said, laughing. “We can have one side, the horses can have the other, and we don’t have to smell them.”

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The house has a master bedroom and a bedroom with bunk beds for the children. The open kitchen looks into the living room, and a screened-in porch has a dining table. Though only 1,200 square feet, the living space is functional and even served as a temporary home for the family for eight months while they were remodeling their full-time house.

“We put all our stuff in storage and moved out here,” Emily said. “We lived very minimally, and there was a lot of closeness. It was fun for a while but then we got a little cramped.”

Emily picked out the interiors for the

guesthouse, selecting neutral tones and rustic pieces. It took some coaxing on her part to convince Andy to add a little color.

“He wanted a pine box!” Emily said, laughing. “All wood ceilings, all wood floors.

So much brown. I told him we weren’t building a casket. So I got to paint some.”

In the end, the couple are pleased with their hideaway.

“You’re here, in the middle of town, but it’s so quiet,” Emily said. “Especially during crazy weekends, it feels so good to be tucked away.”

YOUR FRIEND IN OXFORD REAL ESTATE POLINA WHEELER, Realtor

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CVM Salon is a Davines concept salon specializing in

haircuts, color and PerfectTress extensions. Mandy Miller, owner, spent seven years in Orange County, CA as a stylist and is excited to introduce Davines, a color and product line from Parma, Italy.

CVM is the exclusive retailer of Davines in Mississippi.

CVM welcomes Jennifer Lasky to the Davines team. Jennifer brings eighteen years of experience in precision cuts and styling.

SHARE YOUR EXCITING NEWS WITH AN INVITATION Oxford BRIDAL ANNOUNCEMENT ENGAGEMENT THIRD PAGE, $50 Includes one picture and 100-150 words.

WEDDING HALF PAGE, $90 Includes one picture and 100-150 words.

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For more information, please call Emily at (662) 234-4008 or email emilysuber.invitationoxford@gmail.com.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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After building a design business in Nashville, Houston and Atlanta, north Mississippi native KIMBERLY WARD returns home to grow her company, create practical living spaces and highlight the work of African-American interior designers nationwide.

WRITTEN BY Kate Lechler | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

When Kimberly Ward walks into a space, the first thing she notices is the room itself.

“Is it square or asymmetrical? Is there a fireplace or space under the stairs?” The Abbeville, Miss., native describes herself as a “functional interior designer” whose main interest is to help people use their living and working space more efficiently.

“Real life doesn’t look like a Pinterest board,” she said, adding that her job is to make the room more functional for its owners, not to create impossibly perfect photos to showcase her design firm, Kimberly + Cameron Interiors.

The “Cameron” in her company name is a tribute to her first nephew, but Ward got her no-nonsense attitude toward interior design from her grandparents and her mother.

“My grandfather could not read, but he could build furniture,” she said.

She describes growing up in a household where homemaking – sewing quilts, making soaps – was part of daily life. Only in college at University of Southern Mississippi, where she earned a degree in psychology, did she learn that interior design could be its own business.

“Even now,” she said, laughing, “I use what I learned in my psychology degree every day.”

Living in Nashville, Tenn., in 1998, when the Titans moved to town, Ward had the

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opportunity to design some of the players’ homes. She was completing her graduate degree in education at Tennessee State University at the time, but the design jobs began to pile up. After she moved to Houston, Texas, and taught elementary school for a year, a friend convinced her to try interior design full time.

She officially opened her business in May 2002, as soon as school let out. Before she left Houston for Atlanta in 2007, she had designed 16 houses and grown a successful business.

Moving her business to Atlanta provided Ward with both challenges and opportunities.

In Houston, Ward had close working relationships with NFL players and administrators, but in Atlanta, she had to grow her client base from the ground up.

“It taught me compassion,” she said. “I saw what other designers were dealing with on a day-to-day basis.”

Ward began doing design work for the film industry, designing short-term condos for staff and actors filming projects in Atlanta, such as The Blind Side, The Vampire Diaries and Joyful Noise.

“It saved my life because I didn’t know that this work existed,” she said.

In 2008, Ward began her blog, Pink Eggshell, dedicated to her friends.

“At first, I wanted to explain the basics

for my girlfriends who were buying homes and thinking about design for the first time,” she said.

Early on, the topics were similar to the advice found on other design blogs. But in 2011, after winning “Best of Blogfest” at the Kravet Blogfest in New York, she realized that there was an important gap to fill.

“The story of black interior design wasn’t being told,” she said.

She began curating an annual list, the African-American Top 20 Interior Designers, on her blog.

Each year, Ward chooses her favorite 20 African-American designers to help celebrate designers of color and to create a resource for the black community. In 2012, she hosted a reception for the designers at New York’s 40/40 Club.

“For many of them, it was their first time meeting another black designer,” she said.

The reception was such a success that last year Ward expanded it into a three-day event in Atlanta, with panel discussions, tours of design firms and a Saturday breakout session about the business of interior design as it pertains to the African-American community. Ward believes that the black design community should strive to be exceptional.

“We need to create award-winning customer service that demolishes cultural

We need to create award-winning customer service that demolishes cultural stereotypes and demystifies the decorating process.

-Kimberly Ward

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stereotypes and demystifies the decorating process,” she said.

Ward takes her position as spokesperson for the African-American design community so seriously that, in December 2012, she moved to Oxford to attend the University of Mississippi Meek School of Journalism and New Media.

“I wanted to be on the forefront of conversations about what’s next in print and new media, because that’s how I’m going to tell our story,” she said.

Since moving back to north Mississippi, Ward has been working on the launch of Iconic Home Magazine, an African-American home and lifestyle publication that she founded and has worked on with the Magazine Innovation Center. Her design office is housed at Insight Park, which aligns the company with the university and provides access to mentors and advisors.

Since then, Ward has expanded and diversified Kimberly + Cameron Interiors, hiring employees in five different states. The firm is working on luxury condos in Nashville; medical offices in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.; and a dentist’s office in Gulfport, Miss.

When she’s not working, Ward enjoys spending time at home with her daughter, Skylar, 5. Of all the rooms she’s decorated in her own house, she likes Skylar’s room best.

“I have started to collect things for her,” Ward said. “I like the Sheila Pree Bright Barbie series because it gives Skylar the opportunity to see someone who looks like her portrayed in a beautiful way.”

She hopes the space and the things in it will be inspiring for Skylar and will continue to be a place where she can dream big.

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Vickie Cook and Mike Wright renovated a 1930s house in Yalobusha County. A decade later, they bought a dilapidated 1905 structure near Yocona that was built by Cook’s great-grandfather.

Recently, they moved Cook’s family house and joined it with theirs to create a new structure with a storied past.

WRITTEN BY Sonia Thompson | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

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W

hen they need a break from their hectic lives and jobs in Oxford, Vickie Cook and Mike Wright like to make the relaxing drive to their weekend getaway on County Road 225 in Yalobusha County.

The simple country home provides a quiet escape that is close enough to their full-time Oxford residence to allow them to stay there most weekends and host family functions.

The 110-acre property, full of gentle rolling hills and woods, was originally known as the old Brooks place and belonged to the Brooks family for many generations.

“The ladies who were living here were sisters in their 80s or 90s, and this was their parents’ house,” Cook said. “They said it was built in the 1930s.”

When Cook and Wright bought the property in 1997, they promptly began renovations to the historic dogtrot-style house.

“The ladies did what most people would do,” Cook said. “The ceiling had been lowered.

There were four layers of carpet, linoleum in the kitchen area, and there was paneling over the wood walls. They had, through the years, made attempts to make it warmer.”

It took removing most of those additions to allow the original structure to shine, and the couple were pleased with what they uncovered.

“We had to tear out a lot to get it back to the original beadboard ceilings and wood walls,” Cook said. “We took the linoleum up to expose the original heart pine floor. We tried to keep the integrity of the structure but also make it more livable.”

Much of the work was done with help from Tim Hodge, a local contractor who was friends with members of the Brooks family and used to hunt on the property.

“Everything we’ve done out here, we had workmen who really wanted to do it,” Cook said. “Tim did most of the work on this project. It was very meaningful to him.”

The desire to restore a property that had sentimental value was a feeling Cook came to understand.

Top, the old Mize family home place, orginally a two-story dogtrot, built in 1905 by Cook’s great-grandfather. Cook and Wright moved the house, renovated it and joined it with the old Brooks place (above), that they bought and renovated in the late 1990s. Opposite page, Cook and Wright’s weekend home, a fusion of two old houses, as it stands today.

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About 10 years after Cook and Wright purchased the old Brooks place, she became interested in another old house. This time, it was one that had been in her own family. The Mize home place, as Cook knew it, was another dogtrot, built in 1905 by her great-grandfather Charley Mize and located in the Delay community near Yocona.

Cook, who comes from a large family, said she remembered visiting the property as a child with her father.

“My memories of it were it had a great big barn and a gray horse,” she said. “Back then, the adults would sit and visit on the porch, and we would play outside, ride the horse. But I never recall actually going inside the house.”

Decades passed, and Cook mostly forgot about the house, until one day when some distant relatives from Chicago came to visit. Those cousins had stopped by the property before coming to visit Cook at her renovated weekend house.

“I’ll never forget, we were on the front porch,” Cook said. “My cousin said, ‘You know the old home place could be purchased. You know how you like old things.’”

Cook was intrigued, even though it had been almost 50 years since she had visited the property. She did some exploring and discovered that Art is important to Cook and Wright, who own Southside Gallery. Wright also makes stained glass, and he created the colorful stained glass windows flanking the front door, left. An inscription reads: “Charley Mize Dogtrot, Built in 1905, Lafayette County, Relocated to Yalobusha County by Vickie Mize Cook and Michael Wright, November, 2013.”

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it was still owned by a distant relative. She made a call and set up an appointment to see it. This time, she did go inside.

“What we found?” Cook said. “Most people would have torn it down, to be honest. It was not habitable.”

But the deteriorated condition did not scare her. She officially bought the house in 2007. This time, she imagined not only a restoration project, but also a major move. She wanted to relocate her great-grandfather’s house about 30 miles from where it sat to her weekend acreage.

The scope of the project was huge.

“I was told by more than one person that it couldn’t be done,” she said. “We had two or three people come look at it and say, ‘It’s not worth it. Don’t move it.’ ” Still, Cook pressed on.

“The first house mover gave me a price, and I called him for three years and he never would come back,” she said. “He didn’t really want to mess with it. Even one of my sisters said, ‘Why are you doing this?’ ” More time passed, and the desire to move the house remained.

“I went to sleep every night dreaming about how to do it,” she said.

“Finally, my thoughts were, take all the porches off. Take the rock chimneys down. It had never had indoor plumbing, and that was a plus for us Cook and Wright ripped up several layers of carpet and were thrilled to discover original heart pine floors throughout the old Brooks place during their 1997 renovation. “The guys at Vic’s Flooring said they were the prettiest floors they’d done in 20 years,” Cook said.

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Top, Wright’s workshop and stained glass studio also serves as a utility space. Above, an open-air side porch helps connect the two houses. Far right, a screened-in porch, which was not original to the Brooks house, was built by Cook’s cousin Victor Baker.

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because there wasn’t a lot to tear out.”

Soon after those revelations, Cook and Wright connected with Lynn Davis, a craftsman with whom they had worked before. It was another serendipitous pairing, much like the hiring of Tim Hodge had been a decade earlier.

“Connections are kind of funny. [Davis’] mother was a Mize,” Cook said. “He came back and looked at it and said, ‘It’s doable.’ He had a vision. I think it also meant a lot to him to see the place be saved.”

Under instruction from Davis, Houston,

Miss.-based Herrington House Movers relocated the structure for Cook and Wright in 2013, six years after they purchased it.

“They were amazing,” Cook said.

The couple discussed many options for where on their 110 acres the house would go.

Finally, they decided the best option was to join it with their existing house. It was their biggest challenge yet.

“That was all Mike,” Cook said. “I dreamed about it for years, but Mike came up with the plan.”

They decided to fuse the two separate structures together to create one house.

“The inner architect in me saw it,” Wright said. “I kept trying to tell them how I wanted to tie in the roofs and finally I thought, I’m just going to show them. I’m more visual anyway.”

Wright set about building a 3D model with paper and plastic straws to show the construction workers.

“That was the key,” Cook said.

The model allowed the joining to occur seamlessly, and the project was finally

complete in the spring of 2014. Visitors who don’t know the long, complicated story would likely never suspect that the peaceful country house was originally two separate ramshackle buildings.

Today, gleaming heart pine floors, antique furnishings and a few stained glass windows, made by Wright, give the house a simple, classic feel. A large screened-in porch was added to the back, and spacious side and front porches invite visitors to take in the beauty of the land. Hanging and potted plants are nestled

in every corner, bringing the outside in.

The pair said there is still work to be done.

“We’re going to build a closet and pantry,” Cook said. “The kitchen still needs cabinets, and it will undergo another renovation. We always will think of something else to do.”

But the hardest work is behind them, and now the house is neither the old Brooks place nor the old Mize home place. It’s something new and uniquely theirs.

“We love it out here,” Cook said. “It’s my happy place.”

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May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

Curtis Knight and Terry Lytal turned their small, empty, zero-lot-line backyard in Windsor Falls into a lush sanctuary with plenty of flowers, trees, a fountain and an outdoor fireplace.

WRITTEN BY Jennifer Wilson | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem It’s not uncommon for new homeowners to discover little imperfections about their houses after moving in. One might find creaky floors, a leaky faucet or next-door neighbors who enjoy listening to music at maximum volume. Some problems are fixable and some are simply dealt with until it is time to pack up and move again. When Curtis Knight found his new home’s little imperfection, he knew he had to fix it immediately.

“The first thing I realized about this place after moving in was that we had a yard with nothing in it. No trees!” Knight said. “I said, ‘Oh my god, there is not a tree in this yard.

Why did we buy a house with no trees?’ It was just a shock to my system.”

Knight and his partner, Terry Lytal, moved to their Windsor Falls home from Grand Oaks in 2011. It was an intentional downsize in

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

square footage as well as yard size. The backyard offered a small amount of space to enjoy, which was also less to maintain.

But even though the backyard was smaller, Knight and Lytal still wanted to enjoy it, and leaving it bare was not an option. Knight, a graduate of the Art Institute of Atlanta and an interior designer for more than 35 years, had no trouble envisioning the possibilities.

“That summer, the first thing we did was screen in the back porch and bring trees into the front yard and the back. We are outdoor people. It was essential to start on the outdoor living area immediately,” Knight said.

The next step was to approach a tiny nonfunctional area around the side of the house.

Lytal, an avid gardener, saw a fun project in creating a raised garden bed.

“He grew tomatoes, cucumbers and bell

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

107

“This property was a challenge.

We had to figure out how to create what we’ve always loved in a large property on a small property. But we did it, and anyone can do it.”

– Curtis Knight

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

peppers, and we shared with all the neighbors.

In so many neighborhoods, you don’t know your neighbors, and they don’t want to know you. Well, we made them know us. It established our first friendships out here, because everybody likes food,” Knight said.

From there, Knight’s plan for the remaining area was the same as his approach to his design jobs – make every inch of the space functional and pleasing.

To Knight, it meant bringing in a brick fireplace so friends could gather outdoors and enjoy cocktails and good conversation any time of year. He also created a covered outdoor grilling space, room for a dining table and a lounging area. He surrounded that with flowers, vibrant plants and carefully selected knickknacks that give the yard a calm, relaxed vibe.

The couple’s ultimate goal was to create a space where they could unwind and entertain.

Lytal, a hospice nurse, and Knight grow tired of being indoors during business hours. They said a big part of their relationship is the time they spend together enjoying the fresh air.

“When we get home, we can’t breathe inside. We breathe outside. That’s how we relax.

I piddle, plant and dig, and he sits,” Lytal said.

“No,” Knight said, laughing. “I fix drinks and get music going. That’s important, too.”

The new space offers everything the couple hoped for before the transformation began. They recognize that some people might be hesitant to embark on a large project for a compact space, but they said they encourage homeowners to take a second look before writing off their backyard as too small.

“This property was a challenge,” Knight said. “We had to figure out how to create what we’ve always loved in a large property on a small property. But we did it, and anyone can do it.”

Curtis Knight and his partner, Terry Lytal, transformed the outdoor space of their Windsor Falls home. They started with nothing but grass. There were no trees or plants when they purchased the house. Now their backyard is an oasis of lush greenery and a relaxing place to unwind.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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IT’S A BUSY DAY

The kitchen is the heart of Bess and John Currence’s restored 1830s home. John, a James Beard Award-winning chef, loves the cherry-red custom Lacanche range. The black-and-white floor was patterned after Galatoire’s restaurant in New Orleans.

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

at Bess and John Currence’s house. They have their hands full preparing for their daughter’s second birthday.

At 10 a.m., pint-sized Mamie is full of energy. She pauses for breakfast between running laps around the living room and doing somersaults on her bedroom floor. She knows her friend Emma is coming over, and her grandparents are on their way from Louisiana.

Earlier that morning, John assembled a tricycle

that will help fuel the toddler’s inability to sit still.

The plan is for a day filled with family and friends. It’s exactly the occasion Bess and John envisioned when renovating the home. “[The house] is very much built with the idea of being a very warm and welcome and open place,” John said. “It’s sort of built for a lifetime of parties.”

Last August, after completing a 16-month

ARCHITECT Tom Howorth BUILDER Capomazza Construction LLC

Bess and John Currence restored an 1830s home with cooking, entertaining and, most important, their daughter in mind.

WRITTEN BY Caitlin Adams | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem renovation, Bess and John left country life for an antebellum home in the heart of town. The move completed a circle for John, who rented an apartment less than a block from the historic house when he first moved to Oxford in 1992.

“I walked or rode my bike by here every day going to work, and I loved this house,” he said. “It was always kind of my dream house.”

With construction dating back to the 1830s, the house was one of only five that

survived the Civil War fire that burned Oxford in 1864. Recently, it suffered neglect while vacant and became riddled with moisture issues and a large crack in the foundation.

“It looked absolutely catastrophic,” John recalls.

But he and Bess saw its potential and how it could be tailored for their family, which included creating a dream kitchen for John, a James Beard Award-winning chef. The finished

product is a home with inherent Southern style and a flair for the unexpected.

“I felt this sort of unwritten obligation to, you know, recycle as much of it as we could back into the house,” he said. “Every part is very deliberate, down to the details.”

They widened the transomed doorways, added elegant crown molding and carefully took up the original flooring, which was then refinished and relaid board by board. What May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

113

Two dining spaces can accommodate many dinner guests, and both look into the kitchen.

The formal dining room, right, boasts large transomed doorways. Below, a more informal table offers a relaxed setting.

wasn’t put back down was repurposed elsewhere, as the kitchen island or the built-in bookshelves in the library.

“In every part of the house there’s some sort of nod to tradition,” John said.

Like the laundry chute that pays homage to his childhood hiding place of choice or the exposed-brick fireplace that reminds him of growing up in New Orleans.

But that’s not to say the couple didn’t add

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

their own modern touches where appropriate.

Industrial railings line the main stairwell, creating a modern look that lets in light.

“That was just to really sort of put an absurdist exclamation point on the whole thing,” John said.

Downstairs, a functioning wine cellar is modeled after a French bistro.

The overall interior renovation adds up to a fitting juxtaposition of old and new.

“It’s not meant to be architecturally accurate to anything whatsoever,” John said.

“It’s just meant to work.”

Together, the details do work, from the Lamar Sorrento artwork to the kitchen floor John patterned after Galatoire’s restaurant in New Orleans.

Bess took a backseat in the drawing of the house plans, but she had one non-negotiable contribution.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

115

The family room offers an inviting place to kick back. Industrial railings line the stairs to let light through. Right, a wine cellar was a surprise uncovered during the restoration.

“The room I cared the most about was Mamie’s room,” she said.

She enlisted an artist to paint a large, pink tree mural and hung cloudlike pieces for ethereal charm.

Immediately outside Mamie’s wonderland is the heart of the home: the kitchen. Although John has both designed and cooked in dozens of restaurant kitchens around the world, he started from scratch when it came time to build his own.

“It’s a little bit upsetting because I feel like, at my age and as long as I’ve been doing this, I ought to be able to just spew forth these little polyps of wisdom when it comes to designing kitchens,” John said, laughing. “It may just be like

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

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Bess Currence took special delight in decorating 2-year-old daughter Mamie’s room. Whimsical artwork, a colorful chandelier, puffy clouds and a pink tree mural make it the perfect place to dream and play.

a picking-out-a-pair-of-glasses kind of thing, where, you know, it’s so personal.”

Having a great view of the 300-year-old white oak tree in the yard was a goal, so a kitchen window was enlarged to allow nature to take center stage.

“I wanted that tree to be the most beautiful, gigantic oil painting in the world,” he said.

From there, everything fell into place. A brick oven anchors one wall, and the true pièce de résistance – a cherry-red Lacanche French range – shines in the center island. The custom stove sat for six months in a crate, unused and collecting dust at John’s catering kitchen during the renovation.

“It was the worst tease ever,” he said. “It was like riding in a car with a box of hot Popeyes for six months. It was just there every day, and I wanted to look at it. I wanted to plug it in and play with it.”

His toy is finally out of the box, and when he’s not in one of his five restaurants around town, he’s at home cooking for family and friends.

Now, nearly two years after they closed on the home, Mamie’s footsteps can be heard down the hall in anticipation of her big day. “[The house] is really built for Bess and Mamie,” John said. “I’m just glad I get to enjoy it for a little while.”

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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events Ole Miss Grove Bowl View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

The University of Mississippi Regions Bank Grove Bowl was held April 11 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The festivities leading up to the scrimmage included the Rebels’ Choice Awards and the Chucky Mullins Courage Award ceremony.

Jake and Carlee McAnally

Malaki Pegues, Elijah Wadley, Jeremiah Pegues, Shawneka and Jerkeria Pettis, Kerria Dixon and Iesha Pegues

Ryan, Adi, Tyce and Christa Sawyer

Haley Bazzell, Kiara Speed and Shannon Brock

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Win, Robyn, Ward, West and John Winstead

Donny and Mary Alice White

Chris Henry and Lindsay Crawford

Adam Middleton, Kati Lipscomb, Chad Middleton and Paige Rogers

Allyson, Dwight and Ty’Neshia Ivy

photographed by Joe Worthem

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Tatyana Derrington, Alisha Thigpen, Tasha Varner and Tersten Sanders

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Laura Hoskin, Hayley Wilkinson and Karen Drenkard

www.dixiedanceandtumble.com May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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photographed by Jessica Richardson

events Color My College 5K View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

Ole Miss Campus Recreation hosted a Color My College 5K race that began in the Grove March 21 and ended with participants being covered in Rebel red and blue colors. The race benefited the Special Olympics Mississippi.

Leanna Blackwell, Maygan Baur, Rebecca Wood, Melanee Pinion and Marietta Sturgeon

Colin and Jorden Hughes

Candice Ballard, Cambria Abdeen, Colleen Stimola and Juliana Ranis

Brandon Baker, Hunter Lawrence, Abigail Lafferty, Morgan Jones, Christina Rick and Matt Brown

Courtney and Rick Perkins

Austyn Davis, Kate Lindsey, Tyler Young and Max Mattox

Manuel Cubillo, Brian Sanchez and Miriam Guzman

Tamara Kalmykova, Ahmed Orabi and Abby Thorpe

Dawn Boutwell and Anne Lea Dowdy with Allie and Pepper Boutwell

Travis Lyles, Bylinda Pugh and Marcie Lyles

Julia Delesdernier, Sophie Miller and Laurel Reeves

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

&

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

125

Jimmy Carr, Agent

2627 W. Oxford Loop • Oxford, MS 662-234-3025 jimmy.carr.uwle@statefarm.com

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

photographed by Joe Worthem

events UM Big Event

CONTINUED ON PAGE 128

View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

University of Mississippi students, faculty and staff members participated in the UM Big Event March 28. The volunteer effort provides community service projects ranging from picking up trash to helping the elderly or disabled with home projects and more.

Sarah Medeiros and Sterling Crenshaw

Austin Jackson, Derek Klein, Dylan Dichl, Blake Whitlock and Justin Girod

Dillion Pitts, Mailey Cooper, Sarah Stroup and Will Haygood

Margot Aliffi, Bailey Fraay and Catie Coan

Aliayah Tubbs, Cortesia Baker, Na’Dasha Collins and Shannon Garron

Jamey Wilson, Charli Cormier and Allyson Henke

Arissa Sanders and Na’Dasha Collins

Elizabeth Hathorne, Sarah Mube, Kendall Patterson and Nicole Mammour

Sarah Sibert, Mindy Sutton and Norman Darce

Candace Smith, Carissa Pauley and Meagan Robinson

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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photographed by Joe Worthem

events UM Big Event

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 127

View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

Emily Theriot, Tori Clearman and Taylor Beasley

Tiara Mabry, Laken Magee, Jontae Warren, Mykal Brown and Asia Frison

Rahel Wilkinson, Karson Nelson, Christina Lawler and Claire Kathryn Holmes, Chelsea Cullins, Jordan Burress and Bosarge Jennifer Torp

Raven Smith and Ben Pinon

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Rachel Spinden, Katie Krouse, Rachel Wilkinson and Callie Wallace

Julia Beacham, Savanah Bell, Olivia Hinton, McKenzie Johnson and Kaylie Brown

Carrington Bailey, Haley Haskins and Katea Mary Mackin and Madeline Holiman Feagley

Hunter McGuary and Micheal Healy

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May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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photographed by Ann-Marie Herod

events T.O.M.B. Beauty Review View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

The Tallahatchie-Oxford Missionary Baptist Association hosted the seventh annual beauty review March 28. This year’s winners included junior Most Beautiful, Meia Baskin, and senior Most Beautiful, Ayanna Shaw.

Janet Shaw and Willie W. Gaters

J.T. Owens, Denise Westbrook, AiNiyaiiah Pegues, Mia Shepherd and Jacquez Neilson

Diane and Patricia Luster

Ayanna and Jamie Shaw with Shamya Frieson

Keyanna Buford with Michelle and Darius Perry

Brandi Wilborn, K.J. Wadley and Shunterria Campbell

Gearldine Campbell and Janet Shaw

Emya Badger and Allie Shaw

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

DanEisha Phillips and Vermacy Smith

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Mississippi natives James Seawright and Mimi Garrard are sharing a virtual tour of his kinetic sculpture juxtaposed with her dance videos in an exhibit opening on

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May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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photographed by Jessica Richardson

events Hinge Dance Company Spring Show View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

Hinge Dance Company held Greenlight, its spring show, March 27-28 at the Powerhouse. Members of the local, professional dance company performed 11 contemporary dances that illustrated the theme of “light at the end of the tunnel.�

Susie Adams and Sophie Quinn

Ellen McGregor, Charlotte Gibens, Caroline Harris and Avery Gibens

Lillie Floyd, Alex Hudson, Ana Blair Brown and Lindsay Thomas

Rob and Mia Davis with Lydia Siniard

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Eldridge, Henrietta, Tommy and Debbie Ladner

Katherine Waits and Suanne Messer

Grace Johnson and Olivia Estes

Claire and Tori Waits

Lindsay Fine and Lindsey Estes

Brittany Launius and Kelly Jeffus

Dr. Phillip Graham, Optometrist

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662.489.4741 • 14 East Marion St. Pontotoc, MS 38863 Bill Seawright, Optician Melanie Sellers, Tech

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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photographed by Joe Worthem

events Conference for the Book View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

The Center for the Study of Southern Culture and Square Books hosted the 22nd annual Conference for the Book. The March 23-25 event included a children’s book festival, literary panels, readings and a special celebration of Mississippi writer Margaret Walker.

Brian Sherry and Jessica Wilkerson

Mark and Chelsea Wagenaar, Chiyuma Elliott, Geffrey Davis, Barbara Ras, Douglas Brown and Beth Ann Fennelly

LaShonda K. Barnett and Jodi Skipper

Bert Sharpe and Joel Whitman

Purvis Cornish and Lauren Holt with Peter Cleary and Rebecca Lauck Cleary

Jess, Billy and Angela Atkins with Tyler Wiley

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Manda Riggs, Dott Dehmer and Dede Wilson

Ron Feder, Ralph Eubanks and Tom Franklin

Cyndi Vitry and Jenny Burkett

Bill Jernigan and Ted Ownby

Maryemma Graham and Caroline Randall Williams

Pauline Perry and Sandy Russell

James and Charlotte Baine with Charles Overby

Danele White, Ally Avent, Owens Smith, Grant Williams and Lastaccecia McKinney

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photographed by Leslie Brooks

events Big K.R.I.T. Concert View more event photos @ invitationoxford.com.

Meridian, Miss., native Big K.R.I.T. performed from his second Def Jam album, Cadillactica, March 25 at the Lyric Theatre. The album has been described as an Afro-futurist concept suite taking place on the fictional planet named in the title.

Tyler Carter and Nesha Toney

Terrance Newman, Virginia Ivey, Terry Newman and Harris Figures

Tristen Ingram, Jacob King, Jordan Hodge and New Stough

Courtney Jones and Jamille Hartfield

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Erica Moore and Christian Owens

Lisa Hoyt and Gerald Washington Alex McLemore and Josh Ferren

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Gabrielle and Stephanie Lunsford

Olivia Purvis and Edna Luckett

Xzavius Phillips and Christina Cathey

Chris Jenkins and Jessica Arceneaux

Chris Macon and Roderica Reece

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HOLIDAY 2013

Handmade HOLIDAYS

Month MAY 20132012

AUGUST 2013

Creating

FOOTBALL AND FASHION 2014

Local schools think outside the lunch box

happy healthy smiles

one child at a time!

Football & Fashion

CHUCKY MULLINS' LEGACY, AT HOME WITH THE BJORKS AND WEEKEND ROAD TRIPS

Annual combined oxford and tupelo issue

DIPLOMATE, AMERICAN BOARD OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

2408 South Lamar Blvd Suite 1 Oxford, Ms 38655 Tel: 662-513-4188

Call Cindy Semmes, Director of Advertising, for more information at (662) 701-8070.

Helping you find the property...

Of your Dreams!

Sarah Hamilton 662.563.4684 Tuesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m .

373 Hwy. 51 North • Batesville, MS 38606

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Real Estate Professional

Cherie Matthews Real Estate Cell: 662-801-3640 • Office: 662-234-3878 www.oxfordmsrealtor.net • sarahhamilton.realtor@gmail.com

PACKAGE STORE

WIDE SELECTION OF FINE WINES & SPIRITS • CONVENIENT LOCATION • MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED • ALUMNA OWNED

903 VARSITY DR. | TUPELO, MS | 662. 842.1292 info@staggsinteriors.com • www.staggsinteriors.com MONDAY-FRIDAY 9-5

WWW.STARWINEANDSPIRITS.COM 308 JACKSON AVE. • 234-3331

Oxford

Paint Supply Over 15 years in business!

Featuring Farrell-Calhoun Paints

Made and tested in the south for our extreme weather conditions

Experts in custom color matching!

Great paints at a great price!

Locally owned and operated by lifetime resident of Oxford mixing paint for over 20 years!

662-513-4565 • 1116 N.Lamar right before Beacon Restaurant

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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out and about DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION LUNCHEON

Charlene Ott and Marianna Ochs

Gail Hercules and Judith Cassidy

Jo Uptain, Faith West and Hellen Polk

BRAMLETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PERFORMANCE OF “HORTON HATCHES THE EGG”

BOTTLETREE ANIMAL HOSPITAL OPEN HOUSE

Olivia Cate and Ellie Lowery

Bottletree Animal Hospital staff members

Claire Kariuki and Zaria Houston

6 6 2 -8 0 1 -3 0 0 2 140

INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

Xander Fortyz and Colton Rambo

1453-B SOUTH LAMAR BLV d T-S hir t Co .

Ne xt do or to Ox for

D

OXFORD SQUARE ALLIANCE SPRING OPEN HOUSE

Sessum, Anna Clair, Jones and Bo Luster Winn McElroy, Morgan Pennington and Capel Howorth

Ann Abadie and Chico Harris

ROXFORD UNIVERSITY MUSIC SCHOOL GRAND OPENING

Lindsey and Harper Leach with Joy and Hudson Clark

Carter Myers, Zuri Brown and Jenae Jefferson

Julia, Wilson and Hudson Jennings CONTINUED ON PAGE 142

Uptown Optical THANK YOU OXFORD, OLE MISS AND SURROUNDING AREAS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

Dr. Michael Turner Oxford Family Vision Clinic 1110 North Lamar Blvd.Oxford MS 38655 662-234-0400 *Gift Certificates available for all occasions.

BMW, Ray-Ban, Maui Jim, Coach, Michael Kors, BeBe, Oakley, Costa Medicare, BCBS, VSP, Aetna, almost all Health Insurance and Most Vision Insurance

Serving Oxford, Lafayette and Ole Miss for over 25 years May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

141

out and about

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 141

HERMITAGE GARDENS EASTER EGG HUNT

Nolan and Sadie Shannon

Henley Kemp and Marilyn Newton

Donnie and Olivia Clark Brimm, Shelly and Kathleen Williams and Jeff, Cassie and Baylor McCutchen

GO JIM GO PIZZA PARTY

Names Names Names Names

Jackson and Tyler Buford, Carnice and Jacqueline Woods and Madison and Tameka Wilson

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION BREAKFAST

Names Names Names Names Angela Smith, Ora Baker, Melissa Groover and Karen Peairs

Tanya Robertson’s Lafayette Elementary School second grade class

Pam Swain and Jon Maynard

Brian Harvey, James Harper and Quentin Whitwell

EXCEPTIONAL CARDIOVASCULAR CARE IN THE HEART OF OXFORD • GENERAL CARDIOLOGY • INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY • ADVANCED HEART FAILURE • PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISEASE • ARRHYTHMIA MANAGEMENT. CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT

* Most insurances accepted oxfordheartconsultants.com Phone: 662.281.1115 • Fax: 662.281.1113 Dr. Mark Campbell, Dr. Cal Laney, Tiffany Leister, N.P., Dr. Mark Strong

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INVITATION OXFORD | May 2015

2209 Jefferson Davis Drive • Oxford, MS 38655

23 1/2 hrs 7 days Service

1919 UNIVERSITY AVE. • OXFORD, MS

Sugar Magnolia

662-234-6330 • OLD TOWN SHOPPING CENTER

Open 7 Days a Week Sunday - Thursday, 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Friday & Saturday, 11:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Legacy Realty

BUYING OR SELLING A HOME?

Dream with your eyes open.

Fergie Crill , CRS, ABR, SRS, GRI Fergie Crill Broker Associate Your eyes in Your eye in Oxford, MS 38655

Oxford, Mississippi

RE/MAX Legacy Realty 662-202-2652 (Direct) Remax Legacy Realty FergieCrill@ReMax.net 1923 University Avenue http://RealEstateOxfordMS.com Oxford | MS | 38655

662.202.2652 (Direct) 662-234-5621 (Office) FergieCrill@ReMax.net

©2014 RE/MAX, LLC. Each office independently owned and operated. 140348

RealEstateOxfordMS.com Each Remax office is independently owned and operated.

May 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD

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I AM OXFORD Dianne Falkner

INTERVIEWED BY Meaghin Burke | PHOTOGRAPHED BY Joe Worthem

Dianne Falkner is president of the Oxford Garden Club, which promotes community beautification and conservation.

Q: What is Oxford Garden Club’s mission?

A: Some people have this idea that we’re little ladies who get together and drink tea and eat crumpets, but primarily our goal is to make the city more beautiful, to conserve our landscapes and natural resources and to contribute to the civic development of the community.

Q: What kinds of projects has the Garden Club done?

A: Early Garden Club projects have included iron fencing around the county courthouse, holiday home tours and the mass plantings of daffodils along North and South Lamar.

Q: What are club members working on now?

A: We have lots of ongoing projects, including a backyard habitat and garden therapy project at the nursing homes and VA Hospital. We’re the sponsors of the city’s Arbor Day program each spring. We maintain a Garden Education Center at the Oxford-Lafayette County Public Library. Sometimes we help a project get started, and then it finds its own life. We built the first teaching gardens in Oxford at the Oxford Boys & Girls Club, and other entities keep them going now. We also try to create partnerships with other civic organizations like the Rotary Club to get projects off the ground.

Q: Do you have any programs for children?

A: The Rowan Oak Junior Garden Club is for third-grade students at Della Davidson Elementary School. It meets once a month, and the projects we do with the junior gardeners tie into the science curriculum from the state of Mississippi.

Q: What’s next for the Garden Club?

A: Our newest adopt-a-park project is Pat Lamar Park. We’re going to enhance the flower beds there. And our new flagship project is the beautification of the city cemeteries,

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St. Peter’s and Oxford Memorial. We hope to add beauty and charm year-round by installing low-maintenance evergreens in mass plantings. Additionally, we hope to be part of the plant design for the new columbarium. So many people visit our historic cemeteries. I

have a personal interest in seeing them stay beautiful. My late husband, Chooky Falkner, was William Faulkner’s nephew. My family is in the cemetery; my husband’s family is in the cemetery. They are special places, and we need to take care of them.

We would like to thank our St. Jude Children's Hospital Gift Basket Sponsors!

• Belles and Beaus • Square Books • Lily Pad • Rib Cage • Material Girl’s • Indigo’s • Maison Weiss • Visit Oxford • Neilson’s • Abner’s • Holli’s Sweet Tooth • Amy Head-Make Up • Katerine Beck • Chaney’s • Lulu’s • Oxford T-Shirt Co. • Rocky Mt. Chocolate Factory

When it comes to pregnancy, starting off on the right foot makes everything better.

Baby Fair Tuesday, May 26 5 pm - 8 pm Baptist Memorial HospitalNorth Mississippi Cafeteria Conference Room 2301 S. Lamar Blvd.

Oxford, MS 38655

northmiss.baptistonline.org

Door prizes, free refreshments, giveaways from local vendors and all the expert help and advice you need for pregnancy and newborn care.

• Childbirth and breastfeeding

• Pediatric and OB/GYN physicians

• Child development

• Prenatal and newborn care

• Child health

• Tours of labor and delivery

• Child nutrition • Child safety

floor • Vendors

• Immunizations

662-232-8109

Get Better.