CONNECTING MIND, BODY + SPIRIT
A CHART TOPPER FROM T. GRAHAM BROWN
Stylin'
Contrasts in style are everywhere but they are no more prevalent than within the walls of my house. That's where you'll find my wife, who has spent her entire career in the fashion industry. Then there's me. I've spent nearly 20 minutes of my life thinking about fashion.
A recent conversation went something like this: My Wife: "You need to throw out that old T-shirt."
Me: "It's not old. I got it during lockdown."
Fortunately, one's sense of style (or lack thereof) is not limited to fashion. Style exists in practically everything we do, including in the pages of this month's issue of Bellevue City Lifestyle.
Photography is one of those disciplines that blends technical skill with creative sensibilities to create something powerful and meaningful. Lindsey and Dune Baydoun of Bellevue are two of the best. They travel around the world on behalf of brandname clients, but some of their best images are captured in places around town.
With his soulful tones, T. Graham Brown has what is arguably one of the more stylish voices in all of music. A longtime Bellevue resident, Brown was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry earlier this year and his new album, From Memphis To Muscle Shoal s , debuted in the top spot on the blues charts upon its release last month.
Style even has a way of appearing in the way you choose to pursue health and wellness. There are a lot of gyms and fitness centers from which to choose but there's a certain sense of elegance attached to yoga. For proof, we followed along on a recent YogaSix session in Edwin Warner Park.
And, who doesn't fixate on their hairstyle (present company excluded)? For that we turned to our friends at Leigh Edwards + Co where the team of stylists keeps up with the trends, and sets new ones, so that their clients look their best.
We're always on the lookout for something stylish to print on these pages, so let us know if you have any ideas. Until then, we hope you enjoy this month's issue.
ED ATLAS, EDITOR
September 2024
PUBLISHER
Doug Waterman | doug.waterman@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Ed Atlas | ed.atlas@citylifestyle.com
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Lindsey Baydoun | hello@lindseybaydoun.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Ed Atlas, Emma Balkenbush, Kellie Walton
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ed Atlas, Dune Baydoun, Lindsey Baydoun
Corporate Team
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Zach Miller
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kathy Nguyen
inside the issue
Your Mind, Body and Spirit
Bellevue’s
A
The
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1-7: Nashville’s Night Out Against Crime was held on August 6 at Red Caboose Park. Photography by Ed Atlas
business monthly
While traditional stretching methods attempt to make you more “flexible,” we work to adjust the stretch reflex. This way, the Stretch Zone Method gradually increases your active range of motion.
Consider how a car seatbelt works. If pulled too quickly, the belt locks. If the belt is forced, you are just stretching the material itself, and that’s where injury happens. When a car seatbelt is pulled smoothly and controlled, the belt will fully extend. It’s the same with your body’s stretch reflex.
VISITATION HOSPITAL FOUNDATION TO HOST “HOPE AND HEALING” LUNCHEON
Visitation Hospital Foundation (VHF) will host its annual Hope and Healing for Haiti event at St. Henry Church on September 12 at 11:30 a.m. Proceeds will benefit VHF’s Visitation Outpatient Clinic in Haiti. This year’s honoree is Bishop Mark Beckman, Bishop of the Diocese of Knoxville, a former pastor of St. Henry Church. Bishop Beckman has traveled to Haiti on numerous occasions and is an advocate for the Haiti ministry. Admission is free. VisitationHospital.org
Stompin’ Grounds Writers Rounds Expanding from Bellevue to Downtown Nashville
Stompin’ Grounds Writers Rounds, a multi-genre musical showcase that originated in Bellevue, is expanding to downtown Nashville. The show is appearing every other Thursday (September 5 and 19) at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, and the first Wednesday of each month (September 4) at Noelle. Produced by Bellevue businessman/musician, Jacob Merlin, Stompin’ Grounds will continue its weekly residency every Friday at Bar Louie in One Bellevue Place. StompinGroundsTN.com
Bellevue’s YogaSix welcomes everyone to practice heated yoga, from experienced yogis to curious beginners
Connecting Your Mind, Body and Spirit
ARTICLE BY KELLIE WALTON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDSEY BAYDOUN
Alison Abercrombie Chavira has always been in the people business: earning her degrees in behavioral science, human resource management, and positive organizational psychology, then beginning her career in employee engagement focusing on organizational and leadership development. After attending colleges in Atlanta and Los Angeles, she would go on to Las Vegas where she soon met her husband, Francisco, and started a family.
After the couple moved to Nashville in early 2020, Alison’s corporate career faced a crossroads. Her human resources job was absorbed during an acquisition, and she could either move to the new company or take a leap of faith at her current one. Alison chose to leap, a decision that would lead her to growth opportunities both personally and professionally.
“There was a position called ‘Engineering Talent Manager,’ which was an opportunity for me to be a people leader,” Alison shares. “At the time, I knew very little about technology or software engineering, but I just had to try. Managing people when I don’t know what they do is really hard, but you just have to show up.”
After a year in that position, Alison felt she had the confidence and skill set she needed to open a business rooted in her passions that would also bring a missing piece to Bellevue. Together with her husband, she began researching franchising options. As a dancer growing up, Alison found yoga in adulthood as a way to carry on that passion, and a YogaSix franchise felt like a perfect fit.
“It’s vinyasa yoga; it’s about the flow, connection to your breath, and the movement of your body,” Alison shares. “Because of my background in HR and hiring talent, I felt like that’s the piece I could contribute to the business. That overflows…if you’ve taken care of your employees, they’re going to take care of the community, too.”
CONTINUED >
L-R: Miranda Telford, YogaSix Lead Teacher; Rebecca Patrick, YogaSix Founding Member; Mylissa Lemos, YogaSix GM; Molly Ginn, YogaSix Member.
“It’s not just yoga, it’s also this community of people striving to connect to who they are, to their mind, to their body, to their soul.”
The studio offers a retail section to help. Alison particularly likes the brand Spiritual Gangster, which makes comfortable, flowy tops in a breathable material that highlights positive affirmations and inspirational quotes. For leggings and tanks, Tavi activewear is a high-quality option. For more fitted clothing (which is not required), Alison recommends Z Supply or Free People’s athleticwear collection.
YogaSix has become a safe space for the community to spend intentional time in a practice that can be whatever they need in each class. There are six class options ranging from foundational practices to power flows and even express classes capped at 45 minutes.
“It’s important for beginners and experienced yogis to feel welcomed and included at our studio,” Alison shares.
As yoga has grown in popularity over the years, so has its fashion. Just as classes are accessible for all levels, Alison encourages anyone taking their first class to bypass any overwhelming trends and wear whatever makes them feel most comfortable.
While what you wear won’t affect your practice (comfort is key!), accessories are important. A quality mat will help protect feet, joints, and hands, and Alison recommends Manduka or B Mat. The B Mat is designed for a heated vinyasa style class: it gives the practitioner a solid foundation to advance their practice to the next level. Add-ons like blocks and straps will help support body alignment and make the practice easier or more challenging, depending on needs and preferences each day.
YogaSix.com/location/bellevue HAIR BY LINDSEY FELTON AND KARESTEN PORTER, LEIGH EDWARDS + COMPANY
nhcplaceatthetrace.com
629-888-5526
A CREATIVE EYE
A lifelong passion for creative imagery has taken Bellevue photographer Lindsey Baydoun on shoots around the world.
ARTICLE BY EMMA BALKENBUSH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUNE BAYDOUN
From the moment Lindsey Baydoun picked up a camera as a little girl, she knew she discovered something special. Whether she was hanging out with her middle school friends at Red Caboose Park or the old Bellevue Mall, she was constantly documenting the moment with a photo.
Lindsey Baydoun at Casa Azul (Frida Kahlo home) in Mexico City. Black dress by Any Old Iron, Nashville.
“I was always that friend who brought the camera around, of course back then it was a throwaway camera from Walgreens.”
“I was always that friend who brought the camera around, of course back then it was a throwaway camera from Walgreens,” Lindsey said.
Capturing memories and candid images of her friends and family started off as a fun hobby. The more photos she took, the more she realized creating visual art through photography was becoming a passion. She started her own business in 2006 and never looked back.
From weddings to corporate events, or marketing for businesses and personal portraits, Baydoun works with people comfortable in front of the camera and those who have never had their photo taken. No matter the subject, her favorite part of the job is always the same: the person on the other side of the lens.
“I just really love working with people and shooting what they are passionate about,” she says.
Baydoun prefers to photograph her clients in natural light on a location around Bellevue or in a client’s space. She also has a studio and works on projects with her husband Dune Baydoun, a Nashville native who is also a photographer and videographer.
As a fellow creative, Lindsey says Dune helped encourage one of her more personal and symbolic photo shoots. In the series, Lindsey’s head is completely shaved, and purple or green paint is pouring down onto her head and face. After losing her father to dementia just days before her wedding, Lindsey says she looked in the mirror one day and noticed how damaged her long hair was from stress and grief. She decided to shave her head as a way to start over. She didn’t notice the razor’s guard was missing and when she went to shave her head, the razor went all the way down to her scalp. She says she and Dune laughed at the mistake and he encouraged her to lean
CONTINUED >
Dancing in a cave in Gran Canaria, Spain. Vintage handmade jumper by Lindsey's grandmother in the 1960s.
into it, shave the rest of her head and have some fun in the studio.
Lindsey was born in Northern California, but considers Bellevue home. Her family moved here when she was little, and she would grow up to fall in love with everything the area has to offer. She’s lived in other communities around Middle Tennessee but always knew she’d settle down in Bellevue, where she and Dune are raising their four children.
“My home is literally right down the road from the house I grew up in,” Lindsey said. “I care so much about this community, and that’s why I want to invest in it.”
Lindsey’s photography often takes her around the U.S. and abroad. She says she’s incredibly grateful for those opportunities, but watching her kids grow up has made her realize she wants to be home as much as possible.
“I’m very involved in everything they do, which I’m super lucky they still want me involved because they’re teenagers,” she says.
Lindsey hopes to focus more on clients in the Bellevue area during this next chapter of her life.
“The businesses and people here locally are so amazing and that’s who I really want to work with: the people who are passionate about what they are doing, no matter what it is,” she says “I want our community to be seen and appreciated for what it is.” LindseyBaydoun.com
STYLIST ROUNDTABLE: FALL’S FINEST BEAUTY TRENDS
The team at Leigh Edwards & Company is dishing on the season’s latest and greatest looks in hair and makeup
ARTICLE BY KELLIE WALTON PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
Amanda Craig has a storied career leading to her planting roots in Bellevue. She moved from West to Middle Tennessee in the early 2000s and fell into an industry many do when they come to town: music. But Amanda wasn’t behind the microphone, she was behind the chair, working with industry greats like Lee Ann Womack, Reba McEntire, and George Strait. Soon, Amanda had an offer to work with Blake Shelton when he joined the cast of The Voice.
“His career was a climb, and I was lucky enough to be part of that,” Amanda shares. “He flew me back and forth for eight years to LA. During that time, I still worked behind the chair, but I started thinking about what my future was going to look like.”
She had fallen in love with her now husband – a mutual friend of Blake’s – and was ready to scale back her travels. The year of her wedding, she also opened Leigh Edwards + Co.
Amanda Craig
Today, the impressive team of stylists specializes in a full suite of beauty services. We caught up with the team to shed light on a few trending styles this fall.
NATURAL HAIR COLOR
Stylist Lindsey Felton moved herself and her passion for fashion and makeup to Nashville at 15-years-old. She currently specializes in blondes, men’s cuts, extensions, balayage, cutting, and more.
“For color, I’m seeing more of a soft, lived-in color,” Lindsey shares. “A lot of people are enhancing their natural look and realizing they don’t need to do all this extreme stuff.”
In addition, Lindsey adds that bangs and curtain bangs are trending.
Lindsey Felton
BOBS ARE BACK
Stylist Karesten Porter grew up in Germany with an Air Force family, moving throughout Europe and the United States during childhood. Her career began at the Paul Mitchell Academy in Ohio, then she worked across Florida before settling in Nashville. She, too, is a jack of all trades, specializing in short cuts, bobs, and lived-in blonding.
“Light, shaggy hairstyles are coming into style, and bobs are very popular right now,” she shares. “The soft fringe bob is now being called the “Old Money” bob. We’re still seeing a lot of extensions, but I think the trend now with extensions is more for a little bit of length and volume, a more natural look.”
LIFTING COLOR + HAIR TOPPERS
Amanda shares that lifting color made popular during the recession has never gone out of style–she’s seeing more people embrace their gray, adding blonde, and using toners in between sessions to stretch the budget. In addition, LEC has a specialist on staff who specializes in hair toppers for women experiencing hair loss.
If you’re ready for a fall refresh, the team at LEC has a spot for you.
LeighEdwards.co
Karesten Porter
From Memphis to Muscle Shoals
T. GRAHAM BROWN’S NEW ALBUM DEBUTS AT NUMBER ONE
With a voice that’s at home in multiple genres, T. Graham Brown has been a fixture in country music since the 1980s. Last month the longtime Bellevue resident released From Memphis To Muscle Shoals, a new album featuring duets with some of music’s most recognizable singers, that debuted at Number One on the blues charts. We caught up with him to talk about times, old and new.
BELLEVUE CITY LIFESTYLE
LET’S START WITH THE NEW ALBUM. HOW DID THE PROJECT COME TOGETHER?
T. GRAHAM BROWN
I’ve always had one foot in R&B and one in country. I grew up in the 60s with a transistor radio in my hand, glued to my left ear. I listened to top 40 and all the soul music going on. I’d lay in bed at night and scroll through the dial, listening to stations from all over the country.
So, at this point in my career, I wanted to do a 60s tribute album.
The majority of my country hits were cut in Muscle Shoals or Memphis, so I went back and cut 14 tracks. Then I was talking to Dwight Yoakam, just catching up. We came up together and we’ve stayed in touch. Then he asked, “did you cut ‘I’m Your Puppet.’ And can I sing on it?” and I said, ‘yeah.’ He sent it back and it was great, and I thought, ‘maybe I oughta call Tanya (Tucker) and Randy Houser, Delbert McClinton, Sammy Hagar, Wynonna.’ It wasn’t meant to be a collaboration but there are 11 duets with some really great people.
BCLS
YOU’RE PLAYING ABOUT 50 DATES THIS YEAR. HOW MUCH DO YOU STILL ENJOY TOURING AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH SONGS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR SET?
TGB
Well, I’ll be 70 in October, and I’ve never had a real job! (laughs). The old saying is, ‘you get paid for making it to the show.’ And that’s still the hardest part. The show is easy. We play all kinds of stuff - R&B, gospel, country, rock, country rock – the show is all over the place. It’s fun. We play the hits that folks expect to hear but we take a left turn whenever we feel like it.
I’ve been living on a bus since my first hit in 1985 or ‘86. Today, we travel on a 45-foot bus that’s as luxurious as they make. But it’s still not like your own bed.
BCLS
SPEAKING OF WHICH, YOU’VE MADE YOUR HOME IN THE BELLEVUE AREA FOR A LONG TIME. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT LIVING HERE?
TGB
My wife, Sheila, and I have been happily married for 46 years and have always lived on the west side of Nashville. For 30 years we’ve lived up on a ridge in Newsom Station and can see for about 10 miles, past Kingston Springs. I guarantee it’s the best view in Bellevue. If you have a big heavy driver, you might be able to hit Newsom’s Mill. We just played some shows in Wyoming at a resort that’s unlike anything you could imagine. But there’s nothing like being home. Our son is 35 and lives in Sylvan Park so we get to see him. We have a wonderful life.
“I’ve been pretty varied. I like classic rock and Frank Sinatra. I’d love to sing with Andrea Bocelli. I would swim across the lake for that opportunituy.”
hacks HAIR
Braids to Keep You Chic All Year Long
Braids are a great way to add style and uniqueness to your hair style rotation and have been a staple in hair styles dating back to the 3500 B.C. This historical hairstyle is here to stay, so we wanted to share some go-to impressive looks.
ARTICLE BY ABBI SULASKI
BY POPPY & CO. BY KELSEY
PHOTOGRAPHY
HUFFER
pull through braid with space buns
Part hair down the center. Create pull-through braids on each side of the head. Tie elastic at the end of the braids to create a ponytail at the nape of the neck. For extra volume in the buns, tease the hair in the ponytail before twisting it into a bun. Secure with hair pins and... Voilà!
Place a bandana on the forehead and tie it in the back. Create as many braids as desired in the back of the head, teasing the ends to avoid using elastics.
bandana braids
fishtail
braids reverse
Part the top half of the hair in two sections. Create fishtail braids (or braids of choice) and tie them together in the back of the hair. Add a fashion accessory around a ponytail for a little extra fun!
realty report
SEPTEMBER
events
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
EVERY FRIDAY IN SEPTEMBER
High School Football
BELLEVUE AREA HIGH SCHOOLS
LAWSON LIGHTNING: Thursday 5 at Stratford, 13 at Centennial, 20 at Spring Hill, 27 vs. Hillsboro. NASHVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
EAGLES: 6 at Battle Ground Academy, 20 at Mt. Juliet Christian Academy, 27 at Grace Christian Academy. ENSWORTH TIGERS: 6 vs. Osceola, Ark., 13 at Knoxville Catholic, 20 vs. Lipscomb Academy, 27 at Memphis University School.
VARIOUS DATES THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER
Nashville Symphony
SCHERMERHORN SYMPHONY CENTER, DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE
From classical to pop, the Nashville Symphony plays something for everyone in September. Saturday 7: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Orchestra World Tour; Friday 13 and Saturday 14: Rachmaninoff and Mahler; Tuesday 17: The Lone Bellow; Wednesday 18: Herbie Hancock; Friday 20: Ryan Shaw; Tuesday 24: John Paul White; Saturday 28 and Sunday 29: Wagner and Dvorak. NashvilleSymphony.org
SEPTEMBER 1ST-30TH
Nashville Area Concerts
VENUES THROUGHOUT NASHVILLE
RYMAN AUDITORIUM: Wednesday 11: Wild Rivers; Thursday 12: Something Corporate; Friday 13: Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway; Saturday 14: Faye Webster; Thursday 19: Steve Martin and Martin Short (Opry House); Saturday 21: Keb’ Mo’ & Shawn Colvin; Thursday 26: Shelby Lynne; Friday 27: Guster; Sunday 29: Gracie Abrams. BRIDGESTONE ARENA: Saturday 7: Dierks Bentley; Tuesday 17: Weezer; 19-22 Disney On Ice; Thursday 26: Kings Of Leon. ASCEND AMPHITHEATER: Wednesday 18: My Morning Jacket; Saturday 21: Tedeschi Trucks Band.
SEPTEMBER 3RD-15TH
Nashville Sounds Baseball
FIRST HORIZON PARK, 19 JUNIOR GILLIAM WAY
The Nashville Sounds close out the 2024 season with a 12-game home stand. September 3-8 vs. Gwinnett Stripers; September 10-15 vs. Memphis Redbirds. Game times are 6:35 p.m., 2:05 p.m. on September 8, 6:05 p.m. on September 15. Every Friday is Fox 17 Fireworks night. Tickets and a complete list of promotions are available online. www.milb.com/nashville
SEPTEMBER 13TH
Full Moon Pickin' Party
PERCY WARNER PARK, 2500 OLD HICKORY BLVD. | 6:00 PM
The Full Moon Pickin’ Party in Percy Warner Park closes out its 26th season on September 13. Patrons enjoy live bluegrass music, local food trucks, cold brews, and more. Bring an acoustic instrument for discounted admission and join a pickin' circle. Dogs on leashes welcome. Lawn chairs encouraged. Admission includes complimentary soda, water and up to three beers (21+). WarnerParks.org
SEPTEMBER 24TH
Glow On The Green Golf Tournament
HARPETH VALLEY GOLF CENTER, 7629 OLD HARDING PIKE | 5:30 PM
Glow On The Green is an evening golf tournament held at Harpeth Valley Golf Center, Nashville's premier golf learning center. Four-person scramble, 9-hole shotgun start, dinner, drinks, contests and prizes. Catering by Honeyfire Barbecue Co. Presented by the Bellevue Harpeth Chamber of Commerce. Register online at BellevueHarpethChamber.com.
mor e. With incoming or der, at time of pur c hase only.
Expir es 9/30/24. Of fer not v alid in all r e gions.
