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A shining light of innocence, curiosity and boundless potential, kids represent our hardest work and greatest investment. Inside the issue, we hear from kid rapper Sam White on his journey at the age of 6 to The Ellen Show and back to the River City. We look inside The Sanctuary Counseling Center and its mission to serve those in Memphis’ ministry communities.
Who could forget the pets? The special companionship that exists between pets and their families can be a transformative experience for children and adults alike. Pets provide us with unconditional love and the opportunity to learn, grow and develop essential life skills in a nurturing environment. In this issue, we explore some of the best Memphis offers by way of pet-friendly hangouts and take a look inside homes curated with pets and families in mind. From carpets to furniture, pets (and kids) tend to leave a mark on their homes.
We have also included a delicious cobbler recipe perfect for a warm evening. We hope our August issue inspires you to pour a little extra into the children and pets in your life this month while we all soak up the last days of summer.
Cheers!
KATHERINE GARROTT, PUBLICATION MANAGER
@RIVERCITYLIFESTYLEMAGAZINEPUBLISHER
Christian Owen | christian.owen@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Lindsey Tonkin | lindsey.tonkin@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Jeannie Tabor | jeannie.tabor@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION MANAGER
Kit Garrott | kit.garrott@citylifestyle.com
MARKET AREA COORDINATOR
Malise Culpepper malise.culpepper@citylifestyle.com
MARKET AREA ADMINISTRATOR
Kim Lowrance
PHOTO EDITOR
Sarah Bell, Sélavie Photography
INTERNS
Maude Burrow, Madison Meadows, Katherine Redd
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Mary Hendrix, Bonner Morgan, Izabella Sandoval
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Tiffany Slowinski
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson
DIRECTOR OF FIRST IMPRESSIONS Jennifer Robinson
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Josh Klein
CONTROLLER Gary Johnson
AD DESIGNER Evan Duevall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Rhiannon Coffman
PERFECTLY CURATED ITEMS HAND SELECTED TO TRANSITION FROM SUMMER TO FALL
August is the Bridge Betwen Summer and Autumn Between how the year has been, and how the year will end.
REGULAR SHOP HOURS
Monday By Appointment Only
Tuesday - Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday Closed
Sometimes you just need to get out of the house and leave the cooking to someone else. Chef Kelly English gets this. The "So you brought your kid to a bar" section of the menu speaks to the younger set. Enjoy cocktails, po-boys, seafood and a good time whether it's brunch, lunch or dinner on this favorite midtown patio where even the four-legged family members will be happy and hydrated.
SecondLineMemphis.com
Across from Crosstown lies Memphis' first official pinball pub. With a foosball table, dart board, pool table and a rotating collection of 20 high-quality pinball machines, Flip Side is fun for all ages with a delicious food and beverage menu that will not disappoint. If you are looking for indoor entertainment to beat the heat, catch it on the flip side.
FlipSideMemphis.com
Photography Flip Side Memphis
This locally owned east Memphis spot serves specialty craft pizza, calzones, pasta, salads, local beers and more. Using high quality, fresh ingredients, and boasting an outdoor space complete with a putting green and cornhole, the whole family will look forward to pizza night at Rotolo's.
Rotolos.com
Photography Rotolo's
Loflin Yard is a bar, restaurant and event space; but above all else, it's a haven in the heart of downtown, yes, with a grassy yard! Grab a bottle from the wine rack, order food from the patio window and settle inside or out. The whole family will feel right at home in this Yard.
LoflinYard.com
Located inside Novel bookstore, Libro is the perfect lunch and dinner spot. With feel-good food for the whole family, Libro offers a relaxing and indulgent meal enjoyed on their patio or inside and a Sunday brunch not to be missed. Enjoy one of the fresh pasta dishes with a glass of rosé and let the kids pick out their next summer read from inside Novel - no one will leave hungry or empty handed. LibroAtLaurelwood.com
Photography Libro
It's hot outside. Do you have a little ninja warrior on your hands? Wear them out at the area's first Ninja Gym where kids develop a love of fitness and the discipline and determination to overcome obstacles throughout their life. With focus on body mechanics and ninja skills, kids build self-confidence in a fun environment. From open play, classes and parties, they have it all, including a mobile gym that comes to YOU!
TheNinjaGym.net
Looking for live music? A playground for the kids where you can also order an adult beverage? Maybe a friendly trivia night challenge? Railgarten has food, drinks and activities for all and even your leashed dogs are welcome outside. Check out their Instagram weekly for info about events and more.
Railgarten.com
Photography Railgarten
Make a pit stop along your family bike/walk on the Greenline at Cheffie's Cafe located on High Point Terrace where everyone will find something to love on their famedfresh menu. Quench your thirst, and your pup's, too, on their patio before returning to the trail.
Cheffies.com
Photography Cheffie's
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Facial Treatment
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Chemical Peels
Sciton Halo & BBL Morpheus8
The search for the perfect summer hangout can be arduous and elusive. The spot must check many boxes: good food, great drinks, outdoor and indoor seating, pet and family-friendly and the list goes on. Downtown Memphis is home to many rooftop bars, gritty Beale Street standards and some great restaurants. Many of these frequented gathering places have one thing in common: no dogs allowed. This rule can be a deal breaker for those on their summer search for a place to be with their friends, including the furrier ones.
For families, visitors, pets and 20-somethings, Loflin Yard is the perfect place to land on a Saturday afternoon. Loflin checks all the boxes and then some - complete with a gravel gathering space sprinkled with chairs, covered by sun shades and soothing Loflin Falls running through. Beyond the bar in the repurposed Coach House, past the projector screen and indoor stage, the grass-covered backyard beckons all visitors. Dogs enjoy water bowls and a
cool, comfortable surface under their paws. Humans enjoy craft beer, cocktails and a game of cornhole.
While Loflin Yard offers a variety of event space configurations available for rent, the bar serves as a backyard for those who live nearby and a Downtown backyard for those who live further east. On a summer weekend, several seats are filled by folks holding a leash in one hand and an Aperol Spritz in the other. Loflin Yard has truly created an atmosphere with dogs and their families in mind. In the summertime, you can find small pools on the grass for dogs to cool off in while you enjoy live music.
Loflin sets itself apart from other pet-friendly bars and restaurants in their commitment to Memphis dogs without families as well as those already in happy homes. Loflin Yard regularly partners with Streetdog Foundation to host friend-making events. The founders of Streetdog, Melanie and Kent Pafford, set out with the mission to rescue,
ROW 1
LEFT: River City Lifestyle Intern, Katherine Redd, with a happy pup.
RIGHT: If you cannot foster or adopt, you can volunteer with Streetdog in many other ways.
ROW 2
LEFT: Streetdog has foster and adoption applications, as well as volunteer information available on their website - streetdogfoundation.com
RIGHT: The gravel front yard features fire pits and games.
ROW 3
LEFT: A face and a place everyone can love.
RIGHT: Loflin Yard welcome pets and their families year round.
ROW 4
LEFT: Bruno is one year old and very dog-friendly.
RIGHT: The Coach House rolls out a large projector screen inside for games and big events.
rehabilitate and rehome the street dogs of Memphis and the Midsouth. “We try to take the dogs off the streets that are in the worst condition and find them the perfect home,” explains Kent.
On August 7th, 2009, a friend asked Melanie and Kent to help find their lost dog at the shelter in Memphis. “We thought we found the dog, but he wasn’t theirs,” Melanie says. “But at that point, we made a promise. We saw all of the other dogs there and saw in their eyes that they knew their fate. We couldn’t unsee what we saw. We decided that night that we would make it our spiritual mission to help our city’s dogs.”
Almost fourteen years later, Streetdog holds true to its mission with a consistent and personal approach to rehoming dogs. “We have fosters and adopters who know they can either foster every once in a while, just for a night or over the Christmas holiday. They know they can bring the dogs back to us, and they will always be safe,” Melanie says. Melanie and Kent bring their dogs to Loflin Yard for many reasons. Melanie says, “Loflin is a space for everybody! It is the happiest dog space in all of the Midsouth. The staff are huge dog lovers and have been great to the Foundation. It’s been a win-win!”
Loflin Yard goes the extra mile to make their bar a pet-friendly spot that people love, dog owner or not (yet!?). The green space brings a new life to Downtown Memphis and preserves the historical Coach House - once home to Downtown’s horse-drawn carriage fleet. From smoked wings to a knockout romaine salad, Loflin Yard provides sustenance and a place to relax for everyone, in every season.
"Loflin is a space for everybody! It is the happiest dog space in all of the Midsouth."
- Melanie Pafford, Streetdog Foundation
When Memphis’ Sam White turned six, he created the “You Can Be ABCs” rap with his father, Bobby. The rap rattles off different careers from A-Z, varying in titles from firefighter to intelligence officer and quantum physicist. Whether it’s “B” as in biochemist or “C” as in computer software developer, Sam encourages kids to realize their fullest potential. The world discovered Sam’s talent, creativity and infectious optimism overnight. As the father-son YouTube video reached millions of views (currently 3.6 million and counting,) Sam’s positive message caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres.
Sam’s passion for learning, helping others and reading were evident at a very early age. His mother, Stephanie, fosters these skills and continues to show Sam the power words can bring to life as well as the positive impact he can have on Memphis and surrounding communities. “I knew he was going to be a true force to be reckoned with when he started writing his songs at 3, creating his comic books/strips around 4 and drawing a design before building at age 5,” Stephanie says.
Just a month after the video went viral, Sam and his father were guests on The Ellen Show, where they discussed the process of coming up with the “You Can Be” rap. Sam was surprised as the video gained significant traction because he was simply having fun. “I was really excited when Ms. Michelle Obama said something about it. That means President Obama probably saw it,” Sam reflects.
On The Ellen Show, Sam recalls feeling comfortable talking to the host. “I liked meeting Ellen because she was so nice and knew how to relate to kids. It was neat when I went the first couple of times, but the last time I went, she talked about the book my dad and I wrote. And I got to be on the stage all by myself with Ms. Ellen. I am quite the conversationalist,” he says.
Accompanied by fun illustrations on each page, the “You Can Be ABCs” rap is now a children’s picture book aptly titled You Can Be ABCs. What originally started as a YouTube video in their kitchen was selected as the book for July by Imagination Library, the book club for kids created by Dolly Parton which will send Sam’s book to kids worldwide.
As for his own career, Sam plans on becoming an architect. He also likes the idea of hosting his own talk show one day,
"I KNEW HE WAS GOING TO BE A TRUE FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH WHEN HE STARTED WRITING HIS SONGS AT 3, CREATING HIS COMIC BOOKS/STRIPS AROUND 4, AND DRAWING A DESIGN BEFORE BUILDING AT AGE 5."
- STEPHANIE WHITE, SAM'S MOTHER
just like Ellen. “I want to be an architect so I can build fancy houses for homeless people because they don’t get to have nice stuff. So, I want to build homes so they can experience luxury,” Sam says. He would also meet these goals of giving back to the community on his talk show. Sam’s idea for his show is to invite guests for interesting conversation, then play a game that ends in a prize that would help them meet their needs. Although Sam imagines two different paths for his life, it’s clear that his future - either as an architect, a talk show host or even both - will include building relationships and benefiting the greater good.
Sam’s love for reading and rapping share a common foundation: they both make him happy. “Rapping makes me happy because people move and dance. I like to see people smile. People are nice to each other when they are happy,” he says. And when he reads, Sam sees new worlds and imagines things to put into his writing. “I love intense plots.”
For kids who may not know their future or where they want to go, Sam leaves us all, even adults, with a universal piece of advice: “You can be whatever you want to be when you grow up, and adults can find new jobs too, if they don’t like what they do. They just have to see what interests them.” Like Sam, perhaps we can all embrace hope and recognize that the possibilities in life are limitless.
MIDTOWN 3050 Walnut Grove Rd. Memphis, TN 38111 (901) 458-8000
GERMANTOWN 9155 Poplar Ave. Suite #25 Germantown, TN 38138 (901) 624-6773
CORDOVA 7980 Fischer Steel Cordova, TN 38018 (901) 754-6161
Area Rugs Available Only at Walnut Grove Location kisers.com
@kisersfloorfashions VB
River City Lifestyle intern Katherine Redd shares her grandmother’s blueberry cobbler recipe; a family favorite summer dessert!
COOK TIME: 35 - 40 minutes
PREP TIME: 40 minutes
SERVES: 6 - 8
Crust
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into bits
• 5 tablespoons ice water
Filling
• 5 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into bits
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Crust:
Gently mix dry ingredients with an electric mixer. Add butter and mix until it resembles a coarse meal. While mixing, add water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. Gather dough into a ball and place it between two sheets of wax paper, flattening the ball slightly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Filling: Mix flour and 1 cup of sugar, and sprinkle over washed berries in large bowl. Add butter and lemon juice, then carefully combine with wooden spoon.
4. After 30 minutes, roll out half of the dough on a floured surface and line an 8-inch deep-dish pie pan. Fill with the berry mixture. Roll out the remaining dough and lay over the filling. Seal sides and make steam slits on the top. Mix the remaining tablespoon of sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is dark golden.
5. Serve with ice cream or your favorite whipped cream and enjoy!
Missy Steffens credits design legend Sister Parish with a favorite saying, “Behind every attractive room, there should be a very good reason.”
“And that reason, for me, it all goes back to planning,” Missy says. “Developing a master plan is always the first thing I do with clients. How do they live, where will they be in five or ten years, what do we prioritize now?" She adds, “You want to make the big stuff shine and last. It produces a stronger product. The layers will come.”
Missy opened her doors in 2011 with M. Steffens Interiors and has been a trusted advisor to homeowners since. A lifelong Memphian, she grew up with a deep love of art and
design. Her thesis in graduate school at Vanderbilt University was on the furniture of Charles and Ray Eames. “It forced me to examine the balance between form and function,” she says. “And I keep that intention in my design work today. Blending form and function as I think through furniture plans, renovations, adding architectural details or selecting fabrics.”
“My business is client driven. I enjoy the puzzle of putting together a client’s furnishings and family heirlooms, while bringing in the new,” says Missy.
CONTINUED >
“MY BUSINESS IS CLIENT DRIVEN. I ENJOY THE PUZZLE OF PUTTING TOGETHER A CLIENT’S FURNISHINGS AND FAMILY HEIRLOOMS, WHILE BRINGING IN THE NEW.”
Color, tone and texture complete this family den.
She is thoughtful in her approach with clients. One particular client recently completed a renovation and addition in East Memphis. “It feels like such a tender space to invite someone in with you on the journey of creating a home,” says the pleased homeowner. “Missy really took the time to understand what that meant specifically for our family and then built – layer upon layer – in a way that is pretty profound. You look up one day and feel like your space is fresh, new, amazingly reflective of you and your people. Yet, it feels like it has always been.”
This portfolio of family spaces ranges from Missy’s personal home she shares with her husband, Harley, and two teenage children, to a family home for younger children and then one created for a couple of newly minted empty nesters. She dials up comfort, orienting furniture around conversation. Her spaces are refined, but welcoming. “With renovations or new builds, a challenge can be countering such contemporary shells,” she says. She brings in architectural elements, uses period hardware and adds pieces from multiple eras. “My rooms always have nods to the past,” she adds.
A look back at the furnishings that have filled our homes over the past 75 years reveals aesthetic trends as well as generational lifestyles. Much has changed since Kiser’s Floor Fashions opened locally in 1950 when the popular Mid-Century Modern design movement was taking form. Kiser’s has successfully navigated each decade of style ever since. Interestingly, while technology and materials have greatly advanced, the attitudes of homeowners in 2023 are somewhat similar to their Mid-Century predecessors
in that form is important but function is essential. Designers today are taking cues from the Mid-Century Modern aesthetic, which emphasizes, among other qualities, a connection to the outdoors and straightforward, purposeful choices. One clear example: floor coverings. Pets rule and busy families are hard on home furnishings, especially soft materials like carpet.
Helen Kiser of Kiser’s Floor Fashions says one of the best solutions for high-traffic, busy spaces in the home is the modern category of indoor/outdoor floor coverings. These rugs are in demand for the reasons discussed as well as for their updated appearance. Whereas blah neutrals made with off-putting coarse materials used to dominate the outdoor carpet category, now it is hard to distinguish indoor from outdoor carpet patterns and textures. Three of Helen’s favorite brands are Oriental Weavers, the Feizy collection and Loloi rugs. She says, “Oriental Weavers has great looking indoor/outdoor rugs that mimic sisal. Feizy has high-quality ones with tons of great patterns and colors. Loloi has multiple colors and sizes at great price points.”
These brands and more are made to withstand the rigors of today’s homes, from cooking and entertaining to remote working to lounging both indoors and out to playing with our pets or taking on the latest craft project, families who live to the fullest and routinely enjoy their homes do not need to compromise on appearance when going functional with their furnishings.
unprocessed, their emotional capacity to stand in the gap for others, connect with them and help them walk through their own seasons of hardship becomes increasingly limited.” Murray’s anecdotal evidence is backed by research indicating that those who serve in ministry, along with their immediate family members, face mental health concerns at similar rates as the general population, but are unfortunately far less likely to receive help.
More than twenty percent of Americans suffered from some form of mental illness in 2022, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Ministers and their staff are often called upon to provide emotional support and guidance to their congregations as access and affordability can limit other treatment options. What can be easily overlooked in this paradigm is the need for those serving others to seek emotional support for themselves. In 2018, Liz and Murray Garrott founded Sanctuary Counseling Center to provide affordable counseling to ministry staff and others in the nonprofit sector.
In his previous role as a full-time pastor, Murray observed that, “The helping vocations can be a lonely place, and those who serve in pastoral ministry are often assumed by others to be immune or protected from their own personal struggles. Ministry workers are often reluctant to open up with others about their personal lives, especially those parts of their stories that have never been verbalized.” He adds, “If those difficult parts of their past go unnamed and
Serving alongside her husband Murray in a variety of different ministry roles, Liz also witnessed the need for counseling. “Working in church and nonprofit organizations has its unique challenges. Many of the people employed in these ministries spend their time and energy helping others and do not make time to help themselves.” Liz also adds, “The issues that arise during their counseling sessions are often the same as in the general population: anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, marital conflict, compulsive behavior and burnout.” The key is to help them seek the treatment they need.
Liz and Murray recognized two primary deterrents for ministry workers to pursue counseling: cost and stigma. In order to remove the financial barrier to seeking counseling, they developed a pay structure that ranges from $30 to $50 a session based upon income. Liz and Murray allow their clients to gain “buy-in” and be active participants in the counseling process by keeping fees well below market value. Their pay structure does not completely cover the cost of the treatment; therefore, Sanctuary Counseling relies on additional funding through the generosity of churches, foundations and individuals who see the value of their work and desire to help them continue to provide support to an integral part of the Memphis community.
Liz and Murray know firsthand the importance of the mental health of ministry workers and
are in a strong position to reduce the stigma associated with seeking treatment. Sanctuary Counseling Center is a safe place where ministry staff, their families and other nonprofit employees are able to open up about their mental health challenges to a counseling staff who is dedicated to meeting their unique needs. Liz and Murray add, “We know there is a direct correlation between the emotional health of a ministry worker and their overall effectiveness in the places they serve. When a Sanctuary client prioritizes his or her own emotional health, the ministry organizations they serve benefit, as does the city of Memphis.”
When their children left for college, Liz and Murray were able to act on the need they saw in the ministry by moving to Orlando to obtain their degrees in counseling. When asked about their decision to open Sanctuary Counseling Center together, Liz says, “Working together has been a gift. We can help each other with the unique stresses of the job and also have time together that would not be possible in different work places.”
Sanctuary Counseling Center’s staff is comprised of three full-time and three part-time counselors, all of whom are licensed mental health providers, with the exception of their intern, who comes to them through a partnership with the University of Memphis’ Masters of Counseling program. “Our staff enjoys paying it forward by
helping to train the next generation of mental health counselors,” says Liz.
With her Ph.D. and 30 years of experience in clinical psychology, Allison Garrott joined Sanctuary Counseling Center in 2022. She specializes in a wide range of child, adolescent and women’s issues, including working with older women who are struggling with the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of aging.
Sanctuary Counseling Center has a waiting list of future clients that they would love to serve. Donations from churches, organizations and individuals can bridge that gap. If you or someone you know could benefit from the services provided by Sanctuary Counseling or if you would like more information on supporting the organization's important mission, visit their website, sanctuarycounselingcenter.org.
Cloud & Rainbow Study, 2023 , mixed media phoe encaustic on panel, 48” x 24”