POP - January 2019

®

POP

January 2019 DoSouthMagazine.com

CONTENTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / OWNER Catherine Frederick CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Scott Frederick MANAGING EDITOR Marla Cantrell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / PHOTOGRAPHERS Marla Cantrell Catherine Frederick Dwain Hebda Jade Graves Jessica Sowards Tom Wing GRAPHIC DESIGNER Jessica Mays-Meadors Artifex 323 PROOFREADER Charity Chambers PUBLISHER Read Chair Publishing, LLC

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ADVERTISING INFORMATION

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INSIDE

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A MORNING WITH MAYOR MCGILL As Fort Smith welcomes Mayor McGill, we’re learning more about his deep ties to this city he calls home, and the role his parents played in his success.

BAKED RATATOUILLE This hearty Baked Ratatouille is the perfect dish to ward off winter’s chill. Plus, your family is going to love it!

Catherine Frederick - 479.782.1500 Catherine@DoSouthMagazine.com

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Marla Cantrell - 479.831.9116 Marla@DoSouthMagazine.com ©2019 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions contained in Do South® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence to Do South® or Read Chair Publishing, LLC., including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893 Cover Image: Igisheva Maria

CHEERS! Did Ulysses S. Grant ride his horse onto an elevator at one of the state’s oldest hotels and bar? That’s just one question we’ll answer when we take a look at some of the most fascinating drinking establishments in the state.

WINTER ESCAPES Visit the country's first national park, see the theater where Will Rogers performed, and snap a photo by the mural that pays homage to Scott Joplin, all right here in our wonderful state.

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FOLLOW US Annual subscriptions are $36 (12 months), within the contiguous United States. Subscribe at DoSouthMagazine.com or mail check to 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110, Fort Smith, AR, 72903. Single issues are available upon request. Inquiries or address changes, call 479.782.1500.

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from our publisher

F

For me, the start of a new year is also a time of

Next, we’re taking you all the way back to June

reflection. A time to look back on things I wish

1936, when a cub reporter from Greenwood

I’d done differently and the moments I wish I

hopped in his car, rumbled down backroads to

could relive again and again. As I think back,

Hot Springs and snagged a photo of Presi-

I want to journal the milestones of the past

dent Franklin Delano Roosevelt, much to the

twelve months, so that in years to come,

chagrin of the Secret Service!

when memory fails me, I can look back and catch a glimpse of those precious moments.

From there, we’re taking you on a tour of Southwest Arkansas, and telling you the stories of

I’m not much of a believer in making resolutions,

some of the most notable residents there, including

not because I’m perfect, far from it! I just don’t put

ragtime composer, Scott Joplin.

much weight in waiting for one solitary day a year to make a change. If I really believed there was a chance that I’d

We have the story of a local mechanic, frustrated by his weight

actually follow through, I’d write them in permanent ink as if the

and bad back, who used YouTube to learn how to eat healthily

words on the page were set in stone.

and started a business preparing nutritious frozen meals that’s thriving today.

I do make goals throughout the year and tackle them one by one.

That seems to work best for me. Still, when I open my brand-new

Just to make things interesting, we’re also taking a tour of some

calendar, I see so much possibility on those yet-to-be-filled pages.

of the iconic bars in the state, where history was made, espe-

I imagine what I will have learned by the end of the new year,

cially through the years of Prohibition. And then we’re going to

and how many memories I’ll have made with family and friends.

Bentonville to see why this Arkansas city is garnering national and international attention.

While I’m looking at the upcoming months of 2019 with wonder, Jessica Sowards is usually just trying to get through the first month

We have hearty recipes to warm you up, a look at Queen

of the year. A woman who’s happiest in her garden, this time of

Wilhelmina State Park, and we’re taking you on a trip to the High-

year is particularly hard for her. But she learned a lesson this year

land Lake Region of Texas.

while dealing with grief, that has caused her to see January in a brighter light. You will love her essay, “The Promise of January.”

Yes, we covered a lot of ground this month, AND we compiled our annual Health and Fitness Guide to get you ready for this

So many new things are happening this month, including the

exciting new year. We think it will help make 2019 your best year

swearing-in of Fort Smith’s new mayor, George B. McGill. We

yet! Happy New Year to you and yours!

spoke to him about growing up in this city, the influence of his parents, and the bright future he sees for the River Valley.

~Catherine Frederick

contact catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

To reserve this free space for your charitable non-profit organization, email: Editors@DoSouthMagazine.com.

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calendar

Fan Mail

The Calendar January 2019

Send comments and suggestions to editors@dosouthmagazine.com

Grieve Well I wanted you to know how much I loved the article “Grieve Well” in the January issue of Do South! Just last night at dinner a friend, who lost her daddy this summer, asked me how long

January 21 Martin Luther King Jr. Parade Garrison Avenue and 7th Street Fort Smith

it took to feel better about life after my dad died. I told her to get the January issue and read this article. Beautiful narrative!

Kim B.- Fort Smith Facebook Friends We wanted to share these 2 lovely photos of “Cherokee“ and her now-parents. She was posted in your magazine for adoption and her “mom” fell in love and called 3 Girls Animal Rescue to inquire about her. As you can see, this family was meant to be, and without your magazine posting her picture, they most likely would have never met. So we say THANK YOU from us. Her new parents wanted to make sure you guys knew they are in love and "Cherokee" has her forever “HOME”.

January 4-5 The Lightning Thief Fayetteville Walton Arts Center January 8 Christmas Honors Wreath Pickup Fort Smith Fort Smith National Cemetery

A. Meek – 3 Girls Animal Rescue

Contests (Deadline January 15th) Go to dosouthmagazine.com, click on our “Contests” button at the top of the page. All who enter will be subscribed to our mailing list. Please see rules and policies on our Contests page!

CALICO COUNTY

Cinnamon rolls and Calico County go together like peanut butter and jelly. Enjoy cinnamon rolls and more with a $25 gift certificate. CODE: CALICO OLDE FASHIONED FOODS

January 12 5th Annual Tutu Run 5K & Quarter-Marathon Fort Smith Downtown January 19 Go, Dog, Go! Fayetteville Walton Arts Center

January 25

Oaklawn Opening Day Hot Springs Oaklawn Racing and Gaming January 27 Clayton Conversation:64.6 Downtown Fayetteville Clayton House

January 20 Northwest Arkansas Wedding Show Fayetteville Town Center Fayetteville

Celebrate 60 Years with Olde Fashioned Foods, your one-stop shop for vitamins, natural foods, organic produce, body care, herbs, spices, and essential oils.

CODE: OFF DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

Submit your events to editors@dosouthmagazine.com

L ive !

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calendar

Don’t-Miss January Concerts

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JANUARY 17

Justin Timberlake Verizon Arena is the place to be as Justin Timberlake takes the stage for his Man of the Woods tour. Sing along to "Can't Stop the Feeling," "Just Like I Love You," "Cry Me a River," and so many more.

Verizon Arena North Little Rock

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JANUARY 21

The Beach Boys As part of their Now and Then tour, the Beach Boys bring their iconic sound to Robinson Center for one night only. They’ve sold more than 100 million records worldwide, toured for five decades, and been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Grammy.

Robinson Center Music Hall Little Rock

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JANUARY 19

Fort Smith Symphony: It's Time for Chaplin The entire film score from Charlie Chaplin’s 1931 film, City Lights, will be performed as the classic is projected on a large cinema screen.

A funny, tender and lyrical romantic comedy for the entire family, it’s considered one of the greatest films of all time. Come dressed in your favorite 1930’s attire!

ArcBest Performing Arts Center Fort Smith

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JANUARY 22

Sarah Shook Sarah Shook and her band, The Disarmers, take the stage at AACLive!, and if you love country music with a contemporary, earthy edge, you won’t want to miss this performance!

AACLive!

Fort Smith

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JANUARY 31

Ruthie Foster Joy comes back as Foster graces the stage.

Often compared to Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin, Foster’s unique voice, a blend of folk, soul, gospel, blues and jazz, will blow you away.

Walton Arts Center Fayetteville

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travel

All Hail the Queen Queen Wilhelmina State Park words and images courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Located atop Rich Mountain, Arkansas’s second highest peak,

The forty-room lodge features a new look and many modern

Queen Wilhelmina offers some of the most breathtaking views

updates. Enjoy Southern cuisine and first-class hospitality in the

in the state from the fully renovated lodge. Travel the Talimena

Queen’s Restaurant. The park includes forty-one campsites (eight

National Scenic Byway to this park and its lofty setting. This site

Class A, 27 Class B, five tent sites with water, and one hike-in

is as rich in history as it is in scenery. The original lodge was built

tent site), picnic areas, and trails. Interpretive programs highlight

in the late 1800s as a Victorian resort named Wilhelmina Inn to

Rich Mountain’s fauna and unique flora and connect you to the

honor the young Queen of the Netherlands. Two inns followed

fascinating history of the three inns that have graced this moun-

the original “Castle in the Sky.” The latest inn is today’s park

taintop site. For more information about Queen Wilhelmina and

lodge, the crowning attraction at Queen Wilhelmina State Park.

the other fifty-one state parks, visit arkansasstateparks.com.

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entertainment

Nine Perfect Strangers

By Liane Moriarty Flatiron Books | 453 pages | $29 review Marla Cantrell

Liane Moriarty’s newest novel, Nine Perfect Strangers, may be

At the center of this story is Frances, a romance writer in her

her best yet. The story follows nine people who arrive in January

fifties who recently fell for a catfishing scam. The American

at a remote luxury spa called Tranquillium House, which is six

man she met online, the one she sent money to when he said

miles from Sydney, Australia, in the bushland.

his son was seriously ill, was really a con artist. Frances’ heart is broken, and her latest manuscript has been rejected, plus she

The nine guests are looking for transformation, using diet,

received a harsh review of her previous novel. Top that off with

meditation, pampering, and counseling, that’s promised to

menopausal symptoms, and you have a tsunami of emotion.

change their lives by the end of their ten-day stay.

Her saving grace is her sense of humor, which helps her to navigate the ten days at Tranquillium House.

Carmel, the divorced mom of four, whose ex-husband is with her children in Paris with his new girlfriend on holiday, can

She will need every bit of it, since the owner of the resort, a six-

barely stand to look at herself. She believes it is her body, which

foot-tall beauty named Masha, is using extreme measures, some

softened after each pregnancy, that caused her husband to

of which are illegal, to push the group to an enlightened state.

walk out on her. Her self-esteem is nonexistent.

If you’ve ever attended a fitness class with an instructor On the other end of the self-esteem spectrum is Lars, who goes

who pushes to do ten more crunches when your stomach is

to health resorts regularly. He is in a cycle of indulge and atone,

screaming in revolt, you’ll appreciate this book. However, that

indulge and atone. As an extraordinarily good-looking man

experience is child’s play compared to what these nine are

with few concerns, this system has always worked for him.

asked to do. Masha believes in rigorous exercise, deprivation, silence (the group is not allowed to speak for the first few days),

There is a couple who arrive with their daughter, Zoe, on the

and discipline that is actually punishment.

cusp of her twenty-first birthday. The family is grieving the loss of Zoe’s brother, Zach, who died three years earlier. They are

As this book progresses, the methods Masha uses grow

trying to negotiate the rough waters of sorrow, working hard

increasingly dangerous. The story is a roller coaster that starts

to find a safe harbor that’s never really within sight.

off slowly, then builds to a blinding, heart-pounding crescendo.

A former sports star signs in, as well as a young couple

When that roller coaster ride is over, you reflect on it again,

crumbling after winning the lottery. The couple’s wealth is

and again, realizing you had the time of your life. Nine Perfect

driving them apart.

Strangers is exactly like that.

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community

Our Community Cares words Do South® staff

The Literacy Council of Western Arkansas is a non-profit providing adult basic education services in the Fort Smith area. They provide tutoring in reading/writing, math, digital literacy, financial literacy, English language, and US Citizenship. Do South® reached out to Heather Edwards, executive director of Literacy Council of Western Arkansas, to learn more.

DS: How long has the Literacy Council of Western Arkansas been serving our area?

HE: We opened our doors in 1985, so we’ve been around a long time! Even so, I talk to people all the time that either don’t know we exist or don’t know what we do. I’m always happy to have the opportunity to introduce others to a mission I’m so passionate about.

DS: How many people have been helped through your efforts?

HE: People often don’t realize how much of a need there is for our services. We average just over a hundred students per year!

DS: How do your clients find out about your services?

HE: Many are referred by other agencies or friends. We put up flyers around town, set up at events, and try to connect with the community in as many ways as possible.

DS: We usually think of literacy as reading and writing. But math is also part of what you do. Tell us about that.

HE: Numeracy is just as critical as literacy in helping someone get a job, manage basic personal finances, or help with their child’s homework. We’re seeing more people requesting 300 South 11th St.

tutoring in math, and we’re happy to be able to provide those services.

Fort Smith, AR 72901 479.783.2665 helptoread.weebly.com

DS: Can you share a success story?

HE: We have a student who comes every day to study to obtain her GED. She recently had an apartment fire, but soon she was back! She didn’t want to miss out because she’s so close to being able to pass the exam, and we’ll be so excited when she does!

DS: If our readers want to become tutors, what should they do?

Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy charity in our area. If you have a non-profit you’d like to see recognized, email us at editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

HE: Just stop by our offices! Anyone can be a tutor. We provide all the training and the materials, and scheduling is flexible. We have a Tutor Training January 5 from 9am-4pm, so that’s a great opportunity to learn more.

DS: Do you have any fundraisers coming up? Are there other donations you need?

HE: Our annual Dark Night at the Little Theatre fundraiser will be February 19 at the Fort Smith Little Theatre. Tickets will be available at the Literacy Council. And yes, donations of any amount are always appreciated!

DS: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

HE: We would love to keep everyone updated on what’s going on at the Literacy Council.

Please like our Facebook page, or send us your email or mailing address to be added to our mailing list.

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pets

Adopt a BFF with fur.

M

F

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Peony

Jefferson

M

F

Diesel

M

Madison

Lily

Turner

Almost Home Shelter and Rescue 3390 Pointer Trail East - Van Buren, AR | 479-414-3781 | Almost Home Shelter and Rescue is a 501C-3 Non-Profit all volunteer staffed facility. They work in partnership with Van Buren Animal Control to find loving, forever homes for the dogs in their care. All dogs will be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccines when adopted. Please consider adopting or fostering one of their sweet pets.

Each month, Do SouthÂŽ donates this page to local and regional non-profit animal shelters. If you work with a shelter and would like to reserve this space, please email editors@dosouthmagazine.com.

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community

This year, as Fort Smith celebrates its bicentennial, author and historian Tom Wing is sharing stories of our city’s past in each edition of Do South®.

HAPPY DAYS WERE HERE AGAIN The Story of Earl Dodd and FDR

words Tom Wing, Author and Historian IMAGE courtesy Sharon Griffin, daughter of Earl Dodd

New Year’s Day, 1936 marked the 100th year of statehood for Arkansas. Three years before, Means Wilkinson purchased the Greenwood Democrat newspaper and hired a young, energetic reporter named Earl Dodd. Just one year out of high school, but highly capable, Dodd became editor in 1935 and ran the paper for an amazing thirty-six years until his retirement in 1971. One of Earl’s biggest stories happened in 1936, as Arkansas celebrated its centennial year.

At that time, Arkansas had arguably two of the most effective senators in its 100-year history. Joe T. Robinson, for whom Camp Robinson is named, and Hattie Caraway, the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate.

Both worked tirelessly for the people of Arkansas. The two senators were instrumental in utilizing Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal to help Arkansas out of the Great Depression. They also secured some federal funding for a centennial celebration.

The U.S. Treasury struck commemorative coins for Arkansas, and monuments were erected all over the state. But perhaps the key event was a Presidential visit and brief tour that topped all the other activities.

FDR’s visit to Arkansas would be the first by a sitting FDR, Harvey Couch, Joe T. Robinson

president. Senators Robinson and Caraway planned for and handled all the details for his tour of the state.

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community Upon arriving in Hot Springs by train, on June 10, 1936, First

between Hot Springs and Malvern was built in just five weeks

Lady Eleanor was immediately taken to the Grand Ballroom

specifically for the motorcade.

of the Arlington Hotel for a breakfast with 500 members of the Democratic Women of Arkansas. A little later, President

In the years before, Arkansas had been devastated by the flood

Roosevelt received a tremendous ovation when he stepped out

of 1927, which covered parts of thirty-six counties, and was the

of his train car to take a ride to the Arlington Hotel to pick up

costliest flood ever to hit the state. In 1929, the crash of the

Eleanor. A planned driving tour of Hot Springs, Malvern, and

stock market led to the Great Depression. It was a somber time,

Rockport included a train ride to Little Rock later in the day.

and the Arkansas 1936 Centennial Celebration did its part in helping to raise the spirits of the state’s citizens. The crowds

By automobile, President Roosevelt traveled in a convertible,

and excitement recorded in photographs and the stories that

accompanied by Harvey Couch, founder of Arkansas Power and

remain today make it clear that while life was hard, a birthday

Light (AP&L) and Senator Robinson. Little did they know that

party with honored guests was a welcomed distraction.

cub reporter/editor Earl Dodd, of the Greenwood Democrat, had their itinerary. With their schedule in hand, he traveled

Earl Dodd, who was just beginning a legendary career as a

unpaved dirt roads from Greenwood to Hot Springs for a

newspaperman at that time, or as he put it “dishing the dirt

story and photograph. When Earl found the President, he was

around the square,” seemed impressed with his encounter with

waiting for Eleanor to join the motorcade, and surrounded by

a beloved president. He told the story of his run-in with the

Secret Service agents.

Secret Service often.

Dodd would not be denied as he crept through the crowd and

I’d like to offer a special thanks to Sharon Griffin, Earl Dodd’s

suddenly appeared within earshot of the car. He yelled, “Hey,

daughter, for her assistance in this story. For more information

Mr. President!” and snapped a picture (according to his family)

about Earl Dodd and the Greenwood Democrat, coal mining in

with his Brownie camera. FDR’s surprise is evident in the photo,

south Sebastian County, Slave/Freedman Henry Norwood, or a

and that surprise is confirmed by the expression of at least one

multitude of other interesting topics, visit the Old Jail Museum,

of the Secret Service agents. Earl did not push his luck for an

on the town square in Greenwood, Arkansas.

interview, and at the urging of the Secret Service, disappeared into the crowd.

The President and the First Lady continued their visit with a stop at the Fordyce Bath House. Interestingly, the Fordyce serves as the visitor center for Hot Springs National Park today. Once inside, the Roosevelts met with a group of Arkansas children suffering, like the President himself, with polio. The motorcade stopped to inspect a newly built WPA building at Lakeside school. (The WPA was part of FDR’s New Deal, which gave public works jobs to millions of Americans, helping them earn a living while constructing roads and public buildings.) The caravan then paused for a brief church service at Rockport. Moving on to Malvern, they stopped at Our Lady of Charity Convent and enjoyed a greeting by 100 flag-waving orphan children.

The New Deal under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt In the first 100 days of his presidency, President Roosevelt signed fourteen bills into law, which became known as the New Deal, designed to fight the effects of the Great Depression. The legislation organized programs that are still in place today such as the FDIC to help secure bank deposits, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) to help regulate the stock market that had collapsed in 1929. The remaining legislation helped protect citizens from unacceptable working conditions, created Social Security to assist retirees and the Civilian Conservation Corps, as well as aid for farmers, and construction of new power plants.

Later, the President and First Lady boarded a train at Malvern for the short trip to Little Rock. Incidentally, the road

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people

A MORNING WITH

M AYO R M C G I L L WORDS Marla Cantrell images courtesy George B. McGill

As mayor, he wants to be an ambassador for this city, to help promote art and music, and help for the less fortunate. He’ll do everything he can to encourage more businesses to come here, more families, and to thank the businesses and families that are already here. His work won’t stop at the city gates. He plans to be a champion for the entire region that we call the River Valley.

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people

George B. McGill, former state legislator and newly elected

After finishing high school, George attended the University of

mayor of Fort Smith, looks at his calendar that he keeps at

Arkansas, where he earned an M.B.A. in business, and served

his office in the historic district of the city. Today he has five

in the U.S. Army.

speaking engagements, and it’s only Monday. He smiles when he breaks the news. Making speeches is part of the job, and

Eventually, he and his wife Millie opened McGill Insurance

he’s as natural behind a podium as most of us are talking to

Agency. When the business opened, they formulated a plan.

our best friends.

They’d work hard, save until it hurt, and sell the company in thirty years. After that, they’d enjoy a leisurely life together.

His ease in front of groups may have something to do with his

“She’d had a career in customer service,” George says, “so she

upbringing in this city. Both his father, Louis, and his grand-

brought all of that skill to the table for us, and I got to work

father were ministers. He spent as much time in a well-worn

alongside my wife, my former girlfriend, my best friend.”

pew at King Solomon Missionary Baptist Church as anywhere else. But his education in faith only started there. At home, his

Thirty years came quicker than George could imagine, and just

parents walked the walk. People in the community would come

as they’d planned, they sold the business. But the good life

to them with their problems, and they would do everything

they’d envisioned didn’t happen. Millie passed away six weeks

they could to help.

into their retirement.

Looking back, he sees their good work as an unorganized

There is a hole in George’s heart from her passing. Left alone,

charity. In their neighborhood, no one did without. He remem-

he didn’t know what to do with himself, so he traveled some,

bers outgrowing a pair of jeans and watching his mother hand

and stayed busy.

them over to another family with a boy who could use them.

Someone would need groceries, and Mrs. McGill would contact

Seven years ago, some of his friends talked him into running for

her wide net of friends to make sure the family was fed. The

the District 78 State Representative seat, and after much delib-

older neighbors didn’t have to take out their trash bins or mow

eration, George said yes. He ran unopposed and served three

their lawns, because one of the six McGill children was there to

terms, which ended because of his election as mayor.

do it for them.

George may be remembered best for an impromptu speech he Those older neighbors became like family. Walking home from

gave concerning Senate Bill 519 that sought in part to reserve

school, George would stop by to see if he could help with a

the third Monday in January to honor Dr. Martin Luther King.

chore. More often than not, he was instead invited in for a

Arkansas was one of three states that had honored King, and

piece of pie, and he’d sit at a kitchen table getting to know

Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate States Army,

someone he wouldn’t have otherwise known.

whose birthday is also on January 19, on the same day. On the House floor, George talked about the respect he had for his

This was the foundation that anchored George’s life. His

fellow legislators who both agreed and disagreed with him. He

mother, Elizabeth, branched out from her neighborhood work,

told the story of his great-great-grandfather, another George

seeing needs she believed she could help fill.

McGill who’d fought in the Civil War, and after the war ended, and he was a free man, how he made his way to Fort Smith

“My mom started the Elizabeth McGill Center back in the

where he built a small house near the Arkansas River, so close to

sixties, and she was way before her time,” George says. “She

the coal trains that the walls of the house were covered in soot.

started a youth summer work program. She started a teen pregnancy program. She talked with the doctors, and they’d have

He said that while he could imagine his namesake’s life and

conversations with parents and teens about teen pregnancy.

struggles, it was not his story to tell. And then he shared

It was a really progressive idea at the time. She went on to

parts of his own story, of going to the University of Arkansas

become a social worker. She was a court advocate for families

at eighteen, and being denied a room in a dorm just because

and women and senior citizens.”

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people

of the color of his skin. He said that he considered never

area. All the people who give up nights and weekends to

stepping foot on campus again once he graduated, and then

help at the Boys Club, or Girls Club, at Senior Citizens orga-

he said he couldn’t hold on to that hatred and pain forever.

nizations, at schools.

Without missing a beat, he said U of A is now one of his favorite places to be.

As mayor, he wants to be an ambassador for this city, to help promote art and music, and

When the vote came, the bill

Mayor George B. McGill

passed easily.

help for the less fortunate.

He’ll do everything he can to encourage more businesses to

He’s been asked why he has

come here, more families, and

stayed in Fort Smith. The answer

to thank the businesses and

is simple. George believes this

families that are already here.

is where God wants him.

His work won’t stop at the city gates. He plans to be a cham-

As he talks about this city,

pion for the entire region that

he returns to his young life

we call the River Valley.

in Fort Smith in the 1950s, and great times at the old

When he won the election

Andrews Field (the land now

in November of last year, he

part of the National Cemetery)

said he knew every nook and

where minor league baseball

cranny of his hometown. He

was played. On game nights

grew up here, received awards

he would often climb the light

for his work with charities, and

pole to see the action since

was given the Fort Smith Spirit

there was a high fence around

of Frontier Award.

the park.

When he is sworn in, his When President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, ending

good friend, Federal Judge P.K. Holmes, will officiate. The

segregation and outlawing employment discrimination on

ceremony will be held at the Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal

the basis of race as well as gender, on July 2, 1964, George

Building because Judge Parker gave the first commencement

felt the world open up. The first thing he and his best friend

address at Lincoln High School, the same segregated school

did after the law passed, was to rush to Midland Bowl. It

George attended.

was a place they’d dreamed of going, and when they walked in and asked to rent shoes, they were greeted with nothing

The symbology is important to George, who will be the first

but kindness.

African American to serve as Fort Smith’s mayor. During the ceremony, George will likely think about his great-great-

George leans forward in his chair, and his cufflinks, tiny replicas

grandfather whose name he carries. There are things he will

of the state flag of Arkansas catch the light. He pauses, and

never know about the man: why George McGill came to Fort

then praises the city on the way it and its citizens handled the

Smith, and what it was about this place that made him stay.

end of segregation.

But it’s safe to say that the first George McGill would be mighty proud of this one.

His admiration for Fort Smith has grown even deeper since then. He talks about the high rate of volunteerism in the

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Lava Diffuser Bracelet with Empower Charm, Lavender and Stress Away Bath Bombs from Young Living

ARKANSAS VEIN CLINICS & SKINCARE 479.484.7100

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shop

Out with the old, in with the new! We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite things from some of our amazing, local advertisers, and we can’t wait to share them with you. Pop on into these shops and be sure and tell them Do South® sent you. Wishing you and yours a happy and prosperous new year, and remember, shop local!

Celebrate with Sparkling Wines and Champagnes

IN GOOD SPIRITS

Hearts On Fire Aerial Regal Diamond Hoop Earrings, 18kt White Gold, 2.10cts.

JOHN MAYS JEWELERS 479.452.2140

479.434.6604

Robert Marc Sunglasses

Herbal Dietary Supplement, Brain Octane Oil, 3-Day Cleanse, Winter Trees Essential Oil

DR. STEVEN B. STILES OPTOMETRY

OLDE FASHIONED FOODS

479.452.2020

479.782.6183 / 479.649.8200

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lifestyle

>>For Review<< words Catherine Frederick Images courtesy vendors

Each month, I have the opportunity to review products which range from health and beauty items to fr ying pans! Not ever y product makes the cut, but those that do are featured here. Products are submitted with no paid placement or guarantee of a review, so rest assured, if a product is featured, it is because I have used it and would recommend it! Have a product to submit for consideration? Please email your request to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.

TrayCups® Party Plates We’ve all attended events where food and drinks are served, be it a wedding, holiday gathering or a tailgate. You have a plate of food and a drink, but you can’t stand, hold both and eat and drink at the same time. Enter TrayCups®, a combination snack plate and cup holder so you only need one hand to carry and enjoy your favorite food and beverages!

Choose from clear disposable or team colors. They are durable, stackable, dishwasher safe, and come in ten colors. TrayCups® are made in the USA!

$3 – $10 (disposable and reusable options, multi-pack available) traycups.com

Glasstic® Glass Water Bottle Glasstic® is a glass water bottle inside a shatterproof outer shell. It’s BPA and toxin free and features a locking leak-proof flip top with handle.

Since it’s glass, I can add my essential oils right to the bottle, and since it’s shatterproof, it’s allowed places where glass is prohibited, like the beach! You can even customize the space between the glass and shatterproof shell with your own artwork, or choose a design on their site!

Dishwasher safe with a lifetime parts replacement guarantee.

Starting at $11.99, glassticwaterbottle.com

Egg Weights These ergonomically designed hand weights are a game changer.

Perfect for runners, or people like me, who are just aiming to get their heart rate up. They fit in the palm of your hand and are secured with the help of a finger loop and rubber grip around the weight. They are specifically designed to flow with your body’s natural motion.

Egg Weights are scientifically proven to increase the intensity of your workouts by 62% with less injury and stress to your body. Available in a variety of weight sets and bundles.

Starting at $24.00, eggweights.com

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lifestyle

ZeroWater® ZeroWater filter pitchers combine five technologies to remove impurities from your tap water. Their five-stage filtration system (most pitchers only have a two-stage) removes 99% of dissolved solids (most two-stage only remove 50%) and impurities such as lead, chromium, zinc, aluminum, and nitrates. The dishwasher safe, BPA-free pitcher also includes dissolved solids digital water meter to indicate the quality of your tap water and will recommend when it’s time to change the filter. You’re left with nothing but great tasting water, right from your tap! Many sizes available!

Starting at $19.99, zerowater.com

Airelle® Age Defying Eye + Lip Treatment Calling all my stressed-out, hard-working, tired mommas!

You need this in your life. This targeted treatment helps firm, smooth and improve wrinkles around the eyes and lips and also fights against forehead frown lines. Simply shake gently, apply around the eyes and lips, and forehead if needed, morning and night. Pop it in the fridge before use to help with eye puffiness. Helps slow the onset of new wrinkle formation using Berrimatrix ® technology Complex with Hyaluronic Acid. Dermatologist recommended.

$68, airelleskin.com

Waka Coffee Instant coffee has made a comeback! I know you’re skeptical, but this stuff is good. It tastes like fresh drip coffee, but it only took about sixty seconds to make it – which equals the time it took to heat the water. Made from 100% Arabica beans to maintain the rich, complex flavor, along with freeze-drying methods to preserve the authentic aroma and depth of flavor. Satisfying flavors, affordable, easy clean-up, portable, recyclable packaging, and the company donates 4% of every sale to clean water projects around the globe. Enjoy hot or cold.

$10.99/box 8 single serve packets $27/3 box value pack, wakacoffee.com

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faith

THE PROMISE OF

january Words and image Jessica Sowards

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faith

I was made for summer. I was made to have my bare feet in the grass and my hands in the soil. I was made for the sun to kiss my shoulders, and to stay out in the dusky light until time to bathe and head to bed. So, naturally, January feels something like torture to me. In the past, if I could have boycotted Januaries, I would have. If I could have hibernated, I would have. But instead, I’ve trudged through the gray and icy months of the dead of winter with great disdain for the whole lot of it. I’ve fought off seasonal depression and immersed myself in seed catalogs. I’ve survived on my dreams for the summer and held myself together until the Bradford pear tree in the backyard set her blooms, promising the end of winter was near.

My husband’s mom died last September. It was unexpected.

She was only sixty. I knew her for years before I ever laid eyes on her son. I called her friend before I ever called her Mom. She lived next door to us and was one of the biggest supporters of our dreams.

Losing her was a cloud that covered the sunshine. Even with strong faith and a death-grip on eternity, her absence sent my heart reeling. Two weeks after she died, my fall planting of sunflowers bloomed in the garden. I’d planted them at her request, and the cheerful hope of their blooms was so far away from how I felt inside.

Through October, as the world filled up with burning bushes, and the trees donned their crimson and gold attire, I was a bystander. Usually, I burned with passion in the fall. Usually, I found myself flowing with poetry in response to their beauty.

But this year, I was unmoved. The warmth of October wasn’t enough to bring fire to my sadness.

The night before the first frost came, I sat in my garden

I

until after dark. I knew the freeze would come and kill every have never, ever liked January. I don’t like the way it gets

sunflower and turn every bright and vibrant zinnia brown.

dark before dinnertime or the layers of clothes required

I knew the basil would fold and the beans would wilt the

to keep my kids from getting sick. I don’t like the fact

moment they thawed. It was the last garden I would ever have

that somehow, they always end up sick anyway. I don’t like

that she helped me plant, and I could no more stop its death

the dead garden, and I don’t like having to kick in the layer

than I could stop hers.

of ice on the goats’ water trough three times a day. I don’t like being cold. No, let me rephrase that. I hate being cold.

I thought I would be undone by it. I thought that the gray barrenness of winter would certainly be more than I could

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faith

bear. If I had always struggled with those months before, how

Somehow, in a way it never had before, the season of things

could I survive them with such a heavy heart? But something

dying away brought an immense comfort to me. Instead of

happened that I was not at all expecting.

being tortured by it, I was reminded that death and loss are a part of the cycle we must walk through in order to live. I was

The Bradford pear tree, the very same one that yearly

encouraged to grow deeper and stand stronger.

announces the imminence of spring, stands right next to the gate leading into the backyard. And in the Januaries of years past, as I toted boiling water to the animal’s troughs, she stood sentry. There in the middle of the yard, so set apart from the woods surrounding my home, I’ve always felt she seemed a little exposed in winter, a little naked. But she has always stood proudly with her arms raised as if her nakedness was an opportunity to display her form. When I shook and trembled

When the snow came, I stood in the garden and cried with relief.

The silence of the snow falling on dead flowers I’d planted for my mom

in the cold, she has remained unbothered.

and friend moved my heart. The

I’ve passed beneath her branches countless times before and

beauty of it all left me speechless,

mumbled my grievances where only she and the goats can hear. I’ve imagined her laughing at my dismay. I’ve imagined her mocking my frailty and my hatred of January. But this year, I found a newfound comradery with the pear tree.

The garden died, just as I knew it would. It wilted and faded.

The flowers hung their brown heads. The color fell away from the branches in the forest. The grass turned a dull gray-brown,

and I just took it all in wonder. It was as if the season I’d always hated had come to my rescue, painting a picture of beauty in pain, assuring me that I was going to be okay.

and an ever-present lull hung overhead in the clouds. The Bradford pear held onto her deep red leaves longer than the rest of

The garden will grow again. The trees will cover their naked

the trees, as she always does, but eventually, they too fell away.

arms with the fashions of spring. I’ll plant sunflowers year after year, and they will always make me think of her. And I

The dead garden felt like an altar draped with mourning cloth.

will embrace January. Because, of all the pictures of hope that

The bare pear tree felt like a picture of my heart, stripped and

spring brings, I think January brings its own promise. January

sad but still beautifully resilient. And I learned her secret. The

comes wrapped in gray and void of warmth, but in it lies a

pear tree knows that spring will always, always come again.

message that even in loss and mourning, there is beauty and

She doesn’t fall apart even when the icy fingers of winter

a promise that there will be life again.

dress her in white. Because of her deep and unseen roots, she is a picture of strength.

To watch Jessica’s garden tours, visit her YouTube channel, Roots and Refuge.

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people

WORDS Marla Cantrell image courtesy Clean Cookin’

THE CLEAN COOKIN’ STORY

NINETY POUNDS LIGHTER

26

Stuart Rowland

S

Several years ago, Stuart Rowland weighed 310 pounds, and even though he was 6’3”, that was a lot of weight to carry. His back was giving him fits. It got so bad that he contacted the Veterans Administration to file for disability. A mechanic by trade, he had to be physically fit to do his job.

Stuart suspects his problems started while he was deployed in Iraq, where he served for fifteen months during his six-year stint with the National Guard. He was a medic assigned to a convoy that transferred supplies from one point to another, a dangerous mission which required him to wear sixty pounds of armor. Whatever the case, he said he was diagnosed with a compressed spine and arthritis in his back.

The thing that stopped him from following through with his disability petition was a trip to the physical therapist who worried that Stuart was on his way to a life filled with pain pills. “That sounded like a one-way street I didn’t want to go down,” Stuart said.

With medical backing, he went to the gym, working out gingerly at first, taking care not to strain his back. He was able to lift relatively light weights, and his muscle tone gradually improved. As time went by, he was lifting heavier and heavier weights, and he eventually joined a CrossFit class.

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people

None of that completely solved his weight problem. If Stuart

find. Most of his meals would be gluten free, he’d rarely use

wanted to slim down, he was going to have to learn how to

dairy, and he’d use as many organic ingredients that he could.

eat properly. That realization sent him to YouTube, watching

He came up with the name Clean Cookin’, and on October 13,

video after video about the Atkins Diet, vegan diets, Keto

2016, he was confident enough to quit his job as a mechanic.

diets, South Beach, you name it.

He bought a food truck and opened on November 16.

Stuart, who loved to cook, would try each of those diets, making

The first few months were slow, but things quickly picked up.

meals at night that were big enough to divide so that he could

Now there’s a commercial kitchen/shop in Van Buren. Clean

save the second portion for lunch the next day. “I attacked my

Cookin’s flagship store is also in Van Buren at 1405 Fayetteville

eating plan like I attacked a problem with a car at the garage.

Road. His meals are available at several locations in Fort Smith,

I knew there was an answer if I researched it enough. And I

and he has a shop in Fayetteville. His meals are also available

started seeing patterns in all the diets, and the pattern is to

through WAITR, the widely known food delivery service.

avoid processed foods, to eat real food in equal portions, eating smaller, steadier amounts. I lost probably thirty pounds total off of that. Then I lost another fifty pounds in four months.

“People were like, how did you do that? Because usually when you lose a ton of weight really fast, you're malnourished, you know? But the thing is, I was eating really high fiber, high nutrient foods, so my body wasn't suffering, it was just correcting itself.”

Part of the correction was getting away from sugar, which has an addictive edge because it releases endorphins that give you a temporary high. “Sugar works like drugs in the brain,” Stuart said, adding that once you get off the sugar train, you’ll see how much better you feel.

His total weight loss topped out at ninety-four pounds, something that caused quite a buzz. At the gym in September 2016, guys in his class were asking how he did it. Since he was already making more food than he needed each night, he just increased his recipes and started taking extra meals to his gym buddies. Those meals were comprised of lean meat, roasted vegetables, brown rice, quinoa.

Those friends told their friends who wanted him to cook for them. That’s when Stuart knew that what he’d learned by trial and error was a viable business opportunity. For a while, he sold meals from his home to an ever-increasing number of customers.

He put a plan together to streamline the process of making frozen microwavable meals using the best ingredients he could

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people

Stuart’s favorite Clean Cookin’ meal is his smoked chicken, roasted broccoli, and sweet potatoes. He loves his barbeque chicken and brown rice, but he’s also proud of his other twelve meals. He’s even branching out into low-carb and Keto desserts.

When he mentions desserts, he reveals the most ironic part of his story. Stuart is married to Stefanie Rowland, who co-owns Sweet Boutique, purveyor of decadent desserts. There’s even a Clean Cookin’ kiosk in her Fort Smith location, complete with the Keto cookies she supplies for the company, near the case that holds some of the tastiest cookies and cupcakes in the River Valley.

“I gained thirty pounds not long after I dated her,” he said, On Cyber Monday, Stuart said he sold 4,000 meals, a

and then shook his head. “But I’ve learned to take everything

phenomenal accomplishment. He now employs fourteen

in moderation.”

people. His chef, Gabe McPeak, is his latest convert, having dropped seventy pounds since he joined the crew. “He is my

Moderation appears to be working, especially since Stuart eats

biggest inspiration,” Stuart said.

so healthily so much of the time. He thinks what he’s learned through trial and error, through research that kept him up at

He hasn’t raised his prices since opening, which are five dollars

night, can work for everyone.

per basic meal, so that a wide cross-section of customers can afford them. He has an odd business philosophy. He hopes

Start small, he said, substituting one high-calorie meal a week

customers will learn to cook healthy meals for themselves,

with a Clean Cookin’ meal or a home-cooked meal that offers the

meaning if his plan works out, he’ll always need to be looking

same benefits. It could kickstart your journey to a healthier life.

for new clients.

Beyond that, learning about nutrition has far-reaching effects.

This concept encompasses the true nature of what he’s doing.

Parents pass that knowledge down to their children, and those

He can still remember the way he felt when he topped the

children, when they’ve grown up, can pass good habits along to

scales at more than 300 pounds. It was a lonely time, filled

their children. “That’s the way we change the world,” he said.

with worry about the future. He doesn’t want anyone else to feel as trapped as he did.

Changing the world may seem like an impossible goal, but Stuart doesn’t see it that way. He’s already seen incredible

Food in its purest form, he believes, is perfect. “You don't

things happen, and all it took was someone like him reaching

have to cover everything in butter. Baked potatoes aren't your

out and saying, “This is how you start eating better. This is the

enemy; it’s the butter and the sour cream and cheese that are,

pathway to a better life.”

so try sweet potatoes. You don't have to season them at all if you cook them just right. They're like candy. You can eat broccoli until you're sick and not ever eat 100 calories worth.

But you can get that same hundred calories from one teaspoon

For more on Clean Cookin’, visit cleancookin.com.

or a tablespoon of oil. Just eat high fiber, low-calorie foods that are high in nutrition, and stick with green leafy stuff.”

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Adventure Awaits

I N B E N TO N V I LL E words and images courtesy visitbentonville.com

Crystal Bridges

B

Bentonville, Arkansas, is a town of fast trails, locally brewed beers, award-winning cuisine, priceless artifacts, and the destination of your next adventure. This New American Town is located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, providing a stunning backdrop to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where you will find a collection of American art spanning five centuries. To call this town of 49,000 unique is an understatement. In Bentonville, you will find big city amenities with small town charm.

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travel

When you visit Bentonville, come ready to play. In 2013, Benton-

For family time, head to the Scott Family Amazeum, a children's

ville was named a Silver-Level Ride Center by The International

museum that offers 50,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits

Mountain Biking Association (IMBA). With more than 140 miles

and tinkering space. Take a walk down memory lane at the

of hard and soft trails, you are guaranteed to find a trail that

Walmart Museum inside the original 5&10 opened in down-

fits your ability. From cross-country to downhill, the Bentonville

town Bentonville in 1950. Have a soda or a milkshake at Spark

mountain biking scene has something for everyone.

CafĂŠ located right next door.

While in town, be sure to check out Crystal Bridges Museum of

If festivals are your thing, look no further. The Bentonville Film

American Art founded in 2005 by the Walton Family Founda-

Festival, which happens annually, and is founded by Academy

tion. Crystal Bridges' permanent collection spans five centuries

Award-winning actress Geena Davis, focuses on women and

of American masterworks ranging from the Colonial era to the

inclusion in film. The city of Bentonville hosts the Bentonville

current day. 21c Museum Hotel adds another artful element

Half Marathon each spring and sees more than 3,500 runners

to the downtown Bentonville scene, with more than 12,000

annually. The Downtown Market District is home to an ever-

square feet of gallery space adjoining this 104-room boutique

growing list of new festivals and events including the two-day

hotel and world-class restaurant, The Hive. Bentonville is

Bite NWA food festival and the World Champion Squirrel

among one of only seven other cities to house such a unique

Cook-off, held annually.

place to stay and play.

Crystal Bridges

Crystal Bridges

Amazeum

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Foodies have also come to love Bentonville. In 2013, Bentonville's “High-South Cuisine” drew the attention of the James Beard Foundation when a group of four Bentonville chefs wowed a soldout crowd at New York's famed Beard house. Since then, Bentonville has had the honor of hosting the Beard Boot Camp on Policy and Change and several Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinners, and in 2014 The Wall Street Journal named Bentonville as one of its up and coming culinary scenes.

Seasonality speaks to our chefs, as menus adjust to the harvest changes. The Bentonville Farm-to-

Amazeum

Table culture is a large influence of Bentonville's unique offerings. Come experience Bentonville's collaborative culinary scene; it is sure to stimulate your senses.

In 2016, 8th Street Market opened, and with it, a diverse food scene followed. 8th Street Market is home to Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food, as well as a shuffleboard bar and eatery, a brewery, a taqueria, a Columbian restaurant, a ramen bar, and a Filipino restaurant, among many other culinary offerings.

Visiting Bentonville is not the same without staying overnight and experiencing true southern

Crystal Bridges

hospitality. From boutique hotels to the chain hotels you recognize and love, Bentonville offers comfort for all walks of life. You can even experience Bentonville like a local by renting a vacation rental downtown.

Your adventure is waiting in Bentonville. You won’t find another town quite like this!

To learn more, check out visitbentonville.com.

Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food

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taste

Baked Ratatouille words Catherine Frederick Recipe adapted from plantbasedonabudget.com

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taste

Ingredients

1-2 zucchini or yellow squash

1 eggplant

3-4 Roma tomatoes

½ yellow onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh basil, more for garnish

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon chili flakes

1-2 cups chunky tomato basil sauce

2 cloves minced garlic

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method Preheat oven to 375°. Sauté onion in a pat of butter, add garlic, and cook 1-2 minutes. Slice squash, eggplant, and tomatoes evenly. Prepare baking dish with non-stick spray.

Add onion and garlic mixture to medium bowl along with tomato sauce, basil, thyme, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and olive oil. Spread sauce mixture on bottom of dish. Layer vegetables on top in a spiral fashion. Add a drizzle of olive oil over the vegetables. Sprinkle top with a bit of salt, thyme, oregano, and pepper.

Cover with foil. Bake 25-30 minutes, remove foil. Cook an additional 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender but firm and sauce is bubbling. Remove and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with more basil.

Ratatouille is delicious served with a side of pasta, or as a side to chicken. Be sure to serve with crusty French bread!

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Overnight Gingerbread Oats with Sticky Granola Crumble

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taste

Ingredients Serves 2

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon clove

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

2 Tablespoons maple syrup

Granola Crumble

¼ cup peanuts or pecans

¼ cup shredded coconut

½ cup granola

1-2 Tablespoons molasses

Method Add all ingredients to large jar, shake, and place in fridge overnight. For the crumble, add ingredients to saucepan and cook over low-medium heat until sticky. Remove oats from fridge, stir, then top with granola crumble.

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recipe adapted from cayennediane.com image Adam Jaime

the

Mandarin ingredients 8 ounces Absolut

•

Mandarin Vodka 2 mandarin oranges,

•

zested Juice of 3 mandarin

•

oranges •

4 ounces cranberry juice

•

2 ounces lemon juice

•

3 ounces simple syrup 4 slices jalapeño (optional)

•

method

Combine vodka, orange zest, orange juice, cranberry juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a shaker. Add ice, shake, and double strain (to remove zest) into chilled glass. Add orange slice for garnish. Like a little heat? Muddle the jalapeño, then combine all ingredients in shaker, shake, double strain into chilled glass.

Please drink responsibly.

Never drink and drive.

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travel

Cheers!

4

OF THE MOST INTERESTING

BARS

IN ARKANSAS

Words Dwain Hebda images courtesy of featured venues

Let’s get something straight, here: Trying to pin down the oldest, best or most interesting bars of Arkansas is akin to trying to grab a handful of water. You don’t accomplish much.

Ohio Club

OHIO CLUB 336 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 501.627.0702 | theohioclub.com

Having said that, there are those institutions that tend to transcend our own individual experience to become part of the collective identity of a neighborhood, a community and in the case of our

Last fall, Arkansas voters approved casino gambling, a measure that expressly identified Hot Springs as one location for the new entertainment. And somewhere, the ghosts of the Ohio Club smiled.

featured watering holes, a people.

“For me, it’s all the different things that it’s been and seen,”

No, this is most certainly not the definitive list of

says Mike Pettey who with his wife Dona has owned the landmark since 2010. “We’ve had Babe Ruth. We’ve had enter-

the most important establishments in Arkansas. In

tainers going all the way back to Al Jolson who performed here

fact, we’d love to hear about your favorite place

in 1915. Mae West did her little burlesque show here in 1935.”

and what makes it so. But until then, grab a seat and join us for a round at four historic spots.

A town with as ribald a past as Hot Springs needs a legendary establishment to match and the Ohio Club fits that bill.

Founded as a bar and casino in 1905, it’s been around so long it’s seen both of its original stock and trade—gambling and booze—go from legal to prohibited and back to legal again.

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travel

GEORGE’S MAJESTIC LOUNGE

Ohio Club

519 West Dickson, Fayetteville, AR 479.527.6618 | georgesmajesticlounge.com Launched in 1927, George’s started out as a general store in addition to being a bar and restaurant. From the start, the Fayetteville landmark catered to college students attending the University of Arkansas.

“My wife and I keep a yearbook library collection over the front bar that goes back to 1907, and we have most of them,” says Brian Crowne who owns the place with his wife, Day. “It’s cool to see a freshman looking at his parents or his grandparents, or somebody comes in for homecoming that went to school here in 1960. They still feel a connectivity and relevance.”

Two such former students, Dr. and Mrs. Bill and Betty Harrison,

Not that the statutes of the day ever mattered much within

took their nostalgia to a new level. They bought the place in

the Ohio Club. The sign out front may have read Ohio Cigar

1987 and in so doing, owned the very spot where they had

Store for a time, but behind figurative and literal façades

their first date as undergrads.

the bets and beer flowed freely. This blatant disobedience appealed to more people than it outraged; a civil rights

In all, George’s has only changed hands three times in its

rebellion befitting the nation’s forefathers, emboldened by

ninety-one-year history, and this stability in ownership has

half-hearted law enforcement and a complicit City Hall.

shepherded the place through good times and bad. The Dickson Street landmark became a music venue in the

The Ohio Club hosted many luminaries—Teddy Roosevelt

1940s and was one of the state’s first integrated bars in the

tipped one here—but is known for its rogue’s gallery of the

1950s. Other firsts include being the first bar to provide color

underworld. Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Benjamin “Bugsy”

television and among the first in town to offer pizza delivery.

Siegel and Al “Scarface” Capone were all regulars when

Its Friday afternoon matinee slot is a lasting tradition that

in town, often hosted by Hell’s Kitchen transplant, Owen

goes back decades.

“Owney” Madden. There aren’t many places where you can drink Capone’s drink (Templeton rye whiskey) seated at the same bar where he ordered it.

George's Majestic Lounge

Of course, the gangsters are gone now. Live music plays where roulette wheels once clicked and the only chips you find come alongside the city’s best Reuben sandwich. But the images that made the Ohio Club what it is—the infamous and the ordinary—still linger.

“A man I met said that his dad and a bunch of his buddies sat in our bay window drinking beer, waiting on the bus to come pick them up for World War II,” Mike says admiringly. “You know, it’s just its longevity, of having been there and all the things that it’s seen, that I like the most.”

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By the time the Crownes came along, George’s operated as

B A S I N PA R K H OT E L

a music venue and an exceptional one at that. As Arkansas’s

12 Spring Street, Eureka Springs, AR

oldest and longest-running live music spot, it was ranked

877.456.9679 | basinpark.com

by Consequence of Sound as one of the 100 greatest music venues in the country in 2016. A former professional musician,

Eureka Springs’ artistic-enclave-meets-hippie-commune vibe

Brian remembers the thrill of playing here and is committed to

seems an ill fit for a notorious speakeasy such as could be

providing both audiences and bands—from critically acclaimed

found in the Basin Park Hotel. Yet that’s exactly what it offered

national acts to starry-eyed wannabes—the same experience.

in the 1940s and 1950s, right down to the Chicago gangsters that then-owner Joe Parkhill welcomed with open arms. “Our

“We have people who are regulars that are music lovers, but

folklore has it that Al Capone’s sister was said to have gotten

every show is different and has a different demographic,” he

married in Eureka Springs,” says Bill Ott, director of marketing

said. “You can have a show that might have some college kids.

and communications. “It is also said that Al has been up here.

You might have a show that has jam band kids. Cool thing

We’ve always been a sleepy community, and people get away

about live music is that it’s a melting pot; it’s not unusual to

with a lot more when you’re sleepy rather than flamboyant.”

have an eighteen-year-old standing next to a fifty-year-old, and they’re both there for the same show.”

Opened in 1905, Basin Park brought the party to the city’s fabled main drag. The hotel’s first floor featured slot machines as did what is now the Lucky Seven Rooftop Billiards on the sixth floor. The latter also featured a system of fake doors marked “Storage” to hide the machines should the need present itself.

The booze flowed nonstop, particularly during Prohibition.

Everyone knew the vice the hotel provided; ax-wielding temperance maven Carrie Nations herself preached in front of the place once. But as law enforcement (including the Arkansas State Police) were known to tip a glass or two here, they weren’t overly exacting in their sworn duty. Then, in 1955, new Carroll County Sheriff Erwin "The Weasel" Deweese took office, an Eliot Ness-type crusader bent on enforcing the law.

Basin Park

“[Deweese] was supposed to raid them on New Year’s Eve one year and it got to be close to midnight, and he never showed

Rooftop Billiards at Basin Park

up,” Bill says. “So they opened up these secret panels that had the slot machines behind them. A little after midnight, [Deweese] shows up and took all the slot machines out in the middle of the street and broke them up with axes and sledgehammers.”His slot machines shattered in the street, Parkhill was not long for the hotel business. And when he sold to straight-arrow lawyer, former U.S. Congressman and Eureka Springs mayor Claude A. Fuller, it sent the gangsters scuttling off for good.

Today, the Basin Park Hotel provides an unparalleled Eureka Springs experience. Enjoy your drink on the balcony—the choicest seats for enjoying the city’s many parades and community events— and raise one to the most interesting town in Arkansas.

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Capital Hotel Bar

THE CAPITAL HOTEL BAR & GRILL

Smith and his cohorts take their marching orders seriously,

111 Markham Street, Little Rock, AR

that being to provide the most comprehensive drink acumen

501.374.7474 | capitalhotel.com

and the most sophisticated ambiance anywhere. Not just Arkansas, not just the South, anywhere. Want a beverage from

The best legend about the Capital Hotel is that President

the Revolutionary War? Got it. Need the drink John Wilkes

Ulysses S. Grant rode his horse onto its oversized elevator en

Booth drank holed up in a barn after assassinating Abraham

route to his room. The tale, sadly, is patently false; Grant’s

Lincoln? Check. Got a taste for a real mint julep garnished

1880 Little Rock visit preceded that elevator’s installation by

with a particular species of mint freshly plucked from Smith’s

about 100 years. But it’s a fair bet the folktale grew legs in the

own garden? You get the idea.

lobby enclave known as the Capital Hotel Bar & Grill.

The staff is driven to such lengths here out of respect for This glossy, dark-paneled bar, a wonder of a particular brand

the client and the craft. “Our proportions and technique

of Southern elegance, predates the others on this list by a

will always apply the beginning of bartending,” Brad says.

mile. But it didn’t always operate in its current capacity; in

“The craft went away there for a while. Then starting in the

fact, it very nearly didn’t survive at all the 1970s’ malaise of

1990s, serious bartenders started buying old menus and

Little Rock’s downtown district. Thankfully, with care and

scratch pads that bartenders had had in the 1890s. I keep

several million in renovations—the most recent being a two-

some of them on me.

year overhaul completed in 2007—the Capital Hotel Bar & “It’s really interesting; people have picked up on and started

Grill is once again the place to see and be seen.

drinking what the forefathers drank—every great poet, The bar’s most remarkable feature is the staff’s encyclopedic

every great writer, people who started the country and some

knowledge on the art of the cocktail. Don’t ask for the specialty

that tried to end it. There’s nothing historic that we don’t

of the house, that’s not what they’re about here. “People often

do here.”

look for one drink,” says Brad Smith, staff cocktail savant.

“That’d be us letting you down if there was just one drink.”

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travel

A Thousand Reasons

The Texas Highland Lakes Region words Marla Cantrell images Marla Cantrell and courtesy Jill Dutton and Canyon of the Eagles

T

he Highland Lakes Region in Burnet County, Texas is

If you plan your trip for spring, you’ll see the wildflowers that

approximately an hour’s drive from Austin and has the

start to bloom in the middle of March and stay through most

largest chain of lakes in the state.

of June. Bluebonnets show up first, followed by red Indian Paintbrush flowers.

I was in awe of the lakes that define this area. Five of them flow along the Colorado River in Burnet County, bringing visitors who are drawn to the water, and nature lovers who flock

ON THE WATER

to this area for hiking, camping, and exploring.

Highland Lakes Region For those who are always on the lookout for great American-

texashillcountry.com

made wine, there’s a self-guided Texas Hill Country Wine Tour with fifty-two stops that includes this area. Texas is proud of

There are more than a thousand miles of water in the

its wine, and in 2016, produced approximately 3.8 million

combined lakes of Burnet County, all of which are stocked

gallons of it.

with fish. Tourists come here to fish, canoe, kayak, ski, boat, DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

travel

and swim. Guides are available, as are equipment rental businesses that can make your fishing expedition easy.

Lake Buchanan is famous for its striper fishing, and catfish are plenty. Inks Lake is a key spot for boating and water skiing, and the lake is stocked with largemouth bass, white bass, catfish, crappie, and sunfish. Lake Marble Falls is popular for

Vanishing Texas River Cruise

boating and water skiing. Lake LBJ offers sailing and boating.

Lake Travis has largemouth bass, Guadalupe bass, white and striped bass, catfish, and sunfish.

Vanishing River Cruise, Burnet vtrc.com The Vanishing Texas River Cruise on Lake Buchanan and the Colorado River lets passengers a chance to see this beautiful waterway up close. There are winery cruises, scenic wilderness, Lake Buchanan tours, and a history cruise. Private charters are available, and there are also kayak rentals available on site.

Canyon Cruise, Burnet canyonoftheeagles.com

Canyon Cruise

This cruise originates at the Canyon of the Eagles Resort and explores the beauty of this section of Lake Buchanan on the Colorado River. You’ll get to see Fall Creek Falls and Deer Creek Falls, so close you can feel the spray of the waterfall.

On either side of the waterway are towering limestone cliffs, and in certain sections, you may spy Spanish goats. In the 1500s, the goats were brought from Spain to the Caribbean Islands and finally to what would become the United States and Mexico.

Canyon of the Eagles

NATURE-BASED TOURISM

Painted Sky Inn

Canyon of the Eagles Resort, Burnet canyonoftheeagles.com Canyon of the Eagles sits within this 940-acre nature park.

The resort, with sixty-two guest rooms, RV hookups, and campsites, is carefully maintained. There are fourteen miles of manicured trails and a master naturalist who hosts guided hikes. If you’re traveling with kids, don’t miss the Shake,

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Log Country Cove

Rattle, and Coil show in the Nature Center, where you’ll get to see a wealth of reptiles, including snakes, up close.

There are yoga and meditation classes, yoga hikes, massages, kayak rentals, the Canyon Boat Cruise, swimming, and live music. Stop by the Eagles Nest Lounge for a cocktail, and Overlook Restaurant for world-class cuisine and a menu that changes seasonally.

Not to be missed is the star-gazing at the observatory that has five powerful telescopes. A park astronomer makes the

Overlook Restaurant

experience even better, showing you the planets, nebulas, and distant galaxies.

ON THE WATER’S EDGE Painted Sky Inn, Burnet paintedskyinn.com Painted Sky Inn, on a quiet peninsula on the eastern shore of Lake Buchanan is great for small groups and reunions.

The rooms offer a view of the water, and the refrigerator is stocked with S’mores kits for the fire pit that’s lit each night.

You can fish on your own, or ask for a guide at the dock.

Trailblazer Grille

Log Country Cove, Burnet logcountrycove.com Log Country Cove sits on the shore of the Colorado arm of Lake LBJ. Each of the log cabins and homes overlooks the lake, and are nestled in a wooded area of cedar, oak, and pecan trees. Guests enjoy swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking the trails. Some of the accommodations are pet-friendly.

TEXAS-SIZED EATS IN BURNET The Overlook Restaurant at Canyon of the Eagles Resort has an extensive menu and is open every day of the year. I tried the Chicken Fried Wild Boar with Jalapeño Cream Gravy and finished the meal with Prickly Pear Sorbet. Delicious! Mama’s Home Cooking was spot-on with comfort foods like fried pork chops, blackened catfish, fried okra, and homemade desserts, but the highlight was the fried green beans. Highlander House DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

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of Buffet and Steakhouse has a buffet and fixed menu, all of which is wonderful. Trailblazer Grille on Main Street has impeccable Texas cuisine, and great live music. I had one of the best steaks ever, and a fried shrimp cocktail that was out of this world.

WINE AND BEER TOURS Fall Creek Winery, Tow fcv.com

Fall Creek Winery

What happens when a five-generation rancher decides to start a vineyard, a foreign concept in Texas at the time? Ed Auler says the gamble he and his wife Susan made in 1975 has paid off in spades. Today, Fall Creek Wines produces world-class, award-winning wines, under the guiding hand of winemaker Sergio Cuadra. When you visit this gorgeous property, make sure you try the Sangiovese 2017, which is between a red wine and a rosé.

Save the World Brewing Company, Marble Falls savetheworldbrewing.com In 2012, Dave and Quynh Rathkamp made a leap. Both were practicing physicians, and each year, the couple would go on a mission trip and then return to life as usual. But in 2012, the men’s pastor at their church started talking about meeting the world’s needs using your greatest passion. Dave realized his was beer making, which had been his hobby for fifteen years.

Still, he wondered how that played into his purpose.

Fall Creek Winery

Quynh, who arrived in Texarkana as a refugee from Vietnam when she was six years old, had been dreaming of starting a non-profit. When Dave shared his idea, she jumped on board, and the two created Save the World Brewing Company, a business that gives away its profits to charity.

On my visit, they’d already contributed more than $100,000 to food efforts such as Meals on Wheels, Ebola relief, and Habitat for Humanity. Their story is enough to bring you here, but their artisanal Belgian-style ales seal the deal.

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travel

WINTER ESCAPES Southwest Arkansas

words Do SouthÂŽ Magazine and courtesy Arkansas Department Parks and Tourism images courtesy Arkansas Department Parks and Tourism

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let Old Man Winter stop you from visiting some of the most beautiful parts of Arkansas. This winter, we focus on the cities and attractions that make up Southwest Arkansas. This gorgeous region offers several pristine lakes, the Ouachita National Forest, natural hot springs, spas, scenic byways, horse racing, and even a chance to dig for diamonds in Mur freesboro at the world's only diamond-producing site open to the public!

El Dorado

El Dorado

El Dorado

Hope

El Dorado became an oil "boom-town" in 1921 when oil was

Hope has two claims to fame: it is the birthplace of former

discovered a mile west of the city. Today, there is a self-guided

President Bill Clinton, and it showcases some of the world's

walking tour of the city's restored downtown, now filled with

largest watermelons. Visit the President William Jefferson

beautifully renovated 1930s-style buildings and many historic

Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site, with the two-

buildings on the National Register.

story white frame house where Clinton lived from his birth in 1946 until age four. Stop by the Hope Visitor Center &

Historic downtown features dozens of shops, stores, restau-

Museum which contains local history exhibits and railroad

rants, and nightlife options located near the stately 1928

memorabilia.

Union County Courthouse. Turn-of-the-century architecture and picturesque storefronts connect a diverse mix of specialty

The town developed as the Cairo and Fulton Railway tracks

shops. Downtown is also home to Oil Heritage, which pays

were being laid from Argenta (now North Little Rock) to

homage to the city's boom-town history. The city is also home

Fulton, with the first passenger train arriving in 1872. James

to the Murphy Arts District (MAD), a state-of-the-art music,

Loughborough, the railroad company's land commissioner,

entertainment, and restaurant complex.

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Hope

Hope

named the workmen's camp in honor of his daughter Hope.

naturally flowing thermal springs. Visiting the park is free.

The town was incorporated in 1875.

Oaklawn Park opened in 1905, and by 1921 the town was a John Gibson started a watermelon-growing contest in the

popular vacation destination featuring gambling, a national

1920s. The Ivan and Lloyd Bright 1979 and 1985 melons are

park, thermal water spas, and horse racing. Bathhouse Row,

in the Guinness Book of World Records. The first Watermelon

as it exists today, is a collection of eight architecturally signifi-

Festival was held in 1926, and it continues every August.

cant bathhouses, most of which were built between 1912 and 1923 along Central Avenue. The Buckstaff and the Quapaw, currently operate as bathhouses offering spa services.

H ot S p r i n g s Hot Springs is the boyhood home of former President Clinton.

There's a national park here, and a renowned arts community

Illegal casino gambling thrived here during the 1940s, 50s, and

with plenty of galleries, Magic Springs/Crystal Falls theme and

60s, until Governor Winthrop Rockefeller closed the casinos in

water parks, and the Garvan Woodland Gardens.

1967. The Gangster Museum of America focuses on the 1920s40s era of the town, when a number of infamous gangsters,

Hot Springs National Park was established in 1832 when

such as Al Capone and Lucky Luciano, vacationed here. Owney

Congress, forty years ahead of Yellowstone, assigned the

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Killerâ&#x20AC;? Madden, owner of the famous Cotton Club in New

title. Hot Springs Reservation, which was renamed Hot Springs

York and who was heavily involved in organized crime during

National Park in 1921, was created to protect the forty-seven

Prohibition, moved here in 1935.

Hot Springs

Hot Springs

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travel

Mount Ida

Texarkana

M o u n t I da

reportedly built in 1885 with the money won with the draw

Mount Ida has a thriving arts community, family-owned

of a lucky poker hand. The Italianate Victorian style building

restaurants and businesses, and the historic Montgomery

features the only floor plan of its kind in the world that is

County Courthouse. Rock shops line the highways in and

said to have been inspired by the ace of clubs. The Texarkana

around Mount Ida, dubbed the "Quartz Crystal Capital of the

Museums System operates the home and the interactive chil-

World." Private quartz mines allow visitors to search for their

dren's Discovery Place Museum.

own crystals for fees.

The historic theater now known as the Perot Theater first Hikers and bikers will love the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail, just

opened in 1924. Stars like Will Rogers and Annie Oakley

eight miles west, that runs along the shores of Lake Ouachita

performed here. The theater closed in 1977. The city

for forty-seven miles. This hiking and biking trail has been

purchased it, and restoration was possible thanks in part to a

named an Epic trail by the International Mountain Bicycling

hefty contribution from Texarkana native H. Ross Perot. It was

Association (IMBA). Another IMBA Epic trail is also nearby, the

renamed in honor of his parents.

thirty-nine-mile Womble Trail.

The Lindsay Railroad Museum honors the railroad history of To the east, the 40,100-acre Lake Ouachita, is a great place to

Texarkana. Another attraction is the Scott Joplin Mural, which

watch wintering bald eagles. The lake is home to striped bass,

pays homage to master ragtime composer and Texarkana

largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and bream. Professional

native Scott Joplin.

guides are available. Stream fishing is available near the town of Mount Ida on the upper Ouachita and Caddo Rivers. Cabins are available near both streams.

Enjoy these one-of-a-kind towns, and make time to stop at the Crater of

Texarkana

Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro. You'll find the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only diamond-

Texarkana is named after three states: Texas, Arkansas,

producing site open to the public. You can dig for diamonds and keep what

and Louisiana. The two separate municipalities, Texarkana,

you find! The largest diamond ever discovered in the United States was

Arkansas, and Texarkana, Texas, sometimes function as one

unearthed here in 1924 and visitors still find notable diamonds regularly.

city. The widely photographed State Line Post Office and Federal Building is the only U.S. post office situated in two states.

For more travel itineraries, maps, and details to help you plan your trip, visit arkansas.com.

The Four State Auto Museum covers over 100 years of automaking. The Draughon/Moore Ace of Clubs House was

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southern fiction

This Frozen World FICTION Marla Cantrell image Sandra Frey

T

There was an ice storm on the last day of December, so wide-

Something with a message about the end of traditional news

reaching it took down both a church steeple by the park and the

outlets, the last issue frozen in time. Ezra has these kinds of

rotating sign above the all-night, twenty-four-seven laundromat

thoughts a lot. He is too high-minded for his job as a meter

way over there at the edge of town.

reader for the water department.

Now, it is nine o’clock on the morning of January first, and Ezra

Ezra realizes that as soon as the roads are clear, he’ll be at it

McCoy is outside assessing the damage to the trees in his front

again. Dodging dogs that bite, fighting rose bushes that cover

yard. Mable insisted on planting two Bradford pears when they

the water meters, so problematic that he has come to carry

moved here twelve years ago. He was against it then, and if

a pair of pruning shears with him. He likes the physicality of

Mable were still around, he’d show her he was right.

the job when the weather’s nice, but he hates almost everything else. At thirty-seven, he thought he’d be farther along

The two trees are split in two. The one on the right side of the

than this. At thirty-seven, he thought he’d have a desk job and

driveway is cut down the middle, as if a mother had been tasked

maybe a flat-bottomed boat and a trailer to pull it.

with evenly dividing the last slice of pie for her squabbling twins.

The tree on the left looks as if it had its head cut off. All that’s

He slip-slides across the yard on his way back to his house.

left is the stubby trunk.

Inside, he sidles up beside his gas fireplace, another thing Mable insisted on that he sees the value in today.

“Well,” Ezra says, “isn’t that just about perfect.”

The knock at the front door startles him, and he catches a There’s a power line down on the ground at John Casey’s place.

glimpse of himself in the entryway mirror on his way to the

The Hawkins’ house has a rolled-up newspaper in the yard,

door. He needs a shave. He needs to pick up the living room.

encased in ice. It looks like something you’d see at an art show.

He hesitates. Maybe he should pretend he’s not home.

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southern fiction

His neighbor from around the corner, Sammie Cutberth, is

This is the first time Ezra’s seen Sammie up close in eighteen

standing on his porch. She is dressed in Carhart overalls the color

months, quite a feat for neighbors on this street. He’d started

of acorns. She has on brown jersey work gloves, a red knit scarf

taking the long way to work that bypassed her house. He’d spotted

around her neck, a wool coat she’s not buttoned.

her a few times at Walmart, but he’d always scurried away.

“Sammie,” he says as he opens the door.

In the light from the window, he can see the tiny lines around her eyes. She looks back at him, lifts her chin like she’s daring him to

She stands in his living room, in front of the fire, her hands spread

say a bad word. Ezra looks down at his feet.

wide to receive the heat. Two windows flank the fireplace and the icy light flooding the small room looks blue.

“You look pretty as the first day of spring, Sammie,” he says.

“I remembered you had a fireplace,” she says, and Ezra feels his

Ezra has never been the kind of man to hand out compliments,

face grow hot.

but he feels the rightness of these words. “Let me get you something to drink.”

There was about a year after Mable left when he was so lonely it felt as if his skin was crawling. He went through a slew of

It is easing up on nine thirty in the morning now, but he offers

women, all of them nice as could be just not Mable. During

her the Tennessee hard cider he keeps behind the coffee cups

that time, after considerable flirting, he had a disastrous date

in the kitchen cabinet anyway. “Life’s too short not to enjoy it,”

with Sammie, who cooked him chicken fried steak and mashed

Ezra says.

potatoes right in his own kitchen.

Sammie sits in the plush chair that used to be Mable’s and drinks He remembers telling her the meal wasn’t as good as what

in tiny sips. She shivers in between. He doesn’t know much about

Mable would have made. He remembers the way Sammie’s

her, but he’d have pegged her for a drinker before today.

smile slid off her face, how he could feel her body tense even though she was sitting across from him. She said, “You got no

“Do you enjoy it?” Sammie asks after a long bout of quiet

business dating,” and then she got up and left. He cleaned the

between the two.

kitchen alone. He gathered up the whisk she’d brought with her, the crystal tea pitcher. He left it on her doorstep so early

“Enjoy what?”

one morning it was still black outside.

“Life,” she says.

“Quite a storm,” Ezra says. “I guess you’re without electric.”

Ezra thinks for a minute. When Mable was here, his whole “I thought about going to Mama’s up in Chester, but there’s

purpose was making her happy. He hadn’t stopped to think if

no way I could make it on these roads. It got so cold in my

he was happy himself. Since then, he’d tried all kinds of things

house, I had to leave.” She looks toward the front door. “I tried

to find happiness, but he was starting to think happiness is

Annette’s house across the road first, but she’s not there. She

something that runs away when you chase it. “No,” he says.

must’ve gone somewhere for New Year’s.”

“Can’t say that I do.”

“Annette’s got that son that lives in St. Louis. She’s always going

Sammie takes another delicate sip. “That’s a shame,” she says,

there.” Ezra points to the couch then. “I slept there last night to

but then she starts to laugh until she doubles over. Holding up

be close to the fire.”

her hand, she says, “It’s the alcohol, I swear it is.”

“I slept under so many quilts, I couldn’t turn over, so I don’t think

Ezra feels the burn of her laughter. He wonders if she is thinking

I got more than an hour.” She touches the delicate skin below

of the night she cooked dinner for him, of his unkind words. He

her eyes. “I’m sure it shows here and here.”

wonders if he deserves this.

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southern fiction

“I owe you an apology,” Ezra says. “That night in the kitchen. I

“I know she loved him, but I think she needed to tell herself a

was awful.”

different story after he died. I think it was easier to live as if her big love story hollowed her out than to go out there and start

“I knew better,” Sammie says. “I’d been around Mable a little

writing a new book.”

bit. We took a cookie decorating class at the library a few years back. She couldn’t get the hang of piping on the frosting, and

“Do you think I’m like that?” Ezra asks, and Sammie shrugs. “I

it tore her up.

have no idea,” she says. “I just know Mable got married again real fast after you, and she’s on Facebook about every day with

“It was a cookie, for heaven’s sake. I don’t know about Mable,

a picture of her big house and foreign car and one of those

but I planned to eat mine on the way home. Stop and get a

designer dogs that are supposed to be pretty but aren’t.”

McDonald’s Coke, nothing better than a McDonald’s Coke, and I’d eat that cookie while I drove. Heck, I might eat two.”

Sammie stands, a little wobbly, and walks back to the fireplace.

“Lord help me, Ezra McCoy, but I still like the look of you.”

“I never knew Mable took that class. She was a canyon of secrets is what I think now.”

“Is that the cider talking or is that you?”

“So, anyway, when you asked me over, I figured she did every-

“A more adventurous man wouldn’t ask,” Sammie says, and he

thing like those 1950s housewives you see on TV. But then I

remembers the week they talked non-stop on the phone. The

wondered if you might be tired of perfection.”

week before the fated dinner.

Ezra plays a reel of their life inside his head. He sees Mable

Ezra grips the stocking cap, plants his feet on the floor. He

frowning as she looks at their decorated Christmas tree that

would never kiss her while she’s under the influence of anything

didn’t meet her expectations. He sees her standing on the

but him. But, my word, someday soon he is going to kiss her.

bathroom scale, her face bright with the agony of gaining two pounds. He sees her push his hand away when he tries to hold

“I like the look of you, Sammie Cutberth,” he says, and he wills

it in the car.

himself to stay put.

Outside, the wind blows, a low whistle on a hushed morning.

She looks at him and smiles, and the world seems to thaw as

Now and then another tree limb falls, a small explosion that

she does it. He wonders if this is what poets strive to capture but

disrupts this frozen world. Sammie sits on the edge of her chair.

never can.

She’s not wearing makeup. Her hair is wild. Ezra feels a tap on his heart, like a tiny knocking.

Ezra will spend years replaying this day, the first day of a brand-new year when Sammie Cutberth knocked on his door,

“My daddy died when I was six,” Sammie says. “My mama

and he opened it. That, he will decide, was the best decision

hasn’t remarried. She lives in the house he built on a piece of

of his life.

land that’s too big for her to handle. She wears her wedding ring still. I thought they must have been the happiest couple ever, but then my grandma took me aside one day and told me a different story. One where my daddy stayed gone a lot and my mama cried buckets.

Marla is teaching a short story class at Chapters on Main in January. Visit chaptersonmain.com for details.

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

DO SOUTH® MAGAZINE

2018 was one for the books, and we ended the year with Christmas parties, New Year ’s parties, and too much fast food as we sprinted around town shopping for just the right gift. Boy, did we have fun!

But now it ’s time to act like grownups again. A great way to start is by focusing on our wellbeing. That ’s where Do South® comes in. On the following pages, you’ll hear from local professionals who can help you look better, eat better, and take care of any health concerns you may have. By the time you’ve taken in all this information, you’ll be ready to take on 2019 like the champ you are!

dosouthmagazine.com

Norma Basinger, M.D. and Janet Newman, RN 8101 McClure Drive, Ste. 101, Fort Smith arveinandskincare.com 479.484.7100

Beauty Through Health 8500 South 36th Terrace, Fort Smith beautythroughhealth.net 479.648.1800

From childbirth to menopause, the female body can experience

How many times have you tried to lose weight? How many

remarkable changes. As rewarding as these changes may be, they can sometimes impair vaginal health and lead to vaginal stretching, loss of sexual sensation, and urinary incontinence.

To help restore your vaginal health, we offer diVaâ&#x201E;˘ laser treatment, which can improve the quality of your vaginal tissue by resurfacing the vaginal wall. For women suffering from sexual dysfunction or urinary incontinence, we offer the O-shot. The O-Shot harnesses your own bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healing abilities to stimulate collagen production and cellular regeneration in tissues

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Beauty through Health

times have you lost weight just to gain it back, and more?

Now is the time to make the change! Food is medicine.

Everything you eat affects your mood, energy, and health.

January will be the month of resolutions so make one to take control of your weight and health. Join me the second Monday of every month at the Main Branch of the Fort Smith Library at 6 pm. You will learn how to push through the Arbonne 30 Day Detox, eat clean, and avoid the foods that are making you sick.

that have lost elasticity and sensation.

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Lifestyle

4300 Rogers Ave., Ste. 15, Fort Smith centerforhearing.net 479.785.3277

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

BEING HEALTHY AND FIT ISN'T A FAD OR A TREND. IT'S A

Have you considered how much your hearing health affects your overall well-being and quality of life? For the majority of people, hearing loss is very gradual and can go unnoticed for years. Several health conditions can increase your risk of hearing loss. Some of them are: diabetes, hypertension, heart health, cancer treatments, and dementia. Aging also brings cognitive processing problems that can interfere with communication and can lead to memory loss, increased risk of falling and other accidents. Center for Hearing always recommends taking a proactive approach towards your hearing health. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll work together to help you hear your best.

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Beginning January 1, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Smith will be known as Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Smith. It will continue to provide the same high-quality, post-acute care for patients overcoming a variety of major illnesses and injuries. “Our new Encompass Health brand reflects more than the change of our name. It reinforces our commitment to working together to continuously improve the care we provide our patients,” said Dawn Watts, CEO of Encompass Health Fort Smith. “With a focus on clinical collaboration and strengthening relationships, we will continue to play an important role in making a difference in the lives of our patients.”

8434 Phoenix Ave. / 123 N. 18th St., Fort Smith Find us on Facebook 479.649.8200 / 479.782.6183

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

1401 South J Street, Fort Smith encompasshealth.com 479.785.3300

The new year is upon us, and Olde Fashioned Foods is here to help with any New Year’s goals you may be working towards.

We carry wholesome foods like organic produce, locally sourced items such as fresh-baked bread and products that cater to those on a special diet, including vitamins and supplements. Don't forget 2019 is a special year for us! We are celebrating our 60th year in business by offering 3 weekends with 15% off the entire store: April 5th-7th, August 2nd-4th, December 6th-8th. Olde Fashioned Foods, family owned and argued over since 1959.

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

1915 S 74th St, Fort Smith methodistvillage.com 479.452.1611 Methodist Village Senior Living provides skilled nursing services, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapies to assist with recovering from surgery, an illness, or in the treatment of complex medical conditions. Methodist boasts the largest selection of private rooms in the area and offers many amenities including cable, phone, and wireless communication, massage therapy services, a chaplain on staff, and daily recreational activities. In 2019, Methodist will open the doors on the area’s most comprehensive continuum-of-care facility; a 26-bed Assisted Living Center and a 19-bed Alzheimer’s Special Care Unit. For more information on Methodist

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Village Senior Living, visit methodistvillage.com.

Ann K. Passmore, M.D. / F.A.C.S 2717 S. 74th Street, Fort Smith passmoreplasticsurgery.com 479.274.6600 You can achieve a new look in the new year by combining affordable pricing with the expertise of Dr. Ann Passmore.

Many have chosen Botox®, other injectables, and customized skin care treatments to achieve a more youthful appearance.

Now it’s your turn. At Passmore Plastic Surgery, you'll receive products and procedures selected for your skin and your budget, and the best possible results from a Board-Certified cosmetic surgeon, specially trained in facial anatomy.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS

John Wright, D.P.M. 600 South 21st Street, Fort Smith 479.242.3668 (FOOT) wrightpodiatry.com Are your toenails yellow, brittle or thickened? It’s time to stop being embarrassed by ugly, unsightly toenails! Stop hiding

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Read Chair Publishing, LLC 4300 Rogers Avenue, Suite 20-110 Fort Smith, AR 72903