Verve | Spring 2018

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VERVE Spring 2018

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The audience for print and digital magazines increased by 5.4 million adults 18 years or older from 2015–2016.

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CONTENTS

60

8

Feature Story

Health & Lifestyle

Arts & Culture

60 Empty Space is Transformed

5 Healthy Aging

16 Heart Beats in Harmony

to Sexy & Modern Lisa Palmer, Founder & Principal Designer of Summerhouse, discusses her approach to creating “a feeling” using the client’s existing furniture in his Jackson home transformation.

Through Strength & Flexibility

10 strengthening and stretching exercises to help you remain injury free as you age.

8 Arm Your Immune

System with Super-foods

Adding these foods to your diet can have an immediate impact in your body’s ability to fight off illness and disease.

12 Go With Your Gut

When it Signals a Problem

An imbalance in bacteria is a major contributor to more illnesses than you realize. We’ll show you the science and offer solutions.

On the Cover A shot from our feature story on page 60, “Empty Space is Transformed to Sexy & Modern.”

Photo by Tom Beck

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VERVE Spring 2018

Teneia Sanders-Eichelberger and Ben Eichelberger of Heart Society live for the music while also living life more fully. The folk-soul-rockand-roll release of their new album Wake the Queens is a further evolution of the band’s sound.

22 Art Imitates Life in

Botanical Sculptures

Artist Trailer McQuilkin works to document endangered wildflowers with a hammer, anvil, and steady paint brush before they are lost.

Home + Health Issue

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46

54

Travel & Leisure

Inspiration & Vision

Food & Home

30 Indulge Yourself Like

46 Go Sell it on the Mountain

54 The Butcher, The Baker,

a Local in New Orleans

There’s more to New Orleans than the French Quarter and Garden District. We’ll show you how the locals have fun in the Bywater and Marigny neighborhoods.

38 Unique Culture

Unites Neighborhoods

Many New Orleans traditions are well known, but the colorful culture of Mardi Gras Indians remains a mystery to outsiders. We’ll share their history and give you a behind the scenes look at their traditions.

Entrepreneurs Richard and Juli Rhett have journeyed from the jungles of Central America to the Shark Tank with the dream to build high quality adventure gear while also providing clean drinking water where it all began.

52 Verve’s Guide to

Actually Enjoying Camping

Getting to the great outdoors can be daunting if you’re an inexperienced camper. We provide tips to help you get creative and bring the right supplies so your next camping experience is fun and memorable.

The Barbeque Maker

Chef and Owner of The Flora Butcher, David Raines, flexes his culinary muscle in a new and different way with his restaurant venture, Dave’s Triple B.

66 2018 Home Design Trends

Fresh off the Fall 2017 High Point Market, we get the designer perspective on twelve trends that are most expected to show up in southern homes.

68 Create Curb Envy With

Some Simple Changes

Inexpensive exterior home changes that offer a big impact and expert landscaping advice to help you update your tired yard.

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PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Rich Winter

CO-EDITORS

Rich Winter, Amy Winter CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Welcome to Verve magazine, Mississippi’s freshest lifestyle

Meghan Holmes, Susan Marquez, Julian Rankin, Amy Winter

magazine. To understand what Verve is about is to understand the very definition of the word. When we set out to create our magazine, we needed a name that represented the spirit and

PHOTOGRAPHERS

enthusiasm found in the people and culture that define our

Tom & Kasi Beck, Paul Broussard, Green Oak Florist, Ryan HodgsonRigsbee, Pableaux Johnson, Cheyenne McQuilkin, Rhett Family, Zach Smith, Michael Terranova, Rich Winter

region. Luckily for us, there’s one word that does just that—Verve.

Verve magazine is printed quarterly and distributed by mail to 5,000+ households, 35+ racks, and over 280 drop-off locations throughout Jackson, Madison, Ridgeland, Flowood, Brandon, and Clinton including restaurants, hotels, retail stores and offices.

232 Market St, Bldg K Flowood, MS 39232 Office: 601.914.7219 sales@vervesouth.com www.vervesouth.com All rights reserved.

No portion of Verve magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher of Verve.

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VERVE Spring 2018

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hard-working hands, creative minds, and compassionate hearts that embody the best of our unique Southern culture. Our pages provide engaging content and beautiful photography spanning subjects from travel, culture, and the arts, to food, health, and entertaining with some surprises in between. Each seasonal issue speaks to the spirit and soul of our diverse region with meaningful, fun, optimistic, and valuable information that will enrich and empower your life.

At Verve magazine, we’re serious about our work, but we’re not too serious about ourselves. We value curiosity, honesty, generosity and hard work while we also embrace the ingenuity and uniqueness found in the charming residents and beautiful communities throughout our state. We believe in supporting

VERVE CREATIVE

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From cover to cover, Verve magazine celebrates stories of the

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creativity wherever we find it and supporting local businesses that enrich our culture and economy.

Whether you have a head for business or a heart for home, an eye for design or the hands for healing, we hope to provide you with a timeless resource you may rely on for daily inspiration and enjoyment.

Please visit us on the web at www.vervesouth.com. Our website features a digital version of our magazine and bonus content including recipes, photo galleries, and videos. You can also register to receive a subscription of Verve delivered to your door.

H E A LT H Y AG I N G

THROUGH STRENGTH & FLEXIBILIT Y story by AMY WINTER

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photography by RICH WINTER

s we age, strength and flexibility become

sees many problems associated with reduced strength

an increasingly important part of the

and flexibility. “I’m seeing lots of osteoporosis and poor

equation for overall health. Adequate

joint health,” she says. Common problems she sees

strength a nd f lexibility is necessa r y

include low back strain, weak gluteus muscles, and

for completing everyday activities, such as doing

tight hamstrings. She explained that sitting at a desk

laundry or light gardening, and maintaining a high

for long periods of time and leaning forward to type on

quality of life. Part of the aging process includes a

a keyboard cause muscles to shorten and pull the body

natural loss of muscle and tendon strength, mobility,

into improper alignment. Miller states, “Activities like

and balance. According to Harvard Medical School,

yoga and Pilates help you pay attention to alignment.

people over the age of thirty with sedentary lifestyles

You don’t focus on alignment with fast activities. Being

can lose up to 5% of lean muscle mass each decade.

out of alignment leads to injury.”

This can lead to reduced muscle elasticity, reduced

It’s important as we age to maintain balance and

coordination, and an increased likelihood for injuries

strength for joint health, mobility, and reducing the

like strains and tears.

development or severity of arthritis and other chronic

Jacy Miller, Certified Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor and owner of Connections Pilates in Madison,

diseases. Miller states, “Strength training is just as important as flexibility as we age.”

JACY MILLER Certified Personal Trainer, Yoga & Pilates Instructor, and Owner of Connections Pilates in Madison She has accumulated 200 hrs. of training through the Yoga Alliance and 450 hrs. of training through the Pilates Method Alliance

CONNECTIONS PILATES 1485 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 110 Madison, MS 39110 | Phone 769.300.2303 www.connectionspilates.com

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Here are stretches and strength exercises that Jacy says will address some of the most common complaints and problems she sees in her studio.

A tight psoas muscle is a common reason for back pain, uneven leg length and hip pain.

Practice hip flexor stretches daily if you work in an office or run regularly.

Tip: Miller adds, “Standing on one foot is a great way to improve balance.”

BRIDGE

Pelvic lift that works glutes and hip flexors and strengthens the low back and core. This stretch also opens the shoulders and chest.

MODIFIED PLANK

Isometric exercise that uses your body weight to engage all core muscles. You may also start on your elbows and transition to the top position of a push-up for the Full Plank position.

PIGEON

Great for opening the hips and lengthening the hip flexor and psoas. Be mindful of alignment to protect your knees.

UPSIDE DOWN PIGEON

Activities like yoga and Pilates help you pay attention to alignment. You don’t focus on alignment with fast activities. Being out of alignment leads to injury.

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VERVE Spring 2018

If you experience knee pressure or pain while trying to do the traditional Pigeon Pose, use this modification.

HIGH LUNGE

Also known as crescent pose, this stretch lengthens the spine and strengthens the legs, hips and thighs.

QUADRICEP/HIP FLEXOR STRETCH

A really great stretch for those that work at a desk all day. Stretching and lengthening the quadriceps, hip flexors and the psoas lessens stress on the lower back and knees.

CAMEL POSE

Deep back bend that strengthens the back and stretches the chest, shoulders and quadriceps.

CAMEL POSE MODIFICATION

If you aren’t yet flexible enough or experience pain while trying to do the traditional Camel Pose, use this modification.

SIDE PLANK

Tight IT bands cause knee pain. Relief can be found by using a fascia roller on the outer thigh.

These poses can be practiced at home. However, it’s best to get instruction from a certified yoga or pilates instructor to assure correct form and reduce the likelihood of injury. Connections Pilates offers Pilates and yoga classes, along with massage and individual consultation.

Please consult your physician or healthcare provider before beginning a new exercise routine.

A powerful wrist, arm and core strengthener.

Avoid this pose if you have wrist, elbow or shoulder injuries.

THE HUNDRED PILATES POSE

A classic Pilates pose that builds core strength and stamina.

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ARM YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

WITH SUPER-FOODS story by AMY WINTER

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s a dietitian, I get asked all the time about what

gut health in this edition of Verve), minerals and healthy

foods people should be eating. Everyone is looking

fats, among others. For those who need rescuing from

for that one super food. The truth is, a diet that

their food rut or others that want to make some positive

is primarily made up of plant-based, whole foods

changes to their eating habits, here are some foods that

(versus processed foods) like fruits and vegetables with some healthy fats and proteins thrown in seems to be the best.

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offer exceptional health benefits: PECANS contain vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and

SUPER-FOODS aren’t a specific food group or list. Rather,

healthy fats that promote heart and artery health, reduce

they are those foods packed with nutrients, vitamins, and

inflammation and lower blood pressure. Eating nuts regularly

minerals that help us ward off disease and live a long,

as part of a healthy diet can reduce the risk of several

healthful life. Super-foods contain high levels of active

degenerative diseases like arthritis and heart disease.

compounds that work together to help the body do what it

ARTICHOKES contain antioxidants called flavonoids and

needs to every day: supply us with energy, rid our bodies

quercitin that play a role in defending cells against cancer

of waste and toxins, and provide healing. Antioxidants

and reducing inflammation throughout the body. Research

are probably the most well known of these due to their

indicates they may protect the liver against damage and

ability to decrease the risk for cancer, reduce cell damage

toxicity and fight against breast cancer. Artichokes are also

and inflammation, and prevent or treat chronic diseases

an excellent source of fiber. An increase in fiber-rich foods

like arthritis and diabetes. But there are other important

promotes feelings of fullness, assists with weight loss, and

things in foods, such as fiber, probiotics (see the article on

helps maintain optimal blood glucose levels.

VERVE Spring 2018

CLOVES, a nutritional powerhouse,

have been show n to lower r isks of diabetes and prediabetes by reducing blood triglycerides and glucose. Gram for gram, cloves contain more antioxidants than blueberries.

CINN A MON , the powdered i n ner

bark of cinnamomum trees, has been shown to reduce or prevent tumors,

Most adults need to eat 7-10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A serving is 1 cup of raw vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, 1/2 cup of fruit or 1 small piece of fruit (apple, orange, etc.).

lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and regulate blood sugar. Look for Ceylon cinnamon.

RED OR PURPLE CABBAGE is rich in anthocyanins, indoles,

and vitamin C, all very powerful antioxidants that boost the

HIBISCUS TEA has more antioxidants

cup for cup than green tea. Sipping on hibiscus tea throughout the day is a good way to keep a ntioxida nts levels high, just another weapon in your ca ncer-fighting a rsena l. A lso, hibiscus tea has been shown to be as effective as a leading blood pressure drug without the potential side effects.

Look for hibiscus as one of the leading

ingredients in popular tea brands such as Celestial Seasonings fruit and berry teas, Raspberry Zinger, and Tazo passion tea.

immune system and fight inflammation. If you suffer from

SALMON , when it’s wild caught rather than farmed,

joint pain or arthritis, add red cabbage to your rotation.

is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 rich foods are

Anthocyanins, also found in cherries and blueberries, reduces

show n to increase brain functions like memor y and

inflammation and joint pain. The insoluble fiber in cabbage

mood, decrease osteoporosis and reduce the risks of

helps with elimination and reduces symptoms of diverticular

Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s. Children who eat

disease and irritable bowel. In terms of the biggest nutritional

salmon regularly have better academic performance and

bang for your buck, you cannot beat red cabbage.

fewer ADHD symptoms.

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The FreSh MarkeT

L’occiTane en Provence

FERMENTED FOODS such as kimchi, kefir, yogurt,

and sauerkraut add good bacteria to our bodies. These bacteria protect the lining of the intestines by shielding us from harmful bacteria like salmonella and E. coli, thus boosting our immune systems. Eat plenty of these foods if you’ve recently taken antibiotics or struggle with Candida.

Renaissance

Fermented foods can reduce symptoms of irritable bowel disease, improve digestion, and improve bone density.

TURMERIC contains curcumin, the compound that gives

Your Health and Beauty Destination.

turmeric and mustard their yellow color. Turmeric is known for its anti cancer, anti inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Think Pac-Man gobbling up cancer-causing agents and removing them from your body.

GREEN, LEAFY VEGETABLES including kale, collard greens,

and spinach are rich in the carotenoid lutein. Lutein reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in those over age 65. In fact, those with existing eye damage can slow further damage by getting plenty of lutein in their diet. Lutein also lowers the risks of several

SePhora

Panera Bread

types of cancer, including breast, lung, colon and prostate.

Bonus foods: they’re not just for the holidays. Incorporate these super-foods into your healthful eating throughout the year.

CRANBERRIES contain one of the highest antioxidant

counts of any fruit. Cranberries are known for reducing the severity of urinary tract infections, but they also combat inflammation and may prevent breast, colon, lung and prostate cancers. Studies indicate that eating

Whether you’re in need of a pampering salon or spa experience, in search of health and beauty essentials, or an escape from the stress of your day, you’ll find your renewal at Renaissance.

raw cranberries (not dried) can decrease blood pressure.

SWEET POTATOES are an excellent source of potassium,

vitamins A and C, and fiber, For those cutting back on simple carbohydrates such as bread and pasta, root vegetables offer a more healthful choice and are very satisfying. Beta carotene, the antioxidant responsible for a sweet potato’s bright orange color, promotes healthy vision and respiratory health.

Supplements do not work in the same way that foods do.

Foods contain nutrients and vitamins that work together to have the greatest benefit for the body. Supplements are not necessarily packaged this way or in the correct proportions. In fact, high doses of isolated vitamins and minerals may cause more harm than good and can create problems or side effects. Eating a healthy, varied, fruit and vegetable heavy diet including lean protein and healthy fats is the best and safest way to get what your body needs.

FInd us On FACebOOk

I-55 at Old Agency Road, Ridgeland, Mississippi | 601.519.0900 See all our retail stores and restaurants online at www.RenaissanceAtColonyPark.com For leasing information, contact The Mattiace Company at 601.352.1818.

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VERVE Spring 2018

GI Associates is Fighting

COLON CANCER! In addition to our research, outreach, and daily efforts to fight colon cancer, we step it up in March.

2018

On March 24, we will provide 50 colonoscopies to people in our community who are without resources.

We celebrate our physicians and staff in helping those in need.

On March 31, join GI Associates for a fun and healthy way to increase colon cancer awareness.

Register for the Race and Walk at www.buttsandgutsrace.com.

GI Excellence Lives Here Flowood / Madison / Vicksburg VERVESOUTH.COM 11 601.355.1234 www.gi.md

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VERVE Spring 2018

GO WITH YOUR GUT WHEN IT SIGNALS A PROBLEM story by AMY WINTER

D

igestive problems can be embarrassing

even skin problems. Yet fixes to many problems can

to discuss in polite company, so many

be as simple as making informed lifestyle changes

of us suffer in silence and may not even

to get back on track.

seek medical advice until the problem

can no longer be ignored. In fact, digestive diseases

LET’S LOOK AT THE SCIENCE

are a common medical problem affecting 60 to 70

About 100 trillion bacteria live in our bodies

million people and accounting for over $141.8 billion

and make up the ecosystem called the intestinal

in annual US medical costs according to the National

microbiome. The microbiome assists with the

Institutes of Health. Growing medical research has

absorption of beneficial nutrients that fuel our bodies,

directly linked gut problems with food allergies,

fights against unwelcome harmful organisms, and

autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, poor digestion,

rids our bodies of toxins. The unique assortment of

inflammatory bowel disease, mood disorders and

microorganisms in our intestines influences immunity, inflammation, detoxification, and even our mental health. “Research is revealing that poor gut health can lead to inflammation and chronic disease,”

Research is revealing that poor gut health can lead to inflammation and chronic disease. There is also ongoing research about the presence of different bacterial combinations in obese and thin people.

Dr. Michelle Petro, Gastroenterologist, GI Associates and Endoscopy Center

explains Dr. Michelle Petro, a gastroenterologist at GI Associates and Endoscopy Centers in Flowood and Madison, MS. “There is also ongoing research about the presence of different bacterial combinations in obese and thin people,” Petro states. Good gut health may be the key to improved overall health, reduced pain and disability, and the prevention of disease.

Harvard researchers looked at combinations of the 1,000 species of bacteria commonly found in the gut and reported that healthy people have specific combinations of distinct bacterial strains. These healthy bacterial combinations seem to have a

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protective effect against specific illnesses and conditions.

Conditions and Diseases Related to Poor Gut Health

In 2016, Mayo Clinic researchers identified bacteria living in the intestine as the possible cause of rheumatoid arthritis. The study suggests that a microbial imbalance in rheumatoid arthritis patients results from the abundance

• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease • Gallstones • Celiac Disease • Crohn’s Disease Colitis • Diverticulitis • Food allergies or food sensitivities.

• Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Hashimoto’s Disease, lupus, and Sjogrens syndrome.

• Chronic pain in joints and muscles, including arthritis and fibromyalgia, are related to poor gut health.

• Poor digestion, including bloating, gas, constipation, loose stools, heartburn and nutrient malabsorption.

• Mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression.

• Skin problems, including eczema, psoriasis, rosacea and acne.

• An estimated 10 to 15 percent of people worldwide suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, and of that percentage, between 25 and 45 million people live in the U.S., according to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.

of certain bacteria and a lack of beneficial bacteria. Petro shares, “Research is revealing that with poor gut health, bacteria can leak out of the gut and into the bloodstream, leading to inflammation and potentially chronic disease.”

Other studies have also identified particular strains of gut bacteria that may be responsible for regulating the genes that protect against leukemia, lymphoma, and other cancers. Certain bacterial strains have even been found to prevent inflammation that leads to fatty plaque buildup and heart disease.

The main factors that affect your personal bacterial mix are age, diet, environment, genes, and medications (specifically antibiotics, which can significantly reduce both harmful and beneficial bacteria). While we don’t have much control over growing older or our DNA, we can make lifestyle changes that increase the number of beneficial bacteria in our bodies.

THE AFFECTS OF ANTIBIOTICS You do not need an antibiotic every time you are sick.

Antibiotics play an important role in treating bacterial infections, but they aren’t needed for viral infections like cold and flu. Anytime an antibiotic is used, both good and bad bacteria are killed. Overuse of antibiotics leads to reduced numbers of the beneficial bacteria that are needed in the gut. When prescribed antibiotics by your doctor, ask for the shortest course or alternate forms of treatment.

THE ROLE OF STRESS Stress affects the balance and number of bacteria in the gut. Chronic stress decreases the number of good bacteria and weakens the intestinal lining, thereby reducing the body’s ability to fight infection. “Stress can lead to negative effects on your whole body,” says Petro. Gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters like serotonin that communicate with the

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VERVE Spring 2018

brain to deal with stress and to regulate mood. A stressed

plant-based foods and healthy fats (think avocado, walnuts,

microbiome is associated with inflammation that can lead to

olive oil). Petro stated that people need to reduce intake of

poor mental health (anxiety and depression) and a decreased

sugar, processed foods, and refined grains and breads and

sense of well being.

increase intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

Fermented foods are the gut health all stars. These foods

FIBER AND PREBIOTICS

are probiotics, foods that add good bacteria to your body.

Good gut health includes fiber rich foods. Fiber fuels gut

Kefir, kombucha, yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi

bacteria, ushers out unhealthy pathogens and improves

supply the gut with healthy microorganisms that force out

elimination. Prebiotics are indigestible plant fibers that

the bad bacteria. Adding these healthy bacteria to the gut

nourish gut bacteria. The body can’t break down these

improves biodiversity, the types of bacteria found in the gut,

fibers, but gut bacteria can. This fiber helps good bacteria

leading to an improved immune system and overall health.

thrive. Dietary sources of prebiotic fiber include bananas, onions, garlic, artichokes, apples, and beans.

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are packed with glucosinolates that are broken down by bacteria in the colon and fight inflammation and reduce cancer-causing free radicals.

Legumes, such as pinto beans, navy beans, and black beans, release short-chain fatty acids that strengthen intestinal cells and improve absorption. Legumes add fiber, which promotes a feeling of fullness and assists with weight loss.

Blueberries are high in antioxidants and fiber, all of which diversify gut bacteria and improve our immune system.

Sweet n Sauer is a Jackson-based company that produces fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kombucha, fermented mustard, and kimchi. Ingredients are sourced from local

ORGANIC FOODS IN YOUR DIET

farmers and produced in small batches. Sweet n Sauer

Many foods in our food supply contain antibiotics and

products are available in Jackson, Oxford, Cleveland, and

pesticides. Antibiotics, like those used in cattle to produce

Meridian. Check out their website at www.sweetandsauer.

beef or milk, are transferred to a person’s body once they

com or Facebook page for more details.

are consumed. The same is true for pesticides on produce.

Antibiotics and pesticides negatively affect our bodies over time

For more information on gut health, check out Dr. Susan

by depleting gut bacteria and disrupting bodily systems and

Blum’s book, The Immune System Recovery Plan and Sondi

hormones. To reduce your intake of antibiotics and pesticides,

Bruner’s book, Anti-Inflammatory Diet in 21: 100 Recipes,

buy organic as often as possible.

5 Ingredients, and 3 Weeks to Fight Inflammation.

Yes, buying organic can be more expensive, but the Environmental Working Group has a guide to the Dirty Dozen, the non-organic fruits and vegetables that are highest in pesticide residue. Go to www.ewg.org to download the checklist.

You can positively influence gut bacteria by changing what you eat. Gut bacteria flourish from a varied diet of colorful,

This information is provided as a guide for improving overall health and wellbeing. Please consult a physician or healthcare provider if you feel you have a medical problem.

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VERVE Spring 2018

H E A R T B E AT S IN HARMONY

story by JULIAN RANKIN

T

photography by TOM & KASI BECK

eneia Sanders-Eichelberger and Ben

tapes on family road trips. Before meeting Teneia,

Eichelberger of Heart Society live

Ben was a flight instructor. “I had put the music

for the music. They live for each

dream on the back burner,” he said. “Meeting

other. They live in an RV. Heart

Teneia is what helped reignite that for me.”

Society, the musicians say, is more than a band; it’s a movement.

Their ongoing musical road trip was made possible by their loyal fans and friends, who

Their choice of domicile embodies their belief in

contributed more than $20,000 to the duo’s

personal freedom and open-ended

2015 IndieGogo campaign to

possibility. And it allows them to

purchase the RV and launch the

share their message of love across

sojourn. “We are crazy kids in

the land in any community with an access road. The couple can’t believe it’s been almost three years since they set sail from Phoenix, Arizona to pursue their dreams, in their Sea Breeze dubbed “the tiny musical house,” retrofitted with a mobile recording booth.

We had a vision of getting out on the road, and not just playing good music, but living life more fully.

love,” Teneia told the world of their crazy idea. But for a couple who announced their 2014 marriage by eloping on camera for a music video, a journey of surprises made complete sense. They document their adventures in a YouTube series and share humorous and

“We had a vision of getting out on the road,

poignant moments along the way: Teneia drives

and not just playing good music, but living life

a John Deere in Iowa; beautiful vistas in Utah;

more fully,” says Ben.

reflections on a rough week in Washington state;

Teneia is a fiercely independent black woman

answering fan questions - “are you ready to kill

from Mississippi with killer pipes rooted in the

each other?” Through it all, the common thread has

gospel church, who commands the stage without

been self-discovery. Their continued development

fear. Ben is a brawny white Iowan whose first

as husband and wife and as performers is an

musical epiphany came listening to Garth Brooks

outgrowth of that initial leap of faith.

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VERVE Spring 2018

Over the past year, they’ve made Jackson their home base, writing and recording their new EP,

themselves bridge a color line that would not have been acceptable or even legal some decades ago.

“Wake the Queens,” with producer Kent Bruce at

Ben’s conservative Midwestern parents were

Malaco Records and the multi-talented musician and

initially blindsided when their son left his aviation

comedienne Rita B on drums. The folk-soul-rock-and-

career for a life on the road with Teneia. Now, they

roll release “is a female empowerment album,” says

have forged shared bonds with Teneia’s boisterous

Teneia. “An album about women standing strong

and welcoming Deep South side of the family. The

in who they are and speaking their truth.” It also

personal awakenings that remake the narratives

embodies more universal empowerment, adds Ben,

of diversity in America come one experience, one

“of marginalized groups, minorities, people who are

story, one heart at a time.

pushed to the side [whose] voices are not heard.”

Heart Society’s new release also represents a

Heart Society responds to the frustrations and

continued evolution of sound and process. Teneia

inequities of an increasingly divided world with

has always been the songwriter, ever since she

musical messages of acceptance for people from all

started penning love songs at the age of eight.

different backgrounds. After all, Ben and Teneia

What had for many years been a relatively solitary

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VERVE Spring 2018

creative endeavor is now integrated with Ben’s rock

in Iowa illustrate how far they’ve come and how

sensibility and his talents for musical arrangement.

expansive their world has become. Teneia burst

“Getting Ben’s personality in the songs has been

into laughter as her husband unabashedly recites

really great,” says Teneia. “It’s added a different

the decades-old verses:

dynamic that I normally wouldn’t go for, like these

We’re the funky farmers and we’re here to say,

rocking guitar lines. That, for us, is finding our

you better mow and bale your hay. Fill your bins up

groove together as a team. This last year was it.”

to the brim, or your livestock will get thin.

E ven w h i le work i n g on

“That’s just a banger, man,”

perfecting “Wake the Queens,”

he chuckles.

Heart Society has still been thrilling crowds, from playing the historic opening of the Mississippi Civ i l Rights Museum to rocking out on the open seas as part of Cayamo, A Jou r ney T h rou g h Son g, aboard the Norwegian Pearl cruise liner. The band earned

To b e i n lo v e d o e s not

Wake the Queens is a female empowerment album. An album about women standing strong in who they are and speaking their truth.

a coveted spot at Cayamo by popular vote as part

requi re sa meness, on ly a n understanding that all people are people, regardless of gender or color or origin. “Here’s who I am. Here’s who you are,” Teneia related to Ben when they got together. “We’re both equal in how we show up in the world.

And let’s move forward in that way.”

of the Sixthman Soundcheck competition, making

Teneia still doesn’t know everything about the

the trip from New Orleans to Cozumel and Belize.

punk-rock bands that Ben listened to in high school,

They shared a stellar bill with heavyweights like

like NOFX and the Deftones. Ben isn’t an expert on

Grammy award winners John Prine, Patti Griffin,

Luther Vandross or Ani DiFranco, both influences

and Lee Ann Womack.

of Teneia’s. But here in Mississippi, they’ve found

There is no way of predicting the future, which is why Teneia and Ben have chosen to make their own

commonality in the ubiquitous blues groove that permeates the place.

way in the world. They draw collective inspiration

“We were able to marry our styles, even though

from their own distinctive personal experiences.

they weren’t necessarily similar on the surface,”

The amateur “rap” lyrics Ben wrote as a young boy

Ben says. “At the foundation, they really were.”

Heart Society’s Debut EP, Wake the Queens, including their single “What’s on Your Mind, Kid?” is available now on Spotify, Tidal, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Music, and Bandcamp.

To learn more about the band and see a schedule of upcoming shows, go to www.heartsocietymusic.com.

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A R T I M I TAT E S L I F E I N B OTA N I C A L S C U L P T U R E S

story by SUSAN MARQUEZ

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VERVE Spring 2018

photography by CHEYENNE MCQUILKIN & MICHAEL TERRANOVA

T

he delicate petals of a Longleaf Lobelia. The tall, hollow leaves of the carnivorous Sweet Pitcher Plant. And the perfectly imperfect Common Blue Violet. As wildflowers, they decorate the landscape just as a string of pearls decorates a socialite. Yet each unique plant is as different from one another as a German

shepherd is to a Chihuahua. It’s those unique qualities that attract artist Trailer McQuilkin to create botanical studies that are so realistic, a trained botanist may have a hard time distinguishing art from reality.

McQuilkin may well be the only artist in the world who creates realistic-looking sculptures of wildflowers using thin copper sheets, copper wire, metal primer, oil paints, and found objects from nature. His career as an artist progressed organically, so to speak, as McQuilkin never set out to do what he’s doing, yet he can’t imagine doing anything else.

“I’m unhireable to do anything else!”

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VERVE Spring 2018

The son of a Nav y pilot, McQuilkin grew up

He got his break when he was hired to work for a

spending a few years in one place before moving

photographer in 1967. “My very first job was at one

on to the next, mostly along the East Coast. “We

of the first Jazz Festivals at the auditorium in New

landed in Virginia Beach, and I became one of the

Orleans. Count Basie and other characters where

first surfers there,” McQuilkin recalls. “All I cared

there.” The photographer moved to Houston, and

about was surfing.” When it came time to go to

McQuilkin decided to hang back in New Orleans.

college, he looked at the schools in Louisiana, where

He thought he could hone his art skills by working

the family had kept its residency. “My mother was

with other artists, including Joey Bonhage, with

from New Orleans, and I spent each Christmas at

whom he’d gotten his first experience in creating

my grandparents’ home there. I went to LSU for the

metal plant art. “He gave me a pair of metal shears

in-state tuition, and I majored in business, which I

and some tin discs and had me cut out 50 pieces

hated. My real education came from hanging out in

using a pattern. I did that for six weeks. After

the French Quarter in New Orleans. “I met painters,

that short apprenticeship, if you can call it that,

sculptors, writers and other creatives there. My

I decided to make my own plant sculptures. I

brother and friend, David Baker, were both graphic

created some pretty crude flowers and although

designers, and I loved what they did. I ended up in

I had no painting experience, I tried my hand at

New Orleans and tried to figure out how to be in art.”

painting them. I showed them to my aunt who

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owned a gift shop, and she bought all five pieces

While in Pennsylvania, McQuilkin met Frank

I had made for $10 each. It wasn’t long before she

Fowler, who represented artist Andrew Wyeth. “He

called and told me she had sold them all.”

asked if I could go see him.” He wanted to commission

Realizing he was on to something, McQuilkin

McQuilkin to make a Christmas present for Wyeth.

began teaching himself how to paint. Within a

“Andrew Wyeth summered in Maine, and Frank

year and a half his work was in a few galleries. “I

wanted me to make a Maine blueberry plant. I had

did a garden show in New Orleans and the social

to work from books, without seeing the actual plant,

editor of the Times-Picay une, a friend of my

which was difficult.”

mother’s, saw it and said she knew someone in

Time passed and America’s Bicentennial was coming

Baltimore. I had sold about 70% of my work in the

up in 1976. McQuilkin heard that each state was doing

garden show, so I took what I had left to Baltimore.

a project that related to that state, and McQuilkin

While we were up there, my girlfriend (now my

approached Edith Stern, a New Orleans author,

wife) and I went to New York to visit my brother.

philanthropist about it. When she met him, Stern

While there, I met a buyer

said to forget the Bicentennial

from a fancy dress shop who

and she asked McQuilkin to

said I needed to go see Gene

do a collection for Longue

Moore, who had been the window designer at Tiffany’s since the 1940s. I called his office and he asked me if I had an appointment. When I told him I didn’t and that I was leaving the next day, he asked me where I was from.

Once I told him I was from New Orleans, he softened

Andrew Wyeth summered in Maine, and Frank wanted me to make a Maine blueberry plant. I had to work from books, without seeing the actual plant, which was difficult.

where she lived. She wanted him to create a collection of wildflowers found throughout the city and gardens. “That’s when I transitioned from using books to working from real plants. I needed the threedimensional aspect to create a three-dimensional product.

and said he was from Birmingham and he hadn’t

The petals of a flower look different when looking

spoken to a Southerner in so long. He said, ‘Come

down at them than they do from underneath.” That

on up,’ so I did.”

commission took him two and a half years, as it takes

Moore took one look at McQuilkin’s work and asked if he’d like to do the Easter window displays

26

Vue Gardens in New Orleans,

at least two months to complete one piece. There are 20 pieces in that collection.

for Tiffany’s. Of course, he did. A year later, Moore

McQuilkin’s work places the flowers he makes in

had special fountains made in Italy and wanted

their natural habitat. While the stems, leaves and

McQuilkin to create some trees to go with them. On

flowers are all made of copper, he will use some

the way back from New York, McQuilkin stopped

found objects from the plant’s habitat to create a

in Pennsylvania where a friend was opening an art

sense of realism. It’s difficult to tell when the natural

gallery. “I left him five or six pieces, and by the time

elements end and the art begins. On the ground

I got back to New Orleans, he had sold them all. The

around the flower’s stem there may be leaves from

gallery had not even opened yet!”

the tree canopy that would be above it, and it’s not

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I guess I do consider myself a conservationist. We are losing plants at an alarming rate. That’s what makes my work important. It may be what people in the future see instead of the real thing.

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VERVE Spring 2018

unusual to see small bug bites and other blemishes

That’s what makes my work important. It may be

on the leaves. “People love the bug bites,” McQuilkin

what people in the future see instead of the real

laughs. His techniques, all self-taught, include

thing.” McQuilkin works closely with botanists and

cutting, soldering, incising and painting.

horticulturists. “Part of the deal in working with

As his work became more intricate and accurate,

endangered plants is that if they let me have access

McQuilkin began working with botanists to make

to the plants, I can dig them up, do my work, then I

sure each detail was correct. His work became

have to replant them in the same place. That gives

more well-known in botanical garden circles and he

me a very small window in which to work – about

was asked to do a fundraising show for the Atlanta

two weeks to one month. When working on a piece,

Botanical Gardens, which were under construction

I work seven days a week, eight to twelve hours a

at the time. He was approached by Georgia flower

day. Flowers are translucent in sunlight and I try

enthusiast and philanthropist Deen Day Sanders

to capture that glow. I try also to capture the whole

about creating a collection for her corporation.

life cycle of a flower, from bud to flower to seed and

McQuilkin then made a proposal to Sanders about

even the structure after a flower dies. All my pieces

doing a collection of endangered species in Georgia.

are life-size and as accurate as I can make them.

She agreed, and then donated the collection of 42

What I see is what I strive to create.”

pieces to Callaway Gardens where it is on display today, the largest collection he has done to date.

Inside his “dream studio” in Ocean Springs, where he now lives just down the road, McQuilkin carefully

McQuilkin has an appreciation for plants that he

crafted each tiny petal, stamen, stigma, pistil and

never had growing up. “All I cared about was surfing.

sepal, placing each part in place with the utmost

I hardly noticed plants at all.” Now he has become

precision and care for the show that’s up now at

a conservationist of sorts. “I guess I do consider

Brookgreen Gardens, a 9,100-acre sculpture garden

myself a conservationist. Urban development has

and wildlife preserve located just south of Murrells

wiped out an unbelievable number of species,

Inlet in South Carolina. The show features 18 native

and more are suffering. With the environment we

wildflower sculptures and will be up through April

now live in, with climate change and all, some of

22. For more information on the show, go to http://

the plants we enjoy today may be the last of their

www.brookgreen.org/events/wildflowers-botanical-

kind. We are losing plants at an alarming rate.

sculpture-trailer-mcquilkin.

To learn more about Trailer McQuilkin and view his online gallery of work, go to www.trailermcquilkin.com. His book, “Wildflowers,” is also available for purchase. It is a magnificent collection of photographs of public and private collections the artist has created over the past 42 years.

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Indulge Yourself

L I K E A LO C A L I N N E W O R L E A NS story by MEGHAN HOLMES photography by PAUL BROUSSARD & ZACK SMITH

Last year, more than ten million people visited New Orleans. They stood on the steps at St. Louis cathedral, crossed Jackson Square, and walked past Cafe du Monde to see the Mississippi River’s wide path beneath the Crescent City Connection. They went to Bourbon Street and drank hand grenades, then went to Pat O’Brien’s and drank hurricanes. They woke up with headaches.

Just east of the Quarter, less familiar neighborhoods provide new opportunities for entertainment in the Crescent City, away from the overwhelming activity of the French Quarter and distinctly different from the grandiose elegance of the Garden District. A weekend in the Bywater/Marigny showcases the art, dining, and music that makes New Orleans famous in venues far fewer tourists have explored.

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M

a ny v isitors beg i n tr ips to New

version takes the sausage out of the casing and sears

Orleans with beignets, and there’s

it hot on the griddle in patty form, served with coarse

nothing wrong with that! However,

ground yellow grits, eggs, and fluffy biscuits. The

there are plenty of other indulgent

preserves are house-made, too.

breakfast options. One example is the praline bacon

The best way to get around the Bywater/Marigny

at Elizabeth’s, a quirky restaurant alongside the

is with a bike, but the area is also relatively walkable,

river on Chartres in the Bywater. Best known for their

particularly if visitors staying in the CBD or Upper

brunch, Chef Byron Peck offers up decadent dishes

Quarter take the recently expanded street car line

like Bananas Foster French toast and “redneck eggs”

from Canal Street to Elysian Fields down Rampart.

(with fried green tomatoes and hollandaise).

Several companies, including Confederacy of Cruisers, offer affordable bike rentals as well as

on Chartres, but in the Marigny, Cake is perhaps best

bike tours. (There are tours for everything in New

known for offering a cupcake for $1 with any meal.

Orleans. Whether it’s food, spirits, ghosts, vampires,

(Yes, you should eat a cupcake with breakfast). Their

Hurricane Katrina, or the Civil War, there’s probably

apple and goat cheese king cakes are also a favorite

a tour for that). Recently, the city also started a public

when available during Carnival season. Chef/Owner

bike rental program, with plans to install 70 different

Steve Himelfarb’s dishes reference classic American

pick up and drop off points with more than 700 bikes

favorites and integrate local ingredients - like boudin,

available. There are several different locations in the

a Cajun sausage made from pork liver and rice. Cake’s

Bywater/Marigny, with plans to open more.

Friday

Then there’s Cake Cafe’s boudin and eggs. Also

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Most homes in the Marigny/Bywater are shotguns

park and a paved biking/walking path that follows

or Creole cottages. Both architectural styles include

the Mississippi River nearly to the eastern end of the

features designed to combat New Orleans’ famed heat

Bywater. Once you’re there, check out the Music Box

and humidity. There are wide doors and windows

Village, an artist-built sculpture garden featuring

with shutters and often front porches. Creole cottages

giant, playable instruments, located where Rampart

typically have a wide central hallway for ventilation,

dead ends into the Industrial Canal levee. (The Village

while shotguns, as the name suggests, feature one

is open to the public on the weekends during the day,

room after another with a series of doors or openings

with musical performances happening most weekend

that align to allow for air flow. In the Bywater/Marigny,

evenings and intermittent weeknights).

many homes are shotgun doubles - featuring a unit on

If you’re ready for Happy Hour, Bacchanal Wine

either side. They are painted in vibrant colors, creating

is also nearby. Live music often starts early on the

a tropical feeling often exacerbated by the heat.

weekends, on a stage in front of dozens of outdoor

Exploring the neighborhood after a meal often leads

tables. There is also seating inside and a bar, but most

people to Crescent City Park, a recently constructed

people purchase wine by the bottle from a shop in

green space formerly occupied by wharves and heavy

front, as well as cheese, which staff takes and plates

industry. The park’s clever design includes elements

along with olives, preserves, and crispy bread from

of these former tenants integrated into the new space

local Bellegarde Bakery for one of the city’s best

such as large concrete areas that used to dock ships

cheese plates. There are also ample small plates

converted into basketball courts. There’s also a dog

options, which rotate seasonally.

Above; Breathtaking view of the Central Business District from the Piety Street Bridge at Crescent City Park. Opposite from lower left; Music Box Village, lower right; view of the courtyard at Bacchanal Wine.

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There are numerous dinner options in the area,

Quickly becoming second only to Bourbon Street in

with the bulk of fine dining menus offering up a

popularity is Frenchmen Street, in the Marigny, a

mix of New American trends and local touches. A

center for live music both in and outside of venues. This

good way to sample multiple restaurants is with

is the place to go for music in New Orleans as a visitor,

a visit to the St. Roch Market, where nearly a

because the concentration of venues is so great, and

dozen vendors offer everything from empanadas

there are always brass bands performing in the street on

to oysters. The market’s history dates back almost

weekend nights. Biking at night in the area can be more

100 years, when it functioned as a space for raw

difficult, so a Lyft or Uber is the best option.

seafood and produce vendors. Named after the St.

Popular venues include The Spotted Cat, where

Roch neighborhood which it technically inhabits,

live music plays daily from 2pm-2am on a tiny stage.

the building sits on the dividing line between that

Frenchmen is one of the only streets in the United States

area and the Marigny on St. Claude Avenue - the

where people can still consistently hear live jazz music,

primary thoroughfare of the Marigny/By water.

and with that also comes swing dancing, which happens

St. Roch spent his life healing the sick in the 14th

weekly at The Maison, a block down the street. Many

century, and his name became attached to the

participants are skilled dancers, but everyone is welcome.

neighborhood after respite from a particularly

Arrive on Friday between 5-7pm for a $10 lesson from a

severe yellow fever epidemic in the 1800s.

champion Lindy Hopper, and then dance the night away.

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Opposite; Feed your hunger at the historic St. Roch Market or grab a bite at Spotted Cat Food & Spirits on St. Claude Avenue (above). Once you’re full, feed your spirit at The Spotted Cat Music Club on Frenchman Street.

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One of the Bywater’s most popular new additions

artists are often available to talk about their work.

is Bywater Bakery, which offers up a chicory coffee

These are small, intimate spaces, usually showing

and pastry combo for $5. Another modest breakfast

the work of one or a small handful of people. Some

option in the area is The Orange Couch, a modern,

of the best on St. Claude include Antenna Gallery,

Marigny coffee shop with shockingly good gluten free

Good Children (St. Claude Avenue used to be called

zucchini bread and, as the name suggests, an orange

Good Children Street), and Barrister’s.

couch as the decorative focal point in an otherwise clean, white space.

Saturday 36

If you’re visiting on the right weekend, the best way to experience art along St. Claude is during

For those who want to continue the weekend’s

Second Saturdays, a coordinated opening of more

indulgences - try Horne’s, a brunch spot on Dauphine

than thirty participating galleries from 6-9pm on the

in the Marigny with over the top entrees like the

second Saturday of each month. (Some of the galleries

Orleans Slammer: eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, chili,

– like Staple Goods, are a few blocks away from the

and cheese. (It will cure a hangover). They also offer

primary thoroughfare - but worth branching out for).

traditional breakfast options, in a small space that

For those ready to start drinking again (laissez les

has that sense of warmth that comes from a lot of

bon temps rouler, as they say), Saturday afternoon

well-stained wood and handmade ceramics.

is a good time to visit Parleaux Brewery in the

The Bywater/Marigny has a reputation as a home

Bywater. The small batch, craft brewery has a wide

for a growing number of cosmopolitan artists and

variety of beers on tap that they rotate routinely, and

creatives, and in the last decade dozens of galleries

they offer free yoga on Sundays.

have opened across the two neighborhoods. On

One of the neighborhoods’ longest r unning

Saturdays, most are free and open to the public, and

restaurants is Jack Dempsey’s, an ideal dinner

VERVE Spring 2018

spot in the Bywater on Poland Avenue. The food

weekends. Little Freddie King has his birthday

is quintessential New Orleans, meaning primarily

party there every year.

unreasonably large portions of well-priced, well-

By now, most visitors are either ready to move

prepared, local seafood. The casual atmosphere

to New Orleans and consume 3,000 calories/day or

and old school appearance are both also a welcome

ready to go home and cleanse. If you’re the latter,

respite from the sometimes almost overwhelmingly

go to Satsuma and get a green juice. For those

hip vibe of the Marigny/Bywater.

holding the former opinion, head to Buffa’s Bar, where brunch with a traditional jazz band starts

class white New Orleanians moved to Jefferson or

at 11am every Sunday. It’s not the jazz brunch at

St. Bernard parishes, both the Marigny and Bywater

Commander’s Palace. Expect lots of noise, cramped

were primarily white, working class neighborhoods.

space, and first come first serve seating. The music

Many people made a living working on the docks or on

and the positive energy outweigh the drawback

the water. Jack Dempsey’s reflects that history, when

of the crowds. During the inevitable wait for your

po boys and beer joints were more common in the

food, listen to the music, and think about how jazz

neighborhood than microbreweries and art galleries.

represents centuries of unique traditions that all

To end the evening in a similar vein, check out

collided in New Orleans, with different cultures

BJ’s bar in the Bywater. This cash only hole-in-

arriving everyday, creating new art and traditions

the-wall has cheap drinks and local music on the

that make their way all around the world.

Above from left; Grab a hot breakfast at Bywater Bakery or lighter fare and a latté to go from The Orange Couch. After hours of gallery hopping, quench your thirst at Parleaux Beer Lab or a juice from Satsuma.

Sunday

Prior to the 1960s and 1970s, when many middle

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U N I Q U E C U LT U R E UNITES NEIGHBORHOODS story by MEGHAN HOLMES photography by RYAN HODGSON-RIGSBEE & PABLEAUX JOHNSON

S

ome New Orleans traditions are easily accessible to outsiders, like seafood gumbo or roast beef poboys. Others remain more elusive. Perhaps the most mysterious are the traditions of the Mardi Gras Indians. Roughly forty groups (known as “tribes”) of African Americans from neighborhoods across the city unveil elaborate beaded

and feathered suits each Mardi Gras day. The process of designing and creating each suit, known as “masking”, represents thousands of dollars spent and hours sewn for each participant.

The patterns and procession surrounding the suits’ unveiling provide a window into African American and Native American history in the region, as well as an opportunity for Mardi Gras Indians to reveal their community’s stories (and their own hopes and dreams), through artwork.

Above left and right; Mohawk Hunters Spy Boy Dow sews beads to the elaborate thigh panel of his suit before Mardi Gras 2016.

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The roots of Mardi Gras Indian tradition are complicated, and theories of origin vary. “No one actually knows exactly when and where it started,” says Cherice Harrison-Nelson, co-founder of the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame, and Big Queen of the Guardians of the Flame Maroon Society.

“We know there were communities of African Americans, Maroon colonies, in the marshes and bayous, and that some of those people also interacted with and likely assimilated into Native American communities. There are references to darker skinned people living like warriors in Iberville’s journal that predate the (official 1718) founding of New Orleans. The first written accounts of definitive Mardi Gras Indians, though, are in the 1880s.”

Interactions between African Americans and nearby Chitimacha and Houma tribes likely influenced the Mardi

No one actually knows exactly when and where it started. We know there were communities of African Americans, Maroon colonies, in the marshes and bayous, and that some of those people also interacted with and likely assimilated into Native American communities.

Cherice Harrison-Nelson Co-Founder, Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame, and Big Queen of the Guardians of the Flame Maroon Society

Opposite; Spy Boy Dow at Downtown Super Sunday in 2016. Above; FiYiYi Big Chief Victor Harris meets Monogram Hunters 2nd Chief Jeremy Stevenson during St Joseph’s Night.

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Gras Indians. Others theorize that visits from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show in the mid-1880s also played a role. “You don’t see Louisiana’s Native Americans wearing flowing headdresses, that’s more southwestern. So, it’s not all indigenous to this area. There had to be other influences (ancestral memories from Africa of ceremonial attire of vibrant colors) We also have oral histories from the 1920s where men remember their fathers and other elders masking, so I think this is a tradition that’s almost as old as carnival,” says Harrison-Nelson.

West African traditions, particularly musical traditions, have also made their way into the Mardi Gras Indian ceremony. Tribes proceed through neighborhoods drumming and singing in a call and response fashion, with no established route. Big chiefs, the heads of each tribe, dictate the route, following cues from a spy boy out front, looking for other groups of Mardi Gras Indians in the area.

“The spy boy is on the lookout for other Indians,” says Big Chief Tyrone Casby of the Mohawk Hunters. “And when he sees them, he tells the flag boy, who tells the chief.” In addition to these roles in each tribe, Big Chiefs are surrounded by a court, often including a Big Queen, and preceded by a wild man, who clears the path to allow the two Big Chiefs of each tribe to face off. Members of the court, and the number of people in each tribe, vary.

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When I told my mother I wanted to mask, she was like ‘no, indeed’ because of what was attached to the culture at the time. There was a culture of violence. Guys would meet up and you would have confrontation.

Tyrone Casby Big Chief of the Mohawk Hunters in Algiers

Meetings between two tribes showcase the Indians’ language, songs, and suits, as Big Chiefs lead other members in performance.

In the past, these meetings had a reputation for also being violent.

“When I told my mother I wanted to mask, she was like ‘no, indeed’ because of what was attached to the culture at the time,” says Big Chief Casby. “There was a culture of violence. Guys would meet up and you would have confrontation.” Many people credit Big Chiefs like Bo Dollis and Allison “Tootie” Montana for calling for an end to violent altercations, and instead focusing on the pageantry of Mardi Gras Indian culture.

“I think the past culture of violence is exaggerated,” says HarrisonNelson. “Yes, sometimes there were feats of bravery, and sometimes people got aggressive when they were fortified with alcohol, but there were also people in the French Quarter having fights while drunk, and that was brushed aside as men having fun.”

Harrison-Nelson points to a history of restrictive and repressive policies against African American and Native American New Orleanians as a point of unity and as part of the impetus for the “won’t bow down” attitude adopted by the Indians. “My father (who was a Big Chief), used to say it was a mutual struggle to have freedom in America. Freedom of speech, freedom of movement, and freedom of expression of musical and cultural practices.”

Clockwise from far left; Monogram Hunters Big Chief Jeremy “Blaze” Stevenson and his father Big Chief Tyrone “Pie” Stevenson work on Blaze’s suit for Mardi Gras Day 2016.

Guardians of the Flame Maroon Queen Cherice Harrison-Nelson sews before Mardi Gras 2016. Indian practice at Kermit Ruffin’s Mother-In-Law Lounge the Sunday before Mardi Gras day 2014.

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Big Chief Tootie Montana saw commonality between all Mardi Gras Indians in the work ethic required to complete each suit, and that ethos continues to unite many people across different tribes and neighborhoods. “It’s a passion,” says Ronald Lewis, former spy boy under Chief Montana and founder of the House of Dance and Feathers, a museum that memorializes African American cultural traditions in New Orleans. “Like any other artist, we consider these suits our signature pieces of work.”

Each year, Indians select new colors and envision new designs. Some begin their suits immediately after Carnival; most spend at least 6-9 months sewing daily. “You get the beads on there with a thread and needle. The almighty thread and needle,” says Lewis. “The vision and the spirit takes control of you, and you have to go out and find the colored beads, and commit. I was working for the transit system on the streetcar tracks, and I would come home and eat and shower and sew until 2 or 3 in the morning. Then go back to work at 6am.”

Contemporary Mardi Gras Indians appear on St. Joseph’s Day in March, at Jazz Fest, and in occasional second lines throughout the city. However, it is Mardi Gras day that represents the culmination of a year’s work. “When you walk out that door and you see everyone with their children, and they tell you what a great job you’ve done, you feed off that energy. It’s what brings you into that ritual battle and gets you walking five or six miles,” Lewis says.

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Over time, different Mardi Gras masking styles have become associated with Uptown and Downtown neighborhoods. “Some people would argue that now there’s no difference between the two, but usually they do look different. Downtown tribes are known for three dimensional designs, constructed on separate pieces of cardboard and later assembled as a single unit. Uptown tribes tend to focus on narrative bead-work, which is the tradition that I come from, going back five generations” says Harrison-Nelson.

Harrison-Nelson also recalls a childhood in the 1960s when her father spent hours “sewing shiny things,” and now she does the same. She co-founded the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame with Roslyn J. Smith (former principal) at Oretha Castle Haley Elementary School to continue preserving Indians’ traditions and culture for future generations. “One of my fondest memories is looking up at my father and thinking

One of my fondest memories is looking up at my father and thinking how big and pretty he was.

I couldn’t take him all in. My neck couldn’t lean back enough. I felt so much pride when he masked. This tradition is ancient but it is also contemporary, and to stay that way we have to teach our children.

Cherice Harrison-Nelson Co-Founder, Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame, and Big Queen of the Guardians of the Flame Maroon Society

how big and pretty he was. I couldn’t take him all in. My neck couldn’t lean back enough. I felt so much pride when he masked. This tradition is ancient, but it is also contemporary, and to stay that way we have to teach our children.”

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GO SELL IT

O N T H E M O U N TA I N story by JULIAN RANKIN

R

photography by RHETT FAMILY & DISNEY/ABC

ichard Rhett is a man on a mission. While sleeping outdoors on a humanitarian trip to Honduras in 2009, his hammock failed him and he saw firsthand the devastating effects of the lack of clean drinking water on the local communities. Upon returning home to Vicksburg, Mississippi, the engineer vowed to change both conditions by creating epic adventure gear with a soul. In 2010, the

idea for Sierra Madre Research (SMr) was born, with a purpose of bringing cutting-edge comfort to outdoor enthusiasts while contributing lasting clean water infrastructure to people in need.

“Every time we experience the vastness of the outdoors and our world, we gain a new perspective, a new understanding, of just what our role here is,” said Rhett.

In 2010, Rhett was working for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg.

This was before he married his wife and SMr co-founder Juli Rhett, the company’s Chief of Adventure, who had been working and exploring on her own right in the dramatic climes of Alaska. Before they secured patents for their game-changing hammocks and Nubé Hammock Shelter, which elevates campers into the sky with protection from insects and all manner of weather. Before he left his job in 2013 and SMr embarked on a successful 2014 Kickstarter campaign that launched the company into full production. And before a 2017 appearance on CNBC’s Shark Tank, where venture capitalist bad-boy Richard Branson bought in for $175,000, a stake Branson pledged in its entirety to support SMr’s (one) Campaign to build water wells in Central America; each (one) product = (one) year of clean drinking water for (one) person in need. Before all of that, it was just Richard, his dream, and a 1979 Sears Roebuck steel sewing machine whirring late into the night.

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RICHARD & JULI SHARE THEIR TOP 5 CAMP SITES!

 Cave of Swallows in Mexico  Kesugi Ridge Trail in Alaska  Somoto Canyon in Nicaragua  The iconic Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre in Patagonia  Han Son Doong cave in Vietnam tied with the moto ride from Hanoi to Saigon.

“I was determined to go out and find a machine and just put needle to thread,” Richard Rhett said. “It taught me the ins and outs of sewing… Honing that skill. That means i gave up a lot of weekends and evenings going out and having fun with friends, but it was worth it.”

The company’s name references the Sierra Madre mountain range that stretches from Arizona to Honduras, connecting two distinct cultures through a common bond. It’s a symbol of adventure, culture, and shared humanity that mirrors the Rhetts’ own values.

“Sierra Madre Research really is two incredible things put together: it’s the passion for the people, but then it’s the passion for the outdoors and the gear,” said Juli Rhett. “Richard is a mechanical engineer, and he is also a perfectionist.”

While the technology behind the products is innovative and complex, one doesn’t need to be an engineer to understand

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and use the Sierra Madre Research line, which includes the patented shelters, hammocks, accessories, and other gear. The company puts it simply: no longer are you bound to the ground. With both integrated and modular shelters, the Nubé and Nubé Stratos systems encompass and protect the camper and the hammock, hold up to two hundred pounds of gear beneath, and provide as much room inside as a conventional tent. They even accommodate multiple hammocks so campers can sleep two, or “hambunk.” When it isn’t being used for sleeping, the Nubé’s canopy provides shade and shelter as you cook, entertain, play the ukulele, whittle, daydream, or whatever it is you do on a worry-free trip into nature. Relatively new to the scene, SMr’s Inferno insulated sleep system works with the Nubé and conforms to the hammock to keep it warm on frigid nights.

SMr makes outdoor gear for outdoor gear heads. A nationwide confederation of die-hard fans of the Nubé, called “Nubists,” regularly share stories, organize trips, and gather for communal adventures. And because of the ever-present (one) Campaign, even the most playful jaunt into the woods reaffirms the Rhetts’ commitment to their less fortunate compatriots in places like Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala. Seeing firsthand the new wells being dug has been a transformative and energizing experience for the Rhetts.

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“We’re not all living in America,” said Rhett, “We don’t all have a hot water heater and running water that doesn’t make us sick. At the same time, they’re still living life and they’re still raising kids and they’re still walking through some of the same challenges that we walk through. We see how we can help out around the world with some of the things we’ve been blessed with. And surprisingly we end up being helped as well with new perspective and new juice in our lives.”

Ever y week or so, when Richard Rhett was a boy in Vicksburg, his father would pick him up early from school and take him down the river. They’d duck hunt, and bird watch, and learn about the waterways that are such forces in Mississippi life. As much as Sierra Madre Research is about changing the world, it’s also about changing the way people explore their own backyards.

Nature, remember, expands awareness and helps build true kinship. “I remember those days mostly because of the time I got to spend with my dad, being able to enjoy

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the outdoors, and him just teaching me… That was really special.

That was the spark of a lot of journeys to come,” Rhett said.

Juli and Richard make sure their twin two-year-old boys know the texture of a riverbed on their bare feet and that they appreciate the vantage of looking up into the heights of an ancient forest.

Everything, as everything always does, comes full circle back to childlike wonder and exploration. And if Sir Richard Branson has taught the Rhetts anything about business, it’s the necessity of risktaking and persistence through growing pains.

“It’s all about going into the unknown,” said Rhett. “About experiencing things that may even cause discomfort originally and initially but that … open up your eyes to a new perspective on the world. On people. On the way people mesh and the way communities form.”

And if, from his present perch, Rhett could deliver a message to his younger self?

“Keep looking toward the future. Because there were plenty of days when I thought that this was not going anywhere… Having that hope of the things to come really helps the human persona dig deep and keep pushing, and create that future that they’re longing for and wanting to shape.”

We don’t all have a hot water heater and running water that doesn’t make us sick. At the same time, they’re still living life and they’re still raising kids and they’re still walking through some of the same challenges that we walk through. We see how we can help out around the world with some of the things we’ve been blessed with. And surprisingly we end up being helped as well with new perspective and new juice in our lives.

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VERVE’S GUIDE

T O A C T U A L LY E N J OY I N G C A M P I N G The first step to getting outside can be the most daunting for those of us who consider a cable TV outage as roughing it. The most important thing is to just get to the woods, or the beach, or a riverbank, or a mountainside. Next, do whatever you want for a while. Naturally, many newcomers arrive at parks and campsites and don’t know what to do during that second part. Cell reception sucks. Batteries run low. You gotta get creative and bring the right supplies in order to have fun.

Luckily for us, our good friends at Sierra Madre Research have a helpful menu of camping items taken directly from their Nubist hang checklist that should put you on the path to a fun and memorable camping experience.

NUBIST HANG CHECKLIST

 WOOD SAW (a pull chain for backpackers)

 NUBÉ OR NUBÉ STRATOS OR BOTH JUST BECAUSE ;)

 A GOOD BOOK (we recommend “A Walk in the Woods” by Bill Bryson – an entertaining classic and “The Ultimate Hang 2” by Derek Hansen – a guide to hammock camping)

 PARES HAMMOCK + EZSLINGS  SLEEPING BAG AND PAD OR THE INFERNO TOP QUILT / UNDER QUILT  PILLOW  HEADLAMP OR FLASH LIGHT  CAMP STOVE  CAMPING CHAIR  4 MEALS AND SOMETHING TO BRING TO THE POTLUCK

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 REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE  LIGHTER  BUG SPRAY  HIKING BOOTS AND CAMP SANDALS  TOILETRIES AND A TOWEL  CAMERA  POKER GLASSES

 SNACKS TO EXPERIMENT WITH ON THE FIRE (everything tastes better over a fire)

 FAVORITE GAME (I.E. EXPLODING KITTENS!)

 POCKET KNIFE (a multi-tool is even better)

 YOUR FAMILY

 A TROWEL (for primitive camping bathroom)

 A FRIEND

Camping trips don’t need to be complicated. Just get out there with whoever you can get to go with you, turn off your phone, breathe some fresh air, and enjoy doing as little as possible for a while.

Here is our list to help you plan camping activities based on the size and kind of group you’re with.

SOLO TRIP Before you head out write down 

two tough items you’re facing in life.

 Hike or climb to get

to the site where you’ll camp.

 Don’t get in too early.  Read.  Meditate.  Draw.  Write or Journal.  Paint.  Take Photos.  Slack Line.  Play music (even if it’s bad).  Go on walks and try to see how many birds, plants and flowers you can identify.

 Or don’t do anything but laze

in the sun to enjoy your time alone.

 Treat yourself to a special

“Me” meal - don’t forget a few “luxury items” like Oreos.

 Take your dog.  Look back on those two

tough items after the trip.

KIDS TRIP  Ease into it with

“home camping” first.

 Start with easy hikes to

see how they feel about it.

 Consider a National Park.

They offer great infrastructure for trips with kids.

 Scavenger hunts are great for kids.  Older kids enjoy hide-and-go-seek.  Coloring books and cards are great.  Get them involved by helping with camp, preparing food, gathering firewood.

 Bring food treats they are not

normally allowed to eat at home like s’mores to make the trip special.

 Be sure to take photos

to document the experience.

 Share stories of family that your

children haven’t heard before or that they enjoy. Bond over conversation.

FRIENDS TRIP  First everyone gets a trail name!  Just make it a party - drinking is optional.

 Bring an instrument, or make one.  Divide up tasks so everyone feels involved.

 Take turns cooking, setting up Air Camp, and making fires.

 Bring fold up travel games or playing cards.

 Create the Hammock Stack.  Go exploring - car camping: go to

nearby towns, wilderness camping: find waterfalls and overlooks.

 Bring wine, hors d’oeuvres,

and cheese to class it up by the camp fire.

 Bring the Pares and xPlor

hammocks so you can hambunk in your Nubé.

 Sleep in for some extra snuggle time.  Practice yoga or meditation.  Take time to talk and take a few selfies.

 Make sure your significant other is

into camping and the outdoors, if not start out with a drive into the country and a short picturesque hike. Or a bit of Glamping to show off the beauty of the outdoors!

LARGE GROUP TRIP  GET ORGANIZED  For the more experienced group: technical rock climbs, running rapids, and fly-fishing.

 Go swimming.  Watch “caveman TV”

 Be conscious of everyone’s

 Games like light-up frisbee,

 Camp fire time with a group

(zone out in front of the fire). cornhole, chess and checkers, or gamefy chores to see who can set up their Nubé the fastest or pack up their gear first.

 Do a mid-trip check-in with

everyone to gauge how folks are dealing with hikes or the weather.

Nobody wants to be the wet blanket of the trip so it’s good the make adjustments for less experienced campers.

 Toss around a football or anything that isn’t noisy.

COUPLES TRIP  Treat the trip like a date by

watching sunrise and sunsets.

 Try a little romance under the stars in a Pares Hammock.

setup needs, do you need trees or flat ground? of friends is always epic.

 Folks are more likely to try

something new when surrounded by friends.

 Pool resources and splurge on a guide service to tackle adventures that wouldn’t be safe to try on your own.

 Or… just laze with a group of fellow lazies. It can be great.

 National Parks are really great

for large groups because they offer so many facilities.

 Group campouts can be great

because they will often include people who otherwise might not even interested.

 Play music, play kickball, pull out

the Cards Against Humanity game.

 Plan a canoe trip.

 Make a nice meal together.

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THE BUTCHER

THE BAKER, THE BBQ MAKER story by SUSAN MARQUEZ

D

photography by RICH WINTER

avid Raines strolls into the butcher shop he owns on the main drag in Flora, Mississippi.

By main drag, I mean the only drag, all two blocks of it. The Flora Butcher Shop anchors the south side of Flora’s downtown in a circa-1890 building with sandedsmooth original concrete floors and original brick walls on either side. The place

has a comfortable feel. It’s the sort of place you want to hang out in, to stay a while and visit. It’s exactly what Raines envisioned when he had the idea of opening a shop where people could buy premium cuts of Wagyu beef, locally grown lamb, pork, chicken and even goat. A peek inside the glass display case finds delicacies such as house-made maple blueberry sausage, boudin-stuffed pork chops, ground lamb and beautifully-marbled cuts of beef. On the counter is a display of ready-to-slice tomatoes from Salad Days Produce, located just around the corner. Sides of turnip greens, green beans, mac and cheese and more are available to go with the day’s selection of meat.

And if you ask, you’ll get a story on where the food came from or advice on how to prepare it.

Opposite; Chef David Raines proudly displays his insanely large Wagyu beef chicken fried steak dubbed the “Big Rhonda.” The colossal cut of tender beef starts at about two feet in diameter, is breaded, fried to a crispy brown, and smothered in a delicious gravy infused with bits of his own house-made pastrami and corned beef. While also available, the green salad is really displayed more for the purpose of scale.

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“The beef comes from my dad,” Raines says. “He’s

A n internationally celebrated chef, Raines

a physician who raises beef. He started raising cattle

has both acquired and applied his talent in Italy,

twenty at a time, crossbreeding them to better handle

Denmark, Australia and Japan, as well as cities

the heat in the South. I convinced him to switch his

around the United States. His training includes a

cattle production to Wagyu, and lucky for me, he

degree from the prestigious culinary school Johnson

did.” According to Raines, Wagyu beef is marbled

& Wales, as well as intense classes at the Guild of

more and has a softer texture. “It’s better for you,

Master Sommeliers in New Orleans. He studied

too. It has a higher ratio of mono-unsaturated to

international bread making at New York’s French

saturated fat than other beef.”

Culinary Institute. He has also been trained by Chef

Now that the Flora Butcher Shop is established and

Ryan Farr in the art of butchery at San Francisco’s

doing well, Raines is off to his next venture, Dave’s

4505 Meats. His interest in the preparation of fine

Triple B: The Butcher, The Baker, The Barbeque

meats grew into a passion while working at Club

Maker. Located in the old Chimneyville Barbeque

Alliance in Yokosuka, Japan. It was during that time

location on High Street in Jackson, Raines will flex

he became familiar with the process of preparing

his culinary skills in a new and different way.

extremely tender prime cuts of Wagyu beef.

VERVE Spring 2018

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In 2012, he left New Orleans’ Restaurant R’evolution

to serving customers. “This restaurant is built for

to take the post as Chef de Cuisine at Ridgeland’s

speed,” he says, “but there will be much care in

Seafood R’evolution. While Dave’s Triple B will be a

preparing the food. We are changing casual daily

departure from some of the high-end restaurants of

food in such a good way.”

his past, Raines plans on making sure the same high standards and care go into the food served.

Raines adds that chefs can be creative and do comfort food. “It starts in the very back with the two

The restaurant, which Raines hopes will open in

big Southern Pride smokers,” he points to a back room

time for the annual Dixie National Rodeo, will carry on

that has two huge smokers built into the exterior wall.

some of the traditions associated with Chimneyville

We’ll serve four main salads, both hot and cold, and

while introducing a wide variety of new dining

for or five blue plates. There will be a special every

options. “We’ll serve Wagyu beef, of course, as well

day, such as a tri-tip sandwich on house-made buns or

as local produce and pork.” The restaurant has been

goat curry. Everything we do will be fun and tasty!”

remodeled, with a modern farmhouse feel. The once

One of the signature dishes will be the Big Rhonda.

dark paneled walls are now bright white with black

While Raines was tight-lipped on who the dish was

tables, chairs, and booths with pops of blue around

named for, his eyes lit up when he described the

the restaurant. A large deck emblazoned with three

too-big-to-imagine chicken fried steak, served with a

distinctive B’s was added to the front along with a

choice of mashed potatoes smothered in white gravy

wooden partition blocking the view of traffic along

flecked with pastrami chunks or hand-cut French

High Street. But make no mistake about it, the main

fries on a huge platter. “I can imagine four or five

emphasis will be on the food.

guys sitting out on the deck with a bucket of beer,

Daryl Maloney has been named the Chef de Cuisine at Dave’s Triple B, and he’s looking forward

sharing it.” The problem will be deciding who gets the t-shirt that comes with the dish.

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E M P T Y S PAC E IS TR ANSFORMED TO SEX Y & MODERN

story by SUSAN MARQUEZ

photography by TOM BECK & RICH WINTER

C

reating a space that in turn creates a feeling is something interior designer Lisa Palmer enjoys the most. “One of the things I first ask a new client is ‘how do you want your

home to feel?’ This question is important because this tells me so many things about their style. A lot of clients don’t really know their style, but they can relate to ‘feel.’ Do they want it light and airy, rich and cozy, bright, colorful, happy?”

Palmer asked those questions and more when working with Jody Bailey. “I started meeting with him, measuring the home and working on selections mid-2014. The final installation was in early fall that year. The process from the initial client interview to the final installation can either be really fast or if there are a lot of custom pieces, painting, wallpapering or renovations, it can take up to six months.”

Above; Social Media Director, Lauren Donahoo and Founder & Principal Designer, Lisa Palmer, review drawings and swatch design options selected for a follow-up client meeting.

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Bailey purchased his Jackson home almost a year

Bailey answered all of Palmer’s questions, telling

before contacting Palmer. “When I got to his home,

her how he lived and that he has the cutest pup that

there were completely empty rooms, and some had a

he adores. “Right off the bat,” Palmer states, “I knew

few pieces in them. My job was to work in the entry,

I wanted fabrics and pieces that were rich and cozy

home office, living room, loggia, and dining room.

and easily cleanable. He didn’t have a particular style

These were the rooms that were the most important

choice, but I knew he had some antiques to work with,

to him.” Unfortunately, Bailey really didn’t have any

so I added a modern and sexy mood with the color

idea how he wanted his home to feel or look. “When

palette.” The rooms feature dark chocolate colored

you have spent years working with clients,” says

furniture with accents of bright gold. “I didn’t really

Palmer, “you develop an intuitiveness about how to

have a plan right away to add the bright gold, but it

achieve the end result, which, of course, is a happy

plays so well off of chocolate and sort of is a personal

client. And I got a real sense of this when I saw the

favorite of mine. It just felt timeless.” Because Bailey

furniture pieces he already had.”

loves to have small dinner parties, Palmer had a dining

Palmer asks what special pieces a client may own

table base custom made. “I wanted the walls to be deep

that she needs to work with. And of course, she

in color and the charcoal grass cloth gives it that, along

discusses budget and final expectations. “The first

with a yummy texture. And the Ochre light fixture

time I meet with a client is all about fact finding. I

above the table gives off the most wonderful glow.”

have a series of interview questions I ask, such as

Once her questions to the client are answered,

how will they use the spaces? Who will be using the

Palmer goes to work to create her design. “Sometimes

spaces? Do they have children, and if so what are their

I will peruse my Pinterest boards or my Instagram

ages? Any pets in the home? Do they entertain? If so,

collection for inspiration. Or I may thumb through my

how? In other words, do they have small intimate

extensive (I’m totally embarrassed by this!) collection

dinner parties or large fund raising parties? Is there a

of magazines. My design library is enormous but

deadline? That last one is important, because I need

definitely curated. Remember, I’ve been working in

to know if I need to pull from my stock or if I have

the design field for many years and have been adding

time for custom pieces.”

to my resource library since day one.”

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A 1983 graduate of Southern Miss with a degree in

Palmer’s design library is located inside her retail

interior design, Palmer says she began college as an art

store, SummerHouse in the Township at Colony Park,

and theatre major. “About halfway through my college

which features furniture and accessories. A second

education, I realized that neither one of those fields was

SummerHouse location opened on the Square in

going to put much food on my table, so I used my art

Oxford in summer 2016.

training in a more practical way and decided on the field

In the Bailey home, the living room is really large,

of interior design. I’ve never looked back. I just love it.

and Palmer knew she wanted a custom designed

It is art in dimension to me. Aside from working with

ottoman to help fill the space and also feel comfortable.

people who truly need me, I feel it is a valuable field in

All the accessories in the space were purchased new,

which we alter how people feel in their homes. We can

including boxes and natural elements like rocks and

change lives this way. Living in a poorly lit, cluttered

a gold-gilded twig, all artfully placed upon a mixed

environment isn’t good for anybody. As designers, we

metals tray on the oatmeal-colored ottoman accented

can mentally help our clients live a more peaceful life

with broad gold stripes.

to the extent of how they feel in their homes. I love

The living room features traditionally-styled mirror-

working with people, too. My day is different every day!”

fronted armoires, one on either side of the fire place,

The Square | Oxford, MS The Township | Ridgeland, MS

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VERVE Spring 2018

s u m m e r h o u s e s t y l e . c o m

mixed with more contemporary pieces. “As a designer in the South,” Palmer says, “I love the mix of old pieces that tell a story and newer pieces right alongside. We all have rugs, chests, and consoles that have been passed down for generations. This mix is what makes spaces feel less ‘decorated.’ This is the way my store feels as well. You will never see a ‘showcase’ of the same company in my store. I want it to feel like a home, and I believe we achieve this.”

Palmer absolutely achieved a warm, cozy feel for Bailey’s home, with the perfect ratio of furniture and accessories. “The most important thing about accessories in my book,” asserts Palmer, “is edit, edit, edit! When you think you are finished accessorizing a space, take more away!”

As a designer in the South, I love the mix of old pieces that tell a story and newer pieces right alongside.

We all have rugs, chests, and consoles that have been passed down for generations. This mix is what makes spaces feel less ‘decorated.’

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2018 HOME TRENDS EMERGING IN THE SOUTH

F

resh off the Fall 2017 High Point Market, style bloggers and trend spotters are a buzz with the all the exciting changes coming in furniture and interior design this year. Manufacturers are looking to interiors designers more than ever before to help them craft exciting new products and materials for the home. Some of the new trends that have emerged aren’t really new at all but are a renaissance

of bold design elements from the 40s and 70s.

We wanted to see the perspective of these trends through the eyes of an experienced designer so we reached out to our friend Lisa Palmer, Founder and Principal Designer of Summerhouse Interior Design, for her view of the trends that will most impact homes in the South. We’ve created a list of the trends she’s seen the most.

Black fixtures in kitchens, baths, and hardware

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Statement ceilings using paint patterns, color, texture, moldings, and wallpaper

Spa-inspired bathrooms continue their trend up

Light, textured wood floors using domestic woods and cut into wide planks

Terrazzo flooring – the 1970s flooring is back with a greater variety of colors

Curved seating areas – those curved sofas from the 40s are back

Use of fringe on window treatments, accent pillows, and furniture

Statement doors – entryways that stand out or use interesting materials

Bold use of patterns in wall coverings, window treatments, fabrics, and accents

Quartz use on kitchen and bath counter tops and wall surfaces

An emphasis on the use of natural materials in furniture & accents

Bold colors on walls, trim, doors, and fabrics throughout the home

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C R E AT E C U R B E N V Y WITH SOME SIMPLE CHANGES story by AMY WINTER & NICOLE BUTLER HUTCHINS

I

f you’re planning to sell a home,

Repaint the front door

prepare now for the crucial task of

Your home’s focal point is the front

attracting home buyers. Homes that

door. Repainting instantly freshens

look loved and well-maintained get

the appearance and adds impact. A

more attention — and first impressions

premium, one-coat, exterior house paint

matter. A potential buyer starts making

pays off in time and effort saved because

their buying decision as they stop at a

it needs no priming. A semi-gloss finish

home and pull into the driveway. In fact,

lets you wipe off smudges and dirt.

having an attractive yard and home at

Avoid high-gloss paint, which reveals

street level is key to having a potential

imperfections. Consult a paint store or

buyer even stop to look at your home.

local home improvement store for color

SIMPLE EXTERIOR CHANGES These six, quick, budget-minded projects help boost your home’s curb appeal.

Each takes a weekend at most, and starting early gives you time to prepare for your sale.

advice and samples. up the outside of the house, why should I even bother looking at the inside?”

Potential buyers are turned off by neglected or messy home entries. Clean up your porch or walkway by neatly trimming existing hedges, removing

Pressure-wash the siding

household clutter and adding a pot of

A home and its porch, decks, steps

colorful flowers or inviting greenery.

and walks shine after you’ve removed winter grit, wasp nests, dead bugs

Cost: Large planter, $12; plants and potting soil, $45

Cost: Gallon of paint, about $35 Update house numbers New numbers are eye-catching. Go big and bold, at least 5 inches tall. Decide where to place them by standing at the street and imagining you are searching for your house.

Cost: Four numbers, $30 Clean or replace porch lights

and cobwebs. Choose a washer setting

Clean exterior windows

New porch lights run as little as $30

powerful enough to blast debris but not

This job is easier than you’d think. Use

each. Consider a contemporary, darker

so strong it lifts paint or splinters wood.

an exterior window cleaning solution

color, such as brown or black. On a strict

Cost: Renting a pressure washer, about $75 a day

that attaches to a hose. Spray the

budget? Use restoring wipes like those

cleaner on exterior glass, followed by

made by Rust-Oleum or Rejuvenate to

Primp the porch

a spray of clean water. Let the glass

renew oxidized, faded or dirty metal.

Did you realize that your home’s entry is

dry or squeegee it.

a test? Buyers think, “If they can’t keep

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photography by GREEN OAK NURSERY

VERVE Spring 2018

Cost: Cleaner, $10; squeegee, $7

Cost: New fixtures start at around $30, wipes $20

LANDSCAPING INVESTMENT According to home experts, the value added by a landscape upgrade increases a home value by 10 to 12 percent. If you’re considering upgrading your yard but aren’t sure where to begin, check out some of the most common yard issues seen by Nicole Butler Hutchins, Landscaping Specialist at Green Oak

Poor plant choice for the area or environment.

Making the wrong plant choice can

“We see pla nts mea nt for sun in

and headaches. Doing a little research

shade and vice versa,” Nicole says.

before you plant goes a long way

“Additionally, many plants are planted

for your landscape and your wallet.

in areas too small. Occasionally, plants

Luckily, Nicole’s made your work

are planted too far apart, leaving a

easy with the following lists for her

landscape looking bare.” Over time,

all-time favorite plants:

cause future landscaping problems

trees can change growing conditions and plants or lawns that once flourished

NICOLE’S SHADE PICKS

may struggle to survive. Areas that were

 Old Gold Carex Grass

COMMON PROBLEMS

once full sun may be shaded because of

 Giant Ligularia

The plants are old and overgrown

canopy growth. Nicole’s tip: go outside

 Dwarf Mondo Grass

It can be fun to hand prune plants

during different times of the day to see

and see them rejuvenate. For

which areas previously sunny are now

instance, when azaleas are pruned

These are fun to mix with old shade favorites such as:

shaded. Try replacing the old plants with

after they bloom, they respond well.

shade tolerant plants or ground-covers.

 Azaleas

Nursery in Jackson, MS.

It usually takes one growing season for them to look like new again.

Areas that were once shaded are now full sun.

The plants are planted too close together

This can happen when a landscape

Remove some plants to reduce crowding.

months, plants may not show adverse

Crowding restricts airf low, which

effects until summer. The extra sun will

increases insect and disease habitats.

cause plants to sunburn and weaken.

experiences a tree loss. During winter

Crowding make plants compete for

to replace the plant with another, check the growth patterns of the new plant and use a measuring tape to ensure your new addition will not cause the same problem.

 Pittosporum Shade loving turf

 St. Augustine Sod - Tip: Keep pine straw and leaves removed and provide water during dry spells.

 Apply appropriate fertilizer as the

Unlike big box stores, local garden

The plants are too close to the house back or removing plants. If you want

 Cast Iron Plant

label recommends.

water, nutrients, and space to grow.

Do not be afraid of pruning things

 Gardenias

We see plants meant for sun in shade and vice versa, plants are planted in areas too small, or plants are planted too far apart.

centers like Green Oak Nursery carry special varieties of plants, they can place special orders for customers, and also have knowledgeable staff to help pick appropriate plant materials and troubleshoot unique garden and landscaping problems.

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NICOLE’S FAVORITE SUN PICKS  Twist of Lime Abelia - an evergreen that provides yearround color because of their variegated foliage.

 Drift Roses - these come in many colors and their bloom cycle is every 5-8 weeks during warm months.

 Loropetalum - also called Chinese fringe bush, this evergreen

known for its gorgeous, tiny clusters of flowers. One popular southern variety is named “Ham and Eggs.”

Sun Loving Turf Grass Favorites

 Zoysia

shrub has small, burgundy or bronze leaves and small

 Bermuda

pink or white flowers. Be mindful of the variety you select

DRAINAGE ISSUES

because some can get BIG!

 Regrade slopes or low spots.

 Sweet Olive - this large shrub is a must-have for those that enjoy a fragrance in the garden.

Sun Favorites Annuals

 Diamond Frost Euphorbia  Sun Coleus  Magellan Zinnia - butterflies love these.  Yellow Joseph’s Coat Sun Perennial Favorites

 Black-eyed Susans - a type of Rudbeckia that grows daisylike flowers.

 Gaura - this plant is easy to grow, drought tolerant and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds

 Cone Flower - the purple coneflower is native to the eastern U.S. and attracts pollinators like bees and butterflies.

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 Lantana - a colorful addition to any garden, this plant is

VERVE Spring 2018

 Add a French drain.  Add an attractive dry creek bed.

ENHANCEMENTS TO ADD VALUE  Add a border to existing beds.  Adding borders to beds help define permanent bed areas and make maintenance less stressful. Borders decrease upkeep by keeping plant materials and soil from escaping, making maintenance a breeze. Nicole

Low budget  Prune existing plant material, fertilize, and weed.

 Nicole’s quick fix: add fresh pine straw or mulch. “I find that most people are surprised at how nice their landscape looks after a fresh top dressing.” Add an annual color area or additional plants.

Professional landscape clean-ups

explains, “Beds are easier because you can run a weed

start at around $1200.

eater or spray weed killer along their edges.” If you need to define bed areas, metal edging may be a good choice.

Medium budget

However, metal edging may not increase appeal or hold

 Extend existing beds by adding another layer of plants

soil. If you want to increase appeal and functionality,

and clean up existing plant material, if needed.

try adding stone. Stone is timeless, versatile, and can

Professional landscape enhancement

be stacked to hold soil in place. Stone stacked borders

starts at around $2500.

are easy to work with and provide instant gratification.

SUGGESTIONS FOR EVERY BUDGET If you’ve just bought a house or you have let your landscape go for way too long, Nicole suggests the following, broken out by budget.

Large Budget

 Remove existing plant materials and start over or clean up existing plants. Add new shrubs, plants, or trees.

Professional landscape makeovers start at around $4000.

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PLANTING TIPS:

AnthrOpOlOgIe

ethAn Allen

 Call MS One Call 811  Remove existing weeds or grass with weed killer, cardboard, or plastic before beginning projects. Pull quote: Want to avoid chemical herbicides? Check out www.treehugger. com for safe, homemade herbicides.

 Till existing soil. Tilling will reduce compaction and assist plants with rooting.

 Add soil. By adding loamy soil (loose, fertile soil with organic matter), you are providing nutrients and helping with drainage.

 Loosen pot-bound roots. Plants that have been growing for months in the same pot can have roots that look like a circling, tangled mess. Loosen pot bound roots before planting so they can branch out in the soil and create a good foundation for the plant.

 Backfill holes with native and loamy soil. This creates a nice transition for roots to enter native soils.

BellAChes

InsIde-Out

 Research a plant’s ideal growing conditions, size, a nd t y pe (everg reen or deciduous, peren n ia l or annual, water requirements, pest/disease problems, and light requirements).

LOCAL SUPPLIERS For those living in the Jackson, MS area, the specialty merchants may be helpful in your landscaping projects: Irrigation company:

Stone source:

Ewing Irrigation

Morgan Stone

112 E Marketridge Rd.

1837 MS-471

Ridgeland, MS 39157

Brandon, MS 39047

Phone: (601) 991-3185

Phone: (601) 824-5100

Precast stones (wall & stepping stones):

Irrigation Installation:

Evans Precast Concrete Old Byram Rd. Jackson, MS 39272 Phone: (601) 372-7838

Living, dining or accessorizing...

Renaissance has everything to help you feel at home.

Wilson & Wilson Irrigation 2610 Lakeland Dr. Flowood, MS 39232 Phone: (601) 939-8810

FOR HELP WITH YOUR LANDSCAPE Nicole Butler Hutchins, Landscaping Sales Green Oak Florist and Garden Center

i-55 at old agency Road, Ridgeland, Mississippi | 601.519.0900

Garden Center: (601) 956-5022

see all our retail stores and restaurants online at www.RenaissanceatcolonyPark.com For leasing information, contact The Mattiace Company at 601.352.1818

florist@greenoakms.com

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