v7n6 neat spaces

2 March - April 2015 // The City’s Business and Lifestyle Magazine boomjackson.com

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“ I literally do not see the whole picture until I’m done, and that makes it even more fun.”

—Hunter Davenport, p 59

11 JXNRebirthFondren After 5’s reincarnation.

12 Derby DamesTake no prisoners.

14Global LeadersJackson Prep trains servant leaders.

14 Leaving a LegacyHappy 100th, Ms. Walker.

16In the MinorityMore PhDs, fewer barriers.

16 PEEKABOOYour NeighborPeek inside Katie McClendon’s bag.

18Million Dollar ManDiBiase on a mission.

19Party On, DudesSpring parades.

20 SECRET JXNStrict InstructorThe Duling Hall namesake.

22 EXPATGentle GladiatorNot your typical Capitol Hill politico.

22BOOM/BUSTNow hot, then not.

24 PROGRESSOut With the NewCool old stuff and more living space.

28 BIZA New FitRed Square knows its denim.

29Mending FarishFighting for a comeback.

29Home Money MakerMore moola at home.

30Tap TechnologyLearn the media ropes with Raborn Media.

30Solving the IssuesRethink Mississippi with Jake McGraw.

31Cool ToysWork + Play.

31Local EntrepreneurMore local money.

33 MENU GUIDEPaid advertising.

46 BITESA New HopsMore beer.

47 Mystery MachineLurnyD’s Grille is on the food-truck scene.

47Follow the Trail... for the best barbecue in the state.

48 COOLEST OFFICESSupply, connect, engineer, play.

53Brand YourselfIt’s all about image.

53Happy OfficeHow to have one.

54 FashionSpring forward.

56 DO GOODERSupply and DemandBuy school supplies, give back.

56Positive and ConfidentGirls running wild.

58Literary QueenOde to Eudora Welty.

59Paint-by-BoomBoxWeaving music through art.

60 MELODIESIn Your FaceCynical Twins keeps it real.

60Synergy in the CityA fresh breath of open-mic night.

60Musical FusionBlend it all.

62 EVENTSWhat to do and see.

66 LOCAL LISTAcross the CityAmado Felipe’s favorite places in the metro area.


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I ’m a visual person, and little pleases me more than a colorful workspace filled with collaboration and creativity. In fact, I pa-tently refuse to work in spaces without nat-

ural light. I’d die a million slow deaths in a dark, dreary space without windows. Seriously. Often, a job applicant or a new intern will walk into the BOOM offices like Charlie first stepping foot into the Chocolate Factory. You can see it on their faces: This is a COOL office. Work-ing here must be a constant, chit-chatty, live-it-up party. Then the hard lesson: A cool office isn’t just about what’s hanging on the walls or whether it has a big chalk-board (we do). It’s about what is created in that space, how people interact, the attitudes people bring to work, and whether each person is ac-countable and does his or her part to help the team make deadlines—and continually strive for higher and higher standards. And oh yeah: no drama. That focus, team spirit and work ethic are what makes an office hum. We’ve spent much time over the last eight months trying to make our office, and the work experience here, cooler than ever. Through leadership training facilitat-ed by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and inspir-ing executive coaching by Deirdre Danahar of InMotion Consulting (hire her!), I’ve learned so much about workplace engagement. The biggest lessons for me? The staff should decide their own shared values and plans, and then we talk about, reinforce and review based on those values every chance we get. Through a variety of fun retreats, work-sheets, workshops and meetings, our staff came up with a long list of values for themselves and the team. Then, over several months, they winnowed them down to 11 top ones and then to the three that are simply non-negotiable: 1. Be positive, praise others often, leave personal problems and drama at the door, and laugh at adversity.

2. Continually strive to improve my per-formance and skills, and keep learning every day by asking questions, listening and seeking learning opportunities. 3. Communicate clearly across depart-ments, be fully present, listen attentively, al-ways take notes and immediately turn notes

into scheduled actions. Now, I can see the team working to hold themselves to the standards they collectively set for all of us. A key meme around our office these days is one that David Joseph—the general manager of Table 100 who is also our operations consultant—shared with me a couple years back when I was agonizing about a talented em-ployee with a bad attitude. The nicest man in Jackson told me that two things are non-nego-tiable: “Every person must perform, and everyone must bring a great attitude to work

every day. Just one of those isn’t good enough. You must have both.” A hard, but vital lesson. The coolest offices are where you figure out how to recruit and hire people who strive daily to be brilliant and to learn from each other. (Our shared values are now the basis for future job interviews). Once positive, focused, curious employees arrive, they share the core values, are trustworthy and do what they say they will. The team wants to collectively create something bigger than any of them could do alone—and they will work hard to get there. They all get that it is vital to always have a learning mindset, whether you’re the CEO or the office assistant. Engage, learn, be present, fix problems rather than complain, grow and excel. There’s not a whole lot cooler than that.

Editor-in-Chief and CEODonna Ladd

Art DirectorKristin Brenemen

Managing EditorAmber Helsel

Assistant EditorMicah Smith

Copy EditorRonni Mott

EditorialWriters

Fallon Brewster // Tommy Burton // Dustin Cardon Carmen Cristo // Brian Gordon // ShaWanda Jacome Genevieve Legacy // Mike McDonald // LaTonya Miller Maya Miller // Christopher Mims // LaShanda Phillips

R.L. Nave // Jason Ray // Greg Pigott // Ebony Robinson Julie Skipper // Zachary Oren Smith // Kelly Stone Jake Sund // Adria Walker // Brinda Fuller WIllis

Anna Wolfe

Listings Editor // Latasha Willis

Editorial InternsDanika Allen // Arcadia Smith // Zachary Oren Smith

Photography

Trip Burns // Tate K. Nations

Ad DesignZilpha Young

Design Intern // Joshua Sheriff

Business and SalesAdvertising Director // Kimberly Griffin

Account Executive // Gina HaugAccount Executive // Brandi StodardMarketing Assistant // Natalie West

Distribution Manager // Richard LaswellBookkeeper // Melanie Collins

Operations Consultant // David Joseph

President and PublisherTodd Stauffer

CONTACT US

Story ideas and pitches // [email protected]

Ad Sales // [email protected]

BOOM Jackson 125 S. Congress St., #1324, Jackson, MS 39201

p 601.362.6121 f 601.510.9019Would you like copies of BOOM Jackson for recruiting, welcome packets or other corporate, institutional or

educational uses? Call 601.362.6121 x16 or email [email protected].

BOOM Jackson is a publication of Jackson Free Press Inc. BOOM Jackson, which publishes every other month, focuses on the urban experience in

Jackson, Miss., emphasizing entrepreneurship, economic growth, culture, style and city life.© 2015 Jackson Free Press Inc.

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Cool At Work// by Donna Ladd

BOOM CEO and Editor-in-chief Donna Ladd loves her office toys to pieces,

including this Yoda puppet she’s cherished for 33 years.

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Cover photo of Nicholas Prowell at Broadband Voice by

Tate K. Nations, fashion info, p 84


contributors

1. Adria WalkerFreelance writer Adria Walker (aka the 27th Doctor) is a senior at Murrah High School. She enjoys debating about Star Wars; reading Camus, Neruda, Kafka, and Kundera; and questioning her existence. She wrote a business piece.

2. Mike McDonald Freelance writer Mike McDonald attended the University of Montana. He enjoys listening to rap music, writing short stories and reading books about American history. He wrote a JXN story.

3. Zachary Oren SmithEditorial intern Zachary Oren Smith comes from a long line of storytellers and decided he might as well make a dime off the family business. And no, he’s probably not related to the Smiths you’re thinking of. He wrote a Do-Gooder story.

4. Ebony RobinsonEbony Robinson is a professional image coach and founder of Ebony Marchelle. She is also the lead fashion merchandising instructor at Hinds Community College. For more information about Ebony or her image coaching, visit ebonymarchelle.com. She styled the fashion in the coolest office spread and wrote a fashion piece.


COUPON CODE: 1503BOOM

If you noticed that Fondren After 5 kicked it up a notch in December 2013, that was thanks in no small part to Fondren business-man Ron Chane, owner of Studio Chane.

From the Fondren Art Mix to Fondren After 5, the event has come in various incarnations over the years. In the beginning, Chane says it built up a lot of strength, but it started to wane in popu-larity in late 2012 and 2013. Now, in 2015, Chane plans to revive Fondren After 5 with a new strat-egy and a new name: Fondren’s First Thursday. “As a merchant, I had grown to depend on it as an extra amount of commerce, and it was extra help for us in the recession,” Chane says. “It was like, ‘Well, at least I can depend on that Thursday night.’” In 2009, Chane moved his store, Swell-o-Pho-nic, from its former space at the current home of Fondren Public into its current location. “Once we had moved up to State Street in Fondren Corner, (Fondren After 5) was great because we didn’t have to work so hard to beg people to come to this event. … Once it started to go down, we realized that we’ve got to do something,” he says. The Jackson native toyed with the idea of organizing a few of the events. In 2014, he part-nered with Fondren Renaissance Foundation, the

original organizers, to put some spark back into the proceedings. He planned to spearhead the event as an unpaid volunteer for about 90 days. “I really enjoyed flinging my doors open and just being here for it,” Chane says. “I had just gotten to the point where my staff had said:

‘Listen, you can quit working these now. We got this. Just go out and enjoy it.’” Soon after, Chane took on most aspects of planning the event. Now, he feels that it’s time for Fondren After 5 to turn over another new leaf. Chane announced the revamped name and game plan for Fondren’s First Thursday in February.

Other than the fact that the previous name belongs to Fondren Renaissance, Chane says he wants to expand on past successes and also intro-duce new elements, such as shedding the event’s time limitations. His goal is to have Fondren’s First Thursday run from noon to midnight so that

everyone can participate. Chane also wants to help lo-cal restaurants. For a few of last year’s Fondren After 5 nights, restaurants such as The Pig & Pint held pop-up events. For Fondren’s First Thursday, Chane plans to pair restaurants with lo-cal farmers. He’s also working with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture to bring the Missis-sippi Farmers Market to the event for those who aren’t able to make it on Saturday mornings. With Fondren’s First Thurs-

day, Chane envisions a “night of neutrality.” “You’re not going to come here and deal with crime and politics and sad things like you see on the news,” he says. “We don’t invite black people, white people, gay, straight, rich or poor. We just invite one group called ‘people.’ Every-body is expected, and everybody is welcome.”

TRIP BURNS

FROM RECESSION TO REVAMP// by Amber Helsel


Hip Check p 12 // Future Leaders p 14

Walker’s Legacy p 14 // In the Minority p 16

Peekaboo p 16 // Million Dollar Man p 18

Parading Around p 19 // Tough Teacher p 20

Southern Gentleman p 22 // Progress p 24

Before her nickname, the old Terri Smith might have passively obliged the bruises and the thrill of the track. The old Smith had been told she was

worthless many times. But not the woman now known as Random Parts. She’s a Capital City Roller Girl, a player on one of two competitive roller-derby teams in Jackson. The pace and fury of roller derby, where women dodge and check each other on a con-crete track, breeds a degree of resolve. “It bleeds over into life and has made me more assertive for sure,” Smith says. Compared to Jackson’s other roller-derby squad, the Magnolia Roller Vixens, Capital City is more recreational. The team holds no tryouts, accepting anyone who brings an indomitable will to compete and her own mouth guard. Entering its third season since regrouping as a player-run organization, the squad expects to build on last season’s one-win campaign. Prac-tice, held at the Brandon National Guard Ar-mory, features no lulls in intensity as Coach Evin “Almighty” Carlile hurries the players between scrimmages, lap sprints and workout stations. Within the derby-sphere, there is a well-traveled saying attributed to pioneering coach Bonnie Stroir: “Most seem to find roller derby in a transitional period.” One example of this is Hailey Gann, known on the team as Olivia Ganngrene. Depressed in the wake of her mother’s passing, Gann left school in 2009 to help her dad care for her three

younger sisters. Having skated in her youth, she sought out the Capital City team and quickly found a second family. “We are all weird and wonderful,” Gann says of the team. The teammates span from peppy to gruff, cheerleaders to Iraq War veterans. Some fit the mold of the rough-and-tumble derby girl, but it’s hard to pinpoint a common personality. While Gann found the team after a death, Lacy Hale came from heartbreak. After the “perpetually watching ‘Bridesmaids’” phase of a break-up, Hale came across Capital City through word-of-mouth. She was watching “Whip It,” the 2006 roller-derby movie, and was amazed to discover she could be in the sport. “I was a baby giraffe my first time on skates,” she says. “You’re out of your comfort zone and scared.” One player equates this soothing power with going to church, only smellier. The intensity of the sport brews a distinctive scent, which Smith labels as a mixture of “ass and corn chips.” An hour prior, Hale was sprawled on the armory’s concrete, refusing to move her shoul-der. While absorbing a teammate’s body check, she heard something pop. She was in pain. Her teammates nonchalantly gathered around, chat-ting about everything but Hale’s well-being. “We are around each other so often, you can tell from their face if they’re really hurt,” Gann says. “Hales just needed a moment.” The physicality of a roller-derby match is raw. The objective: to get your team’s jammer to lap your opponents while impeding the oppo-

nent’s jammer from doing the same to your team. Bodies slam into bodies. Bruises form, and play-ers sometimes break bones. Embracing such a sport and returning with élan time and again em-power the women. Gann credits the sport with increasing her confidence. At work, she’ll morph into “Ganngrene” around a crowded office copier, us-ing her shoulder to stake a better position. The lawyers at the firm have taken note of her be-loved extracurricular. “They’ll gather around and be like ‘What!? You hit people?’ It strikes fear in a couple of them,” she says. On April 25, Capital City will have its first home game this season. The team plans to in-crease its wins and decrease its spreads (margins of loss), but even more importantly, to remain a sanctuary for those in transition. “Our team goes for the underdogs,” Smith says. “We attract those who don’t want to be seen and help them realize traits they didn’t know they had.” Several players mention a world-beating mentality that grips them when they strap on skates. This attitude can be a remedy for those mourning a loss or low self-esteem—providing a remedy for those in transitions. Or, as coach Bonnie Stroir explains it: “We ruin our bodies to save our souls. And for some reason, that makes perfect sense.” For more information and to find the Capital City Roller Girls’ upcoming schedule, search for the team on Facebook.

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Hailey Gann, aka Olivia Ganngrene, says the Capital City Roller Girls have become a second family to her.

Rough and Tumble// by Brian Gordon


JXN // grit


Choose your own path.

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Reserve your ad space now!D u e b y M a r c h 3 0

601-362-6121 ext [email protected]

Best of

Coppélia

JXN // legacy

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Leading the Youth // by Julie Skipper


Like so many African Americans before and after World War II, Margaret Walker Alexander trav-eled across America for better op-

portunities. Still, her early years in Louisiana and Alabama shaped her writing, including the poem “For My People,” which won the Yale Series of Younger Poets Competition in 1942. Walker was the first African American woman to win a national writing award. She often wrote about the struggles of African Americans, including in her book “Jubilee,” which responded to nostalgic fic-tion about the Reconstruction-era South. If Alexander were alive today, she would celebrate her 100th birthday this year. The Margaret Walker Center at Jack-son State University is celebrating for her with events at locations across the state. “We want to celebrate her legacy as a scholar, writer, educator (and) mentor, and increase awareness of her contributions to a state, na-tional and even international level,” Angela Stewart, the center’s archivist, says.

Events include the Oxford Conference for the Book, March 25-27 in Oxford, Miss.; JSU’s 9th annual Creative Arts Festival, April 10-11, titled “This is My Century: The Life & Legacy of Margaret Walker”; and “Black Arts Movement,” a photography exhibit fea-turing works by Doris Derby from April 23 through the summer. “Reflecting in the 21st century on Mar-garet Walker (Alexander), we should recog-nize her belief in self-pride, promotion of the free individual who challenges events intel-lectually, as well as a ... reexamination of ra-cial and gender identity,” Stewart says. “She aimed for a bettering of worlds through edu-cation, and I hope these events can honor and continue her mission and passion.” For more information about Margaret Walker Alexander and the events honoring her legacy, visit jsums.edu, call 601.979.3935, or visit the Margaret Walker Center office in Ayer Hall on the Jackson State campus. The center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For Her People// by Mike McDonald

The Global Leadership Institute at Jackson Preparatory School helps turn students into servant leaders.

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Jackson State University will honor Margaret Walker Alexander’s 100th birthday with a series of events from March through July.

JXN // growth

Because non-white students face great-er hurdles to receiving a doctoral de-gree, especially in STEM fields— sci-ence, technology, engineering and

mathematics—Jackson State University’s chem-istry department is finding ways to better serve these students. Hongtao Yu, a professor and chemistry department chairperson at JSU, suggested that African American students do not always enter graduate school on a level playing field with their white counterparts. “The biggest (issue) for some is the academ-ic preparation,” Yu says. “That starts with middle school or even earlier. A lot of these students, we see that they are not well prepared for college, and of course, the college did a good job to bring them up, but (getting a) PhD is a whole other level, and there’s something lacking there.” In STEM subjects, this disparity is especially striking. Out of roughly 5,000 chemistry doctor-ate holders in the country, only 50 are African American. To tackle this under-representation, JSU’s chemistry department focuses on three ar-eas of student learning: social life, academics and exposure. The department strives to build social communities for students to feel comfortable expressing their needs, whether they be social, financial or academic. “We really investigate each of the students to see where they are and, for them to make it, to become a PhD, what they need,” Yu says. Yu says he recognizes a lack of confidence in some of his students. “Although they are

bright, intelligent (and) they can do it, they just don’t feel that way,” Yu says. Many students he works with may be the first in their families to pursue higher education. The university offers opportunities to help students who have cer-tain deficiencies so they can get up to the speed with other students in the program. Nationally, JSU ranks third for doctoral degrees in physical sciences awarded to Af-rican Americans, which mainly encompasses the school’s chemistry degrees. It is also

one of three historically black colleges with a chemistry doctoral program. A chemistry doctorate degree, Yu says, opens up the doors for students to teach chem-istry, or work in government labs or in chemi-cal industries. Yu, who is Chinese and has lived in the United States for about 25 years, says working in the JSU chemistry department increased his desire to “help people grow from where they are to where they want to be.”

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The Chemistry of Education // by Anna Wolfe


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Feline Friends

Peekaboo

Jackson State University professors such as Hongtao Yu want to boost the number of minority students who receive doctorate degrees, especially in STEM fields.

17Work. Live. Play. Prosper.

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JXN // mission


T ed DiBiase Jr. came on the World Wrestling Entertainment scene as a villain in 2008. The character he played—the brash and arrogant Million Dollar Man—is completely different from the real DiBiase, a humble man who’s on a mission to

do great things for the state of Mississippi. Since retiring from professional wrestling in 2013, DiBiase has been flexing his entrepreneurial muscles. That year, he started strategic planning and development firm Dofflin Strategies with fellow

Clinton High School and Mississippi College classmate Nick Cough-lin. Coughlin’s background includes working with the Mississippi An-gel Network, the Mississippi Development Authority and Overtime Sports. He also had his share of TV time on NBC’s “The Apprentice” and ABC’s “Expedition Impossible.” Dofflin Strategies helps businesses create and implement innova-tive strategies. One of Dofflin’s largest projects has been with Delos Living and Livingston Land Company, which partnered with Dofflin to bring WELL certifications to Livingston, Miss. A WELL Building Standard certification for the Livingston proj-ect will be the first in Mississippi. “Our intention is to make Mississippi finally be one of the firsts, instead of dead last in everything,” Coughlin says. Delos’ website says the company strives to create “spaces that nurture and promote human health and wellbeing” and “cultivating better lifestyle choices by helping to prevent health problems before they are created.” “It’s a beautiful piece of property, and it’s really exciting what they

are doing out there,” DiBiase, now a Madison resident, says. “It’s actu-ally going to be a town that’s connected to a residential area, a neighbor-hood called Chestnut Hill. It will be a fully organic town. You’ll be able to ride your bike or golf cart up to the mercantile store to get your milk and groceries. There will be a five-star restaurant out there. … It’s a really unique concept.” Livingston was the county seat of Madison County from 1829 to 1836. The Livingston Township project is located at Highways 463 and

22, and will feature homes, a chapel, a store (which is currently open) and office spaces. “It’s not about personal gain for me. It’s about making history for fellow Mississippi-ans,” DiBiase says. The Delos website says that the WELL certification is the result of six years of research, development, and collaboration with doctors, scientists and industry leaders. The certification goes through the Green Building Certification Institute, the same organization that provides certification for Leadership in Energy and Envi-ronmental Design buildings. The WELL standard raises the quality of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, and com-fort in commercial, institutional and residential buildings. “We’re looking at working with the state and working with low-income areas and low-income schools and really pushing this in the state of Mississippi,” DiBiase says. “When Delos comes to Mississippi, and they implement these WELL certifications and structures, that creates jobs for general con-tractors. It creates jobs for certification techni-

cians. It creates jobs for the lighting providers and the different ancil-lary products that are going into these facilities,” Coughlin says. Coughlin and DiBiase are helping several Mississippi companies and general contractors attain WELL certification. DiBiase wants to use the opportunities he’s been given to help businesses reach their fullest potential. He wants to help put Missis-sippi on the map and then stay ahead of the trends. “We want to work hand-in-hand with the governor and both sides of the aisle,” Coughlin says. “There’s not a Democrat or Republi-can that doesn’t want their families their children in a better living environment.” In WWE, DiBiase was in the wrestling alliance, The Legacy, and now he is creating a legacy of hope and excellence in his home state and improve the quality of living for Mississippians. “I’ll never leave Mississippi; I’ll raise my family here,” he says. “I love the people. I love the lifestyle. It’s home. I’ve traveled the world and wrestled on six different continents. I’ve seen every major city … but there’s nothing better than Mississippi for me.”

A New Tag Team// by ShaWanda Jacome

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Ted DiBiase Jr., a former WWE villain, is now making the metro area a better place through his and Nick Coughlin’s business, Dofflin Strategies.


What to Expect

Mal’s St. Paddy’s ParadeMarch 20-21Theme:

Friday, March 20

Saturday, March 21

After Parade Happenings:

5th Annual Fondren’s Zippity Doo Dah WeekendMarch 27-29

March 27:

March 28

Parading Around

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This year’s Zippity Doo Dah Weekend is March 27-28.

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Malcolm White and friends began the St. Paddy’s parade tradition in the early 1980s.

JXN // secret city


Most would agree that educators have a powerful influence on their students,

but how many teachers can say that they inspired a modern liter-ary master, a beloved city street and a school, all within their life-time? For 56 years, Miss Lorena Duling whipped Jackson Public Schools into shape and, in the pro-cess, became a prominent figure in the city’s history. At a time when women rarely moved from their parents’ home until they married, Duling, a Ten-

nessee native, went to Paris, Texas, to become an elementary school teacher. She worked there for five years before moving to Jackson in the 1890s, when she accepted a job at Central High School at West and Griffith streets in downtown Jackson. Then, in 1905, Duling accept-ed a position as the principal of Jef-ferson Davis Elementary School, a title she held for 36 years.

A noted perfectionist and au-thoritarian, Duling’s students—in-cluding a young Eudora Welty—simultaneously loved and feared her. While education wasn’t a pri-ority for every Mississippi family, Duling was quick to disabuse any potential dropouts. In an article published in Jackson Magazine in September 1977, Welty told friend and writer Jane Reid Petty, who founded New Stage Theatre, about the principal’s reputation among schoolchildren. “You couldn’t even have left the classroom without a written

excuse from home, and then you’d still have to get past Miss Duling in the prin-cipal’s office,” Welty said. “You couldn’t.

Miss Lorena Duling could freeze you—maybe kill you—with the look of her eyes. She’d have stared down a dropout the way Saint Pe-ter would if he caught one trying to get out the gates of heaven.” Duling was also known for her generosity. She was the first princi-pal in Jackson to provide free lunch-es to students from low-income homes. She paid for these meals out of her own pocket for years be-fore the school’s board of trustees agreed to finance a lunch program. Although Duling died June 18, 1949, she lived to see her name etched into Jackson’s foundation. The Lorena Duling School, locat-ed on Duling Avenue, opened in 1927. Today, the building houses several of the city’s most popular businesses, shops and eateries, including Smoak Salon, Babalu Tacos & Tapas, and Saltine Oys-ter Bar, and it provides a venue for entertainment company Ar-denland’s various events in the school’s old auditorium. While she might not be as recognizable as some of our state’s famous former residents, Duling’s love of education and her insistence on schooling for every child undoubtedly shaped Missis-sippi history.

No Dropouts at St. Peter’s Gate

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The late Lorena Duling, the

JPS principal Duling Hall was

named after, was a noted

perfectionist and authoritarian.


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WWW . D U V A L L D E C K E R . C O M . 6 0 1 7 1 3 1 1 2 8

Training in the crucible that is the na-tion’s capital prepares the world’s hun-griest ladder climbers to be the next generation of bloodthirsty Capitol Hill

politicos to clash over civil rights, Obamacare, war funding, Mideast policy and the Keystone XL pipeline. Jackson native Leslie McLemore II’s plan is to become a kinder, gentler type of gladiator. “One problem I’ve noticed that I’d like to tackle is early educa-tion. I’m a big believer in mentor-ing, getting to a child as early as possible,” McLemore says. While it doesn’t have the same cachet as LGBT activism, for example, McLemore believes early-education advocacy is fer-tile ground in Mississippi, which lags the nation in most quality-of-life indicators for young children. Besides, he adds, it’s likely that the U.S. Supreme Court will soon render the state’s legal restrictions on same-sex marriage moot in the coming months. McLemore, 30, grew up in Woodhaven neighborhood of northwest Jackson and gradu-ated from St. Joseph Catholic School in 2002. After studying mass communication and politi-cal science at Jackson State Uni-versity, he went to law school at North Carolina Central Uni-versity and got his master’s of constitutional law degree from American University in 2012.

The son of Anniece and Leslie McLemore, the junior McLemore passed the bar in Missis-sippi and, after working at his stepmother Betty Mallett’s law firm in Jackson, headed east to the Mecca of politics and policy work. For a time, he

wrote editorials and handled media relations for a political consulting firm, Mercury, LLC. It wasn’t exactly in the glamorous mold of K Street mover and shaker, so he took a job in early 2014 as a policy analyst for the U.S. Department of Justice,

where he writes rules and regula-tions for the agency. In his time there, McLemore has found meaning in President John F. Kennedy’s quip about Washington being a “city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm.” He misses the warmth of encountering friendly faces at hometown haunts such as Mama Hamil’s and The Bulldog. Perks of living in D.C., on the other hand, include richer diversity. McLemore said he experienced culture shock coming from Missis-sippi where diversity means having equal numbers of black people and white folks in a room. Washington’s progressive bent and a large black professional scene are also breaths of fresh air. Mississippi’s never-ceas-ing culture wars suck up too much oxygen that could go toward prob-lem solving, McLemore says. Five to 10 years from now, though, McLemore says he can see himself returning to Jackson and diving into early education policy, voting-rights advocacy and other justice issues. “I’ll be damned if we don’t get there eventually,” he says. Read McLemore’s occasion-al guest columns in the Jackson Free Press at jfp.ms/opinion.

JXN // jurist

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Southern Charm, Northern Efficiency// by R.L. Nave


Washington, D.C.,

policy analyst Leslie

McLemore II wants

to help bring early

childhood education

to Mississippi.


Bringing The Community Together:Promoting Racial Harmony and Facilitating Understanding

• • • • • • • • •Monthly LuncheonsSecond Wednesday each monthJoin Jackson 2000 for our monthly

discussion luncheon at the Art

Center of Mississippi, covering

issues related to racial harmony,

economics, health, education and

more. Visit our websites for topics

and to receive e-mail updates.

2015 Friendship BallSaturday April 18, 2015, 7 p.m.Mississippi Museum of ArtOur annual “Friendship Ball” brings

members, board members and

the community at large together

for a celebration of our community

and two honor two individuals who

embody our mission. Live music,

food, drink and dancing!

2015 Dialogue CirclesOngoing for adults and youth - see websiteJackson 2000 presents dialogue

circles, a series of facilitated,

curriculum-based discussion

sessions that can open minds,

change hearts and build lasting

friendships. Thanks to The

Nissan Foundation for their

generous support.

www.jackson2000.org

MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM of ART JANUARY 31 – APRIL 19, 2015

380 SOUTH LAMAR STREET JACKSON,MISSISSIPPI 39201 601.960.1515 1.866.VIEWART @MSMUSEUMART

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.MSMUSEUMART.ORG

Francis H. Schell, Rebel Calvary O!cers Driving Back the Skulkers, September 17, 1862. Graphite on wove paper. Becker Collection CW-FHS-MD-9-17-62c.

!is exhibition explores the role artists played as reporters and creators who translated with pencil and pad both the chaos and daily life of the Civil War. !e "rst-hand drawings document in lively and speci"c ways key

developments in the history of America as it struggled to establish its national identity. Civil War Drawings from the Becker Collection is curated by Judith Bookbinder and Sheila Gallagher and the traveling exhibition is organized by Curatorial Assistance Traveling Exhibitions, Pasadena, California. Drawings from the Becker Collection premiered at the McMullen Museum at

Boston College in the exhibition, First Hand: Civil War Era Drawings from the Becker Collection which was organized by the McMullen Museum and underwritten by Boston College and Patrons of the McMullen Museum. !e Mississippi Museum of Art and its programs are sponsored in part by the city of Jackson. Support is also provided in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and in part by the National

Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. Support for this exhibition is provided through the !omas G. Ramey and Peggy Hu# Harris Fund of the

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

Museum of Natural Science 2148 Riverside Drive Jackson, MS

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JXN // vibrancy

Jackson State University is quietly roar-ing with several building projects on and off campus. Recently, JSU cleared some hurdles

to move forward with two multimillion-dollar projects to provide more student housing to the growing university. In January, the state college board approved Jackson State’s request to bor-row up to $10 million to purchase the Palisades Apartments on the west edge of campus. Previously, Redus Mississippi LLC, a local

subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Co., owned the 444-bed complex, which JSU plans to renovate. To ac-commodate its students now, the school leases a motel near Interstate 55 North and High Street. JSU will also construct a 628-bed dormi-tory near J.R. Lynch and Poindexter streets. The city’s planning and zoning commission approved the plans in September 2014. The school does not need an additional OK from the college board because private funds from the Jackson State De-velopment Foundation will pay for the building, which will include a dining hall and computer labs. The school plans expansion of the Mississippi E-Center and the School of Science, Engineering & Technology as well, but school officials declined to provide details about those projects.

Downtown’s Cool Old Stuff “If you want something new, move to Pearl,” says Ben Allen, president of Downtown Jackson

Partners. “Old stuff is cool.” Right now, some of downtown Jackson’s old-est—and most talked about—economic-develop-ment opportunities are finally seeing movement. Farish Street, a veritable monkey’s fist of legal and regulatory quagmires, is close to resolving at a long-standing issue related to the project. Last fall, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, after losing faith that the Farish Street revitalization project would ever live up to expectations, ordered Jackson to repay

funds it used to buy buildings in the historic dis-trict, which once functioned as black Jackson’s downtown. The city subsequently transferred ownership of the property to the Jackson Rede-velopment Authority, an independent body that can structure financial deals for economic devel-opment projects. Faced with having to repay $1.5 million in HUD community-development block-grant funds HUD, Jackson City Council members developed a three-year payment schedule that would have tied up progress in the district for years. In January, Mayor Tony Yarber said his administration would accept, with the council’s approval, JRA’s alternative offer to pay back the $1.5 million. Yarber stressed that while it’s impor-tant to untangle the legal issues, the city and its citizens should not put all their eggs in the Farish Street basket. “Entertainment and Jackson’s survival are

more than those two blocks,” Yarber said at a January council meeting. “We don’t hang our hats on those two blocks and say that those two blocks determine Jackson’s vitality or success.” Also downtown, the former Edison Walthall Hotel, at 225 E. Capitol St., has a new owner who plans to redevelop the property into about 100 luxury apartments. Previous plans called for a $10 million renovation, led by St. Louis-based real-estate developers Mike and Steve Roberts, but those plans stalled when water-pressure is-

sues damaged a number of guest rooms, forcing the hotel to close in 2010. Meanwhile, the Landmark Center, which had several suitors—including the Mississippi Department of Revenue and the University of Mississippi Medical Center—fall through in re-cent years, is in the hands of a new owner. Zeev Yochelman, an Israeli national, closed the deal last fall and announced plans for a mix of retail and office space and residential living in the top floors; the building is currently marketing the space and leasing to tenants.

Fondren Happenings The Meridian at Fondren is also coming along. The five-story, 240-home luxury apart-ment building will occupy 4.4 acres near the University of Mississippi Medical Center on Lakeland Drive. UMMC is leasing the land for the $33 million project from SKD Development,

SKD

DEVELO

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ENT

Pre-leasing is slated to begin late spring or early summer for The Meridian in Fondren.

In With the Old // by R.L. Nave


which also includes an affi liate of Jackson-based StateStreet Group LLC and Kassinger Develop-ment Group. “We anticipate that the Meridian will attract not only UMMC personnel and others from the larger medical community, but anyone and ev-eryone who appreciates the walkable, vibrant environment of Fondren,” said Stewart Speed, a SKD Development partner, in a release. Plans call for art deco architecture, with four stories of residential apartment space and retail and offi ce space on the ground level. The Meridian will offer studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments ranging from $900 to $1,600 per month. Each apartment will have either a full or Juliet balcony. Other amenities include a swimming pool, sun deck, gated dog park, an outdoor kitchen with grilling pavilion and televisions, and an aerobics and yoga studio inside a high-end fi tness center. “It will have a contemporary feel, and you’ll also have a little bit of art deco and retro,” Speed said of the pool area. With 4,000 square feet available for retail and other uses, planners hope the development will make a big impact on busi-nesses in Fondren. Additionally, a tax-credit-fi nanced housing project is under way near Taylor, Oxford, Down-ing and Lorenz streets in Fondren for a housing project in conjunction with Mississippi Home Corporation. The $18.5 million development in-cludes 163 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apart-ments featuring amenities like washers and dryers in each unit and 24-hour security. The de-velopment will also include 300 parking spaces. One development that will not be coming to Fondren just yet is a hotel. Developers have shelved plans for a 100-room, four-story urban boutique-style Hampton Inn with an under-ground parking garage at the corner of Duling Avenue and Old Canton Road. Sunny Desai, president and chief executive offi cer of Desai Hotel Group in Jackson, said this company with-drew its application to the Mississippi Depart-ment of History and Archives for building in the historic arts district, but he said he still hopes to bring a hotel to Fondren in the future. In the meantime, pre-leasing for The Me-ridian is slated to begin in late spring or early summer, said John Ditto, president of State StreetGroup LLC, which also owns the Fondren Hill and Vieux Carre apartments. “We will be incubating future Fondren ho-meowners,” Ditto said. “We look forward to be-ing a part of the fabric of Fondren.”


FONDREN

10 AM - 2 PM $2 Wristband

FONDREN

26 November - December 2014 // The City’s Business and Lifestyle Magazine boomjackson.com

Make every room in your home look just like in the magazines with great furniture and accessories, plus expert help. From the latest trends to antiques, accents, chandeliers, paintings, and pillows – it’s Interiors Market. Join us for lunch at Market Bites from 11:30 am to 2 pm, Monday thru Friday.

Woodland Hills Shopping Center Fondren 601 .981 .6020

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2015 Best of Jackson Finalist

Best Salon419 Mitchell Ave. | Jackson | 601.982.5575Tues - Fri 9:00 - 6:00 | Sat 9:00 - 2:00Walk-Ins Welcome. Appointments Preferred.

3111 N. State Street !"#$%&'()*+),-./0)1)203/4),005-0,,www.facebook.com/nutsjackson

*&'6"7)//833"9)5):8,3;9<=>%6"7)5)?@A6"7)-833"9)5):8,3;9

+"B=@6"7)/3833"9)5):833;9

open unt i l 10

Best Wine/Liquor Store

Best of Jackson 20 15

A pair of jeans is probably one of the most ver-satile items of clothing you can ever own. With the right pair, you can go from day to evening, from the office to a party.

As the owner of Red Square Clothing Company, Myles Harris knows a thing or two about blue jeans. The New Zealand native came to the United States in 2004, when he moved to Carthage, Miss., for family. He opened Red Square in Ridgeland’s Renaissance at High-land Colony six years ago. “I recognized a need for more of a men’s clothing store than anything else,” he says. Looking for a market niche, Harris began special-izing in men’s high-end denim. Because women were asking for the same thing, four years ago, he decided to expand the business into a unisex store. “It seemed to have been the right thing to do,” Har-ris says. In August 2014, he opened a second location in Highland Village shopping center in Jackson. “It was really a privilege to be offered this particular corner by the shopping center,” he says. “This (location) had been a pharmacy for 30 years.” Harris’ biggest challenge in opening the first loca-

tion was marketing. “Identifying your customers is the easiest part,” he says. “It’s informing them that you’re there (that) is the most difficult part.” But over the years, Harris has established a network of clientele. Red Square’s staff take pride in their denim-wear expertise. They can look at you and tell your size and the brands that will fit you best. “With the small population that the Jackson greater area has, it does not and probably will never attract a luxury high-end department store like Nordstrom’s and Neiman Marcus,” Harris says. “We can be defined re-ally as taking the entire denim department out of a Nor-dstrom’s and putting it in a store … along with a large selection of men’s and women’s contemporary brands.” The store carries designer denim brands such as True Religion, Citizens of Humanity and Hudson. Red Square also offers men’s and women’s shirts and blous-es, accessories and shoes. For more information on Red Square Clothing Compa-ny (Renaissance at Highland Colony, 1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, Suite 9004, 601.853.8960; Highland Village, 4500 Interstate 55 N., 601.398.3403), you can visit redsquareclothingco.com or find the store on Facebook.

TRIP BURNS

Red Square Clothing Company began specializing in denim after its owner Myles Harris saw a need in the metro Jackson area for an amazing place to buy jeans.

BIZ // contemporary


In Your Jeans// by Amber Helsel


Historically, Farish Street was a bustling part of Jackson. After slavery ended, it was the first place African Americans settled. “It was a self-contained, self-sustaining community,” says James Talmadge Anderson, president of Farish Street/Main Street Project. “Businesses and homeowners in that community

were African American entrepreneurs. … (Jackson’s) first clinic, doctor’s office, dentists’ office, photographer, grocery store, taxi company, bus company—everything was there.” Since integration came in the 1960s, the number of Farish Street residents and the businesses have steadily declined. The current Farish Street Historical District is a shad-ow of its former self. Once a flourishing community of commerce and entertainment op-tions, today only a handful of businesses operate in the district, and several buildings that once housed businesses are collapsing. Yet, the residents who remain in the Farish Street area remain committed to revitalization efforts. Members of the Farish Street/Main Street Project, founded in 2002, want to restore Farish Street to its glory days. The organization, which has on average about eight to 15 members, hopes to model the restoration of Farish Street after the booming tourist destination on Beale Street in Memphis. The two blocks between Griffith, Amite and Hamilton streets were destined to become Farish Street’s entertainment district before the development plan faltered, falling into legal disputes. “We saw (Beale Street) as the starting point for where people and busi-nesses would be drawn back, and life would return to the district,” Anderson says. The nonprofit lends support to those who wish to renew Farish Street by doing things such as trying to get a grant to repair the building that currently houses the Big Apple Inn and Medgar Evers’ former offices. Sadly, the effort was unsuccessful. Unfortunately for Farish Street/Main Street Project and supporters of the revival of Farish Street, this is easier said than done. “The two-block entertainment district has been over 15 years in the making,” Anderson says. “Every contractor that has been awarded the contract, for whatever reason, doesn’t have enough money (to complete the development). From what I understand now, it is tied up in litigation in the courts, so we don’t know when that effort is going to re-start.” News that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has ordered Jackson to return a grant to develop the area paints an even bleaker shade over Farish Street. However, Anderson is still confident that it can be saved with a little help, hard work and a shared goal. “We invite and accept all those who come in good faith and of a like mind,” he says.

Farish in the Balanceby Adria Walker

Homebound Moneymaker

W

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7542

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If you want to have a home business, selling crafts, jewelry and other items on Etsy is a great idea.

IMAGE: Farish_Street_Feb_2015_TB-3.jpgCREDIT: CAPTION: Image: Photo of James T. AndersonCredit:

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The Farish Street/Main Street Project is working to revitalize the historic district.

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Mississippi is a state with poten-tial, but it’s mired in low national rankings in areas such as edu-cation, health and poverty, Jake

McGraw says. He started Rethink Mississippi as a way to give Mississippians a way to en-gage with each other. McGraw, an Oxford, Miss., native, studied at the University of Mississippi from 2006 to 2010, earning a bachelor’s degree in economic and so-cial history. He became an intern at the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the university in 2008. The institute offered him a job in spring 2013, and he now works as its public-policy coordinator. McGraw’s internship with the institute sparked his desire to start the website. Rethink Mississippi, which McGraw found-ed in the fall of 2013, is a progressive-minded policy analysis and commentary blog. Its purpose is to provide a platform for com-munity leaders, politicians, professionals and citizens who want to see the state improve. For

that to happen, McGraw says, people must ad-dress the problems and talk about the solutions to them. “My internship got me thinking about sys-temic racial and educational divisions,” he says.

“The biggest obstacle in our state is poverty. Childhood impoverishment is the largest predic-tor of obesity, high-school dropout rates (and) incarceration. Between 32 and 35 percent of Mississippi children will grow up in a household earning an income below the federal poverty line. We rarely hear stories about that on the local news, articles in the paper or policy proposals by state legislators.” Contributors have written stories on sub-jects such as why lower income tax means higher state and local taxes, the effects of underfund-ing education and Mississippi’s infant mortality rates. McGraw still writes most articles for Re-think Mississippi, and its stories are exclusively online. McGraw encourages writers to include their voice and opinions, yet remain accessible and relatable to the readers. “I want to spark a conversation,” McGraw says. “You don’t have to agree with everything I say. I want the reader to at least think about what is written.” For more information, visit rethinkms.org.

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Rethink Mississippi, started by University of Mississippi graduate Jake McGraw, provides a platform to tackle Mississippi’s most pressing issues, such as racism.

Rethinking Mississippi// by Mike McDonald and Amber Helsel


T

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Tyler Raborn of Raborn Media expects the company to hold a JXN Tech on Tap once a month at Burgers & Blues.

Tapping into Technology// by Dustin Cardon

BIZ // big ideas


Your Coolest Office Toys// by Amber Helsel

We all know that working in an office can be boring, but that doesn’t mean it has to be. Sometimes the key to giving yourself a better office experience is to have fun, and one key to that is cool toys that either serve a function or are just there because they make you happy. We recently asked local people to show us their favorite office toys on Insta-

gram. Here are some of the submissions.

Earn More Locally

1

2

3

4

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Selling in consignment stores such as Orange Peel is a great way to make extra cash while contributing to the local economy.

McDade’s Market AppSee our latest ads and

specials, find out what’s cooking at our hot food bar

and get special alerts.

McDade’s Wine & Spirits AppLearn about new arrivals,

special tasting events, live music and more.

Now Carry McDade’s With YouWherever You Go!

Join the e-Club to get our ads and specials in

your InBox!

Menu Guide (pages 33-44) is a paid advertising section.

For these and more visit

www.jfpmenus.com

Aladdin p 39Bonny Blair’s Pub p 44BRAVO! p 35Broad Street Bakery p 35Cherokee Inn p 42Fenian’s p 40Green Room p 41Hal & Mal’s p 36Hickory Pit p 38Iron Horse p 40Jaco’s Tacos p 39La Finestra p 43Mangia Bene p 35McB’s p 37Mellow Mushroom p 41Mississippi Legends p 37Ole Tavern p 38One Block East p 37The Penguin p 37Pig & Pint p 36Rooster’s p 42Sal & Mookie’s p 35Sal & Phil’s p 43Steve’s p 42T’ Beaux’s p 41Underground 119 p 34Vasilio’s p 43

March - April

2015

M34 January - February 2015 // The City’s Business and Lifestyle Magazine jxnmenus.com

M35 Jackson Menu Guide

The best way to experience Jackson is to do like the locals do! For the best food,

the best atmosphere, and a true taste of Jackson — the locals know the best places to go.Ask around — one of our award-winning restaurants is sure to make the list!

PASTA & SEAFOOD

BEEF, PORK, VEAL

WOOD-FIRED PIZZA

SALADS & ANTIPASTO

FULL BAR & LOUNGE

#1 WINE LIST

TRUE BAKERY

BEST BREAKFAST

SANDWICHES & SALADS

QUICHES & SOUPS

PASTRY & DESSERTS

COFFEE SHOP WI-FI

NEW YORK PIZZAS

PASTA & PANINI

SUBS & BURGERS

SOUPS & SALADS

DESSERT SCOOP SHOP

FULL BAR & LOUNGE

INDOOR / OUTDOOR SEATING • DINE IN / TAKE OUT • CATERING

WHEN IN ROME…THE BEST LOCAL DINING — IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI

I T A L I A N R E S T A U R A N T & B A R

BravoBuzz.com SalAndMookies.com BroadStBakery.com

601.982.8111 601.368.1919 601.362.2900

Visit our websites to view our full menus.

Tues-Thurs 11AM-9:30PM

Fri-Sat 11AM-10PM, Sun 11AM-9PM

Tues-Sat 11:30AM-10PM

(close at 9PM Sundays)Mon-Thurs, 7AM-8PM

Fri-Sat 7AM-9PM, Sun 7AM-3PM

upper levelI-55 N @ Northside Dr (E)

in the565 Taylor Street

downstairs atI-55 N @ Northside Dr (W)

H I S T O R I C

Fondren District


S M A L L P L A T E SBoudin Balls…5.99

Sausage & Cheese Plate…8.99Pimento Cheese…5.99

Pork Belly Corn Dogs…7.99

N A C H O SC h e d d a r C h e e s e / S m o k e h o u s e B e a n s

P i c k l e d O n i o n s / P i c o d e G a l l o / M i s s i s s i p p i

“ S w e e t ” B B Q S a u c e / S o u r C re a m

Pulled Pork Nachos…8.99Smoked Chicken Nachos…8.99

Brisket Nachos…9.99

S A L A D SBLT Salad…8.99

House Salad...5.99Smoked Chicken Caesar...9.99

IB U R G E R S & S A N D W I C H E S

C h o i c e o f 1 s i d e : C o l l a rd G re e n s / Fr i e s / S m o k e d To m a t o

C o l e S l a w / P o t a t o S a l a d / P a s t a S a l a d

S m o k e h o u s e B e a n s P o rk R i n d s / S i d e S a l a d

Boudin Burger…10.99Fried Green Tomato BLT…8.99

( A d d P u l l e d P o r k o r S m o k e d C h i c k e n … 1 . 9 9

A d d B r i s k e t … 2 . 9 9 )Smoked Chicken Salad

Sandwich…8.99Bacon Melt…10.99

BBQ Sandwich…8.99(Choice of Pulled Pork or Smoked Chicken)Brisket BBQ Sandwich...9.99

The P&P Reuben ... 9.99

T A C O SPulled Pork BBQ Tacos…6.99Smoked Chicken BBQ Tacos…6.99

Brisket BBQ Tacos…7.99BBQ Taco Sampler…9.99

(One Pork / One Chicken / One Brisket )

‘ Q U E P L A T E SC h o i c e o f 2 s i d e s :

C o l l a rd G re e n s / Fr i e s / S m o k e d To m a t o C o l e

S l a w / P o t a t o S a l a d / P a s t a S a l a d

S m o k e h o u s e B e a n s / P o rk R i n d s / S i d e S a l a d

Brisket Plate…14.99Smoked Chicken Plate…11.99

Pulled Pork Plate…11.99Pepsi-Cola Glazed

Baby Back RibsF u l l S l a b … 2 5 . 9 9 H a l f - S l a b … 1 4 . 9 9

‘Que Sampler Platter…16.99P u l l e d P o rk / H e re f o rd B r i s k e t

P u l l e d C h i c k e n

D E S S E R T SThe Famous “Parker House”

White Chocolate & Cranberry Bread Pudding…3.99Bananas Foster Pudding…3.99

3139 N STATE ST, JACKSON

P I G A N D P I N T . C O M

(601) 326-6070

VOTED IBEST IB IBQIBEST NEW RESTAURANT

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815 Lake Harbour Dr.

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(601) 956-8362

5352 Lakeland Drive

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(601) 919-1165

Central Mississippi restaurant group...

serving up great food, cold beverages, live

music and lots of fun!

www.goodeatsgroup.net

PENGUIN DAILY SPECIALS

SERVED FROM 11:00 AM -3:00 PM$10 (INCLUDES ICED TEA)

TUESDAYFried chicken, turnip greens, macaroni and cheese

WEDNESDAYBeef Brisket, mashed potatoes and butter beans

THURSDAYSmothered Pork, rice and southern green beans

FRIDAYFried Catfish, cole slaw and French fries

Neck Bones, turnip greens and macaroni & cheeseBBQ Baby Back Ribs, baked beans and potato salad

$13 Half Rack/$20 Rack

APPETIZER FAVORITES

Gulf Shrimp Crab CakesTomatoes Juanita

Chicken DrummettesSmoked Jerk Chicken WingsSpinach Roasted Red Pepper

QuesadillaCrawfish Eggplant Napoleon

Pork Dumplings

DINNER ENTREES

Hickory Smoked Apple Pork ChopRoasted Chicken Vermicelli PastaDuck Confit in Orange Sauce

Herb Encrusted SirloinChicken Neely

Blackened CatfishRoasted Garlic Encrusted Salmon

Ribeye Steak

LUNCH ENTREES

Roasted Chicken Vermicelli PastaChicken Neely

Blackened CatfishChicken and Waffle

Roasted Garlic Encrusted SalmonCountry Fried Ribeye Steak

BURGERS & SANDWICHES

“Hot Dog Special”Pulled Chicken Wrap

The Penguin DogPressed Club Sandwich

Penguin BurgerTurkey Burger

SALADS

Tossed Caesar SaladPenguin Salad

Vegetarian Salad

SOUPS

GumboSoup of the day

PENGUIN DESSERTS

Turtle CheesecakeNew York Cheesecake Bourbon Pecan Pie

Strawberry ShortcakeBrownie w/Ice Cream,

Red Velvet Cake Bread Pudding

Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness.

Please inform your server if you have any food allergies or special dietary needs. The

Penguin Restaurant adds an automatic 18% gratuity to all parties of 7 or more. Please allow additional time to close out

separate checks for large parties.

1100 John R. Lynch Street Suite A | Jackson, MS

769.251.5222thepenguinms.com


SandwichesBBQ Chicken (chopped w/ slaw relish)

..................................................... 6.35

BBQ Pork (chopped w/ slaw relish)

..................................................... 5.45

BBQ Beef (chopped w/ slaw relish)

.................................................... 5.80

Smoked Ham (lettuce, tomato & mayo)

..................................................... 6.35

with cheese ................................ 7.95

Smoked Turkey (lettuce, tomato & mayo)

..................................................... 6.35

with cheese ................................ 7.95

Hamburger ............................. 4.75

(lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard,

pickles & onion) with cheese ....... 5.99

Double Hamburger ............... 5.99

with cheese ................................. 7.99

Po-Boys your choice of Pork, Chicken,

Beef, Ham or Turkey (lettuce, tomato,

mayo & Ruffl es) .......................... 10.45

with cheese ............................... 11.99

Grilled Cheese ........................ 4.15

extra cheese ................................ 1.40

Special Sandwich Platter ...... 9.45

(BBQ Chicken, Pork, Beef, Ham,

Hamburger, or Turkey Sandwiches.

Choice of two fi xins: garden salad, slaw, tater salad, home fries, sweet potato

fries, onion rings or baked beans)

BBQ PlatesChoice of 2 of our delicious fi xins: garden salad, slaw, tater salad, home fries or baked beans and Texas toast!

BBQ Pork (chopped) ............. 12.95

BBQ Beef (chopped) .............. 13.50

Pork Ribs (wet or dry)

1/2 slab ..................................... 16.45

whole slab ................................ 28.55

BBQ Chicken (1/2 cluck) .......... 13.15

Combination (1/2 cluck, 1/2 slab)

.................................................. 24.95

BBQ Nachos ........................... 8.99

Extra Fixin’sGarlic Bread ............................. .95

Brunswick Stew w/ homemade cornbread: 1/2 pint - 5.45, pint - 9.10,

1/2 gallon - 29.05, gallon - 54.45

Assorted Potato Chips .......... 1.10

Onion Rings ........................... 3.90

Home Fries (fresh cut taters) ... 3.60

Regular or Sweet Potato

Small Garden Salad .............. 4.70

(Come Back, Ranch, or Raspberry

Vinaigrette)

Chef Salad ............................. 12.55

(topped with cheddar and swiss

cheese, boiled egg, smoked chicken or

smoked ham & turkey, with a choice

of Come Back, Ranch or Raspberry

Vinaigrette)

Tater Salad, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, BBQ Sauce: single - 2.45,

1/2 pint - 3.25, pint - 5.45,

1/2 gallon - 18.50, gallon - 32.95

Homemade PiesLemon or Pecan ..................... 4.80

Hershey Bar ............................ 5.45

Carrot Cake ............................. 5.45

Coconut Cake .......................... 5.45

We also sell Whole Pies and Coconut Cake!

Party PacksServes 10 Adults .................. 49.85

(2lb. pork or beef or 2 whole

chickens; 2 pints beans, 2 pints slaw

& 6 slices of Texas toast or 10 buns)

1/2 Party Pack ....................... 26.15

Rib Party Pack (serves 4) ....... 57.35

(2 slabs ribs, 1 pint beans, 1 pint slaw, 1

pint potato salad, 4 slices of Texas toast)

Ask About Our Catering!

Jackson’s Best BBQJFP’s Best of Jackson

2003 • 2006 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012

We sell BBQ Pork, Beef, Ribs, Chicken, Ham & Turkey

by the pound!


Soup&Salad 2.955.493.754.494.494.494.497.597.598.59

Add meat on your salad for $3.50Add feta on your salad for $0.50

Appetizers14.693.954.504.504.50

(mixed hummus & foul) 4.504.504.504.502.503.504.005.953.502.502.50

Entreesserved with salad, hummus, rice and white or whole wheat pita bread

12.9911.6910.6911.6911.6912.6912.6915.9911.6916.9915.9917.6910.9910.6912.9911.6915.999.69

Sandwiches3.994.99

chicken or lamb 5.49beef or lamb 5.49

5.495.995.994.794.995.49

Desserts1.951.951.951.653.69


Phone 601-948-0055Fax 601-948-1195KITCHEN HOURSMon-! ur 4-11pm Fri 4pm - MidnightSaturday 4pm - MidnightSaturday 4pm - MidnightSaturday 4pm - Midnight

AppetizersScotch Egg $5A traditional Celtic staple. (Allow 15 min.) Irish Nachos $8Chicken & Chips $6Fish & Chips $7Fried Cheese Balls $6Bacon Wrapped Stu! ed Jalapenos $6Fried Dill Slices $4Grilled Sausage& Cheese Platter $9Slider Basket $7Corned Beef Slider Basket $7Basket O’ Okra $3Basket O’ Chips $3

SaladsHouse Salad $5 large $8Add a grilled chicken breast $3Chef Salad $9Caesar Salad $5 large $7Add a grilled chicken breast $3

EntreesShepherd’s Pie $10Corned Beef & Cabbage $10Grilled Tilapia Plate $9Grilled Chicken Plate $9

Irish BoxtiesReuben Boxty $10Shepherd’s Pie Boxty $10Veggie Boxty $9Grilled Tilapia Plate $9

BurgersPub Burger $8Mushroom Swiss Burger $9Chilli Cheese Burger $9Bleu Cheese & Bacon Burger $9Fried Egg Burger $9Western Burger $9Scotch Egg Burger $9Shepherd’s Pie Burger $10Reuben Burger $10

SandwichesChicken & Cheese $8Bu! alo Chicken $8Hawaiian Chicken $8Pub Club $8Bookmaker $9Blackened Tilapia Sandwich $9Reuben $9Portabella Sandwich $10

DessertsIrish Bread Pudding $5Dirty Ice Cream Sandwich $6

HEARTY FOOD.STOUT LIBATIONS.A HUNDRED THOUSANDSALUTATIONS.


BestofJacksonWinner

Best Place to Play PoolIndustry Happy Hour Daily

11pm-2am

Daily Beer Specials12pm-7pm

PoolLeagueMon - Fri Night

• Drink Specials

• Burgers

• Wings

• Full Bar

• Gated Parking

• Big Screen TV’s

League and Team Play BeginnerstoAdvanced

InstructorsAvailable

444 Bounds St.

Jackson MS

601-718-7665

THEG

REENROOM

- Pool Is Cool-


SandwichesAll sandwiches are served with fresh lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onions with your choice of white, wheat, or jalapeno cheddar buns baked fresh daily.

BEEFHamburger 6.5 7.75 Cheeseburger 6.75 8 Bacon Cheeseburger 7.25 8.5 Mushroom Swiss Burger 7.25 8.5 Jalapeno Cheeseburger 7.25 8.5

CHICKENGrilled Chicken Sandwich 6Fried Chicken Sandwich 6Chicken Club 6.5Chicken Mushroom Swiss 6.5Chicken Jalapeno 6.5

Hamburger Steaks One 1/2 lb. Angus ground chuck ham-burger steak with choice of two sides Classic Hamburger Steak 10.75 Brown gravy and sautéed onions Swiss Steak 10.75 Sautéed mushrooms and melted Swiss Bacon Cheddar Steak 11Bacon, melted cheddar, and topped with two onion rings Parmesan Steak 11.25Sautéed mushrooms, butter, and parmesan

Plates Mushroom Chicken Cutlet 9.755 oz. pan-broiled chicken breast topped with sautéed mushrooms and Swiss. Choice of two sides. Country Fried Steak 10.75 Topped with white gravy. Choice of two sides Chicken Tenders 9.75Three tenders with honey mustard. Choice of two sides. Red Beans & Rice 9.5Topped with smoked sausage, jalapenos and onions. Served with side salad.

Side Orders

DessertsHomemade Banana Pudding 2.25Cookies 1.25

Curly Fries 2 Green Beans 2Onion Rings 2.75 Baked Beans 2Side Salad 3.25 Rice & Gravy 2

Cole Slaw 2 Mac & Cheese 2.75 Mashed Potatoes 2 Extra Toppings .5 Red Beans & Rice 2 Extra Sauces .5

6oz. 8oz.

Fondren Corner | 2906 N. State St.601.982.2001 | Monday - Saturday 11:00am-9:00pmroostersfondren.com

STEVE’S BOX LUNCHESMade from the freshest ingredients and include a sandwich or wrap of your choice, side item, and one of our famous fresh-baked cookies.

Side Item ChoicesMiss Vickie’s Chips, Baked Lay’s Chips, Pretzels, Sugar-Free Fruit Cup, Lemon Dijon Pasta Salad, or Cole Slaw.

Metro Deli Box | $8 per personOven-roasted turkey breast, smoked ham, or chicken salad sandwich on house-baked focaccia, croissant or wheat bread.

Club Box | $9.75 per personOven-roasted turkey breast, smoked ham, bacon & provolone on house-baked focaccia, croissant or wheat bread.

Wrap Box | $9.75 per personChicken Club Wrap, Smoked Brisket, Sausalito Wrap, Area 51, or Mediterranean Wrap on wheat or sun-dried tomato tortilla

QUICHE BOX LUNCHESThinking outside the box? Looking for asandwich alternative? How about a slice of our hand-made quiche with a salad or a cup of one of our famous soups. Vegetarian options always available.

Quiche & Greens Box | $10.75 per personOne slice of quiche; fi eld greens salad with dressing; and a fresh-baked cookie.

Quiche & Soup Box | $10.75 per personOne slice of quiche; 8 oz. cup of soup; and a fresh-baked cookie.

SANDWICH TRAYS

Small Sandwich Tray | $50Eight cut deli sandwiches (turkey breast, ham, chicken salad). Feeds 8 – 12

Large Sandwich Tray | $73Twelve cut deli sandwiches, Feeds 12-18

Custom Catering | Starts at $12 per personHot lunches served buffet style with tea and desert.

125 S. Congress St. | Capital TowersT:601-969-1119 F: 601-969-7058

200 S. Lamar St. | City Centre NorthT: 601-714-5683 F: 601-714-6989

[email protected]

[email protected]

YOU WORKHARD.

DON’T WORKHARDER FOR LUNCH.

601-362-63881410 Old Square Road • Jackson

One Of The Many

Reasons You Keep

Coming Back!

The OriginalComeback Dressing

Voted Number One by Delta magazine.

Available only at The Cherokee.

$6.99 per bottle + tax


APPETIZERSCrabmeat Stuffed Jalapeños (5) 5.50Fried Crabclaws 9.95Fried Crawfish Tails 8.95Crabcakes (2 large) 7.95Oysters on Half Shell 1/2 doz. 6.95 doz. 10.95Fried Pickles 3.75Onion Rings 4.49SOUPS & SALADSAll salads served on a bed of lettuce with cherry tomatoesBoiled Popcorn Shrimp 8.75Fried Popcorn Shrimp 8.75Fried Crawfish Tails 9.50Crabmeat (Lump) 10.95Fried Chicken Salad 7.95Oyster Salad 10.95Seafood Gumbo Cup 3.95 Bowl 6.25Crawfish Ettoufee Cup 3.95 Bowl 6.25Red Beans & Rice Cup 3.95 Bowl 6.25PO-BOYSServed on Gambinos New Orleans french breadAdd .50 for swiss, american, or provolone cheeseSal’s Supreme (roast beef, ham & cheese) 9.50Roast Beef 8.50Veal Cutlet 7.25Hamburger 6.25Ham 6.25Ham & Cheese 7.25Chicken Strip 6.75Smoked Sausage 6.75Oyster 10.95Shrimp 9.50Catfish 9.25Crawfish Tails 9.25Soft Shell Crab (in season) 10.95Crab Cake 8.75Fried Grouper or Red Fish 9.50Muffuletta Half 7.45 Whole 12.95BOILED SHRIMP10 Large 5.9918 Large 9.2530 Large (with salad bar)

13.50DESSERTSCobbler (with vanilla ice cream add 0.50) 2.25Homemade Bread Pudding 3.50

LUNCH SPECIALSTuesday through Friday OnlyServed 11:00 am - 2:00 pmwith salad bar add 1.00Fish Plate (french fries & hushpuppies) 7.99Pork Chop Plate (rice w/gravy & squash) 7.99Red Beans & Rice (sau-sage & bread) 7.99Chicken Fried Steak 7.99Grilled Red Snapper (new potatoes & squash) 7.99Stuffed Flounder (new potatoes & squash) 7.996 Fried Jumbo Shrimp (new potatoes & squash)

7.99PLATESAll FRIED and served with french fries and salad bar. Baked potato served after 5:00 pm. French bread served on request.Trio (8 shrimp, 4 oysters, 3 catfish) 14.50Combo (10 shrimp, 3 catfish) 12.95Combo (8 oysters, 3 catfish) 14.95Shrimp (10) & Oysters (6)

13.95Stuffed Shrimp (5) 11.95Shrimp (15) 12.95Oysters (12) 14.95Catfish (6) 12.95Stuffed Crab (2) 11.95Soft Shell Crab (1 - in season) 12.95Crawfish Tails 11.95Popcorn Shrimp 11.95Chicken Strips (4) 7.50Seafood Platter 15.95(3 catfish filets, 8 shrimp, 4 oysters, and 2 stuffed shrimp)BEVERAGESSoft Drinks, Tea, & Lemonade 1.75Domestic Beer 3.00Import Beer 4.00EXTRASFrench Fries 1.75Baked Potato 1.75Hushpuppies 1.50Chips 0.95Pasta (only after 5) 2.95Fried/Grilled Squash 2.49Salad Bar 2.95

U.S. Farm Raised Catfish•All Shrimp North American Gulf Shrimp•WE ALSO SELL FRESH GAMBINOS

BREAD FROM NEW ORLEANS

6600 Old Canton Road • 601-957-1188Tues - Thurs 11am - 9pm • Fri - Sat 11am - 10pm

Sun 11am - 8pm • CLOSED MONDAYSTAKEOUT: Call ( 601) 957-1188 OR Fax: (601) 957-2939

BOILED AND LIVE CRAWFISH

AUTHENTIC GREEK DINING

Mon - Fri 11am - 2pm 5 - 10pm Sat 5 - 10pm

828 Hwy 51, Madison

601.853.0028

G D

Vasilios


StartersBlair’s Own Chips & Cheese $6

Irish Nachos $6Buffalo Cheese Sticks $6

Fried Green Beans $6Pub Pickles $6

Bonny’s Crabby O’Patties $7Potato Skins $7

Sausage & Cheese Plate $9Blarney Stones $7

Fried Mushrooms $6Starters Sampler $11Wexford Wings $5

Soups & SaladsChopped Chicken Salad $8

Steak Salad $9Chef Club Salad $8

Crab Cake Salad $10Caesar Salad $6

Half Size House Salad $4Soup Of The Day $3/$5

Red Beans & Rice $7Sandwiches

The Dubliner $11The Ruben $9

The Londoner $9Po’Boys $9

Belfast Buffalo $8Cork Club $8

Gouda B.L.T $8Beli Melt $7

The Farm Boy $9BurgersBuddha Gouda $9

Bacon Cheese Sliders $10Smokehouse $$9

Jerk & Jack $9Paddy ‘O’ Melt $9

Ploughman $9Jack & Shroom $9Black & Bleu $9

Pub FavoritesFish & Chips $10

Bonny’s Horseshoe $10Chicken Tenders $7

Shrimp Basket $9Shepherd’s Pie $10

Hamburger Steak $10Guinness Pot Roast $9

Corn Beef & Cabbage $10Bangers & Mash $9

1149 Old Fannin Rd. Brandon(769) 251-0693

11:00am - 12:00am

Subscribe for Only $18*!

To sign up visit boomjackson.com/subscribe

or call 601-362-6121 x16* $18 covers shipping and handling for six bimonthly

issues of BOOM Jackson magazine.

PLUS Subscribe to BOOM Jackson and receive $20 in local gift cards

from restaurants like:

In the song “Let’s Have a Party,” Elvis Presley sings, “Send ‘em to the store, and let’s buy some more.” He could have been talk-ing about LD’s Beer Run. Owners Larry Voss, 56, and Dylan Broome, 42, are self-de-

scribed “beer geeks, not beer snobs.” They opened LD’s Beer Run the day after Christmas in 2014. The store currently offers more than 300 beer options ranging from domestic brews such as Budweiser to craft beers such as those from Abita Brewing Company and Lucky Town Brewing Company. “I want people to say that if LD’s doesn’t have it, then likely no one else has it, either,” Voss says. LD’s encourages customers to buy a single beer to try it. “I think it helps people that may be unsure about spending the money on an entire six-pack, but are curious about craft beer,” Broome says.

“I love when guys come in and buy a domestic like Colt 45, then try a craft beer.” “We are trying to educate people about craft beer,” Voss says. “Peo-ple read about it all the time and are curious. A few years ago, I didn’t know much about beer variety. We welcome anyone who wants to try something new, or simply just wants the beer they’ve always enjoyed.” Variety seems to be the basis for everything LD’s offers. The store has a large walk-in cooler in addition to a growler station. They even offer potato chips from Virginia called Route 11. Plus, custom-ers can purchase kegs for parties and events. LD’s Beer Run (5006 Parkway Drive, 769.208.8686) is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, look for the store on Facebook and Twitter.

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Dylan Broome and Larry Voss opened LD’s Beer Run in December 2014.

xx March - April 2015 // The City’s Business and Lifestyle Magazine boomjackson.com

DRINKS // craft

Dylan Broome and

Larry Voss opened LD’s Beer Run in

December 2014.

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Food is a spiritual experience for south-erners. But until Jim Hatten launched the Mississippi BBQ Trail last June, his career path went nowhere near food.

Following about six years of active duty in the Air Force, Hatten attended a number of col-leges, including Weber State University; Utah State University, where he earned an avionics maintenance license in 1984; Mississippi State University, where he earned a bachelor’s of arts and sciences in philosophy and re-ligion in 1988; and the Iliff School of Theol-ogy, where he earned a master’s of divinity degree in 1990. In 2009, Hatten opened a consulting firm, the Jim Hatten School of Manage-ment, until a series of devastating injuries left him unable to work. Hatten was evicted from his apartment and was homeless for four months. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs took him in, helped him get healthy and gave him a scholarship to go back to school. This series of events set him on a brand-new path—a trail, if you will. Hatten enrolled at Hinds Community College in Raymond in 2013, graduating with an associate’s degree in marketing management technologies last year. During that time, he stumbled across an interesting concept while completing home-work. As he contemplated building a grill from a 5,000-gallon steel tank for a resort development, he found an article about the feral hog epidemic in the South and solutions to combat it. Hatten wondered how he and the barbecue-loving food culture could play a part in keeping these wild an-imals from destroying local farms and ranches. He spent months researching the barbecue business. When Hatten found that Mississippi brought in about $75 million in beef and pork

sales annually, a question came to mind: If it’s such a big business, why do you never see adver-tisements? And how big could it be if you did? “The cool mom-and-pop places that every-one wants to visit can’t afford to advertise down the street,” Hatten says. “My research shows that around 22 percent of these places have a website. Some had a Facebook page, but they were not

being maintained.” He also surveyed eight restaurant-review websites and found a startling lack of re-views. “That gap is where the inspiration came to me,” he says. Hatten took that inspiration and cre-ated the Mississippi BBQ Trail, an afford-able three-tier adver-tising system for the state’s diverse beef and pork offerings. Because of the lack of online resourc-es in an increasingly digital market, the website came first. It contains a list of 90 barbecue joints on the “trail” with ad-dresses and phone numbers. The joints populate a digital bar-becue map of Missis-sippi. Getting on the list is a process that involves verifying a li-cense, health depart-ment certificate and

ability to give receipts. In the future, customers will be able to stack up receipts to qualify for dis-counts and awards. The second advertising tool he plans is a print guide with information about the restaurants. Selling the Magnolia State’s best barbecue sauces online is the third component and the way Hatten, 55, hopes to attract visitors from outside the state. The ultimate goal is connecting consumers with local businesses. “I want to show people not only how good this food is, but how fun these places are and how cool these people really are,” Hatten says. For more information, visit msbbqtrail.com or find the Mississippi BBQ Trail on Facebook.

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Jim Hatten began the Mississippi BBQ Trail as a way to get the word out about barbecue joints around the state.

Follow the Mississippi BBQ Trail

// by Carmen Cristo


On a Roll

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Lauren Davis of LurnyD’s Grille serves hungry downtowners on the go.


Coolest Offices

Photographer: Tate K. NationsStylist: Ebony RobinsonStyling assistants: Amber Jefferson, D’Nearia WilliamsMakeup artist: GlamourACE Allure ArtistryHair stylist: Amy Robinson

Fashion info, see page 54


Coolest Office

Modern:

Barefield Workplace Solutions

// by Tommy Burton

Photographer: Tate K. NationsStylist: Ebony RobinsonStyling assistants: Amber Jefferson, D’Nearia WilliamsMakeup artist: GlamourACE Allure ArtistryHair stylist: Amy Robinson

Barefield Workplace Solutions doubles as a showroom for sleek and modern office furniture.

Showing other offices how to become cool work-spaces is at the core of what Barefield Workspace Solutions does. It stands to reason that their office serves as a model for what defines a cool work-

space (and was even the setting for a BOOM Jackson “Mad Men” party a few years back). “We call our office a ‘design center,’” says owner Paul Maczka, 49. “We show clients the potential of their own of-fices with our own working showroom. People can imagine what tools are available to them.” Barefield offers products that run the gamut in order to achieve a better office. It has everything from lighting and flooring down to paper products and coffee. Since it opened

in 1946, the company has witnessed how work environments have changed. “In today’s work environment, I’ve found that people are connected through technology,” Maczka says. “But what really matters is how we connect with other people. Every-thing is enhanced by the spirit of collaboration.” Barefield sets an example by presenting an office that is both modern and forward thinking, as well as one that brings its employees closer together, with sleek fur-niture, bright colors and some of the latest office technol-ogy. “Most innovation doesn’t begin with just one person,” Maczka says. For more information, visit barefieldandcompany.com.

Fashion info, see page 54Left to right: Danielle Joseph, Shequeena Brown, Nicholas Prowell


Photographer TatStylist Ebonyxxxxxxxx

Coolest Office

Understated Elegance:

Broadband Voice// by Micah Smith

It’s a tired saying: “The most important thing to consider is location, location, location.” But for telecommunica-tions company Broadband Voice, finding the great office space in Jackson helped the business grow without los-

ing its relaxed environment. When CEO Gary Watts founded Broadband in 2006, its first headquarters was in the old WorldCom building in Clinton. Once the company had taken off, though, he felt that they should be closer to the heart of Jackson. In 2013, he reached out to his friend Mike Peters of Peters Real Estate. Knowing Watts’ person-ality and the friendly culture of Broadband, Peters showed him the old Dickies garment factory on South President Street, even though Peters wasn’t affiliated with the property. When Watts entered the warehouse-like building, he imme-diately knew it was a perfect fit for his casual, customer service-

focused business, which provides phone and Internet services for local businesses. Laura Johns, vice president of marketing and corporate development for Broadband, says that the of-fice’s interesting look is a bonus, but what makes Broadband a truly great place to work is the people. “We all are friends, and we all have social outings,” she says. “We really like to come together and have a good amount of social time. We feel like that balances the work environment and makes it fun.” Broadband’s staff works hard to make sure that its clients have the best service possible, but they also have a good time when the opportunity arises. Whether it’s in-office ping-pong tournaments or Director of Reporting and Finance Christopher Goolsby’s annual funny personalized awards, Broad-band Voice is every bit as lively as its hometown. For more information, visit voice.ms.

Coolest Offices

Broadband Voice, in the Dickies Building in downtown Jackson, keeps a laid-back dynamic in its office with aspects such as ping-pong tournaments on Fridays and a cushy sofa to kick back on.

Fashion info, see page 54

Shequeena Brown’s fashion info, see page 54


Photographer TatStylist Ebonyxxxxxxxx

Danielle Joseph’s fashion info, see page 54

Broadband’s cavernous space gives staffers room to breathe.

The usual trope for engineers is that they live, breathe and think technology. People might expect an office of engineers to be full of people with thick glasses and empty coffee cups hunched over their respective computers or discussing a

seemingly unsolvable equation around a whiteboard. If you’re expecting this type of engineering firm, you should avoid Integrated Management Services. Since CEO John Calhoun and COO Rod Hill founded IMS in 1996, the company has simultaneously inspired innovative engineers while also pulling off the appearance of a stylish, modern workplace. “My favorite part about working here is that it’s a black-owned engineering firm,” says Ron Williams, a marketing support special-ist who has been with IMS for more than a year. “I’m hands-on with

the CEO (Calhoun) and the COO (Rod Hill). At 24 years old, it’s a blessing to be able to be that closely involved in a multimillion-dol-lar, black-owned engineering firm.” Aside from the accessibility to his superiors, Williams praises IMS’ unique offices as one of the com-pany’s “cool” factors. “It’s very contemporary,” he says. “If you walk around the office, you will see 100 different colors. Not everybody can be an engineer. What makes IMS different is the mindset to be able to actually design things and make the world go round by building infrastructure.” At press time, IMS Engineers was undergoing construction. The photos for this story show how the office looked before the remodel. We can’t wait to see the next version. For more information on IMS Engineers, visit imsengineers.com.

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Coolest Office Honorable Mention:

IMS Engineers// by Adria Walker


Coolest Offices

At press time, IMS Engineers was remodeling its office,

located on Amite Street.

Healthy, happy people are more pro-ductive. That’s a given. Over the past decades, companies have taken steps to offer workers wellness programs

and incentives to take better care of themselves. But it’s not just gym memberships and heathier diets that make for happier work-ers. It’s also about creating a daily culture where employees are motivated to reach higher and higher goals, while engaging and enjoying the work in front of them. A great way to do that is to urge every employee to become a leader in creating that culture—and ensure that every leader, start-ing with the CEO, work to contribute to that healthy, engaged workplace. In April 2013, Gallup Business Journal sur-veyed 32 Gallup Great Workplace Award-win-ning companies and compared their cultures to hundreds of firms that didn’t win. Here’s what they found in winning companies.

Show, don’t tell. Leaders strive to model positive behaviors while continuously improv-ing themselves. Great companies understand that nothing is more powerful than managers who demonstrate and teach what they know—with employees who are open to learning it. “Human Resources” is more than a title. Top companies use HR people to engage management and workers and hold both ac-countable. Great HR folks recognize untapped

potential and are active advocates. People know what management ex-pects. Leaders define goals in concert with their employees’ capabilities. No mission statement takes the place of achievement. People want to make a difference. Empower them to. Leaders take responsibility. It’s man-agement’s job to ensure that its widgets meet a need and profit—and keep workers trained and focused on that bottom line. Blaming a downturn

on forces outside a worker’s sphere of influence is a morale buster. Trust, support and then hold people accountable. The best people to solve issues are those dealing with them. Exemplary companies empower teams to make decisions, and then fol-low up on results. Reward excellence. Great com-panies reward examples of quality at all levels, making mediocrity the enemy. Great workplaces have ter-rific people. The goal of an engaged, healthy workforce requires leaders who are engaged and healthy. They hire good people who want to contrib-ute, and then help them shine.

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To have an office full of healthy, productive people,

it’s important to continually improve the overall

culture of the office and model a learning mindset.

More Than a Gold Star // by Ronni Mott


Coolest Offices

As we trade our warm, bulky coats for the playful, lightweight styles of the season, it is an opportune time to spring into action with new goals

and plans. Instead of focusing on temporary objectives that may not last as long as the season, why not make space for a long-last-ing transformation? Start by answering three very important questions: Am I getting the results I expect in life? Does my current image project who I am on the inside? Do I look like a credible (insert your occupation or passion)? If you answered no to any of those ques-tions, don’t worry. You can take the neces-sary steps today to reposition yourself and your personal brand in a way that reveals in-dividuality, builds confidence, and ultimately, produces results. The answer lies in the re-markably rewarding process of image man-agement and communication. That leads us to the next question: What exactly is image? Image is how others per-

ceive you. It is the aura and lasting impres-sion that is either noticed or unnoticed before people know you and your potential. People make snap judgments of you on first sight. Whether this is fair or not, many doors can be opened or closed based on a stranger’s perception of you within the first

few seconds of meeting you. In other words, your image is saying something, and that something has either a positive or negative influence on your ability to achieve your per-sonal or professional goals. Therefore, it’s smart and essential that you project a winning image and a personal brand that creates a powerful first impression regardless of your goals, occupation or back-ground. In any kind of workplace, image can be a powerful ally. For those who struggle with style choic-es, an image consultant can be a valuable re-source. They have become quite affordable and increasingly available. An image coach can help you clearly define your personal style and brand, and he or she can also help you build an appropriate and budget-friendly wardrobe that is fresh, current and consistent with your lifestyle, preferences and objec-tives. Because you are your most important business card, take the initiative to be seen, heard, and understood.

Image Management: A Fundamental Key to Success// by Ebony Robinson

TATE K. N

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Urban-planning gurus Ramina Aghili and

Arash Ghahramani, a 2014 BOOM Jackson

power couple, project a powerful image.

Barefi eld

Workplace

Solutions

pp 48-49

Danielle JosephMink Pink crepe boxy tank, $49, Libby StoryBec & Bridge striped skirt, $231, Mulberry DreamsAnna & Ava earrings, $5.25, Dillard’sSteve Madden fl oral pump, $89.99, Dillard’s

Shequeena BrownBec & Bridge dress , $268, Mulberry DreamsEarrings, $8, Fondren MuseGianni Bini sandals, $31.49, Dillards

Nicholas ProwellEton shirt, $265, Great ScottPeter Millar pants, $125, Great ScottMartin Dingman belt, $135, Great ScottPaisley tie, $175, Great ScottBresciani socks ,$40, Great ScottTo Boot New York Milford Suede Oxfords, $350, Great Scott

Broadband Voice

pp 50-51

Shequeena BrownJoy Joy striped dress, $123.99, Frolic BoutiqueJessica Simpson pumps, $79, Dillard’s

Nicholas ProwellCanalli blazer, $1,395, Great ScottStone Rose multi-colored shirt, $165, Great ScottBaldwin Reed Nicholas jean, $275,

Great ScottShinola watch, $550, Great ScottLinen pocket square, $75, Great ScottChelsea boot, $290, Great ScottMoore and Giles duffl e bag, $810, Great Scott

Danielle JosephEllison dress, $44.99, Frolic BoutiqueRhinestone statement necklace, $34, Libby StoryGianni Bini wedge sandals, $98, Dillard’sHayden satchel, $498, Arco Avenue

Styling Team

Stylist: Ebony Robinson, lead fashion merchandising instructor at Hinds Community CollegeStyling Assistants: Amber Jefferson and D’Nearia Williams, fashion merchandising students at Hinds Community CollegeHair: Amy Robinson Makeup: GlamourACE Allure ArtistryFashion Coordinator: Amber Helsel

The fashion merchandising program at Hinds Community College prepares students for successful careers in retail, fashion marketing and styling.

Special thanks Zilpha Young, Barefi eld Workplace Solutions, Broadband Voice, Tate K. Nations, Ebony Robinson, Amber Jefferson, D’Nearia Williams, Amy Robinson, GlamourACE Allure Artistry, Drew Dempsey, Graham Stauffer, Michael Rivers, Mulberry Dreams, Arco Avenue, Frolic Boutique, Dillard’s, Fondren Muse, Libby Story and Great Scott.

Fashion Information// by Ebony Robinson


Coolest Offi ces

Where 2 ShopMulberry Dreams (3026 N. State St., 601.559.7074, mulberrydreams.com)Fondren Muse (3413 N. State St., 601.345.1155)Dillard’s (1200 W. County Line Road, Ridgeland, 601.957.7100, dillards.com)Frolic Boutique (110 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601.856.9600)Libby Story (1000 Highland Parkway, Suite 5003, Ridgeland, 601.717.3300; 306 University Drive, Starkville, 662.232.1426)Arco Avenue (1107 Highland Colony Pkwy., Ridgeland, 601.724.4627, arcoavenue.com)Great Scott (4400 Old Canton Road, 601.984.3500, greatscott.net)

!iscoverthe colors of Spring at "enaissance.

Allure Plastics ! Altar’d State ! Angie’s ! Ann Taylor ! Ann TaylorLoft ! Another Broken Egg Café ! Anthropologie ! The AppleStore ! Aqua The Day Spa ! At West End ! BankPlus ! Barnes &Noble Booksellers ! Barnette’s Salon ! BellaChes SpecialtyGifts ! Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano ! Brooks Brothers ! C SpireWireless ! Caché ! Charming Charlie ! Chico’s ! Chop’d Salad &Potato Bistro ! Ethan Allen Furniture ! Five Guys Burgers andFries ! Francesca’s Collection ! Free People ! The Fresh MarketGingersnaps ! GNC ! Amy’s Hallmark ! The Hyatt Place HotelI.O. Metro Furniture ! J. Crew ! J. Jill ! Jolly OrthodonticsJudith Lee’s ! Justice for Girls ! L’Occitane En ProvenceLearning Express Toys ! Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry ! LemonMeringue ! Libby Story ! The Little Gym ! Lucky Brand JeansMaterial Girls ! Merle Norman ! Mint the Restaurant ! The OrvisCompany ! Oswego Jewelers ! P.F. Chang’s China BistroPink Bombshell ! Portrait Innovations ! Red Square Clothing CoRegus ! Ridgeland Visitors Center ! Runway Seven ! Ruth’sChris Steak House ! Sand Dollar Lifestyles ! ScottradeSeafood R’evolution ! Sephora ! SleepStore by MiskellySmoothie King ! Solstice Sunglass Boutique ! Soma IntimatesStarbucks Coffee Shop ! Sweet Peppers Deli ! TalbotsThe Headache Center ! Traditional Jewelers ! VintageWine Market ! White House/Black Market ! Williams-Sonoma

See all our retail stores and restaurants online atwww.RenaissanceAtColonyPark.com

For leasing information, contact !e Mattiace Company at 601.352.1818.

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O!ering the finest national and local retailers.O!ering the finest national and local retailers.Your #ashion !estination


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Fondren Presbyterian Church, PCUSA

3220 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS 39211 601‐982‐3232 / www.fondrenpcusa.org

Discover Fondren, Discover Christ

Training Healthy Mississippians

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Tara Hunter directs Girls on the Run of Central Mississippi, a nonprofit that

offers after-school activities and running lessons for girls in 3rd to 8th grade.


Do-Gooders // give

When she was in the 4th grade, Hallie Darphin loved Beanie

Babies. She and her older sis-ter, Hannah, would sit around looking at long stock lists, pointing and saying, “I want this one and this one.” Darphin, 23, doesn’t re-member many of her 300 plush animals, but she recalls her mother’s reaction to her obses-sion. “My mom was like, ‘Oh my gosh, my kids are spoiled brats,’” Darphin recalls. “‘We need to get them out of here.’” That year, her parents took her and Hannah, along with some physical-therapy stu-dents, to work at a clinic in Be-lize for six months. “We went to school in a local village school (and) lived without electricity,” Darphin says. “I knew then that I wanted to do something.” Darphin wanted to help under-served populations like her mother, Linda, who was a physical therapist. In 2009, she enrolled in Mississippi College’s pre-medi-cal program, where she was heavily involved in the campus’ Laguna social tribe, but after two years, she decided that planning tailgates for football games just wasn’t the “some-thing” she was looking for. In her junior year, Darphin took a semester off to work at the Rafiki Foundation in Africa. She was stationed in a small school in southern Uganda one hour from Kampala, the coun-try’s capital. Darphin tutored two children, Disan and Rob-ert, every afternoon. Disan was

in the 6th grade, and his father was a farmer. Before the Rafiki Foundation’s free school, he at-tended irregularly because his family couldn’t afford it. Every day, Darphin wore a pair of average Ray-Ban sun-glasses. One day, when she took her Ray-Bans off, Disan

looked at the sunglasses and then back at Darphin. “Teach-er Hallie. Teacher Hallie, I have heard those sunglasses are very expensive. I heard they are 14,000 shillings. I could never afford that,” Disan said. Darphin did the math in her head. At the time, 14,000 Ugandan shillings was about $7. Her Ray-Bans cost 20 times that. When she told friends and family about it, they would explain that sunglasses are a luxury good. Of course, Disan couldn’t afford them. “But $7 would have paid for all the rice (Disan’s family) would have eaten for a month,” Darphin says. The income inequality between her and Disan troubled Darphin, but it also began to hit on the “some-thing” she had been looking

for, the something that might define her purpose. In 2012, during her senior year, Darphin enrolled in an entrepreneurship class that re-quired her to write a business plan. She wanted a lasting, community-focused mission. Having seen the effect of edu-

cation in Uganda, whatever her company did, she wanted the profits to go toward school fees for underprivileged children. Darphin laid the ground-work for Dot Products, a for-profit business that sells school supplies to raise mon-ey for Rudi International in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Matamoros Children’s Home in Mexico. With each sale, Dot uses a portion of the proceeds to cover the cost of tuition, uni-forms and supplies. Although her path has changed quite a bit since her family’s six months in Belize, Darphin’s work with Dot helps children just like Disan and Robert. For more information, visit dotproducts.org.

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Living Local, Giving Global

// by Zachary Oren Smith

After spending time tutoring children in Uganda, Hallie Darphin decided to begin Dot Products, which sells school supplies and donate the proceeds to Rudi International.


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ARTS // miss eudora

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Tributeto a Queen// by Ronni Mott

If the city of Jackson has arts-and-letters royalty, its queen would surely be Eudora Welty. Born in 1909, Welty was a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, photographer and keen witness to the social up-heaval of the 20th century in Mississippi. She was a steadfast ad-

vocate of justice in a time when fair and equal treatment was hardly a reality for many Mississippians. Beginning April 10, Jackson holds a 12-week, city-wide tribute to Welty, which features not only her direct contributions, but also things in Welty’s life that shaped her and the works of artists she influenced. Centered in the Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson residents and visi-tors can immerse themselves in the exhibits and events of the first Welty Biennial at no cost. Under the theme “Classical Mississippi,” organizer David Kaplan emphasizes Welty’s connection to the stars and their stories. In her memoir “One Writer’s Be-ginnings,” Welty wrote: “The night sky over my child-hood Jackson was velvety black. I could see the full con-stellations in it and call their names; when I could read, I knew their myths.” Mississippi’s myths—her stories and her stars—in-spire the biennial. “We want to make a point from the begin-ning that (Welty) was a kid in Jackson and just from looking up at the sky, she thought about Greek mythology,” Kaplan told Deep South magazine. Replicas of the massive Corinthian columns of Windsor will stand in the museum’s Art Garden, and inside, an exhibition of star-patterned quilts and Clarence John Laughlin’s double-exposed photographs of ru-ined plantations join Welty’s own unflinching photos of her home state and its people. Mississippian and National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward’s commentary and storytelling accompany Welty’s words in the exhibits. At the Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St., 601.960.1552), visitors can learn about the stars and view the elec-

tronic constellation sculptures of Mimi Garrard and Jacksonian James Searight, whose mother was a schoolmate of Welty’s. “These other exhibitions and artworks illuminate things in (Wel-ty’s) writing and really celebrate her through the impact she had and the connections between the mediums that exist,” says Julian Rankin, the MMA’s marketing director. Mississippian and National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward’s commentary and storytelling accompany the exhibits. The Welty Biennial also features a documentary film premiere and numerous live performances. The film, “I Am John Clarence

Laughlin,” captures the life and images of the New Or-leans artist who many consider the father of surrealist photography. In May, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra pres-ents “June Recital,” an adaptation of Beethoven’s Fifth Pia-no Concerto setting five Welty short stories to the concert stage. And in June, Oscar-winning actor Olympia Dukakis is on stage for a reading of Welty’s short story “Asphodel.” “One of the reasons we’re excited to be part of this is because it’s not just one institution’s vision or idea,” Rankin says. “It’s a collaborative effort and a city-wide celebration

that involves different cultural institutions but also the public.” Jackson is invited to a dance party June 4, and throughout the bi-ennial, Mississippians are urged to submit their photos to the Snapshot Contest. The winners’ photos will hang in a downtown gallery during the last two weeks of the event. The Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St., 601.960.1515) hosts the Welty Biennial, April 10 through July 3, in partnership with Downtown Jackson Partners, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi and Magnolia Health. Events are at various Jackson venues. For additional information, visit weltybiennial.org. All events are free.

The theme for the inaugural Welty Biennial is “Classical Mississippi,” which emphasizes Eudora Welty’s connection to those she influenced.

MMA is recreating several columns from the ruins of the Windsor plantation near Port Gibson to welcome visitors to the Welty Biennial exhibits.


A few months ago, Hunter Davenport posted a time-lapse video on Facebook of himself creating a sculpture out of vinyl records. In the video, he forms a base of wood and chicken wire. He then begins melting records with

a blow dryer onto the frame. In the end, he creates a tall flower-esque sculpture made entirely of recycled materials. Davenport did not start out to be an artist. He simply wanted to decorate his apartment in an affordable way. After discovering that he could do more with his talent, he began BoomBox Proj-ects in 2012. After only a few years of making art, he has already sold his works to a number of Jackson shops, such as Lounge Interiors, J Sims Salon and DC Guitar Studio. His love of music inspires many of his quirky creations, which include loud colors and atypical substrates. Davenport’s works at Lounge Interiors and similar venues are often abstract in nature, while other paintings, such as his mural for DC Guitar Studio, incorporate the theme of the client’s business. But even when it comes to his commissioned pieces, Daven-port says BoomBox Projects is highly personal and unpredictable. “It allows me to be fun and crazy. That combination (of music and art) is what spawned the name of BoomBox,” he says. “Being featured in DC Guitar Studio has allowed my music-related works to (see exposure), but I’m always being spontane-ous, with very little structure before I begin working. There’s no telling where I’ll end up. I literally do not see the whole picture until I’m done, and that makes it even more fun.” Davenport says that he will continue to experiment with new brush techniques, textures, surfaces and canvases. “I can be trendy and original at the same time. I can design what people want to see, but I will add my own twist to it,” he says. For more information, find BoomBox Projects on Facebook or Instagram.

Paint-by-BoomBox// by Greg Pigott

Since Hunter Davenport began BoomBox Projects in 2012, his

experimental painting series has expanded in popularity and scope.

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Subscribe for Only $18*!

To sign up visit boomjackson.com/subscribe

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Singer and producer Corey Armstrong bridges the gaps between gospel, R&B and blues with “From the Soul.”

Corey Armstrong: Musical Fusion// by Fallon Victoria


MELODIES // spirit

Cynical Twins might be new to the local music scene, but this three-piece band has a rich history that stretches back to the early ’80s. Singer and guitarist Jeff Lewis, and bassist and lyricist Sherry Cothren have been writing songs together for the past 30 years. “Any of the music that we have written, I would call it progressive pop,” Lewis says.

“The lyrical content is just above and be-yond the usual cliché garbage.” While the members have been friends for decades, Cynical Twins is the first band where they all play together. Cothren and Partridge played in punk bands in the ’80s called The Germans and The Windbreak-ers. They were kicked out of a local bar called Skidmarks for overturning chairs and playing too loudly. Cothren, Lewis and Partridge began playing instruments while they were in high school in the ’70s. While they haven’t retained the punk elements of previous bands, they know how to rock. But all three agree that the lyr-ics make Cynical Twins what it is. “It’s the human condition,” Cothren says. Apart from its lyrics, Cynical Twins has plenty to offer. Lewis’ gritty, effervescent guitar licks, infused with Cothren’s raw bass riffs, create a refreshing throwback to ’80s-inspired rock. Add Par-tridge’s seamlessly timed beats, and you can’t miss.

AMBER H

ELSEL

Thirty Years to Cynical Twins// by Jason Ray

Synergy in the City// by Micah Smith

Maranda Joiner wanted more from Jackson’s open-mic scene. While she enjoyed performing her po-etry on occasion, the WJMI radio

personality missed the spirit of the Sevens, a midtown event that ran for 11 years. When she met saxophonist Tiger Rogers three years ago, he agreed. When he later approached Joiner about organizing an open-mic event to welcome all of Jackson, Synergy Nights was born. While the turnout for the first event wasn’t overwhelming, every audience member stayed until midnight, telling stories, reading poems and playing music. The second night, there were 15 people, but after that, the house was packed, and it’s stayed that way ever since. Now held on the second and fourth Satur-day of every month from 9 p.m. to midnight at The Mediterranean Fish & Grill (6550 Old Can-ton Road, Ridgeland, 601-956-0082), Synergy Night is a spectacle to behold. Rogers plays with a rotating quartet, artist Tony Davenport creates a live painting, and Sean Mac deejays. At its core, the event is about presenting raw talent. “There are going to be times where you have people that aren’t going to do so well,” Joiner says. “Then, there are times where you’ll catch a gem. Somebody will get up there and blow your mind, and you think, ‘Where in the world have these people been?’” For more information, find Synergy Nights on Facebook and Instagram.

Drummer Joe Partridge and guitarist Jeff Lewis recently joined bassist Sherry Cothren (not pictured) to form Cynical Twins.

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Maranda Joiner collaborated with musician Tiger Rogers for Synergy Nights at The Mediterranean Fish & Grill.


JOIN US TO CELEBRATE OUR 75TH YEAR

75 Years of Exemplary Historic Home Tours and Unparalleled Hospitalitygo to www.visitcolumbusms.org for complete listing of events

CATFISHIN THEALLEY®

Catfish & BluesApril 11

©

APRIL 6-18, 2015

Events // sprung

JACKSON AREA EVENTS UPDATED DAILY AT JFPEVENTS.COM. POST YOUR OWN EVENTS OR SEND INFO TO [email protected]

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1 “One Man, Two Guvnors” March 1, 2 p.m., at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). The play is an adaptation of Carlo Goldoni’s Servant of Two Masters.”

$28, $22 seniors and students; call 601.948.3533, ext. 222; newstagetheatre.com.

2 “The Glass Menagerie” March 2, 7:30 p.m.-10 p.m., at Jackson State University (1400 John R. Lynch St.). At McCoy Auditorium. The Tennessee Williams play is about a

man’s struggle to support his family after his father abandons them, and his disabled sister’s preoccupation with glass animal figurines. $10, $5 students with ID; call 979.2121; maddrama.com.

Barks, BBQ and Blues March 3, 6 p.m.-9 p.m., at Duling

Hall (622 Duling Ave.). Includes all-you-can-eat barbecue, a cash bar, a silent auction and music from The Envelope Pushers. Proceeds benefit Community Animal Rescue and Adoption (CARA). $45 in advance, $55 day of event, $350 table of eight; call 601.209.0667 or 601.826.4968; email [email protected]; carams.org.

4 History Is Lunch March 4, noon- 1 p.m., at Old Capitol Museum

(100 S. State St.). Ulysses S. Grant Association presents “The Civil War Ends and Reconstruction Begins in Mississippi.” Free; call 601.576.6998; mdah.state.ms.us.

Sister Act: Margaret Walker and Eudora Welty March 5, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., at Eudora Welty Education and Visitors Center (1109 Pinehurst Place). In honor of Margaret Walker’s centennial,

author Carolyn Brown discusses the personal and literary relationships between Margaret Walker and Eudora Welty. Free; call 601.353.7762.

6 Patti LaBelle March 6, 8 p.m., at Jackson Convention Complex (105 E.

Pascagoula St.). The legendary R&B singer is known for songs such as “Lady Marmalade,” “On My Own” and “If Only You Knew.” Doors open at 7 p.m. Xperience Jxn Entertainment is the host. $49.5-$77.5; call 800.745.3000 (tickets) or 678.322.8098 (information).

9 Spring Break Camp March 9, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). The camp for ages 6-12 includes lessons and activities related to animals and nature. Held daily through March

13. Registration required. $185 or $44 per day, members: $170 or $40 per day; call 601.352.2500; jacksonzoo.org.

19 Museum After Hours Pop-Up Exhibition March 19, 5:30

p.m.-8 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Includes works from the artists at Mid City Prints and the release of singer-songwriter Cody Cox’s new album. Free with cash bar; call 601.960.1515; msmuseumart.org.

21 Mal’s St Paddy’s Street Festival March 21, 3:30 p.m., at Hal

& Mal’s (200 Commerce St.). Performers include Trombone Shorty, Dumpstaphunk, Brownout

Presents Brown Sabbath and Roxy Roca. Gates open at 2:30 p.m. No coolers or pets. $20 in advance, $25 day of show; call 948.0888; email [email protected]; malsstpaddysparade.com.

26 Margaret Walker Centennial

Lecture March 26, 4 p.m., at Medgar Evers Library (4215 Medgar Evers Blvd.). Poet C. Liegh McInnis of Jackson State University presents “For My People: What the Internationally Famous Poem Has to Say to Young People Today.” Free; call 601.982.2867.

27 ElectroDash 5K March 27, 7:30 p.m., at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium (2531 N. State St.). The

nighttime 5K race and dance party is illuminated with lights, lasers and projections. A portion of proceeds benefits Friends of Children’s Hospital and is part of Zippity Doo Dah Weekend. Registration required. $50 on site, discounts for early registration; call 354.6021; electrodash5k.com/race/jackson (use promotional code FONDREN).

Taste of Mississippi March 30, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., at Highland Village (4500 Interstate 55 N.). Sample cuisine from more than 40 local restaurants. Includes a silent

auction, live music and more. Proceeds benefit Stewpot Community Services. For ages 21 and up. $65 in advance, $80 at door; call 982.5861; tasteofms.org.


Farmer’s Table Cooking School

Kids and Teen Camp

2 0 1 5The Best Summer Yet!

June 8th - June 12th

June 15th - June 19th

Kids Camp 9:00AM - 12:00PMTeen Camp 1 :00PM - 4:00PM

What I Did Last Summer

July 13th - July 17th

July 20th - July 24th

K i d s Camp 9 : 0 0AM - 1 2 : 0 0 PMT e en Camp 1 : 0 0 PM - 4 : 0 0 PM

Daily Outings Include:

Monday- Meet the ChickensTuesday- Go To the Garden

Wednesday- Meet the ButcherThursday- Tour the Candy Stores

Friday- Go Fishing

Kids Camp 5 - 10Teen Camp 11 - 15

1030 Market Street, Flora, MS 39071

6 0 1 . 5 0 6 . 6 8 2 1

Events // forward

JACKSON AREA EVENTS UPDATED DAILY AT JFPEVENTS.COM. POST YOUR OWN EVENTS OR SEND INFO TO [email protected]

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2 Fondren’s First Thursday April 2, noon, in Fondren. This revamped monthly

event is a showcase of the local shops, galleries and

restaurants of the Fondren neighborhood. Includes live music, food and vendors. Free; call 601.720.2426; email [email protected] (artists, crafters and musicians); fondrenafter5.com.

3 Zoo Brew April 3, 5 p.m.-9 p.m., at Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). Enjoy an evening of more than 50 craft beer samples, a wing-eating contest and

music. VIP tickets include early admission at 4 p.m., animal encounters and a firkin tapping at 4:30 p.m. For ages 21 and up. $30, $15 designated driver, $60 VIP (includes a keepsake, T-shirt and poster); call 601.352.2580; jacksonzoo.org.

Bunny Brunch April 4, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., at Mississippi Children’s

Museum (2145 Highland Drive).

Enjoy a hot breakfast and a picture with the

Easter Bunny. $20, $15 members; call 601.981.5469;

mississippichildrensmuseum.com.

7 The Rebirth of Dope April 7, 8 p.m., April 14, 8 p.m., April 21, 8 p.m., April 28, 8 p.m., at Soul Wired

Cafe (111 Millsaps Ave.). Enjoy soul-infused poetry featuring Mahogany Blue. $5; call 601.863.6378; email [email protected]; soulwiredcafe.com.

10-12 Crossroads Film Festival April 10-12, at Malco Grandview Cinema (221 Grandview Blvd., Madison). Enjoy dozens of independent films, workshops and parties during

at the three-day event. Discounts for members,

students and seniors. Admission TBA; call 601-345.5674; email [email protected]; crossroads filmfestival.com.

NatureFEST! April 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Natural

Science (2148 Riverside Drive). Includes reptile

encounters, watching divers feed the fish in the giant aquarium, guided tours, a dinosaur bone display and more. Included with admission ($4-6); call 601.576.6000; msnaturalscience.org.

14 Fused Glass with Jennifer Thomas April 14, 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m., at Mississippi Craft Center (950 Rice Road, Ridgeland). Learn to make a trivet or a set of coasters. Registration required. $35; call 601.856.7546; email [email protected]; craftsmensguildofms.org.

15 Mississippi Jubilee April 15, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.April

16, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.April 17, in downtown Jackson. African American music focus opens with a reception at Smith Robertson Museum April 15 from 6-8 p.m., a

freedom celebration at the Mississippi Museum of Art April 16 from 6-8 p.m., presentations from renowned historians and more. Free; call 601.576.6800.

18 Sante South Wine Festival April 18, 6:30 p.m.,

at Renaissance at Colony Park (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland). The annual event includes more than 120 wines and food samples from 20 Mississippi restaurants. The VIP tasting is at 6:30 p.m., and the grand tasting is at 7:30 p.m. The festival is a fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Association of Mississippi. $80-$250; call 601.987.0200; santesouth.com.

22 JJ Grey & Mofro April 22, 8 p.m., at Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St.). The band from Jacksonville, Florida plays several genres of music such as southern rock and R&B. Cocktails at 7 p.m. $22 in advance, $25 at the door, $3 surcharge for patrons under 21; call 601.292.7999; email [email protected]; ardenland.net.

23 Ultimate Fashion Show and Champagne Brunch April 23, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at Country

Club of Jackson (345 St. Andrews Drive). Includes refreshments, a fashion show and a car giveaway from Patty Peck Honda. Proceeds

benefit Camp Kandu, the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi’s biannual camp for children with diabetes and their families. $70; call 601.957.7878; msdiabetes.org.

“Just for the Fun of It” April 26, 3 p.m.-4 p.m., at

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral (305 E. Capitol St.). The Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra’s concert includes music from artisan Jason Smith on his handmade

banjo, audience participation with kazoos and songs such as Haydn’s “Farewell Symphony.” A reception and silent auction follows in the parish hall. Free; call 354.1535; freewebs.com/metropolitanchamberorchestra.


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1). Orange Peel (422 Mitchell Ave., 601.364.9977) I love the vintage feel and unique style of this local thrift store. They have a great selection of trendy and vintage clothes, shoes, accessories and even a furniture barn out back.

2). La Morena (6610 Old Canton Road, Ridge-land, 601.899.8821) This is my favorite local Mexican restaurant. It is family owned with authentic Mexican food that is affordably priced. I love going here for lunch.

3). La Finestra (120 N. Congress St., 601.345.8735, eatlafinestra.com)It has the best Italian food in Jackson. La Finestra offers house-made pasta and a farm-to-table concept with an innovative menu that changes weekly based on what is seasonally available.

4). Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Ave., Suite 201, 601.982.2899, saltinerestaurant.com)The laid-back, yet sophisticated atmosphere makes Saltine a great place to grab a drink in

the Fondren area, and I really enjoy the fresh oysters and the kale salad.

5). Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant (2640 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601.420.4848) Saigon is a local hole-in-the-wall Vietnam-ese restaurant located in a former fast-food spot, but don’t let this fool you. Saigon offers sit-down service with the best, most flavorful Vietnamese food including vegetarian options.

6). Sneaky Beans (2914 N. State St., 601.487.6349, sneakybeans.com) I was recently introduced to this coffee shop, and it has become my favorite. This coffee shop has an eclectic ambience with a down-home feel. It has several rooms with unique, mismatched furniture so there is plenty of room to hang out or catch up on reading.

7). Whole Foods Market (4500 Interstate 55 N., 601.608.0405, wholefoodsmarket.com) I am so glad Whole Foods came to Jackson. My girlfriend and I like to go here for pizza dates; it has a nice selection including vegetar-

ian and vegan options. We love the coffee and tea bar, and the organic wine selection in its Merchant of Vino Wine & Spirits store.

8). Parham Bridges Park (corner of Ridge-wood Road and Old Canton Road) I like to come here on my break between working doubles. I usually make a few loops on the one-mile track or meet up with a friend to play a game of tennis.

9). LeFleur’s Bluff State Park (2140 Riverside Drive, 601.987.3923) LeFleur’s Bluff has plenty of fun things to do. I like to use the hiking trail and play disc golf. I also bring my niece to the playground, which is a kid’s dream. The museums and gardens are also a fun way to spend the day.

10). Fair Trade Green (2807 Old Canton Road, 601.987.0002) This is a cool spot to check out if you are into supporting your local community. They have healing crystals, handmade crafts by Mississippians and a library of donated books you can borrow for free.

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Serving the City

10You may know Amado Felipe as one of the servers at La Finestra restaurant. Along with his busy job, he is a certified cosmetologist, author and tri-athlete. Recently, Felipe gave us his top 10 favorite places in Jackson.

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