According to Matt Russo, “a gambling stick is an old Appalachian name for a stick used to hang a pig from the limb of a tree. Threaded through the heels of the pig, the stick supports its weight while the animal is harvested.” The gamble, and hope, is the stick can handle the pig’s weight, and the animal will not come tumbling down. In a parking lot in trendy East
Dylan Owens compares his job to owning a fast and sophisticated Ducati motorcycle. Both look really cool and seem glamorous to others. His career, and the sport bike, can get you to some fun places. Sometimes both will park you right outside the real action, peering in from a distance. And – truth be told – you have to really love them to be able to afford either
As we wander through the charming, historic Music Row building with the rickety staircases and old-world architecture, Dustin Williams proudly explains, “Everything we have here we fully expect to last 200 years.” The older they get, the more valuable. The more they are played, the better they sound. “We are lucky to be the caretakers of these beautiful instruments.”
Dodging cartons of cut flowers and drivers unloading boxes of tulips and hydrangeas, I maneuver my way along the crowded – and colorful – Chelsea sidewalk. Coffee in hand, this truly is a beautiful way to start my NYC day. As Troy Baksh says – “Who can possibly be unhappy when surrounded by fresh flowers?!” Located on West 28th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues, New York City’s Flower Market
In a world where the daily news brings distress at a steady clip, Sandi Swiridoff found a way to warm hearts and make people laugh out loud. When you thought there couldn’t be anything cuter than the puppy’s antics in her imaginative photographs, she added a towheaded, bespectacled little boy to the mix. As she captured beautiful moments between the two, Sandi had no idea what a wild and philanthropic ride she
Folks with illnesses requiring time off from work, individuals with sudden Injuries or disabilities, seniors with smaller incomes, people who’ve lost their jobs, kids in at-risk homes. It is impossible to keep track of everyone who needs help. Many won’t ask for assistance. Some are embarrassed to seek aid. Others don’t know how to get support. One thing is for certain – many faces of hunger exist all across our
As the sun rises, Sharon Maxwell strolls along a beautiful mile-long stretch of beach in the Florida Panhandle. Carefully searching for evidence of night-time visitors in the dim morning light, this early morning walk is a type of peaceful meditation for her. And then she spots them – faint tracks leading out of the water, heading toward the dunes, and returning to the ocean. After two decades, she still gets
According to Frank Billingsley, “It’s coming, it is going to be a big one, and it is not going to miss us. This one is ours.” With Hurricane Ike charging toward the Texas Gulf Coast, his Houston audience filled bathtubs with water and piled blankets, radios, water, and dog beds into interior closets of their homes. They were ready to shelter in place. Since 1995, Frank, the chief meteorologist at
As we chatted with the baker at an upscale Italian bakery in a trendy section of Brooklyn, my son and I explained what we wanted. The gentleman, who had been baking panettone and cannoli and biscotti in this neighborhood long before it turned hip and cool, looked at us with a slight amount of distaste— and a whole lot of surprise. “You want two cakes at this wedding?” he said.
Jim Laurent relaxes with a book in the straw-filled “home” he and his wife share in the cavernous exhibit hall. Their area is tidy and swept, and a crockpot of chili simmers on a cloth-covered portable table. The background noise is a constant and comfortable lull—the bellow of goats, pigs, and cows. One of the largest and wealthiest rodeos in the world, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs for
For those who don’t know the quiet thrill of sliding down a mountain—carving out turns and leaving tracks in the snow, relishing the scenery and the solitude—it is exhilarating. And always a little bit out of my comfort zone. When I try to imagine doing this with one leg, no sight, or without the ability to use my body to lean into a turn as I careen down a mountain — well,
Our two sons were finishing college when my husband of 30 years accepted a new job. All was good, except for one tiny detail. This position was located 780 miles from our home. All our stuff – literally and figuratively – was in Houston. A home filled with the accouterments of raising our boys. Plus 20 years’ worth of friendships, history, comfort, and security. My life was in Houston,
Since moving to Nashville, I spend more time listening to live music in a variety of venues around town. After all, this is Music City. Aside from raw talent and lots of practice, I never think about what else makes for an outstanding show. According to Chris Pence, a sound engineer with country and pop bands, “When everything at a show sounds great, the artist is wonderful! But when things
Eager to care for her brand new granddaughter, Barbara Heilman’s first order of business was to shop for a car seat. She couldn’t operate the model her daughter, Becca Davison, owned, and she wanted something easy to use. However, when Barb and Becca returned from their shopping trip, Barb was frustrated and slightly panicked. She didn’t have the strength to unbuckle any of the car seats in the stores. When
Showing me around her meticulously organized and overflowing art studio, I have a hard time keeping up with Xima Lee Hulings. Amidst pens and paints and textiles and even a blow torch, she talks about her life and paintings and projects in her rapid-fire, exuberant way. Inspiring and educational, she motivates me to make a mess and create something. Because, as Xima laughs out loud and says, “Life is an
I recently accompanied a friend to the hospital for a routine, albeit still unsettling, outpatient procedure. Sitting in the waiting area, I noticed a gentleman staff member, dressed in scrubs, who escorted patients to their assigned medical spaces. As he greeted and directed a constant flow of patients, I continued to watch and listen to him. He captured my attention by being an exception. In this world of instant gratification
I have talked about my mid-life move to Nashville—no friends or family here, kids grown and gone. Arriving in town, I read everything I could get my hands on about happenings in our new city. I searched for ways to meet people and create a sense of belonging. Now it is two years later. Mary Hance agrees to meet with me, and I feel like I already know her. Unbeknownst to Mary, she was
On a gloomy Monday in October, this Nashville treasure swarms with activity. Despite the misty morning, a crew works to put finishing touches on transforming the 55-acre botanical garden into a magical, holiday wonderland. As we stroll around the Cheekwood estate and grounds, built with the Maxwell House coffee fortune, Jade Roser gives me a behind-the-scenes look into how Holiday Lights comes together. With his easy going, infectious enthusiasm, Jade
The sergeant-in-command directs me to the room where roll call is about to start. Reminiscent of police tv shows, the two sergeants discuss the priorities for the day to the 30 or so police officers gathered. A murder suspect was apprehended overnight, so locating him is no longer a high priority item for these day shift officers. As I sit at my table and look around at the quiet and
If at first you don’t succeed…His first American Idol tryout was a bust. A few years later, Tim Halperin borrowed a buddy’s laptop, pulled up a seat, and sang a cappella for a webcam audition. This time around, he ended up in Los Angeles on a wild, musical ride. As we discuss Tim’s 2011 American Idol adventure, his strong faith is evident. A finalist during season 10, Tim believes he
As I meet with people, I continue to hear the same message over and over. To expand personally, we must seek challenges and bring novelty into our lives. Making an effort to learn and do new things enriches our world and creates excitement. Always willing to explore new territory, Charles Curtis stumbled upon an engaging and lucrative career because he gave something different a try. About 50 years ago,
I became of age in a Heineken, Budweiser, Michelob world – and Coors, brewed with “Rocky Mountain spring water,” was something a little more special. Admittedly, ordering a beer used to be a simple task. Nowadays, deciphering choices in the craft beer world can be complicated and overwhelming. Lager, ale, IPA, hops, barley, amber, abv, malt, mash – I just want something I actually like to drink. In a city
We downsized significantly when making our move from Houston to Nashville two years ago. Sorting through piles and years of stuff, we boxed up those things we truly loved. Not only is it emotionally difficult to part with your belongings, but it can also be physically challenging. We had a tough time finding organizations and people willing to inherit all the beautiful, in our opinion, things we chose to leave
We sit in her backyard on this lovely, balmy September day in Dallas, Texas. As I devour my beautifully presented lunch, we talk about how much The Defined Dish has grown since it began at the start of this year. Alex Snodgrass is the perfect example of finding what you love to do and turning it into a livelihood. With a huge smile, she laughs and says, “I am sharing
While gathering nectar for food, honey bees carry pollen between flowers, shrubs, and plants. In turn, these crops thrive and reproduce and keep our food cycle going. Without the honey bee’s continual pollination, our food crops – and nourishment for our livestock and other animals – will die off. Several weeks ago, I spoke with Roger Senechal about what I might expect to see during last month’s total solar eclipse.
In today’s world, with our steady stream of negative news, self-promotion, and verbal and physical attacks, it is heartening to meet a man like Lee Estes. Humble and unassuming, he is an example of good deeds rewarded. As he stands in his driveway and shakes his head and smiles, it is clear he’s still not used to seeing his 15-story likeness a few blocks away. The Nations is fast becoming a neighborhood
On August 21, 2017, the first coast to coast total solar eclipse in 99 years will sweep across the country. Most people will see only a partial eclipse – the moon will appear to take a bite out of the sun – an amazing show on its own. The twelve million people lucky enough to be situated along the 50-70 mile band of totality will view, according to Roger Senechal,
I am trying to imagine this striking young woman hiding inside a Jimmy the Gourd costume. As a cast member of Veggie Tales, the animated show offering kind and helpful lessons to children, Katie Talbot pulled on a large orange suit with a backpack connected to it. Depressing a button on the backpack, the suit expanded many times, much like a hoop skirt. While singing and dancing to the
According to Jennifer Puryear, books compete with television like never before. With Netflix and Amazon and HBO, excellent and artistic television shows are more common these days. We get caught up in one series after another – Game of Thrones to This Is Us to The Crown. Many folks need a good reason to sit down with a book. Several years ago, Jennifer wrote an occasional book column for a
Daily dose of gelato in hand, I meander through the back alleys and narrow streets of Florence’s Oltrarno quarter. A few blocks from the Arno River, away from tourists and crowds, lies a quiet neighborhood of Florentine artists. Peering into the artisan workshops and studios, you discover a rich part of Florence’s culture and history. Bookbinders, silversmiths, paper marblers, sculptors, marble craftsmen, perfume makers, potters, shoemakers, metal workers. Some of these craftspersons apprenticed under a master or studied with an instructor. Many are members of artisan families, and the skills and practices were handed down through the generations.
