In the early 1960’s, a couple of aspiring Ole Miss apothecaries bonded.  Little did they know, their friendship and mutual passion for music would one day turn into a legendary recording studio.  Tommy Couch hailed from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Gerald “Wolf” Stephenson from rural Marion County, Mississippi.  Tagged as Social Chairs of their fraternity, they sought to bring the south’s best bands on campus.  These festive fetes would only catapult their love of music.
 
“In 1967, Couch and his brother-in-law Mitch Malouf opened a shoestring four track recording facility on West Northside Drive in Jackson, renting space adjacent to a record storage warehouse next to venerable record veteran, Johnny Vincent, and christening this dream Malaco Recording Studio,” recalls Stephenson.  Stephenson worked in the studio as well, and soon both pharmacists had left their practices to focus solely on Malaco.
 
In the beginning, Malaco struggled greatly, but a production deal with New Orleans musical genius Wardell Quezergue led Malaco to a string of hits, including “Mr. Big Stuff” and “Groove Me.” Malaco march on through the 1970’s and 80’s, which welcomed blues musician Z.Z. Hill to their front door.  “Couch and Stephenson’s second offering on Hill, ‘Down Home Blues’ remains to this day arguably the best selling blues album ever released,” boasts Malaco.
 
2017 marks a significant anniversary for Malaco Music Group – the fiftieth anniversary of the first recorded session in the Jackson studio.  Today Malaco Music Group is comprised of recording studios, record labels, music publishing companies, direct marketing operations and distribution services.  Mississippi’s capital remains the home of Malaco, and they continue creating extraordinary Blues, R&B, Gospel and Soul records with their signature “Down Home Malaco Sound.”   Congratulations to this legendary recording studio.  We cannot wait to see where the next fifty years lead.

Seafood R’evolution and Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry are hosting an Oysters & Pearls Wine Dinner on Monday, October 16, beginning at 6 p.m. A five-course menu will feature expertly paired wines with each course for $125 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.

Often-told tales surround pearls, the Queen of Gems, once known as the most expensive jewelry in the world. There is a story about Cleopatra, often titled Cleopatra and the Pearl or The Banquet of Cleopatra. According to legend, in order to show her power and means, she told her lover, the Roman leader Marc Antony, that she could consume the wealth of an entire nation in just one meal. Roman philosopher and naturalist Pliny the Elder recorded this event in Natural History, writing: Cleopatra ordered the second course to be served. In accordance with previous instructions, the servants placed in front of her only a single vessel containing vinegar. She took one earring off, and dropped the pearl in vinegar, and when it was wasted away, swallowed it.

The reception begins the evening with guests enjoying hors d’oeuvres including Murder Point Oyster & Salmon Roe, Oysters Rockefeller, Rabbit Confit & Red Onion Marmalade, and Tomato Galette with Basil Pesto all paired with a Black Pearl Cocktail. The first course will be Cream of Oyster Bisque paired with Hope Estate Chardonnay. Next, attendees will enjoy Oyster Salad with Blue Cheese and Bacon paired with Gassier Sables d’Azur Rose. Seared Scallop & Black Truffle Risotto with Oyster Cream paired with Dom Arnoux Bourgogne will follow. The fourth course will be Braised Short Rib with Oysters and Colcannon Potato paired with H. Mynors Zinfandel. Dessert of Chocolate Oyster Pillow with Chocolate Ganache Cream, Assorted Berries and Creme Anglaise, paired with Ferreira Ruby Port will top off the evening.

For more information on Seafood Revolution, click here.

One of Jackson’s iconic restaurants has undergone a stunning transformation!  Since August 28th, BRAVO! has been temporarily closed while undergoing renovation.  On September 26th, the renovation was completed and BRAVO! reopened with a private Grand Unveiling celebration.

Why the complete remodel?  A few years ago, our structural foundation began a “parting of the ways.  “The kitchen wanted to move to Byram, while the dining room wanted to stay here in Jackson,” quipped Jeff Good, BRAVO! co-owner.  “A support beam under the pizza oven was giving out.  [Jeff and I] knew something would have to be done.  But we didn’t know how or with what money,” says Dan Blumenthal, Chef and co-owner.  When the new ownership of Highland Village approached Jeff and Dan to work out a generous plan to fix the foundation that would require the restaurant to close for a month, the two knew they had to make the most of it.  “When it became clear we would have to close for an extended period, we knew we would definitely remodel our kitchen. We had been talking about it for years,” Jeff explained.

With the structural project set, and the kitchen remodel plans in place, Dan and Jeff realized that closing for an extended period just to fix parts of the restaurant none of our guests would ever see just wasn’t good enough.  So, they decided to up the ante.  “We knew we couldn’t be closed for a month and disrupt our guests’ experience without giving them something.  It was clear that we needed to overhaul the dining room too,” says Jeff.  The incredible design team of Erik Kegler and Brennan Hovell of Erik Kegler Interiors, owners of EK Home came in to help.  BRAVO! needed an all new, modern look that would honor the welcoming and relaxing atmosphere people love— it still needed to feel like BRAVO! – but it needed new life and vitality.  The design they created does just that, but of course, there were a couple obstacles.

“Not going to beat around the bush.  We had no money, it was all going into the foundation and the kitchen, but we wanted to do something incredible with the dining room.  We had been saving money for two years in preparation for the work, but we were still short.  So, we came up with an ingenious plan to raise the funds— we held a celebratory event called “The Closer” and auctioned off all our furniture and fixtures.  We also auctioned off in-home dining experiences to be held during the shutdown.  The party was a huge success with 270 people in attendance, and we sold every single stick of furniture, every light, even the mint bowl by the front door!” Jeff shared.  

With all the plans and budgets and designs set, there was still one huge concern left to address, the most important one of all – the BRAVO! team.  Many of BRAVO!’s staff have been with them for years and are like family, and it did not sit right with Jeff and Dan to leave them out of work for a month.  “So we decided to pay them— which is pretty much unheard of, but it really worked out because we needed a construction crew to make the front house remodel happen so… it is thanks to their hard work that you see this fantastic new space.  They were our crew—we literally couldn’t have done it without them. Ripping out sheetrock, laying floors, putting in ceiling tiles, sanding, scraping, painting, everything was done by our staff.  And they were happy to be here with us!  It is an absolutely incredible family we have here,” Jeff continues, “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me to unplug and spend a full month of my life focused on one thing – one project – and do it with people I have nothing but the utmost in respect for.  They are awesome!”  Erik Kegler was impressed too.  “To take an untrained crew and in a month, get them to these results is stunning. I couldn’t be more proud. We have very high expectations for the quality of work that goes into our designs and they met them.”

These results could not have happened without strong leadership.  Every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Jeff was at BRAVO! working with the crew and coaching them through what to do.  “It was absolutely incredible.  He is absolutely dedicated to this place and these people and it could not have happened without him,” Erik said at The Unveiling dinner.

Now, when you walk into BRAVO! the demi-wall facing the front door is gone creating a more inviting entrance while enlarging the bar and lounge.  The iconic Lynn Green Root mural is still there, but gone are the old white ceiling tiles and green 90s paint and upholstery.  Everything has been softened to soothing, modern shades of blues, grays, and tans creating a crisp yet calm atmosphere.  Music plays over an updated sound system- no tinny tunes anymore!- and the lighting has had a complete overhaul with stunning, starburst-like light fixtures and gold and white lanterns.  New artwork adorns the walls and even the bathroom doors have had the royal treatment with bold new graphics.

Some of the biggest improvements cannot be seen.  Behind the bar hides a sleek cruvinet, allowing BRAVO! sommelier, Lesley McHardy, to feature a rotating selection of high end wines by the glass without any fear of oxidation.  And the kitchen has undergone a massive improvement.  The remodel not only fixed the foundation, but allowed the BRAVO! team to create a whole new, more efficient layout, while leveling floors, updating management offices, and replacing and refurbishing equipment.

Along with the gorgeous new interior, BRAVO! also updated their menu, restyling it to match their more contemporary look.  “Don’t worry! Most of your favorites are still here.  We did cut a few items to make room for a couple exciting new additions that we think you’ll really like- like a new ribeye steak and some great new appetizers.  And a few things have been renamed to reflect their classic Italian roots but it is 80% the same.  If you’re looking for something in particular, your server will be happy to help you find it or a new favorite,” explains Susan Farris, Marketing Manager.

To complete the all-new look, BRAVO! now has a new website as well.  Farris continued, “We’ve always been cutting edge— we’ve been on the web since the internet started, so it was definitely time for an update.  It was important for us to have something modern and food-forward to enhance our guests’ experience even before they arrive.  Our new website is fully mobile compatible and makes browsing the menu and seeing daily specials on your phone a breeze.”

Thanks to all these improvements, BRAVO! is now well-positioned to remain a major competitor in the Jackson food scene for another twenty-three years.  But BRAVO! has always been about more than just serving great food—it’s about connection.  It is a place where people can come together, savor the moment, and make memories.  Jeff sums it up best, “BRAVO! is more than a restaurant. It is an extraordinary experience. It is in the memories you make here with us; we look forward to continuing that tradition with you for many more years to come.”

To learn more about BRAVO!, please click here.

Five years ago, a small group of women changed the face of women’s health care in Mississippi.  “Right after we opened the new Center for Breast Health Center at Baptist Health Systems, we started to see women who fell into a crack,” admits Dr. Barbie Sullivan, Executive Medical Director for Women’s Services at Baptist Hospital in Jackson.  “I would see patients who refused to have a mammogram simply because they could not afford it or the next step in treatment.”
 
Though Mississippi does not have the highest rate of breast cancer cases, shockingly, we have the highest death rate.  Determined to change that, Sullivan and four other women started fund for the girls in 2012.  Fund for the girls offers payment for breast health services, including screening and diagnostic mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies and other services, initiated through the physicians on staff at Baptist Health Systems.  Sullivan says, “We require that all of our patients are referred by a physician.  If they do not have a physician, we will help them find one! It ensures they have had appropriate screening and gets them into a system providing care.”
 
Through special events and generous donations, fund for the girls has raised over $520,000.  Though the charity is very young, its impact has been phenomenal.  Sullivan smiles, “Over 1,100 women have been helped so far.  As of August 2016, 983 have received a mammogram, 285 had ultrasounds and 57 had biopsies.  Mississippi is truly the most charitable state.”
 
If you are interested in donating your time or money to fund for the girls, please visit their website, www.fundforthegirls.com.  Early detection of breast cancer is imperative.  Fund for the girls is running a new campaign, “Give Your 18: Honor Your Mother.  Lift Another.” If just ten people donate eighteen dollars, one Mississippian will receive a mammogram.  Your eighteen dollars might just save a life.
 
“I hope they do find a cure, but early detection is the best we have to offer right now,” says Sullivan. “My ultimate goal is to get fund for the girls to a point where we can help any woman in the state of Mississippi and come up with a way to have a traveling mammogram.  I wanted to be able to help every woman in Jackson and the surrounding areas across the state in the near future.”

Get outside this weekend and make your way to Laurel, MS, for the Loblolly Festival that celebrates the city’s heritage as a sawmill town.  Held annually on the first Saturday in October, the Loblolly Festival gets its name from the pine trees that are native to the area.  This fun-filled family event features vendors from several states.  Artists, crafters and craftsmen set up shop in the streets of downtown Laurel to showcase their wares.  Hear live music on the Loblolly Stage located on North Magnolia Street, The Knight Butcher Stage on Central Avenue, and at the Official Loblolly Afterparty at Slowboat Brewing Company!  Enjoy delicious festival food from the vendors and food trucks that line Oak Street.  You’ll find corn dogs, funnel cakes, fish on a stick, award-winning BBQ, hot tamales, steak sandwiches, baked goods and more!  As you make your way around downtown Laurel, be sure to meet the Loblolly Lumberjack, Ben Napier from HGTV’s Home Town!  He’s a definite crowd favorite as he towers over the festival goers adorned in plaid and carrying his trusty axe.  You can also admire the creative, life-size scarecrows on display as part of the Scarecrow Harvest, a growing yearly competition among downtown merchants as you make your way through downtown Laurel.  Watch International World Cup champion chainsaw artist Dayton Scoggins crank his chainsaw and shape logs and limbs into beautiful artwork at this favorite festival attraction, funded by a grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission.  Be sure to stop by the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art for the annual Heritage Arts Festival.  Celebrate Mississippi’s Bicentennial with FREE Mississippi-themed music and art activities.  As part of the exhibition, the museum will host an exhibition of local handmade quilts and feature the woodwork of Ellisville artisan J.B. Christian.

This year, there will be an expanded Kids’ Zone at the festival that includes face painting, a special craft area at HAND+made and fun learning activities from Central Creativity and STEM Discoveries.  On Central Avenue, big kids will get a thrill from riding the mechanical bull, water surfing, and much more!  Student artwork painted on Masonite door skins will be on display at Lee’s Coffee & Tea, depicting this years’ theme, “Laurel — 200 years — Celebrating Mississippi’s Bicentennial.”  Be sure to stop in, take a look around, and admire Laurel’s talented young artists!

For more information about Laurel Main Street and the Loblolly Festival, click here.