News, Rumors & Propaganda

Published On: May 25, 2010

Life goes on…

We’ve all been affected by the devastation of the flood. The images from the horror that has been wreaked upon our community are unimaginable. They make your bones physically ache and your heart cry. Just as you think things can’t get worse and you’re at the end of your rope, there’s hope.

You can find that hope in the community’s response and desire to help those in need. The volunteers, the folks taking people into their own homes, the rescue efforts, Karl Dean’s leadership, the religious institutions’ aid, the music community’s generosity—all these things and more demonstrate the love this city has to offer.

While we need to continue to bring our city back to fighting shape, let’s not forget to celebrate what we have. The beautiful Schermerhorn Symphony Center, which suffered serious damage and has months before it opens its doors, is “still making music,” according to communications director Alan Bostick. “Our home is where our musicians make music,” he said, and they are making music all over our fine city. Just check their website nashvillesymphony.org for updates on times and locations for performances as well as news on work on the facility.

There are so many places that sustained damage, but that doesn’t mean they’re closed. From Belle Meade Plantation and Cheekwood to Cindi Earl and Jamie, they felt the brunt of the storm, but they’re alive, kicking and open for business. So get out there. Rebuild and renew, nurture friends and businesses who’ve suffered, but most importantly, let’s remember what matters in life and be thankful for all we have.

On another note

We don’t normally direct you to read columns (since we think they’re all fabulous), but take the time to read John Denson’s words about Bells Bend. He wrote his piece before it was hit with the flood, making it all the more poignant. And Christine Kreyling’s piece on Sigourney Cheek is masterful. What a wonderful tribute she has given to beloved Sigourney.

Sweet sisterhood

We just love the Red Cross Tiffany Circle. It’s a wonderful group of women who’ve donated money to the Red Cross—an organization we should all appreciate more than ever at this time in our history. If you are a victim of disaster or are trying to locate a lost loved one, the Red Cross is there for you—regardless of race, religion, gender, income—you name it. The flood didn’t care who you are, what you believe or how much money you make. Same goes for the Red Cross. They simply care.

That’s why we were happy to stop by Bill and Lin Andrews lovely Moran Road home to honor the Tiffany Circle members and invite new guests to join. On hand were Ted and Colleen Conway-Welch, Greg Burns, John Campbell, Bob and Julie Gordon, Ellen Moore, Anne Russell and Mary King Burd.

Frist triumvirate

Surely no one ever declines an invitation to visit Spring House, the timeless retreat of the Frist family. The Frist Gala kick there brought young lovelies for breakfast goodies and coffee to pick up packets and visit with co-chairs Julie Frist and Jennifer Frist. Trish held court in her inimitably funny way, hosting the event with Jean Bottorff, Joann Cato and Karyn Frist. No stuffiness here. The group visited about spring breaks past and summer camps coming up and learned about the exhibit that will be celebrated with this year’s Gala: The Birth of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d’Orsay, the Paris museum dedicated to the early modern period that includes Monet, Whistler, Degas, Cézanne and more. Any of them would have been inspired by the vista behind the house (“backyard” doesn’t seem fitting), which encompassed acres of manicured forest, accented with tasteful sculpture. More than one young woman pined aloud to spend her summer reading on one of the benches. Oh, how we do miss the 19th century!

The Gala will take place on October 23, so make a note with your quill pen.

Some of those taking mental trips back in time included Nora Kirby, Elizabeth Akers, Nancy Bunting, Judith Bracken, Sissy Wilson, Leslie Dabrowiak, Debbie Best, Sally Henderson, Judy Turner, Sylvia Bradbury, Denice Johnson, Gigi Grimstad, Perian Strang, Trisi Larish, Elizabeth James, Lucy Haynes, Lynne Rhett, Jennie McCabe, Peggy Kinnard, Mary Bettis and Trisha Elcan.

Brain food

The invitation to Megan and Bruce Barry’s dinner party came with an assignment: Bring a local ingredient to contribute to the meal. Chef Jeremy Barlow from tayst restaurant was on hand to transform bundles of sweet potatoes, kale, beets and berries into an improvisational seven-course feast for 50. Matt and Lisa Wiltshire brought tomatoes, Tom and Laurie Lee brought goat, and Renata Soto and Pete Wooten brought plantains—not exactly local, but delicious. If Chef Jeremy was the culinary brains behind the meal, then the Barrys’ guests were the brawn. Peggy and Ken Paulson peeled beets, Ally Harper and Dave Goodridge sliced strawberries, and Bonnie Dow and John Sloop trimmed lamb chops. What started as a motley assortment of groceries emerged from the kitchen as a sumptuous banquet of grilled pork with andouille sausage, pickled peppers and garlic over a bed of truffled beets and turnips; strawberries with goat cheese, baked wontons and black pepper; quinoa with pistachios and mangoes; kale, beet greens and turnip tops with bacon and sherry vinegar; stewed goat and beef tri-tip with purple sweet potatoes, plantains, sriracha chili and lavender; and grilled lamb with spring onion jam, green tomatoes and Tupelo honey.

The evening was a two-fold celebration—fêting the arrival of the growing season and rejoicing over the successful completion of Bruce’s brain surgery. Guests had followed the four-step removal of a cerebral anomaly via The Defective Brain Gazette, a brilliant, humorous and informative newsletter that Bruce wrote and distributed during his weeks of treatment. The pièce de résistance of the evening was a contest to guess the total pre-insurance cost of brain surgery. Mike Jameson took home a bottle of Scotch for his losing—but optimistic—estimate of seven dollars. (Maybe he just meant the co-pay?) Meanwhile, Katie Seigenthaler, in town visiting sister Beth and Richard Courtney, won a gift certificate to tayst for her astonishingly accurate guess …$350,000!

Hearty lunch

There were plenty of heartfelt messages at the Go Red for Women luncheon benefiting the American Heart Association—messages such as “Know your numbers,” “Invest in your health” and “Open your wallet.” At the heart of the seventh annual event was the sobering message that one in three women is at risk from heart disease. Think about it this way: If you’re lunching with 10 ladies, then three of the beautiful and talented women at your table could become victims of heart attack or other coronary illness. The chilling statistic was illustrated by white bows tied on three chairs at every 10-top in the ballroom of the Cool Springs Marriott. Among the red-dressed crowd were co-chairs Claire Tucker and Rebecca Climer, Keri McInnis, Deby Pitts, Wendy Burch, Amy Marsalis, Holly Whaley, Laura Brothers, Alda Rae McAdams, Laurie Seabury, Nancy Boring, Brande Thomas and Rose Grindstaff. The morning began with health screenings, nutrition workshops and cooking demonstrations. After all that talk about healthy food—not to mention the fact that many guests fasted beforehand to get accurate readings on blood screenings—the crowd tucked into a heart-healthy lunch. And after Ginger Zimmerman delivered her touching keynote address about surviving a heart transplant, the room swirled with even more red. As generous guests handed in their contribution envelopes, volunteers rewarded them with red feather boas. With such glamorous tokens of appreciation, guests left the Go Red luncheon absolutely tickled pink.

Who CARES

Nashvillians seem to have an unquenchable appetite for supporting nonprofit organizations. For the eighth year in a row the community came to the table to support Nashville CARES. Hungry to help Nashvillians living with HIV and AIDS, generous restaurants dedicated a portion of the day’s proceeds to Dining Out for Life, and table hosts gathered friends to fill 60 eateries across town for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Participating restaurants contributed at least 30 percent of sales to Nashville CARES, with Suzy Wong’s House of Yum contributing 100 percent.

Kelly Jones, Jack Silverman, Beth Gilmore, Kim Totzke, Yuri Cunza and Susan Kastan kicked off DOFL day at Marché Artisan Foods in East Nashville. Across town at the Belle Meade Plantation, Brian Hainley’s pretty belle restaurant rang in the lunch hour with a full house including Nan and Neil Parrish, Dianne Neal, Barbara Bovender, Brenda Batey, Billy Bainbridge, Hope Stringer, Rita Kaplan and Ophelia Paine. Ginger Hale marshaled a group to Nathaniel Beaver’s clubby Whitfield’s, while Kay West, Monica Holmes and Barbara Sieger gathered a dinner crowd at the cool 1808 Grille at the Hutton Hotel. Maher Fawaz presided over a crammed Kalamata’s in Green Hills, where Robin and Bill King, Mary Jane and Gilbert Smith and Kristine LaLonde and Claudio Mosse grabbed tables in the overflowing dining room. Fundraisers don’t get any easier than Dining Out For Life, and meals in Nashville restaurants don’t get any more festive.

Wilson returns

Just as the swallows return to Capistrano, so does Wilson Hardcastle faithfully come back from San Francisco each year for the Iroquois Steeplechase—this time bringing first-time visitors to our fair city—Shilpa Patel and Paul Day. Wilson invited his family and friends to meet his guests for cocktails on the screened porch and side yard of Fran and John Hardcastle’s Sheppard Place home Friday night before the big race.  The main subject of conversation was, as expected, the recent flooding of Nashville, everyone’s personal experiences and the months of clean-up efforts ahead. But that didn’t dampen the spirits of old friends greeting new ones on a balmy evening in anticipation of an exciting day at the races. Welcoming back the prodigal son were Patsey Reed, Bob Feldman, Barry Caldwell, Carolyn and Hartley Hall, Steve Sirls, Allen DeCuyper, Cynthia Warner, Jennifer and Billy Frist, Carrington Fox with sons Julius and Simon, Stephanie and Jay Hardcastle, Emme and Butch Baxter, Ray Sells, Keith Hinkle, Van Pondv, Carolyn and Dawson Thombs, Elizabeth James, Jay Joyner, Harkness and Scott Brown.

Strength in numbers

Going 12 years strong, Power of the Purse continues to empower and celebrate women by benefiting the Women’s Fund of The Community Foundation. Philanthropic visionary Jennifer Buffet (you know who’s daughter-in-law) spoke at this year’s event, which was planned to a T by co-chairs Shannon Barton and Jamie Granbery. More than $1,000,000 has been raised since the event began back in 1998—all going towards non-profit programs that benefit women all over Middle Tennessee. We’re pretty confident this group of strong women could one day rule the world. Among the ladies who lunched for a great cause were Vicki McAnally, Nuhad Khoury, Vicki Holton, Carol Daniels, Kaye Elam, Deb Varallo, Irwin Fisher, Diane Neighbors, Renée Chevalier, Deb Duncan, Audra Davis, Rachel Lang, Tish, Patti Bryan and Deb Turner.

Make it work

Despite Nashville’s record-setting rainfall, more than 400 people gussied up and braved the storm to see the beloved Tim Gunn at The Mall at Green Hills. Tim was in town to host a fashion show featuring Kate Spade New York, Lucky Brand and Juicy Couture, all part of the Liz Claiborne Inc. brand portfolio for which he oversees the creative work.

The Mall was transformed into a high-fashion runway with sleek contemporary white staging. Guests were escorted to their seats by models dressed in black. No details were left to chance. Some of the hardcore fashionistas seated around the runway were Hilary Williams, Mary Lou Fulton, Sylvia Rapoport, Stephanie Williams, Robert Campbell.

Tim commentated and gave helpful fashion tips throughout the show, repeatedly reminding the crowd that just because a 5’10” model looks good in something didn’t mean that they would. Brenda Black was brought on stage to show how a statement necklace could work with a simple white blouse and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to strut her stuff on the runway. The show was followed by an audience Q & A session. Of course, the first request was to hear Tim say “Make It Work,” to which he dramatically obliged.

Afterwards, chairs were quickly removed and a party ensued around the runway. Champagne flowed as men, women and children patiently waited to have their picture made with Tim. Mall Manager Hank Woerner and Marketing Director Scott McClure were so excited about the event that they invited other Davis Street Land Company VIP’s to join them. Seen chatting it up with Tim after the show were Virgil, Joanne and Britani Bonifazi of Chicago, Terri Johnson, Gary Rausch and Jill McClure.

Kitty’s charming—not catty!

That buzz heard recently in Historic Edgefield was the crowd gabbing at a “Gracious Southern Cocktail Party” honoring Kitty Kelley, author of the unauthorized Oprah: A Biography. Hosts Barry Baird and Joe Taylor invited a few folks to eat, drink and welcome the bestselling author to Nashville to celebrate the release of her new book.

Those in attendance had plenty to talk about. In addition to her latest tome on everyone’s favorite former Channel 5 news reader, Kelley has also penned unauthorized bios on Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Reagan, the British Royal Family and the Bush family. Buzz, you say? We bet it was a slightly muffled roar—complete with squeals and peals—emanating from that beautiful Victorian home on Russell Street.

Some in on the fun were: David and Debbie Dunham, Rolz Zettersten, Jean Cheek Leigh, David Glasgow and Van Pond, Tom and Peggy Harden, Daisy and Matt Hutten, Linda and Ted Jamison, Brad Baird and Roseanne Sullivan, Ken and Lisa Abraham, Randy and Sarah Hunter and Peter Johnston.