Food + Beverage

Speaking (of) Wine

At home, in a wine shop or at a restaurant Article by Anna Gsanger | Photography by Provided The language of wine is complicated. You know what you like, but it’s difficult to describe. If your Old Reliable isn’t available or you want to explore a new label, how can you express your preferences for an informed waiter or shopkeeper? With approximately 6,000 species of wine grapes, it’s critical to simplify this conversation into its base components: style, aroma/taste, body, acidity and tannin...

Home + Design

Lush Living

Wendy Smith of AC & Me Designs shares tips for bringing green into your home Article by Lindsey Tonkin From statement plants to thoughtfully arranged containers, houseplants offer beauty, balance and a sense of calm. Few understand this better than Wendy Smith of AC & Me Designs, whose passion for plants has grown into a thriving design business rooted in creativity, care and connection. “I have always had an interest in anything home design related,” Wendy says. That passion began 26 years...

Home + Design

Mimosa Home

Allison Ann Klawinski is making layered, livable luxury feel attainable. Article by Kit Garrott | Photography by Sarah Voigt Allison Ann Klawinski’s design sensibility is rooted in Memphis but shaped by a deep curiosity and years of hands-on immersion in every corner of the design world. Long before founding Mimosa Home, she was rearranging rooms, restyling bookshelves and gravitating toward art and interiors with an intuitive ease. That instinct eventually led her to Parsons in New York for...

Local Services

Rooted in Memphis

Youth Villages: Forty years of building stable homes and futures Article by Jeannie Tabor Four decades ago, Youth Villages was founded in Memphis, a city that has served as a vital social laboratory for the organization’s mission. Programs and services developed and proven here are now utilized to support children and families across 29 states and Washington, D.C. While the organization has grown into a national entity, its heart and leadership remain firmly rooted in Memphis. This local...

Arts + Culture

Allyn Fraser: Made in Memphis

How a native Memphian turns local history into contemporary art Article by Morgan Zanone | Photography by Sarah Voigt In her own words, artist and native Memphian Allyn Fraser is “one of those annoying people who has always known what she wanted to do.” As it turns out, she also always knew where she wanted to do it. “Memphis is a huge part of who I am,” she says. Her family has lived here for many generations, and that deep sense of place runs through both her life and her work. “I am...

Home + Design

Art by Design: Designer Preview

March 25th - March 29th Article by River City Lifestyle Staff ARTSmemphis and dozens of creatives will reimagine  Agricenter International as a series of stunning vignettes and immersive events that highlight Memphis’s vibrant design and art community. Art by Design is a curated series of events and presentations designed to highlight Memphis and the Mid-South’s interior design community and simultaneously support the local arts community. Centered around vignettes and arts activations in a...

Shopping

Art by Design: Events

Article by River City Staff Preview Party Wednesday, March 25, 6:00 - 8:00 pm   An intimate cocktail party reserved for sponsors, vignette participants, artists and VIP ticket holders. An exclusive first peek at the stunning showroom! A Screaming Blast with Rebecca Gardner & Decorative Arts Trust Thursday, March 26, 10:00 am Reception, 11:00 am Talk, 12:00 pm VIP Lunch  Spend a lively morning at this special event in partnership with Decorative Arts Trust. A riveting presentation from...

Arts + Culture

Words Between Worlds

Author Hadley Hury's new novel bridges Florence and Memphis, exploring love, art and authenticity. Article by Jeannie Tabor | Photography by Amy Threadgill In At the Villa Borago , Hadley Hury’s newest novel, two worlds meet across oceans and eras—Florence and Memphis, love and loss, art and identity. The book unfolds with a sense of grace and intelligence that reflects not just the story’s characters but the man who created them. For Hury, a longtime Memphian, words have always been the way...

Home + Design

Designer Notes

Selena McAdams of Spruce Article by Amy Birdsong Golden “Oh, it was awful,” says Selena McAdams, lead designer and owner at Spruce, recalling one of her first design projects. “But it was all mine. Hunter green and yellow, blue ribbons feeding through cabbage roses. Decidedly 80s,” she says smiling. One year for Christmas, her mother presented a Spiegel catalog to redecorate her room. It was practice for her true calling. “It sparked something in me.” That spark, ignited by a thick catalog...

Shopping

Year of the Horse

Another Chance at a Fresh Start Arrives with the Lunar New Year Article by Amy Birdsong Golden If the "New Year, New You" resolve of January first has already faded, a more spirited beginning awaits. On February seventeenth, the Lunar New Year arrives, ushering in the Year of the Horse - defined by  unbridled energy, triumph, adventure and forward  momentum. The transition from the Year of the Snake to the Year of the Horse is a dramatic shift in tempo. Where the snake was about...