Matthew Marshall serves as President and CEO of United Way of West Tennessee. He was formerly Executive Director and Head of School at Hands Up! Preschool, a non-profit Early Childhood Education program in Jackson, TN. Before that, he spent eight years in higher education at his alma mater, Union University, where he did undergraduate work in Christian Ethics and then earned a Masters in Education.
Read MoreOn a recent pleasant autumn day a friend and I took Tennessee State Route 69 out of Savannah vs. the interstate to Chattanooga. It is more scenic and peaceful and an excellent highway, and the trip only took about 40 minutes longer than if we had traveled on the always busy I-40.
Read MoreDr. Dennis Renshaw lived in Alamo, but he grew up in Iran, India, and Indonesia as his father was with the United States State Department.
Read MoreDr. George Pimentel serves as President of Jackson State Community College in Jackson, Tennessee. Before joining Jackson State in July 2020, he was the Vice President of Academic Affairs for Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tennessee.
Read MoreFashion photography by Kristina Only & Jeff Watson at Union University.
Read MoreAccording to tailgating enthusiast Taylor Mathis, “You’ll understand why a game day in the South is unlike any other” when you read his cookbook, “The Southern Tailgating Cookbook: A Game-Day Guide for Lovers of Food, Football, and the South.”
Read MoreOn August 21-22 a friend and I traveled to one of my favorite Southern cities—Oxford, Mississippi (pop: 23,000), where I once lived. I have many fond memories of Oxford that include celebrating my birthday there with a very special gentleman on a snowy winter day, meeting and talking to John Grisham at the height of his popularity at Square Books with a line that snaked around the block, and having dinner with author Willie Morris, whom I first met as Public Relations Director of The Peabody in Memphis, where I accused him of getting many of his story ideas while sipping bourbon and branch water in our lobby.
Read MoreFrank McMeen, a native of Columbia, Tennessee, was affiliated with Freed-Hardeman University for 14 years where he served as Vice President of University Advancement, fundraising, alumni relations, and marketing. He also served as President of Columbia Academy.
Read MoreOne year ago in August, Cotton House, Cleveland’s first boutique hotel, opened its doors. It has all the charm and hospitality you would expect in “the most Southern place on earth”—on the Highway 61 corridor, where cultures are rooted in celebrating with friends and family, food and drink, a good story, and music for the soul.
Read MoreEveryone dreams of hosting unforgettable soirees: the kind where candles and a fireplace create the perfect ambience, delicious canapes are passed, Champagne glasses clink, and the sound of laughter fills the air. In her first book: You’re Invited: Classic, Elegant Entertaining, Los Angeles-based hostess extraordinaire Stephanie Booth Shafran shares her secrets for perfect parties and takes the art of entertaining to new heights. From the table settings to the décor to the color-coordinated menus, every party she hosts showcases a myriad of inspired elements.
Read MoreA jack-of-all trades with a curious nickname, Lee “Wolf” Wilson has worked in construction, photography, higher education, junk hauling, and college ministry. In the last five years, Lee has accidentally become an entrepreneur, building an escape room empire that all began with Jackson Escape Rooms.
Read MoreSeaside, Florida…How I wish I were there now, and I suspect many of our readers share my desire to be sitting on the beach watching the waves roll in. The name Seaside conjures up images of pleasant breezes, sunshine, water, and pastel houses with picket fences.
Read MoreSeveral years ago I was a guest at LuLu’s, which was then located at Weeks Bay a short distance from the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Point Clear, Alabama where I was a guest. LuLu’s was a tiny dilapidated dive with lots of boats nearby and a bait shop. When you opened the door to the restaurant, you could smell the hamburgers. From the deck you could see beautiful Weeks Bay, and the sunsets were spectacular, much like in Key West, where LuLu and her husband have a home. “It was such a special place,” says Lucy Buffett of her first restaurant.
Read MoreJason Moore has been working for Madison County and the City of Jackson under EMA (Emergency Management Agency) full time since 2009. He came in under the recovery effort after the 2008 tornado that struck Union University, several businesses, and a lot of private property as well.
Read MoreDebra Prinzing is a regular contributor to the “Los Angeles Times,” “Cottage Living,” “Better Homes & Gardens,” “Fine Gardening,” “Sunset” and other magazines. She lectures frequently on garden and design topics. She lives in Los Angeles.
Today’s shed is not your grandfather’s tool house. Rather, it is a canvas for a fabulous space, and it may serve as a yoga studio, guesthouse, playroom, writing nook, entertaining enclave, or any other kind of hideaway space you can think of. Sheds are, in fact, a great way to add a room to your house without undergoing a big renovation.
Read MoreRay Washington was born and raised in Hopewell, Virginia. He has been married to Sonya for 31 years, and they have three children: Ebony, Deseray and Jabriel, and two grandchildren.
Read MoreEntertaining At Home presents gatherings in the homes of leading tastemakers from the worlds of interior design, architecture, culinary arts, and society who show readers how to entertain with flair and finesse. Curated by Ronda Carman, she reminds us that “this is not meant to be a volume on how to entertain properly, but rather a glimpse of real people at home nurturing friends and family. It is my hope that it is as much aspirational as it is inspirational.” Each page is full of successful strategies and a myriad of ideas for delighting family and friends, with the hosts offering their personal viewpoint and providing behind-the-scenes details that go into creating memorable occasions.
Read MoreAndrea Hudgins, a native of Trezevant, Tennessee and a graduate of West Carroll High School, has worked in community development during the past 18 years in Jackson. She graduated with a Masters of Social Work from Union University in 2011 and a Bachelor of Social Work in 2006.
Read MoreIt was love at first sight when I visited the River Inn of Harbor Town in downtown Memphis in May 2008!
The inn is located in the picturesque community of Harbor Town on the banks of the Mississippi River.
Designed by the award-winning architectural firm of Looney Ricks Kiss, a firm known for “creating and preserving that small-town feel,” the River Inn is a 28-room boutique hotel that opened its doors on October 29, 2008. The $9 million 32,000-square-foot hotel is located between two buildings at Harbor Town Square and Harbor Town Circle.
Read MoreDave Bratcher is a native of Jackson, TN where he, his wife, Julie, and their two children, Gracie, 11, and Bennett, 8, reside. He serves as the President of The STAR Center whose mission is to help any person with any disability realize their potential. This includes taking what some view as a liability and turn it into their greatest asset. The STAR Center was awarded the Non-Profit of the Year in 2008 and 2015. Additionally, The STAR Center was recognized nationally as one of the top 50 Best Non-Profits to Work For in 2017 and 2018.
Read MoreVIP Jackson Magazine
Socializing Throughout West Tennessee!
