According 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 MoreIn a great show of cooperation and numerous dedicated people behind the scenes, The Albert A. Stone Golf Classic “Stone Cup” has been a resounding success. Three golf courses were used in cooperation for the many players and the numerous games played during a weekend. The Jackson National, Woodland Hills & Jackson Country Club came together to create a successful Stone Cup Championship.
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 MoreThe Crawfest 2020 Fundraiser for Scarlet Rope Project was sponsored by Town & Country Realtors’ Joey & Katie Hale. This is an honorable charity whose goal is rescuing girls used in traveling prostitution. Opportunities occur where the girls have a few moments to speak with a counselor, who will assist them in returning home to security and a fresh start. If you want to be a contributor to this worthy effort, it will change your life to know you were instrumental in saving a life!
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 MoreThe 2020 Lane College Founder’s Day Scholarship Banquet was a well attended event with standing room only. The Lane College Choir performed with several lead singers, who had outstanding voices. The energy of the amazing choir comes from their dynamic choir director.
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 MoreThe Exchange Club and Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse held their Blue Suede event, appropriately at The Carl Perkins Civic Center. Carl Perkins had a heart for children, especially the mistreated ones.
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 MoreSt. Mary’s School held its 27th Annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Auction on the evening of February 22nd at the Jackson Country Club. The evening began with a silent auction with many notable items including an autographed Donald Trump hat and a Michael Jordan autographed basketball.
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 MoreThe Jackson Chamber’s Annual Celebration was held on March 12th inside the Carl Grant Events Center at Union University. With approximately 400 in attendance, the celebration honored businesses, industries, non-profit organizations as well as Chamber volunteers, and it highlighted businesses that have made an extra effort to achieve excellence through high standards, professional accomplishments and community contributions. Singer/hit songwriter/Broadway performer Lauren Pritchard, aka LOLO, of Jackson performed two songs including her song, “Shine,” which was this year’s theme of the celebration.
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 MoreHello, friends! Everyone at VIP Jackson wants to send you well wishes and let you know that our readers and clients, our employees and this community are our top priorities. Our publishers made the difficult decision to pause on an April issue until this challenging season is behind us. In observance of the newest social distancing recommendations by President Trump, our current plan is to release a May issue at the beginning of the month.
Read MoreOver the coming weeks, our favorite restaurants, hotels, shops, salons, theaters, markets and other hardworking Jackson, TN businesses are going to see a decline in visitors.
Read MoreThe Lights Camera Fashion 2020 was a resounding success at the Carl Perkins Civic Center! 48 Junior and Senior High School girls participated in walking the runway. This runway show is the only one of its kind in the area, and scholarships will be awarded to the winners. The girls had been practicing and preparing for this special opportunity for months.
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 MoreIt is where I am from, it has provided a great life, and it’s my family’s history and its future!
I strive and work every day to make Jackson and rural West Tennessee a better place to live.
I remember PoFolks Restaurant and want to start a petition to bring it back! And if that’s not Jackson enough, then it’s because I’m proud to build homes in a community that values hard work, relationships, and doing things the right way.
Jackson is engrained in me. One can seek out a place to live where they are comfortable, but it is special when you live in a place that fulfills you. Yes, family heritage, family friends, business success, and one’s faith can be fulfilling, but the Jackson community is special. Jackson provides all the elements for me that make life good.
I want Jackson to be visionary and strategic. I have always, and will be, FOR Jackson in all ways possible to make Jackson better. It is going to take a team effort to accomplish all of the opportunities before us, and no doubt it will take vision and change. Our community is ready to take Jackson to the next level, and I look forward to seeing it happen!
I believe in building better — homes, businesses, and relationships — right here in the community that built me.
Because I don’t just live here, I have a passion for seeing Jackson become the very best it can be.
Since I moved to Jackson 47 years ago this town has offered our family life-long friendships, career opportunities, and the desire to continue to grow with our community as a wonderful place to call HOME.
I believe in where we’re headed. Whether it’s helping our airport grow, supporting small businesses, or just being a good neighbor, I’m proud to be part of Jackson’s story. This city is taking off, and I’m glad to be on board. (Couldn’t resist the airport puns.)
I absolutely love this community. My family, my friends, my education, and my career are all rooted in this great community, and I only foresee it just getting better and better with time. We have so much to be grateful for to be able to call this place our home!
This is where I can make the greatest difference, where collaboration thrives, and where a brighter future for our children is not just a hope, but a shared reality we are actively building together. #winning
...this city has shaped me, inspired me, and given me the opportunity to serve and grow alongside an amazing community.
I am Jackson because I have aimed to improve both myself and the West Tennessee community.
Jackson is my home and always has been. I was born here. My parents and all of my grandparents are buried here. I spent my formative years here, my professional career here, and now my retirement years here. Jackson has changed so much and it has changed for the better. Many people choose to relocate to Jackson because of everything it has to offer. I consider myself fortunate to have been born here, and I firmly believe that Jackson’s best days are still ahead.
After living for the last 21 years and being in business for the last 20 years I’m proud to run Jackson’s version of “Cheers,” where everyone knows your name and genuinely cares. I firmly believe in the trajectory of our town, and the opportunity that Jackson offers is rare -- to be on the cusp of extraordinary growth and opportunity. I’m proud to be a Jacksonian and rabid Rams fan.
Jackson is a representation of who I want to be. It is a city that opens its doors to people from other places and embraces them as one of their own. I hope that is how I have lived my life. No matter where I am, the people and the experience make or break the deal. I am a product of my family, and I hope to maintain the small-town feel that I experienced all those years ago when I stepped onto the campus of Lambuth University.
I am a product of the genuinely kind people who live here. Jackson has given me the opportunity to practice medicine that I never imagined possible. Hopefully I am making a positive impact on a community that I love.
In this one unique location, mountains meet music…art meets adventure...culture meets cuisine…and no one meets a stranger. The walkability of downtown allows people to explore and discover vibrant murals, local music, historic sites, art museums, parks, greenways and more. With its sophisticated mix of culture and cuisine, experience a destination served up with genuine hospitality.
On Sunday night, May 19 The Jackson Symphony continued the popular Symphony on the Move concerts in the lovely Vann Gardens neighborhood. Many gathered on the lawn to listen to the beautiful music by members of the Jackson Symphony.
Other Jacksonians in my generation and I are a bridge: remembering what we loved about growing up in this town and helping transform it into a place our kids and grandkids will be proud of. I am part of the Jackson that was, the Jackson that is now, and the Jackson we will create together.
On June 6 hundreds of participants gathered at the Farmers’ Market in downtown Jackson for the Heaven’s Cradle Twilight Run and Downtown Rendezvous. The Twilight Run is a special occasion to honor and remember the children of bereaved families and is Heaven’s Cradle’s largest fundraiser.
I AM JACKSON because… I believe in Jackson and the surrounding area, and I am excited to see continued growth in our community. I am blessed to be in a professional role that allows me to not only enjoy living in this community, but also to serve in ways to help improve it. To see Jackson and the surrounding areas thrive throughout the years, and to help make sure this growth and development continues is a beautiful thing!
The First Ladies Luncheon was held Thursday, April 18, at the Jackson Fairgrounds. The event, presented by United Way of West Tennessee, has become a favorite tradition in Jackson and West Tennessee. Table sponsors had the opportunity to create unique tablescapes.
VIP Jackson Magazine
Socializing Throughout West Tennessee!
I AM JACKSON because…
No matter where life or my career has taken me, this has always been home. My family’s roots here run deep, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to live, work, and give back to the community that has meant so much to us.