Tag: We Saw You

WE SAW YOU: Zoo Rendezvous

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date October 2, 2024
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Patrick Morris, Kimberly Morris, Brenda Morris, and Herman Morris (Photos: Michael Donahue)

People still wore animal print outfits to the Zoo Rendezvous, but pink definitely was the color of choice at the Memphis Zoo fundraiser.

“Barbie” was the theme of this year’s event, which was held September 7th and drew more than 3,000 people.

**Maddie Caldwell and**
**Andrew Geraci**

People were invited “to dress as their own Barbie,” says Erica Kelsey, Memphis Zoo special events and corporate sponsorship manager. They were encouraged to express themselves “in Barbie form.”

The event featured 50 restaurants, 15 food trucks, 17 specialty bars, and five full bars.

Paula & Raiford’s Disco was a new addition. The downtown hotspot replaced Blind Bear, which had been a staple at the event until it recently closed. When thinking of what would be a good replacement for Blind Bear, Kelsey thought, “The party is at Raiford’s.”

“It was a great addition to the Zoo Rendezvous this year,” Kelsey says. She says owner Paula Raiford told her, “I’m locked in for years to come.”

What makes the Zoo Rendezvous so special? “I think Memphians have a special love in their heart for the zoo. Everyone wants to support the zoo in some capacity.”

Tags Memphis Zoo, We Saw You, Zoo Rendezvous

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WE SAW YOU: The End of the World Party at Black Lodge

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date September 4, 2024
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Ellington Thomas, Ariel Thomas, Ilya Green, and Thelonious Thomas (Photos: Michael Donahue)

It was called “The End of the World Party,” but the closing night soirée for Black Lodge at its 405 North Cleveland Street address, which was held August 24th, wasn’t the end of the line, says Matt Martin, Black Lodge creator and co-owner.

He’s “working to open another location,” Martin says. He’s already looking at a couple of places.

The movie collection and the screenings will definitely move, but he’s not sure of the “club nights,” Martin says. And 901 Wrestling will move to another location.

About 1,000 people attended the party, which began at 7 p.m. and ended at 6 a.m. “Black Lodge has always been Memphis’ underground cultural crossroads for artists, musicians, movie makers, taste makers, lovers of night life,” he says. “It’s always been that. Even before we had a new place. Twenty-five years we’ve been that.”

People realized Black Lodge was going to “leave that home,” he says. “A lot of them had already fallen in love with that place and wanted to have one last giant party and have fun in it.”

Tags Black Lodge, Matt Martin, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: 901 Wrestling’s Wild Card Rumble

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date July 31, 2024
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“The MANE Event” Kontar “The Great” (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Wrestling fans turned out for 901 Wrestling’s annual Wild Card Rumble, which was held July 20th at Black Lodge.

Anthony Sain, commentator with Kevin Cerrito, describes the event as a “13-man, over-the-top battle royal.”

And, he says, “It’s one of our premier events of the year.”

Tyler “The Lion” LeMasters and Roscoe “The Cajun Catapult” Monroe

Describing the event, Sain says, “It starts off with two guys. A new guy comes in every two minutes. … You’ve got to throw guys over the top rope to be eliminated.”

Everybody is eventually eliminated except one. “The True One of One” Kevin Bless was this year’s winner. “It got down to him and one other person and he threw that person over the top rope.”

As Rumble winner, Bless can participate in the 901 Wrestling Championship, the 1819 Championship, or the Tag Team Championship.

The event was in honor of the late 901 Wrestling wrestler Devin “Wild Card” Taylor, who died in a drowning accident.

Bless is “typically a guy that fans don’t get behind, but they were happy to see him win in honor of Devin Taylor. Bless was the last opponent Devin had before he passed away.”

More We Saw You photos at memphisflyer.com.

Norman “The Soviet Saint” Meklakov at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

“The Merc” Chris Evans at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

“The All-American” Ken Dang at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Nighttrain at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Top Shottaz at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Morgan the Man at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Shane Shoffner at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Sebastian Moon, Joey Hall, Amos Fitzgerald at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Kevin Cerrito and Anthony Sain at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Connor the Dude at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

“Baddest Man Alive” Dustin Anthony at 901 Wrestling (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Tags 901 Wrestling, Black Lodge, We Saw You, Wild Card Rumble

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WE SAW YOU: Hole-in-One Charity Festival

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date July 10, 2024
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Anthony Dionne, James A. Edwards, and Father Joe Sax (Photos: Michael Donahue)

This year’s 66th Hole-in-One Charity Festival at St. Louis Catholic Church drew “well over 10,000, but maybe pushing 15,000,” says Wes Kraker, who’s been involved with Hole-in-One for more than 20 years.

June 21st and 22nd drew at least 2,500 people each night, Kraker says.

This is the annual St. Louis fundraiser that begins on Father’s Day and ends six days later.

As Kraker explained to me last year, “We transform the campus at St. Louis Church into a 37-tee-box range. And we give out cash and prizes for good golfers for getting holes-in-one or close to the hole. Certain qualifiers shoot out for a car from City Auto. And we accumulate points for performers all week. And those top 10 performers shoot out for a million dollars on Saturday.”

Jon Shivers, Corderoa Smith, and Patrick Shivers

Joseph Tidwell, Cory Human, and Cole Tidwell

The St. Louis Men’s Club puts on the event. Proceeds go to St. Louis Church sports, scouting, and youth ministry programs.

The “St. Louis Men’s Club Culinary Institute” makes outstanding food, including barbecued bologna.

Tags Golf, Hole-In-One Charity, St. Louis Catholic Church, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Glam Rock Picnic

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date July 10, 2024
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Mike McCarthy lent a hand as guests climbed a ladder in front of his
10-foot, papier-mache sculpture work-in-progress of David Bowie.

Guests at his “Glam Rock Picnic” were given little pieces of clay to tap onto the sculpture to help build the statue.

**Chris McCoy, Craig Brewer, and Natalie Ensminger**

The statue, which portrays Bowie in the “Tokyo Pop” jumpsuit by Kansai Yamamoto, has four heads, which represent Bowie’s predilection for taking on different identities.

The goal of McCarthy’s nonprofit, Sculpt Memphis, is to preserve Memphis music through sculpture. He believes placing the statue in Overton Park near the site of the old Memphis College of Art in Overton Park would be a good spot for the Bowie statue when it’s completed. In 1973 Bowie visited the school, then known as Memphis Academy of Arts, to accept a watercolor by Dolph Smith, an instructor at the time.

Smith and his son, Ben Smith, attended the picnic.

“I thought it was a great kickoff to phase one,” McCarthy says.

The ultimate goal is to cast the sculpture in bronze. Which may mean another party or two in the future.

Tags David Bowie, Memphis College of Art, Mike McCarthy, Off the Walls Arts, Sculpt Memphis, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Craft Food & Wine Festival

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date July 3, 2024
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Brandon Claybon and Cristina McCarter (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Brandon Claybon, a native Memphian now living in Los Angeles, was one of 636 guests at the fifth annual Craft Food & Wine Festival, which was held June 23rd at The Columns.

The fundraiser for Church Health featured more than 30 food-related businesses.

Chastity Pointer-Gibson and Courdria Pointer

Marcus Hamilton, Kula, Debra Westbrook, Verlisa Westbrook,
and Verles Westbrook

“It was my first time at the event,” Claybon says. “I thought it was amazing. Absolutely extraordinary for Memphis to have something like this. And bringing people from all walks of life to come together, break bread, and drink wine. It was amazing.”

Asked how many stations he frequented, Brandon says, “I probably stopped at about 20. And then I ate a hamburger after. I waited the entire day for the festival, so I didn’t eat before.”

Caleb Knight, Vino Wright, and Josh Mutchnick

Claybon and event organizer Cristina McCarter were best friends at Bolton High School. “This year, it was just in the cards. So, basically, I had wrapped up a shooting with Tyler Perry in Atlanta.”

This year’s Craft Food & Wine Festival raised about $7,000, McCarter estimates. That brings the total raised over five years to “close to $60,000” for Church Health, she says.

Tags Church Health Center, Craft Food and Wine Festival, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Loving Local

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date June 26, 2024

Bianca Phillips and Joe Yester (Photos: Michael Donahue)

Loving Local returned this spring in a new location : Grind City Brewing Company.

And, to make things even more festive, tap room manager Ashley Creecy created a special drink, “Peach, Please,” for the Project Green Fork event. It’s made with black tea, peach juice, lemon juice, and a Grind City seltzer base, all garnished with a lemon wheel and fresh mint sprig.

Jon Van Hoozer, Will Coleman, Donna Van Hoozer

“The staff was fantastic to work with,” says Leann Edwards, Clean Memphis/Project Green Fork program director. “And the location is a great backdrop, with a lot of places for people to roam.”

Guests also dined in the tap room where they could “get a respite from the heat.”

Kofi Asare, Khendra Lucas, Ashley Peterson, Meredith Woloshin, Nathan Woloshin

About 300 people attended the event, which featured fare from Biscuits & Jams, Good Fortune Co., Kitchen Laurel, Lulu’s Cafe & Bakery, and Shroomlicious Meals.

“Our chefs really love to be part of this event,” says Edwards. As a press release states, “This community event celebrates the creativity of Project Green Fork certified chefs, breweries, and bartenders who create custom, small-plate appetizers, desserts, and cocktails for the evening.”

Tags Grind City Brewing Company, Loving Local, Project Green Fork, We Saw You

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WE SAW YOU: Memphis Italian Festival

Post author By Michael Donahue
Post date June 12, 2024

Neil Rome of the “901 Mafia” team entered his mouth-watering “Italian Muffuletta Meatloaf” in “Anything Italian,” one of the categories at the Memphis Italian Festival, held May 30th through June 1st at Marquette Park.

Lucca Dyer, D. J. Naylor, and Teagan Naylor

Jacob Andew Bratcher, Abigail Miner, and Briley Faulkner

Rome begins making the dish, based on his grandmother’s take on an old Justin Wilson Cajun recipe, by creating a paste out of breadcrumbs, tomato sauce, eggs, seasoning, and parsley. He then adds ground beef and smoked ham, which he forms into a big ball before laying it out flat. He spreads a mixture of onions, black and green olives, Parmesan cheese, and pepperoncini peppers over it and slowly rolls everything up “like you would a jelly roll,” Rome says. Finally, he pours his gravy, which he makes out of tomato sauce, red wine, olive oil, and seasonings, over everything and slides it into the oven.

Marjo, Andrew, Joseph, and Billy Labonte

Zoey High, Sarah Jordan Houseal, and Olivia Tashie

Rome’s team’s entry didn’t win Anything Italian, but his team won the Father Milton Guthrie “You Are Great” award.

Forty-three teams participated in this year’s Memphis Italian Festival, which drew more than 15,000 people, says Richard Ranson, who along with his wife Vickie, is the cooking teams and judges co-chair.

Tags Father Milton Guthrie “You Are Great” Award, Italian Muffuletta Meatloaf, Memphis Italian Festival, We Saw You