Ah, Memphis in the winter. From 70 to snow in 72 hours.

As I write my introduction as the new Lamplighter editor, tiny white flakes are falling on my Cox Street house for the third time this winter. It’s a pretty minor event, except that I was wearing a Stax Records T-shirt three days ago. Some cities brag that they experience all four seasons; here, we get them in the same week.

It’s one of those little quirks about my hometown that gives people something to talk about, and man, are there things to talk about in Cooper-Young lately. Besides the weird weather.

My wife Liz and I moved back to our Midtown haunts a couple of months ago after almost eight years in Virginia. It was inevitable that we’d be back — I kept a 38104 sticker on my Jeep, waiting for this day — and it was comforting to see that some things haven’t changed. For example, one of the bartenders at Bosco’s remarked that she hadn’t seen us in “a while,” and asked me if I wanted my usual India Pale Ale. Yes, please.

But it’s even more comforting to see that, finally, some things did change. For the better.

I moved back to find that my neighborhood is the city’s epicurean epicenter, with new restaurants drawing crowds big enough they need valets to park all the cars. Burke’s Books is down here now and Goner Records, which opened after I left, is kind of a big deal.

Not all the news seemed good. Every local TV news camera zeroed in on us and hyped up a crime problem over the winter. But guess what: crime numbers are down here, not up.

Don’t let the perennial haters or some ranking in Forbes magazine discourage you. It’s a bright new day in one of the coolest cities in the country. It’s brightest in Cooper-Young, of course, where the sun is breaking through the clouds even as the snow coats my back porch.

I’m glad to be back and editing the Lamplighter. You’ll probably see me walking my hound dogs or hanging at Young Avenue Deli or playing drums with somebody in the neighborhood. Please say hey and send story ideas my way at lamplighter@cooperyoung.org. - David Royer

By Josh Spickler

I have no idea what the weather’s like while you’re reading this, but as I’m writing it, it’s chilly outside. And on Feb. 11, at Peabody Elementary, it will be chili inside. Get it? Chilly outside. Chili inside. Get it? I’ve been waiting five years to use that joke, which, of course, is not original. Regardless, it’s time for the Fifth Annual Cooper-Young/Peabody PTA Chili Cook-off! Can you believe it’s been five years?

With your help, over the past five years, we’ve raised more than $6,000 toward beautification on and around the Peabody Elementary campus. We’ve installed new play equipment, new landscaping, fresh paint and other exterior improvements that help Peabody and Cooper-Young shine for visitors and residents alike.

But not only do we raise money for a good cause, we have fun doing it. You’d be surprised how many different ways there are to make chili. Hot, exotic, Texas or Cincinnati style. We always get a little of everything, and the chili and the neighbors are a warm respite on a cold, winter afternoon.

So, in just a few short days, no matter the weather, there will be plenty of hot, delicious chili available for your consumption in the Peabody Elementary Cafetorium. And, despite what our moms taught us, we’re going to judge. There will be awards in the following categories: Judges’ Choice (decided by our celebrity panel of chili experts, of course), People’s Choice, Best Vegetarian, Best Hot and Most Unusual.

Soak those beans, brown that beef, plug in that Crock Pot and meet us at Peabody Elementary on Saturday, Feb. 11 at high noon to see who takes home the prizes this year. It’s only $15 to register before Feb. 3 ($20 after Feb. 3). Contact mandygrisham@gmail.com or visit friendsofpeabody.org/ for registration information.

If you only want to eat the chili, you can do that, too. Five bucks gets you four generous tastings (more than enough to count as lunch) and a drink. Get there early when the chili is still warm and, well, still there. We’ll crown the winners at 1:30 sharp. Don’t miss it.

By David Royer

It’s February, when the LampLighter brings readers its annual Cooper-Young business guide, and despite a chilly national economy, things seem to be warming up around here. If a word could sum up the state of business in Cooper-Young lately, it might be: delicious.

Thirteen new businesses opened their doors in CY in 2011 and another three opened or are ready to open in the first two months of 2012.

Local businesses Charm Boutique, Shoenista and the Polish Bottle filled a need for fashionistas in the neighborhood, and hipster magnet Urban Outfitters anchored a revitalized retail spot at Cooper and Central last February. With more than 140 locations in the country, Urban Outfitters, a trendy clothing and dorm room décor outlet, is one of the few national retailers to establish a presence in the district’s mostly home-grown business community.

But mainly, growth in 2011 and early 2012 centered around CY’s thriving culinary scene.

“In 2011, we were excited to see Cooper-Young established as the restaurant district of Memphis, with 18 restaurants,” said Tamara Cook, director of the Cooper Young Business Association. “We have such a strong group of talented chefs.”

Sweetgrass opened a more casual side of its low-country-themed restaurant next door, at the appropriately titled Next Door. Stone Soup Cafe & Market is serving up breakfast and brunch across the street from First Congregational Church and Skunx Chef’s Pub took over the old Lou’s Pizza Pie spot on Young late last year, serving gourmet pizzas and more. And there aren’t many places in Memphis that serve real vegan fare, but Imagine Vegan Cafe began doing just that on Young.

The neighborhood’s newest restaurant, Mulan Bistro, is updating the former Bluefish space on the southeast corner of Cooper and Young and expects to open its doors in early February.

Mulan, a Chinese restaurant and sushi bar, opened in Collierville eight years ago, but managing partner Matt Kan said customers for years had requested a location in Midtown. Kan said Mulan will offer fresh, authentic Szechuan-style entrees along with sushi. But don’t look for an American-style buffet. Mulan’s head chef has 30 years of experience in the kitchen and previously worked in a five-star hotel in China, he said.

Kan said he’s a big fan of Cooper-Young, which reminds him of his hometown in China.

“I always come here to eat in the Cooper-Young area,” Kan said. “The Midtown area is really unique.”

Another unique-in-Memphis hotspot opened in November. When Alchemy brought its small-plate dishes and cocktail concoctions to the neighborhood, it also brought a sexy, cosmopolitan vibe and major crowds of up to 600 people on some busy weekend nights, general manager Ben McLean said.

The restaurant soon began offering valet parking to ease congestion and entice diners from outside the area.

“We like Cooper-Young because it’s kind of a destination now for restaurants,” McLean said. “We plan on being in Cooper-Young for a very long time.”

Though the neighborhood has seen some turnover among businesses in the past few years ― Alchemy took over the space vacated by Grace and Au Fond and another taco shop lasted just a month ― some restaurateurs said the competition is healthy.

“What’s happened in Cooper-Young is a rebirth, and it’s fantastic,” said Jacob Leonard, bar manager at Cortona. “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Cortona, a contemporary Italian restaurant, began packing diners in at the former Dish location early in 2011 and will mark its first anniversary this month. Managers say they like being at the center of the city’s restaurant scene.

Both Cook and McLean noted a need for more retail and art in the district in 2012. But CY’s new reputation among diners could provide a foundation that would support a wider range of businesses this year, Cook said.

“We hope the stability and diversity of these restaurants will help bring in more retail and art venues,” she said.

Cooper Young First Thursday Night Out is when area businesses stay open late and dish out a world of discounts on everything from sushi to antiques. People from all over Memphis come to Cooper Young to enjoy our little neighborhood’s quirky charm on this night once a month from 5 – 9 pm.

While some of the area restaurants and bars host live music, we also host live music at our gazebo area located at the corner of Cooper Street and Young Avenue. At this time, we are looking for singer-songwriters and bands to play from 6 – 9 pm starting in April.

If you are interested in playing at this event, please contact Tamara Cook at 276-7222 or cyba@bellsouth.net.

Press Release from the Mississippi River Corridor- Tennessee

For the past several months, the Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee in partnerships with the University of Memphis and the Memphis Regional Design Center has been involved in a systematic study of the Shelby County segment of the Mississippi River Trail. The primary purpose of this study is to recommend changes and additions to the 50-mile segment of this ten-state trail that currently exists within the County to enhance its value to local residents and business owners.

Our study included a mile-by-mile survey of the existing route, interviews with representatives of local hiking and bicycling organizations, meetings with parks and recreation departments, and three public meetings that more than one hundred Shelby County residents and officials attended. Using data from these research activities, the Mississippi River Corridor-Tennessee, and its project partners, has prepared a preliminary report on enhancing the Shelby County Trail which will be presented at a final community meeting that you are cordially invited to attend.

This community meeting will take place on Thursday, January 19th at 6:00 pm in the Main Hall of Central Station located at the southwest corner of South Main Street and G.E. Patterson, across the street from Earnestine & Hazel’s Bar & Grill. Enter off of G.E. Patterson.

Light refreshments will be served and child care will be available.

The proposed agenda for this meeting is as follows:

• Welcome – Charles “Chooch” Pickard, Executive Director, Memphis Regional Design Center
• Purpose of the Shelby County Trail Plan – Diana Threadgill, President, Mississippi River Corridor TN
• Highlights of the Shelby County Trail Report – Findings and Recommendations – Ken Reardon, Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in City and Regional Planning, University of Memphis
• Community Comment – ALL
• Where We Go From Here – Karen Thornton, Community Coordinator, Graduate Program in City and Regional Planning, University of Memphis

We hope you will be able to join us for this important community planning meeting. Please extend an invitation to other members of your family, organization, and community who you feel may be interested in this event.
Contact Ms. Karen Thornton at: 901-474-5633 for more information on this trail plan. Additional information regarding the Mississippi River Corridor – Tennessee can be found at www.msrivertn.org.

Barrett Hathcock will be reading an excerpt from his new book The Portable Son on Thursday January 19th beginning at 5:30 – 6:30. The reading will begin at 6 pm.  For more information, please visit the Burke’s Book Store website.

By Leah Roen

Midtown is being reviewed by the Memphis Fire Department for a potential removal of the ladder truck from the Union Station, according to a letter sent by Director of Fire Services Alvin Benson to City Council members. This is of concern for our area since we rely on the truck for rescue, vehicle extraction, elevator rescue and fire entry into homes and businesses.

Budget cuts reducing fire department personnel and six ladder trucks were approved in May. Trucks already have been removed in the Whitehaven and Hickory Hill areas. Benson told City Council that the planned cuts would not affect fire engine or ambulance response times. The MFD is trying to assure everyone that this is a case of overlapping services.

But should the need arise for the ladder truck, one from another territory would have to be called and arrival time would by design be slower, simply because of the increased distance traveled.

If the adjoining territories’ ladder truck is out of service, meaning they are at school, on another run or in the shop, yet another ladder truck from still further away would be necessary. In the event of a fire at a business, two trucks are always summoned, again slowing response times.

The MFD says there is an overlap of services. There has always been and always will be an overlap of services as this is what is required to manage our needs for fire and rescue calls. Without overlap, ladder trucks would stay in their own territory and therefore not be available when there is need for them.

In 1981, the MFD took a pumper truck out of service on Elvis Presley Blvd. Across the street from the fire house, a young child died after there was a delay in getting another vehicle there.

Additionally, ladder trucks carry necessary equipment such as a portable generator necessary to keep medical equipment up and running; elevator rescue equipment; atmosphere monitors; salvage covers that protect things during a fire; a Stokes basket for rescue; high-rise gear for rescue; rescue saw; PPV fan for use during fires to clear smoke, Holmatro tool to cut victims from cars; rams, spreaders, reels and Ajax tool for rescue; chock block; defibrillator; smoke ejector; portable lights; ladders of several sizes for rescue and to fight fires and much more.

This fire house has always had a ladder truck and so far, there doesn’t seem to be a good reason to compromise the health and safety of Cooper-Young or the rest of Midtown. The ladder truck is necessary here to protect the lives of our citizens and our historic properties as well as the businesses in Cooper-Young.

Councilman Kemp Conrad graciously agreed to a town hall meeting in Cooper-Young on this matter from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31 at Peabody School.

L’HISTOIRE DU SOLDAT

Igor Stravinsky’s L’histoire du Soldat combines acting, symphonic music and dance to tell the story of a Soldier, who possesses a violin, and the Devil, with whom he exchanges it in return for a book which will show him how to obtain all that he can desire. Once the contract has been made, the Devil is hard to evade. Life has a habit of returning to beginnings.  You don’t want to miss the one-time performance of this rarely performed work.  The Memphis Chamber Players composed of members of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Joseph Montelione, bring Stravinsky’s score to life on the stage with dancers from the New Ballet Ensemble and actors from the Memphis Community.

$10.00 General Admission; $5.00 for Rhodes and CBU faculty and staff, and free to students with ID

To purchase tickets:  call Rhodes Music Office, 843-3775 or email wilsona@rhodes.edu

By Randall Hartzog

The 34rd annual production of A Christmas Carol at Theatre Memphis is coming back to the stage with the veteran stage actor Barry Fuller as Scrooge, the new re-envisioned set from last year, and the vision of four-time A Christmas Carol director Jason Spitzer. After a record breaking debut with the new set more than three decades after the original set was created, the 2011 cast will be scurrying around a London that Christopher McCollum, current resident scenic designer at Theatre Memphis, designed for the traditional holiday classic.
A family favorite tradition in Memphis, A Christmas Carol tells of Ebenezer Scrooge who is approached by the ghostly vision of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and then sets out on a journey of exploration that ultimately results in Scrooge’s enlightenment. With Fuller returning to play Scrooge for his 11th time at Theatre Memphis, he has stated that “… each new production is as fulfilling as the last.” Fuller was the original Scrooge in the first TM production in 1978.

Spitzer, has traveled to other cities and theaters to see their productions of the show. “Having seen some of the other productions,” he says, “I am very confident and feel good about what we are doing and where we are with this concept. And I am pleased to be working with Barry, the original Scrooge. He is the Scrooge to end all Scrooges!”
Theatre Memphis Executive Producer Debbie Litch agrees. “What could be more special than to re-create a show that is so dear to so many Memphis families with the man that started it all for us as Scrooge? Barry is a true gentleman and professional, and we are very proud that we are able to continue to bring back this gift of ours to the community with him.”

Performance dates for A Christmas Carol are December 2 – 23, Thursdays and Fridays at 7pm, Saturdays at 3pm and 7pm, and Sundays at 3pm. Added performances are scheduled for December 19, 20, and 21 (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) at 7pm. Tickets are $28 for adults, $15 for students with a valid ID, $10 for children under 12. Call 901-682-8323 to purchase tickets or go online to  HYPERLINK “http://www.theatrememphis.org” \t “_blank” theatrememphis.org.