Articles by Jan Swoope
Hilarity marks CCT’s upcoming production of ‘A Casserole Patrol Wedding’
When Columbus Community Theatre audiences last saw the “Casserole Patrol” gang, the once eligible widower in their midst was off to marry his new bride — and single women “of a certain maturity” in fictional “Possum Town” had resorted to duct-taping their rivals to chairs to gain a headstart to the next bachelor.
Stitches and Stories: Quilters interpret titles by Columbus’ most famous writer
“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare once posed. But it is a writer of a much later era whose plays, screenplays and short story names inspired a quilting challenge within the Possum Town Quilters guild. For the quilters, the name was everything.
Wedding Day Wonder: A Mississippi groom’s cake is a mom’s labor of love — and a viral sensation
When Shaye Rawson daydreamed about her son Tristan’s April 13th wedding day, she no doubt envisioned several happy scenarios. They probably didn’t include applying green fondant “grass” and “yard line” white piping to the groom’s cake at 2:30 a.m., 15 and a half hours before the ceremony.
Style and function: A sneak peek in the Girlchoir Tour kitchens
Comfortable and inviting. That’s what the three kitchens on the 2013 Columbus Girlchoir Tour of Kitchens have in common — that often elusive quality that makes a space the heart of a home.
JA of Columbus preserves history with donation to library
Junior Auxiliary of Columbus celebrated seven decades of service to children in Lowndes County, and honored the memory of a revered life member, during National Junior Auxiliary Week April 7-13.
Awesome asparagus: Spring means the return of this popular fresh vegetable
Spring fever is in the air, and for foodies that means the welcome arrival of fresh spring vegetables. Asparagus is a frequent favorite on that list. Grilled, steamed, stir-fried, roasted, in salads or puréed in soup, this flowering perennial that comes in green, purple and white is a versatile hit.
West Point preps for first annual Art Walk set for April 13
Organizers are describing it as a “perfect storm” — a mighty spring storm of creative art and festivities that will hit West Point Saturday when the West Point/Clay County Arts Council presents the first annual Historic Downtown Art Walk.
Cotton District songwriting winners announced
It can happen anywhere. Michael Hardy was in a deer stand during Christmas break a year or so ago when inspiration hit.
Hitching Lot Farmers’ Market ready for Saturday opening
With the advent of spring, farmers’ markets are never far behind. The Hitching Lot Farmers’ Market in Columbus will welcome the first fresh goods of the 2013 season when it opens Saturday morning from 7-10 a.m.
Pork scallopini? Bread pudding? Asian cuisine? Yes, you can do it. Learn how in a new series of cooking classes
The kitchen of J. Broussard’s Restaurant in downtown Columbus is most often bustling when guests fill its dining rooms, eager for the distinctive cuisine prepared by Chef Beth Broussard Rogers and her staff. But for the next four Monday nights — and on 11 Saturdays between now and July 27 — Chef Beth will share her expertise there with avid area cooks.
Hope is on the line: When all seems lost, CONTACT’s suicide prevention training can save lives
Amy remembers the day she picked up a razor to attack the seething anger she had bottled inside. At that drastic moment, life simply seemed too heavy to bear. The abrupt loss of her longtime job and the deaths of her father, mother and grandmother had propelled her toward crises.
Market Street Festival gets funky May 3
Market Street Festival 2013 in downtown Columbus will kick off Friday night, May 3, when high-powered funk-rockers Mother’s Finest deliver their blend of driving rhythms and expressive R&B vocals.
Downtown party Monday kicks off varied Pilgrimage events
Today marks the start of the 73rd Columbus Spring Pilgrimage, an award-winning event that has earned a reputation as one of the best and most authentic of its kind in the South. A city-wide block party and crawfish boil Monday, April 1, will officially launch two weeks of memorable home, garden and church tours and festivities.
Ham it up: Tips for delicious glazed hams for your Easter table
Ham and Easter seem to go together like bread and butter. Across the country, juicy hams will be the centerpiece of many a menu Sunday, as families gather for fellowship and feasting. Cooking your own ham may seem like a colossal chore, but it’s probably easier than you think, and picking up a store-bought ham that’s been partially or fully cooked is a great short-cut.
Errolton returns to the Columbus Pilgrimage, joining other historic homes in welcoming visitors
As a little girl, Gaines Gaskin twirled in front of mirrors in her hoop skirts and Pilgrimage finery before running lightly down the stairs of her family’s antebellum home, Errolton, to welcome visitors. She and her mother, the late Chebie Gaines Bateman, were among dozens of hostesses throughout Columbus sharing some of the South’s most beautiful architectural gems — and interesting stories.
Tennessee Williams’ ‘Kingdom of Earth,’ to open April 1
Roiling tensions on stage more than equal the churning Mississippi River that threatens to flood a decaying farm house and the three conflicted souls inside in Tennessee Williams’ “Kingdom of Earth.” The two-act play, once titled “The Seven Descents of Myrtle,” will be presented in downtown Columbus April 1-13 by the Tennessee Williams Tribute committee.
CAC brings Blue Mountain duo to Columbus for acoustic show
The Columbus Arts Council will host roots rock duo Cary Hudson and Laurie Stirratt as they take an acoustic side trip from the their Blue Mountain band for a special night in the intimate Omnova Theater at the Rosenzweig Arts Center at 501 Main St. in downtown Friday, March 29.
Charity Ball court to be presented April 6
The arrival of spring heralds the 63rd annual Junior Auxiliary of Columbus Charity Ball, which is set for April 6 at Trotter Convention Center in
Peep, peep: Get cookin’ with Peeps and celebrate the iconic candy’s 60th anniversary
More than 1 billion. That’s the number of Peeps the Pennsylvania-based Just Born Inc. candy manufacturer will hatch this Easter season. The trademark candy — those nostalgic, nigh-indestructible, spongy chicks and bunnies of our youth — marks its 60th anniversary this year and celebrates its versatility.
Spring Cleaning: It’s time to put a shine on Columbus — Clean Sweep needs you
This is not “Survivor” or “Amazing Race,” but there are alliances involved and teams working to complete challenges before the clock runs out. On Saturday, March 23, the LINK’d Young Professionals hope to recruit a few hundred volunteers willing to clean, paint and landscape Columbus during Clean Sweep 2013, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
