Local Live at South On Main by Landers Fiat--Greg Spradlin

Wednesday nights in SoMa just got a dose of fun.  From now until mid December on Wednesday nights Landers Fiat, Oxford American, and South On Main will be presenting Local Live.  Free concerts at 7:30pm showcasing the talent of Little Rock and beyond as the flyer says!  These will occur during regular dinner service so please make reservations if you want a table or a lap to sit in.  If the first night was any indication these are going to be packed as more and more people get word of this great happening. 

This is exactly the kind of thing that I had been hoping for...something fun to do at night other than Midtown or the occasional event at The Bernice Garden.  I love SoMa, but the sidewalks sorta roll up around 5pm until South On Main came along!  So any of you that know me are aware that I love their food and that I can walk a short distance to get it but live music too?  Oh yeah! 

The first installment was Wednesday September 25th, Greg Spradlin.  I am a live music and local music newbie.  I know, shame shame.  But hey, I am making up for it now!  So I googled Greg Spradlin and found that he is arguably the best guitar player in Arkansas.  From what I heard with my newbie ears I would have to agree.  But the crowd, which I am assuming are more seasoned than I, seemed to agree as well.  I have been listening to his music on Spotify as I write this post and prepare the photos and I love it!  And he's just a moonlighting musician from what I can tell from reading about him.  Spradlin plays Southern rock heavy in blues and it is a kind of music that I very much enjoy.  It's great to drink, eat, and cook to.  I did two of those three, having fried green tomatoes topped with crab salad washed down with Diamond Bear pale ale of undisclosed quantity. 

So stop by next Wednesday and check out the Walter Henderson Group a jazz quintet led by Little Rock's Walter Henderson.  Best to make reservations!

All photography rights shared by Brian Kelley/Imagine Photography.

5th Annual Sculpture Party and Fall Fest

Thursday September 19th I went to the 5th Annual Sculpture Party and Fall Fest at The Bernice Garden.  I had not been to the even before and was really looking forward to it.  It was hot and muggy but was a great evening to see all of the new sculpture installations and see people.  We had great food and music for event.  Loblolly catered the food which was delicious, especially the skewers with the mushrooms on them!!  I got to meet people I didn't know and see many people that I have come to know through living in SoMa. 

That is one of the joys of this area...the feeling of community.  I guess I have just never experienced that before in any of the areas that I have lived in Little Rock.  And it's not to say that it doesn't exist in other places, but I just know that it is alive and well in SoMa. 

The new sculpture pieces are wonderful and seemed to be well received, inviting lots of conversation and individual interpretation.  People have their favorites and I have mine for sure.  One of the pieces involved locks that people had painted on at one of the farmer's market events and it made me think if the bridge in Paris that people put their locks on and make wishes. 

Steven Driver

Kerrick Hartman

Danny Campbell

David Clemmons and Mia Hall

 

John Van Horn and Erika Droke

 

David Carpenter

I encourage you to go see the pieces whether it is just to enjoy the weather and grab a coffee or an ice cream or see them at one of the other events at The Bernice Garden.  We are really fortunate to have such a nice space of art and nature coming together, now enhanced by the new sculpture pieces.

All photography rights shared by Brian Kelley/Imagine Photography

South Main Vintage Market at The Bernice Garden--September

The South Main Vintage Market at The Bernice Garden has become one of my favorite events that I always look forward to in SoMa.  Liz Sanders has done a wonderful job of promoting the market and scouting great vendors.  Now I am sure she isn't alone but I have to give her props for it getting even better and better each month.  Instead of a mish-mash of grandma's dishes, which can be a wonderful thing, it is a combination of jewelry, clothing, furniture, and collectibles that vintage nuts can very much enjoy.  I always want things that I enjoy to be successful so that they can continue to happen.  If we don't support the vendors then they won't come back.  Fortunately I am never at a shortage of things I find at the market that need to come home with me. 

Last Saturday, September 14th was a particularly good market and the weather was amazing!  After I did a quick lap around the market to snag anything that really caught my eye I could go back and look at a more leisurely pace and take photos.  Two items that ended up in my basket were a pair of shoe trees from Wax Poetic Gentlemen's Shop and a bracelet from the same vendor that I got my French chef kitchen clock from.  The trees were $9 and the bracelet $2! 

See, don't you want to go next time when they have the market in October?  Well if you think that is worth going for keep in mind they are mine now.  :)  But to tease you a bit on what kind of things they have here are more images from the market!

 

More of the great items from Wax Poetic!

 

Purple bike anyone!

I would have LOVED this pedal car/plane when I was a kid.  Who am I kidding, I would love it now if I could fit in it!

 

 

I really enjoyed this little carved man who was probably from a pair of bookends.

The above items were all from Gipsy and they always have such cool stuff!

 

 

So if you know of anyplace else you can hear great tuba/accordion music, find vintage jewelry, alligator figurines, toys, globes, and vintage bar ware on a lovely Saturday then please let me know and I will be there.  If you can't think of any place then join us in SoMa for the next South Main Vintage Market!

 

All photography rights shared by Brian Kelley/Imagine Photography