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In Twilight

Perhaps the South will rise again someday. Until then, it's a photographer's feast.

We would drizzle honey all over each other's bodies, then dangle strawberries between each other's lips. I would describe the whipped-cream and ice-cube part... but I can't stop snickering. Unfortunately, Luis and I are not exactly Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger. When asked to write about what I would cook for my husband on Valentine's Day, I panicked. I had to be impressive; we're both chefs, for cryin' out loud.

The Gypsies of Jackson Theater

John Howell, 39, and his wife, Diana, 40, believe in the power of the stage. As co-founders of the Fondren Theatre Workshop, they've brought new and bold shows to community theater in Jackson, shows that you're not going to see in other local community theaters.

School Movies

OK, some are better than others, but all the following movies set in one way or another in a school are worth renting, if for no other reason than to remember that you're not the only one having to deal with crap at school. And if you have any time left after watching all of these, revisit the school-themed slacker classics "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Dazed and Confused" and "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."

[Drink] Smoothie Operator

When my niece Sasha comes over, she heads for the raspberry patch. When her pile is big enough, we make the world's best smoothie.

Intellectual Delinquency

"The Beats: A Graphic History" (Hill and Wang, 2009, $22) is a graphic biography of the close-knit group of avant garde macho writers of the 1950s and '60s like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs who were referred to as "the Beatniks" or "Beats."

New Artistic Ground

Some people think that you have to live in a place like New York City to break new artistic ground. The upcoming Fondren Theatre Workshop (FTW) presentation features four dramatic works by local playwrights—all performed by local actors. It may not be in New York City, but it does break new artistic ground. The variety of drama, comedy, themes and styles promises a wonderful mix of intelligent, entertaining theater. The staged readings of the plays will take place at The House of Brews Coffee House at The Artery, 3220 N. State St., July 14-17.

[Rev] A Bunch of Hell Raisers

Did you know that a car columnist recently won a Pulitzer Prize? His name is Dan Neil, and he writes for The Los Angeles Times. I told my mom, and now suddenly she's proud of me and my profession. Of course, Dan's in a different league. For instance, he probably got to attend the freaking New York City car show last week. The NYC show is the equivalent of the last few seconds of a Fourth of July fireworks display—automakers go all out to show off their new production vehicles, and pretend they are serious about various concept cars they've developed. It is the highest-attended car show in North America, and it's been going on for over a hundred years. It's the ultimate assignment! And I didn't get to go! Not enough money in the budget.

You Cannot Escape

An unwrapped mummy towers over your seat and keeps inching forward. His voice echoes off The Cedars' walls. His awkward arms stretch out before him. His eyes bug out.

Now That's A Fancy Sandwich

My mother-in-law and I have extremely different cooking styles … she cooks what she knows and follows recipes by the letter. I like to improvise and embellish on the old classics. I spend money on fancy knives for chopping, and she prefers to chop with the same old knife she's used since 1977. But there's one thing we do have in common when it comes to cooking—we both like to feed her son. Of course, I sound like his mom when I say he's a good eater, but the truth is he likes everything—well, almost. Once, I asked him if there was a food he didn't like, he considered the question for several minutes and finally declared he didn't particularly care for deviled eggs, but if at a picnic in a pinch, he'd suffer through them.

Pick A Proper Pepper

What vegetable can sit upright in the palm of your hand, is a shiny, clean-looking green and tangy when immature, then a gorgeous shade of red and sweeter when mature? Or maybe you know it in its brightly colored yellow, orange, purple and brown guises? OK, so the photo gives it away, even if it is in black-and-white. Put on your old Romper Room magic glasses and see the multi-lobed bell pepper in all its vitamin A and C and beta carotene-laden, zero-sodium, low-carb, high-fiber grandeur—the brighter the color, the more healthy the pepper is for you.

High On The Hog

I've eaten bar-b-que all over the world, and with the exception of some I had in Utah, none of it tasted bad. Bar-b-que starts at good no matter what and goes up to best, whether you spell it barbecue like Merriam and Webster does or bar-b-que like I do. And none of it, not in North Carolina, Kansas City or Texas, beats "Southern style" bar-b-que.

A Day in the Life of a Private School Kid

Youth Media Project

7:23 AM: Arriving at school, I remember it is Senior Skip Day, and park in the farthest area of the Junior parking lot, rather than at the gym where the Sophomores are supposed to park. I walk about what seems four miles to get to the library and print off my Chemistry lab worksheets, and then remember about my Hamlet test, which starts in eight minutes.

[Rev] Think Again

On Sept. 1, Ford announced that because of a sharp drop in sales last month its vehicles were piling up in the warehouses, and so they would cut back car and truck production by 7.8 percent. Around that same time, I was madly sending messages to Ford via the Rainforest Action Network (http://www.ran.org) that automatically composes letters like "Dear Mr. Ford: I am writing to express my deep concern about your company's disproportionate contribution to America's oil addiction and the global warming crisis."

Look Ma, I Made An Omelette!

My earliest recollection of actually seeing an omelette dates back to late 1969, early 1970. I had moved from Jackson to Kansas City, Mo., and being in my early 20s and desirous of a night out now and then, I became familiar with late-night dining at Nichols Lunch at 39th and Southwest Trafficway. The local 24-hour eatery, open since 1921, fit the bill as the spot to eat, laugh and stretch out an evening's fun. Omelettes were on the menu; I saw many being served but never tried one. Why would anyone want to add meat, vegetables or cheese to their eggs?

The Real Deal

People come up to Shaun Patterson after a show and tell him, "We like the covers that you play but we really want to hear more of your original stuff."

Biography of a Bomb

On July 24, 1945, President Harry Truman approached Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and told him the United States had developed a "new and powerful weapon." After years of deceiving their Soviet allies, the Americans confessed that they had successfully tested the world's first atomic bomb the week before.

Postcard to the Future

With a skinny tie and sassafras root 'round his neck, Seth Ballard Sr., the last of the Mississippi Herb Doctors, looks out serenely from a photograph on page 37.

[Fly] Shopkeep

The vibrant life buzzing throughout Bee Tree Meadows makes it hard to believe that the Western honeybee is in grave danger. From 1997-2006 Colony Collapse Disorder has dramatically diminished the number of federal and maintained bee colonies in North America. But at this 100- percent organic bee farm, there is no sign of worker bees abandoning ship; they're every bit as satisfied with the arrangement as their keepers, Todd and Mandalyn Goode.

Domestic Disturbance: A Review Of "A History Of Violence"

By turns tender and tragic, funny and frightening, David Cronenberg's masterful new thriller "A History of Violence" has emerged on the short list of 2005's most outstanding releases. A meditation on individual identity and family life, "Violence" is possibly the most mainstream film that Cronenberg, whose credits include the grotesque "Dead Ringers" and "The Fly," has ever made. Boasting superb performances, striking camerawork and compellingly rendered themes, "A History of Violence" is a must-see drama.

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