1. Loblolly Creamery’s Boozy Collaborations
September 4 & 17
It was love at first taste for us with Loblolly Creamery’s decadent ice creams, sorbets and dessert creations. The Salted Caramel ice cream is literally the best we’ve ever had, and their other unique flavors like avocado sorbet and spicy Thai keep our taste buds intrigued. Even the plain ol’ buttermilk flavor rocks our world. Owners Sally Mengel and Rachel Moore are churning out pure happiness daily. Stop by their location in The Green Corner Store on Main Street and order two scoops of buttermilk ice cream in a waffle cone. Just trust us on this one.
Now the ladies at Loblolly have upped the ante even more by collaborating with a few select local watering holes to bring us boozy milkshakes and beer floats.
Loblolly teams up with White Water Tavern for boozy milkshake night from 6-9 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month, this month Sept. 4. The milkshakes are made with some of the more traditional Loblolly flavors, like double vanilla, milk chocolate and fruit sorbets.
From 6-9 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month – this time Sept. 17 – Loblolly collaborates with Vino’s Brewpub to pair three ice creams with three of Vino’s house-brewed beers. “We usually pair a fruit sorbet with a light beer, like peach sorbet with rye; a mint chocolate ice cream with a stout; and then a Vino’s steam with our vanilla ice cream made with vanilla steam,” says Rachel. Learn more at LoblollyCreamery.com.
2. “Wicked” Comes Back to Robinson
September 25 – October 6
After breaking box office records and selling out lickety-split in 2010, Celebrity Attractions is bringing “Wicked” back for another highly anticipated two-week run at Robinson Center Music Hall. Broadway’s biggest blockbuster, a winner of 35 major awards and a performance The New York Times calls “the defining musical of the decade,” “Wicked” tells the tale of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good from the very beginning, long before Dorothy found herself in Munchkinland. Ticket prices range from $43-$144. They’ll likely sell like hotcakes, so don’t hesitate. For more info, call 244-8800 or visit CelebrityAttractions.com.
3. About Vase Pop-Up Shop
September 20
Here’s a one-time shopping event you just can’t miss! Beginning Friday, Sept. 20, and continuing for about a month, About Vase will be hosting its first pop-up shop featuring the unique works of Dallas artist George Sellers in the front half of the store on Old Cantrell Road. Sellers, who began his artistic career as a marble sculptor in Florence, has since branched out into custom ornamental design and has recently unveiled a retail line, which will be featured in the About Vase pop-up shop. The AV pop-up shop will also showcase pieces of his bespoke home furnishings, like the goat-leg writing desk; mirrors crafted from the molds made for Van Cleef & Arpels (one his high-end clients, along with Bergdorf Goodman); and Sellers’ fabulous large-scale insect sculptures, which will be featured at the New York Botanical Gardens later this fall. He’s even sculpting a Razorback especially for the pop-up!
What’s more? A portion of the proceeds from items sold at the AV pop-up will benefit programs at the Arkansas Arts Center. Find out more about Sellers and see samples of his off-the-charts-amazing work at GeorgeSellers.org. Call About Vase at 603-9200 to learn more about the pop-up shop.
4. Cyclist George Hincapie Visits Little Rock
September 27 – 28
Ladies love him. Men want to be just like him. And cyclists, in particular, admire his athleticism and endurance. Now this long-time Tour de France rider, past world and national champion and Olympian will be coming to Little Rock to ride a portion of the Big Dam Bridge 100 and mingle with locals at several ticketed and free events.
Presented by the Big Dam Bridge Foundation, Hincapie’s Little Rock schedule will include a Friday, Sept. 27, public appearance at the BDB100 Ride Expo from 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the Statehouse Convention Center.
On race day, Saturday, Sept. 28, Hincapie will mingle with riders prior to the 50/62-mile ride. He will then start at the front of the 100-mile ride and complete a portion of that route. A ticketed event will follow that afternoon from around 12:30-2 p.m., at North Little Rock’s Argenta Theater, and at the race’s end (2-3 p.m.), Hincapie will meet riders near the finish line. As of press date, ticket price for the Argenta Theater event was TBD. For more info, email race director Fred Phillips at DLTEvents@Yahoo.com, call (870) 246-6686, or visit the Big Dam Bridge Foundation online at BigDamBridge.org.
5. Hillcrest HarvestFest
September 21
One of our favorite local festivals, Hillcrest harvestFest returns Saturday, Sept. 21, in the historic Hillcrest neighborhood. Presented by the Hillcrest Merchants Association, the all-day festival kicks off with a 7:30 a.m. Audubon Bird Walk in Allsopp Park. Several other morning activities follow, but the festival really gets cranking at 11 a.m., when more than 100 retail and food vendors set up their booths along Kavanaugh Blvd. Neighborhood restaurants, retailers and galleries will be open as well, and many will offer HarvestFest specials. U.S. Pizza will host a tailgate party on its patio, and there will be a cheese dip competition with a tasting beginning at noon. Yum! At 7 p.m., a fashion show presented by E.Leigh’s will take the stage and will feature the latest fall fashions. And for those with kids in tow, HarvestFest includes a children’s area complete with jump houses, pumpkin and face painting and more. Admission is free. For more info, visit HarvestFest.us.
Loblolly Creamery’s Boozy Collaborations (Sept. 4 & 17)
“Wicked” (Sept. 25 – Oct. 6)
The Deidre Treasure Box will be on display and for sale at the About Vase pop-up shop. (Sept. 20)
Cyclist George Hincapie (Sept. 27-28)