We celebrated our 10th anniversary with a retrospective edition in March. We introduced you to spring and fall fashion trends with stunning photography and video. We tried new menus and shopped new local stores.
We marveled at the art of tattoos at the Arkansas Arts Center and reveled in the memories of Cardinals victories at The Clinton Presidential Center. We laughed and rocked with “The Blue Man Group” at Robinson Center Music Hall, sang along with the “Wicked Divas” at the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and eased on down the road to meet “The Wiz” at The Rep.
We hosted parties for our Women to Watch and top realtors. We honored the best of the best in town, from lawyers and insurance agents to restaurants and interior designers. We attended parties (lots of parties!) and celebrated those of you who work hard to support philanthropy in our city.
Truly, it’s been an amazing year. Here’s a recap of our favorite stories, photos and more from 2012.
By the Numbers
- Circulation: 26,000 copies per month
- Readership: 94,000 per month
- Organizations profiled in 2012: 62
- Parties covered in 2012: 229
- Party pictures printed in 2012: 2,458
Notable Newbies
Retail: The Independent, E. Leigh’s
Restaurants: Rocket 21, 1620 Savoy, RJ Tao, Packet House, NEXT, Bray Gourmet, Local Lime
Staff Favorites
Hint of Fall, September Fashion:
“When I saw the inspiration board from Amber [Brewer], I suspected we’d end up with something very special. Then I saw the proofs from Jason [Masters] and was blown away. Once Dean [Wheeler] put the section together, I knew we’d hit a home run. To me, the quality of the section is equivalent to something you’d see in a national magazine.”
— Olivia Farrell, Publisher
Spring Arrival, Spring Fashion:
“This was the first real fashion shoot I had been a part of, and watching and learning from the professionals around me was a real inspiration. The careful and detailed work of photographer Jason Masters and all the stylists was truly something to behold. Plus, the choice of The Arkansas Railroad Museum as the setting was a stroke of genius. Seeing the images a few days later was a breathtaking moment for me.”
— Dean Wheeler, Art Director
Nan Selz, Museum of Discovery, January:
“As an editor, I love the moment each month when I see the art direction and the story finally come together. I was blown away when I saw the photo of Nan Selz in one of the Museum of Discovery’s new exhibits, ‘Tornado Alley.’ It was creative and fun and an intriguing complement to the story.”
—Amanda Hoelzeman, Managing Editor
Heather Owens, Fighting Fancy, October:
“I learned long ago that you can find grace in the most unsuspecting places. Church, yes, but also in the smiles of children playing on the monkey bars, the hands of the elderly, the grieving of a widow, and the bravery of a cancer patient. To me, our October cover is grace personified: Heather Owens, 29, looking gorgeous and strong in the middle of chemotherapy for breast cancer. I still get a little choked up when I look at it. I’m so proud of her — and the millions of women who fight this disease daily.”
— Jennifer Pyron, Editor
January saw LANTERNS! benefiting Wildwood Park for the Arts, chaired by Warren and Nancy Boop, Cyndi Hansen, Chris Olsen, Suzanne Raddle, Rosalia and Dan Monroe, Vivian Norman, Patti Stanley, Larry Burton, Heather Pile, Daniel and Tiffany Robinson (left), Melissa Thoma, Anna Harper, Steve Parks, Angie Gilbert, Meg Johnston, Tom and Elizabeth Small. Five-thousand attended, raising over $18,000.
ACCESS Starry, Starry Night was held in February for ACCESS Schools, co-chaired by John and Vicky Starling (above.) More than 300 people raised $123,000.
March was when the Red Jacket Ball raised $234,000 for City Year. OVer 575 attended the event that honored Gov. Mike
Beebe and Ginger Beebe, was co-chaired by Kirk Bradshaw and John Allison, and saw one of its volunteers, Gen. Wesley Clark, profiled in Soirée.
In March, the Bolo Bash Luncheon raised $190,000 to benefit the eICU and Telehealth programs at Baptist Health. Special guest Kathryn Stockett, author of “The Help”, appeared with Chair Millie Ward and the 450 who attended.
Chris and Beth Roberts (left) co-chaired Camp IV in May benefit St. Vincent Health. Approximately 100 attendees raised $183,695 to benefit the purchase of a 3D mammography machine.
Former Arkansas first lady Betty Bumpers was the honoree at June’s Billie Ann Myers Paragon Award event, assisting the Department of Human Services Division of Community Service and Nonprofit Support.
Joy Secuban helped curate “Dorothy Howell Rodham & Virginia Clinton Kelley: Remarkable Women. Extraordinary Lives” at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in July.
Soirée’s August issue reported on Ballet Arkansas and its 25 percent lift in ticket sales over last year. Stay tuned for its performance of “The Nutcracker,” Dec. 7-9, 2012 at Robinson Center Music Hall.
In September, KC & The Sunshine Band played for over 800 at the Gala for Life, chaired by William and Christy Clark. Volunteer Patricia Johnson (left) told Soirée about the event that raised more than $1.3 million for the Winthrop Rockefeller Cancer Institute at UAMS.
Heather Owens shared her experience with cancer in October, and her organization, Fighting Fancy. After her story ran, Fighting Fancy’s website recorded 3,000 unique visits in less than 48 hours, saw more than 1,000 likes, shares and comments on social media during the first two weeks of publication; and national media attention from Fox News.
November saw Legacy: An Appreciation of Change, honoring philanthroprists Donna McLarty, Kay Patton, Don Pfeifer (left), George Worthen and Bob Ross (posthumously). Four-hundred attended the event and raised $296,000 for Centers for Youth and Family.
Terry Quinn and her family will raise money for Arkansas Children’s Hospital later this month in December. (For more, see here.)