Monthly Archives: May 2013

QQA Preservation Conversation: Tour of Woodruff House

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woodruff houseThe latest Quapaw Quarter Association Preservation Conversation is this evening.  Instead of being at Curran Hall, this one is a tour of the William Woodruff House, located at 1017 East 8th Street. The program will begin at 5pm this evening.  This tour is one of the QQA’s activities for Arkansas Heritage Month.

The William E. Woodruff House was built in 1852-3 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. In 2007, the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas place the Woodruff House on its Most Endangered List.

Woodruff was the founder of the Arkansas Gazette. The two and one-half story house sits on three lots just two blocks east of I-30, near the MacArthur Park Historic District and the rapidly developing River Market District. Originally built in the Greek Revival Style, the house has many Colonial Revival elements, dating from an early 20th century remodeling. The footprints of outbuildings are still evident on the property, and the original cistern is located nearby.

The Quapaw Quarter Association’s mission is to promote the preservation of Little Rock’s architectural heritage through advocacy, marketing and education.

Incorporated in 1968, the QQA grew out of an effort to identify and protect significant historic structures in Little Rock during the urban renewal projects of the early 1960s. Throughout its existence, the QQA has been a driving force behind historic preservation in Greater Little Rock.

 

Sunday Food Trucks at LR Film Festival

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IMG_5408Along with an amazing line-up of films, music and parties at the 7th Annual Little Rock Film Festival this year, the LRFF in association with FOOD XING has a mouth watering line-up of Little Rock’s finest mobile eateries (a.k.a. FOOD TRUCKS!) open and available from during the festival weekend Friday  through Sunday -10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Take your pick from a variety of options as you stroll down downtown Little Rock this year, while waiting on your next screening/event or are simply just hungry and want a taste of Little Rock’s finest. Eat you heart away!

Sunday, May 19 at 6th and Main at the BEST Day Parking lot (across from The Rep). Open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

1. Blackhound BBQ– pit smoked meats and sides, turkey legs, lemonade, sausage sandwiches

2. Bryant’s BBQ– fresh cut fries, smoked pork and beef, jerk chicken and Cajun beans and rice, hand squeezed lemonade

3. Trott’s Place– burgers, gizzards, wings and fries

4. Roxie’s Hot Dogs– hot dogs, nacho’s and Frito pies

Some of the vendors will stay from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

LR Look Back: Mayor Dan T. Sprick

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SprickFuture Little Rock Mayor Dan T. Sprick was born on May 19, 1902.  He served three terms on the Little Rock City Council (from 1935 to 1941).  In 1945, he was elected Mayor of Little Rock and served one term.

Sprick later served for ten years in the Arkansas State Senate (from 1961 to 1970).  During his tenure in the Senate, Sprick was closely aligned with Gov. Orval Faubus.  When the Little Rock high schools had been closed a year to ensure segregation, Sprick had served on the board of a private school set up by some of the leaders of the segregation movement.

His time in the Senate was also marked by controversy.  He was one of three Senators to opposed Muhammad Ali’s speaking at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.  After an Arkansas Gazette editorial lambasted him, Sprick sued the paper for libel. The Gazette settled with him out of court because his health was poor.

Sprick died in January 1972.

 

Final Day of 2013 Little Rock Film Festival

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IMG_5408The 2013 Little Rock Film Festival concludes today with the Arkansas Times Awards Gala and the showing of Don Jon (starring Joseph Gordon Levitt) as the final film.

Today’s screenings of films in contention for the Golden Rock Narrative Award are The Girl by David Riker; Junk by Kevin Hamedani and Burma by Carlos Puga.

Films screening today in contention for the Golden Rock Documentary Award are Bridegroom by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason; 12 O’Clock Boys by Lotfy Nathan; These Birds Walk by Omar Mullick and Bassam Tariq; Muscle Shoals by Greg “Freddy” Camalier and Pussy Riot-A Punk Prayer by Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin.

Three film shown today are part of the Made in Arkansas competition: The Idenity Theft of Mitch Mustain by Matthew Wolfe; Up Among the Hills by Larry Foley and Last Summer by Mark Thiedeman.

Arkansas Shorts: “Consequences” including “Twinkletown” by Scott McEntire; “Soul Winner” by Jennifer Gerber; “Blood Brothers” by Jason Miller and Seth Savoy; and “Diamond John” by Travis Mosler.”

World Shorts: “The World Outside,” features “The Children Next Door,” “Eddie Adams: Saigon ’68,” “A Cidade,” and “Another Corner.” “The Beginning, The Middle, The End” consists of “Hatch,” “Un mundo para Raul,” “Sahasi Chori,” “Movies Made from Home #6 and #16,” “Divine Rite,” and “Passio.” “Some Times” featuring “When We Lived in Miami,” “Off Season,” “Black Metal,” “Ojala,” “Sleep” and “113 Degrees.”

Saturday Food Trucks at LR Film Festival

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lrff_mp_hdr_logoAlong with an amazing line-up of films, music and parties at the 7th Annual Little Rock Film Festival this year, the LRFF in association with FOOD XING has a mouth watering line-up of Little Rock’s finest mobile eateries (a.k.a. FOOD TRUCKS!) open and available from during the festival weekend Friday  through Sunday -10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Take your pick from a variety of options as you stroll down downtown Little Rock this year, while waiting on your next screening/event or are simply just hungry and want a taste of Little Rock’s finest. Eat you heart away!

Saturday, May 18 at 6th and Main at the BEST Day Parking lot (across from The Rep). Open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

1. The Food Commander– catfish straws, boneless chicken wings, slaw burgers and dogs, crawfish etouffee, fried noodles, homemade fried pies

2. The Southern Gourmasian– shrimp and grits, steamed buns

3. Haygood’s BBQ– pulled pork and chopped beef sandwiches, BBQ ribs, baked beans, potato salad, turkey legs

4. KBird– garden rolls with peanut sauce, papaya salad, pad Thai (chicken/tofu), fried rice (pork/chicken/tofu), vegetable red curry with fried egg, red curry beef, green curry salmon, fresh mango & coconut sticky rice

5. Red River Catering– BBQ Nachos, catfish basket, BBQ sandwich, fried pies

6. Mexicana Alicia’s– tacos, tostadas, fajitas, burritos and quesadillas

7. Kona Ice– savor your OWN flavor! Make your own shave ice flavor.

8. LePops– gourmet popsicles

Some of the vendors will stay from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m

LRFF 2013 – Day 4

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IMG_5409The fourth day of the Little Rock Film Festival features twelve hours of movies. Along the way there will be a Wimpy Kid and the football star Mitch Mustain.

One of the events in the spotlight today include a screening of Diary of a Wimpy Kid-Rodrick Rules with producer (and Little Rock native) Brad Simpson and cast members Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron present.

Other spotlight events include the documentaries Breaking Through; The Making of Beasts of the Southern Wild; and Fake It So Real.

Today’s screenings of films in contention for the Golden Rock Narrative Award are The Discoverers by Justin Schwarz; This Is Where We Live by Josh Barrett, Marc Menchaca; The Girl by David Riker; Coldwater by Vincent Grashaw; Burma by Carlos Puga; Good Night by Sean Gallagher; Reality Show by Adam Rifkin and Zero Charisma by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews.

Films screening today in contention for the Golden Rock Documentary Award are Our Nixon by Penny Lane; Bayou Maharajah by Lily Keber; Dirty Wars by Richard Rowley; 12 O’Clock Boys by Lotfy Nathan; Spies of Mississippi by Rick Powers and Dawn Porter; We Always Lie to Strangers by A.J. Schnack and David Wilson and Pussy Riot-A Punk Prayer by Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin.

One film shown today is part of the Made in Arkansas competition: The Idenity Theft of Mitch Mustain by Matthew Wolfe.

Arkansas Shorts: “Battles” including “Sky Begins to Storm” by Ron Walter, “The Van” by Nathan Willis” and “December 1982” by Lyle Arnett. “Futures” features “Foot Trackers” by Brandon Bogard, “Lasting the After” by Blake Elder, “Death of a Superhero” by Brandon Bristol and “Bad Water” by Amman Abbasi. “Heartbeats” includes Joe York’s “Bump,” Zach Turner’s “Mary,” Nolan Dean’s “Last Shot Love,” and Daniel Campbell’s “The Discontentment of Ed Telfair.”

World Shorts: “Quirks” includes “The Associate,” “The Audition,” “The Places Where We Lived,” “Die Like an Egyptian,” “Catnip: Egress to Oblivion?” “boy.girl.drum” and “Mousse.” ”The Edge” consists of “Bo,” “Root,” “Grasshopper!,” “#PostModern,” “The Giant,” and “Organ Grinder.”

“American Dreams” includes “The Commitment,” “Sweet, Sweet Country,” “Kalifornija,” “The Acting Lesson,” and “An American Mosque.” “Some Times” featuring “When We Lived in Miami,” “Off Season,” “Black Metal,” “Ojala,” “Sleep” and “113 Degrees.”

There will also be discussions in the filmmaker’s lounge as well as a party at the Oxford American.

Zoo Hosts Stars of “Wimpy Kid” Films today for Autograph Signing Event

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diarwimpyThe Little Rock Zoo is excited to announce that it will host a special meet-n-greet and autograph signing with the stars of the hit films, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” along with the producer of the film series, Brad Simpson, a native of Little Rock, on Saturday, May 18, at 2:00 p.m.

Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron will be joined by Simpson to sign autographs and meet fans at the Zoo as part of the Little Rock Film Festival held May 15-19.  Gordon plays Greg Heffley, protagonist of the films and of the popular “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book series that the films are based on.  Robert Capron plays the role of Rowley Jefferson, Heffley’s best friend.

The “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book series is the all-time best-selling juvenile/young-adult series in the U.S. and remains popular with children and adults alike.

There is no additional charge for the “Wimpy Kids” meet-n-greet but regular Zoo admission prices do apply.  Little Rock Film Festival pass holders will receive free Zoo admission for this event and will receive front-of-the-line access.  To purchase LRFF passes or for more information log-on to www.LittleRockFilmFestival.org.   Adult admission to the Zoo is $10 and admission for children ages 1-12 is $8.  Children under the age of one are admitted free.  Zoo members are always admitted free.  Log-on towww.LittleRockZoo.com/wimpy for more information or call (501) 666-2406.

The Little Rock Film Festival is hosting a red carpet screening of the film “Diary of a Wimpy Kid:  Rodrick Rules” at The Rep in downtown Little Rock at 10:00 a.m. on the same day where both Gordon and Capron will give personal accounts of their experiences filming the “Wimpy Kids” films and will show never-before-seen behind-the-scenes personal pictures of the filming.  Gordon, Capron and Simpson will also be available to answer questions from audience members after the screening.  Seating for this special screening is very limited and tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.LittleRockFilmFestival.org or for a limited time at the door.  Tickets are $10 per person.

The Little Rock Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things.  With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.  For more information, visit http://www.aza.org.