Arts + Culture

Where Art and Community Intersect

Glen Biggs is Pioneering Middle Tennessee’s only Community Arts Organization right here in Bellevue Article by Kellie Walton | Photography by Provided When Joe Noe called Glen Biggs in 2018 with a proposition, Biggs didn't know he was about to inherit an entire arts organization.   "I love it so much, I can't imagine not having done it,” Biggs says.    That passion makes sense when you understand Biggs's history. Growing up in Franklin, Kentucky, he was deeply involved with his hometown's...

Life + Culture

Bellevue's newest Holiday Tradition

From high-anxiety to stunning reality, Holidays in the Vue Returns for its Second Year Article by Ed Atlas | Photography by Lindsey Baydoun A year ago, anxiety was running high for Kristi Gooden, Tammi Schneiderman, Christy Mullen and Jodi Owens. As organizers of the inaugural Holidays in the Vue parade, their dream of bringing a memorable holiday experience to the Bellevue community was about to become a reality.   But what kind of reality? Would it be a boom or a bust? Like expectant...

Life + Culture

Growing Community at BELL Garden

Learn about the Community Garden that is Cultivating Food, Connection, and Purpose in Bellevue Article by Lisa Valentine | Photography by Lindsey Baydoun There’s no denying that the Bellevue community is a special one and BELL Garden has become a staple that makes it so great. Located next to Bellevue Middle School, BELL Garden, which stands for Bellevue Edible Learning Lab, is a community garden that cares for Bellevue residents and fosters connections between those that live in the community...

Arts + Culture

A Recipe for a Good Time

Chef Paulette Licitra Shares About Her Italian Cooking Classes and Culinary Group Trips to Italy Article by Lisa Valentine | Photography by Provided Growing up in an Italian American household, it was natural for Paulette Licitra to pursue a career in Italian cooking. However, during her formative years in New York, the now chef and cookbook author, would never have predicted she’d pursue a path in culinary arts.   “I was surrounded by that kind of food,” she says of growing up with...

Life + Culture

The Story Behind Bellevue’s Best Burger

Local resident Shane Nasby introduces beloved smashburger joint named for his grandfather to the community  Article by Kellie Walton | Photography by Ed Atlas I’ve eaten my fair share of smashburgers. As a tenured food writer, I’d even argue I’ve turned “sampling greasy patties” into a fiduciary responsibility. So, in 2024, I set out on a mission to crown my favorite in town (tough work), and after countless grease-stained napkins, the original Cledis walked away with the metaphorical trophy. ...

Food + Beverage

The Dinner Belle is Ringing

When young families indicated their desire for wholesome, healthier meals, Laura Axelson answered the call. Article by Ed Atlas | Photography by Lindsey Baydoun For some people, owning a business is the culmination of a lifelong dream. For others it’s borne of necessity. Then there are those who never gave the idea much of a thought, until their passion intersected with their life journey.   That’s what happened to Laura Axelson.   Even though she earned a degree in English literature from...

Education

Give Your Business a Financial Makeover

Need a more organized style of bookkeeping? Baker Bookkeeps can help get you on track. Article by Lisa Valentine | Photography by Ed Atlas If your style of bookkeeping looks more like a box of crumpled receipts than intentional organization, your business’s finances may be in need of a makeover. For Joy Baker of Baker Bookkeeps, there’s nothing she loves more than helping transform someone’s stressful financial records into an organized dream, all while educating clients so that they feel in...

Style + Beauty

Cut, Color, and Confidence

My experience with a blowout and brows at Leigh Edwards and Co.  Article by Kellie Walton | Photography by Sidney Raines Photography Some of the nation’s best stylists have planted roots in Bellevue. Walk through the doors of the Leigh Edwards & Co. salon in One Bellevue Place, just past the stunning floral wallpaper and beyond the movie star-quality chairs, and you’ll find Kelly Clarkson’s brow gal, Blake Shelton’s hair stylist, and even a hair wizard from rural Tennessee who gave me the best...

Entertainment

Countdown To Kickoff

Taylor Zarzour brings his engaging and enthusiastic style to the Tennessee Titans radio booth. Article by Ed Atlas | Photography by Tennessee Titans When he was in his 20s, Taylor Zarzour attended a camp in Los Angeles where aspiring sportscasters would learn tricks of the trade from industry professionals. ,    One of the more revealing activities was a session where ‘campers’ would call the action of old football or basketball games that were played on video screens in their makeshift...

Arts + Culture

Arts Take Center Stage

Ensworth students don’t choose between sports, science, and the stage—they thrive in all three. Article by Kellie Walton | Photography by Ensworth School The Ensworth School may be synonymous with impressive academics and championship-caliber athletics, but the excellence doesn’t stop there. Woven into the fabric of the curriculum is an emphasis on the arts – a powerful inclusion that’s directly shaped the lives of many students. We’re not just talking decorated songwriters and professional...