The Renaissance Center will celebrate its ninth anniversary Saturday, Aug. 2, with a full day of demonstrations, art exhibits, story telling, music, dance, theatre and spectacular shows in the CyberSphere Digital Theater.
"From Appalachian stories to classic Broadway, from Disney's latest sensation to a wonderful modern dance troupe, this day promises to have something for everyone," said Doug Jackson, executive director of the fine arts education and performing arts center in Dickson. "We're celebrating nine years of promoting the arts through education and entertainment and this day sums up what The Renaissance Center is all about."
Throughout the day, the center's gallery spaces will feature four unique art exhibits. The Visual Arts Gallery will feature works by Nashville artist Victoria Boone, who has been a part of two of the center's annual juried shows, the Renaissance Regional Art Exhibit. Boone's symbol-oriented paintings are a fusion of multiple cultures and different periods of history created through diverse styles to explore the world of symbology.
In the East Wing Gallery will be photographic creations by Erin Anfinson of Murfreesboro. Anfinson is an artist who has found a unique way of capturing a new sensibility from the worlds of painting and photographic imagery.
Nashville-based musician and visual artist Julie Lee will have works on display in the North Wing Gallery. A fan of jazz legends, Lee creates art that mirrors the fusion of music styles that comes under the heading of jazz. Her art is an assemblage of individual pieces into her hand-made structures references dioramas, sculpture and paintings, as well as other art forms.
The North Wing Display Cases will feature functional and playing ceramic pieces from Nashville artist Doug Stevenson, whose newest works have taken on a more organic life. The pieces abandon the formal world of craft for function's sake to explore new visual strategies and head in a new direction.
The Renaissance Center's art galleries are open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and admission is free.
The Virtually Unlimited Bookstore will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature a free Storytime 1 to 2 p.m. Children can enjoy live readings of popular stories while mom and dad shop from the latest best-sellers or the other many items available in the bookstore.
The Renaissance Center's art, music, dance and theatre faculty will be on hand 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. with various demonstrations and information sessions about classes in the upcoming fall semester at The Renaissance Center. The dance faculty will be in the dance studio during this period to conduct placement assessments for students enrolling in Elementary Division classes for the fall.
In a special Senior Days program, storyteller Patsy Hatfield Lawson returns with her unique style of Appalachian tales and a lunch in the Gaslight Dinner Theatre. Stories will include Leaving Mama, Learning Basketball and Mama and Contests. These stories explore attending school in Tennessee during the 1950s and 1960s. They are a journey back to middle childhood, learning many skills other than school subjects and exploring ethics from a family perspective. Tickets are $20 for seniors 55 and over and include the Story Hour 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and a buffet lunch 12 to 1 p.m.
The latest sensation from Disney hits the stage of the Performance Hall at 2 p.m. when the Mind Enriching Theatre series presents High School Musical on Stage. The live production is adapted from the popular Disney Channel movie that has spawned a sequel, a theatre release this fall and a new reality television series.
At East High School, the lines between the various cliques get crossed when basketball team captain Troy decides to audition for the school musical to impress Gabriella, a girl he met during the winter break who has recently enrolled. Meanwhile, science club president Taylor is trying to recruit Gabriella for an upcoming science decathlon. Conflicts arise between basketball and theatre, coach and principal, divas and jocks, brainiacs and skater dudes and other factions within the school. Will the Wildcats win the championship game? Will Gabriella choose the science competition or the play? Will the whole school be able to come together and students set aside their differences?
Tickets for High School Musical on Stage are $10.
The CyberSphere Digital Theater will take you back in time, through the heavens and on a wild ride with shows through the afternoon and evening.
At 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., the CyberSphere presents Seven Wonders, a full-dome video journey back through time to witness the seven wonders of the ancient world. Travel to Egypt to visit the Lighthouse of Alexandria and the Great Pyramids, to Persia to see the original Mausoleum, to Babylon to explore the fabled Hanging Gardens, to Greece to tour the Temples of Zeus and Artemis, and to Rhodes to stand in the shadow of the towering Colossus. In a one-of-a-kind show featuring Digistar 3, the state-of-the-art planetarium projection system that can't be found anywhere else in Tennessee, you will investigate theories about how these wonders were created and get a glimpse of what they looked like in their glory. Also included will be Stargazing, a look at what's up in the summer skies over Middle Tennessee. Locate and hop through the constellations, learn cool star names and groove to planetarium space music in a full-dome experience. Tickets for the Seven Wonders and Stargazing double feature are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors 55 and over and children under 13.
The CyberSphere turns red, white and blue with Americana at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. when it presents the laser show Spirit of America. The four-story dome rocks with patriotism with a variety of music styles and spectacular laser effects. The song list includes Celine Dion's God Bless America, Hoedown by Aaron Copland, Centerfield by former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman John Fogarty, a medley from the 1950s, a version of The Star-Spangled Banner by '70s glam-rock kings KISS, World's Greatest by R. Kelly, Standing Outside the Fire by country superstar Garth Brooks, Pink Houses by John Cougar Mellencamp, Only in America by Brooks and Dunn and, of course, God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood, among other songs. Tickets for Spirit of America are $6.
The CyberSphere rocks with some of the best southern rock when it presents Southern Jam at 9 p.m. Spectacular laser effects and the dome's 14,000-watt Dolby digital Surroundsound system will rock with music from Molly Hatchet, ZZTop, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Allman Brothers, Blackfoot, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steve Earle, Charlie Daniels Band Lynyrd Skynyrd and more. Tickets for Southern Jam are $6.
The Renaissance Center's Jazz Combo provides a relaxing concert of jazz classics 4 to 6 p.m. in the Rotunda. Led by Jeff Martin, piano instructor and recording artist, the combo swings through classics from John Coltrane and Benny Goodman to Dave Brubeck and George Benson, among many other artists. Tickets for the Jazz Combo concert are $5.
The Gaslight Dinner Theatre will close its run of one of Broadway's all-time greatest shows that evening. A Chorus Line opened in 1975 and ran for 15 years with its story of the hopes and dreams, highs and lows of life as a Broadway dancer. Tickets for the performance are $30 and include a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Nashville In Motion, a dance company that combines contemporary dance with music by top contemporary music acts, returns to The Renaissance Center as part of its 9th anniversary celebration with a 7 p.m. show in the Performance Hall. Founded in 2007, Nashville In Motion is the vision of Artistic Director Jennifer Niemeyer Harwell, whose credentials range from performing with the Tennessee Repertory Theatre to dancing with the Nashville Ballet, among others. Harwell was looking for an opportunity to use her skills as a choreographer to combine contemporary dance with popular music, from which Nashville in Motion was born. Tickets for the performance are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 55 and over and $8 for children under 13.
From art exhibits to dance, from two great theatrical productions to a jazz concert, from story-telling to planetarium shows you can't experience anywhere else in the state, The Renaissance Center's ninth anniversary celebration is a widespread example of what the center has to offer and promises a full day of exciting entertainment for the entire family.
For more information, call (615) 740-5600 or visit the center's website at www.rcenter.org. To purchase tickets for any of the ninth anniversary celebration events, call (615) 740-5601.
The Renaissance Center is a fine arts education and performing arts center at 855 Highway 46 South in Dickson, just 35 miles of Nashville on Interstate 40 at exit 172.
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.