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Hello!
 Welcome to the latest Express Mail, the newsletter of the Fondren Express Trolley. In this edition, we hear from our founder, take part in a progressive dinner for a good cause, welcome a delicious new neighbor, and go green for St. Paddy's. Read on to find out more! |
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Trolley Founder Says Thanks
As the Fondren Express celebrates its two year anniversary, I wanted to take
this opportunity to personally express my gratitude to everyone who has so generously
supported us. Through early conversations in 2006 to unanimous City
Council approval in August of that same year, we have grown from our daily
route in Fondren to a much sought after charter company for all
occasions. Our first days in February 2007 saw us setting out into the
unknown, hoping to help with parking issues and create
an opportunity for our advertisers to be seen as truly giving back to the
community. In doing this, we would help brand Fondren as the premier arts
and entertainment district and do that with a bit of nostalgia and charm in
mind. Advertisers like St. Dominic's and
Millsaps gladly jumped on and, along with other initial supporters, are still
with us today. Our loyal, loveable captain, Ron Mills, has helped
to shape the public persona and image of the trolley, while a creative and hard
working "behind the scenes" team gladly pushes to take us into the
future.
We are poised to make this another banner year for the Fondren Express, and we
can't do it without you. So to our riders, our business development
clients, our community supporters, and our friends, we say thank you. We hope
that you are on board for many years to come.
Alan French, founder, The Fondren Express
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Trolley Participates in Charity Dinner
 The Fondren Express was pleased to donate our services last week as part of a progressive dinner hosted by the Clement family, winners of a silent auction at last fall's Chefs and the City. The group enjoyed cocktails at Fairview Inn, then boarded the trolley for appetizers at P.F. Chang's, salads at Char,
and entrees at the Parker House. They returned to Sophia's Restaurant at the Fairview Inn
for desserts.
Chefs in the City was held as a benefit for the Simon Sharp Eagle Fund, named for the late Simon Sharp, a 15 year old Jackson teen who lost his battle with leukemia in November 2007. Simon's parents, Peter and Tamar Sharp, owners of the Fairview Inn, hosted the benefit. The fund's mission, according to its website is "to give back to those that gave so much to our dear son, Simon, and our family."
For more about this worthwhile cause, visit SimonSharpEagleFund.org.
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New Dish, Old School Style:
Auditorium Opens at Duling
 It only takes a trip up and down the river to find the delicious dishes of the South like barbecue, catfish, or Gulf seafood. Or you could take a trip to Fondren to Nathan Glenn's latest venture. After months in the making, the former Duling School auditorium has come alive in the form of a culinary and musical venue aptly named the Auditorium Restaurant. Glenn, along with father Tim Glenn, and their business partner Mike Frascogna, have created an atmosphere Nathan refers to as casual plus with food that is "not too complicated, and not too fancy." He says diners have complimented the generous portions, and the way his place has transformed the old school. "They're blown away", Glenn says. And there's more to come. Earlier this week, he gave us a private tour of a planned VIP lounge and private dining room. Plus, the Peavey Stage goes live soon, with musical acts and other performances.
The Auditorium is open Monday-Sunday 11am-midnight, with a changeover of sorts at 9:18pm. That's when Glenn says the vibe changes and the lights go down. A grand opening is planned for "sometime in early March". Check the events calendar, menu, and more at TheAuditoriumRestaurant.com
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Green is Theme for Mal's 2009 Parade
Mal's St. Paddy's Parade
will march under an appropriately green banner March 21 in downtown Jackson. The theme is
"Recycle, Rethink, Rejoice Downtown" and the parade's iconic marching
man will step high under a trio of green-arrow recycling symbols. Developer,
longtime downtown Jackson
champion, and former Mississippi Development Authority director Leland Speed
will be the parade's grand marshal. Parade founder Malcolm White says "we
green Jackson
once a year but we just pick it up and throw it in a hole. This year we're
actually going to have a focused recycling program in place.
Mal's St. Paddy's Parade draws tens of thousands to downtown Jackson for what has
become the capital city's own rite of spring.
Jeff Good and Dan Blumenthal's teams from Sal & Mookie's, Bravo! and
Broadstreet will be on board the Fondren Express, utilizing the trolley as
their float!
with reporting from Sherry Lucas/Clarion Ledger
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Thank you for supporting Fondren and the Fondren Express. Please visit our website at FondrenExpress.com and support the merchants and restaurants who support us. We love hearing from you, so send us your comments and suggestions to news@fondrenexpress.com.
Captain Ron and Crew
Fondren Express Trolley |
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