Sybok warp-drives to Arkansas

I met the original Sybok on Saturday during another City Wire excursion, but my favorite part of his public conversation was the discussion of his life- not just the experiences on the set of Star Trek- and his easygoing manner.

Larry Luckinbill married Lucie Arnaz, the daughter of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, the stars of I Love Lucy.

“She married me because I didn’t know her folks,” he said. “I had heard of the show, but never watched it, and I didn’t care.

“The first time we went out, I took her into the mountains to look at the leaves and she took a bunch of pictures. On the way back, she said ‘you remember the episode…’ and I said ‘no, I don’t,’” he said.

It seemed to baffle or fascinate her.

“A lot of people around her just wanted to be close to stardust.”

Luckinbill strongly heeded his down-to-earth country folk quality back then and continues to live proudly by it now.

“I’m from Arkansas, where everybody’s equal,” he said to the audience as he propped his feet up on an ottoman and adjusted his baseball cap.

“When I met Desi and Lucy, I wasn’t going to tapdance for them,” he said. “First of all, I’m a terrible tapdancer.”

If Luckinbill’s life is ever featured in a movie, he would like Brad Pitt to play himself because he has respect for him as an actor. But in truth, “I would want to play it,” he said, smiling.

Meeting Sybok

I met Sybok (from Star Trek) today.
Turns out he graduated from the University of Arkansas and makes April jokes, too.

"What's your name?"
"April"
"Have you ever been to Paris?"
"I haven't, but Ella & Billie tell me it's a feeling you can't reprise."

At least his is original...



















Laurence Luckinbill was super down-to-earth. We were supposed to meet in the basement of the library, where he could speak behind a podium to rows and rows of people in a very clearly marked audience area. Instead, he asked to move us to the cheery reading room, where the sunlight filters in through the broad windows and we could all chat in a semi-circle of comfy chairs.

He spoke candidly about his time as Sybok, his acting career, his marriage to the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz and said of Arkansas, "This place is a dream place. You're lucky to live here."














Someone in the audience told me that when he stepped back onto his old stage here on campus, he looked around and said, "This is where I was born. Right here."

Summer Salsa

The EOA Children's House is a great organization that provides therapy and education for very young, disadvantaged children who need stability in their lives.

The Summer Salsa event at George's Majestic Lounge celebrated their work Saturday night by raising money for basic, functional costs related to the organization, such as the transit that picks up each student directly from their homes.

Here are a couple images that I love that went unpublished.

This shot doesn't have the greatest composition or lighting, but I think it captures the energy and fun of Ultra Suede: a cover band that brought lots and lots of audience members (I'm talking as many as they could possibly fit) on stage to dance, shake some tambourines and sing.

















Some of the audience members went into diva mode.
I love it.

Ghost of Fayetteville Past and Present

I got a sneak peek into the kitchen at Ella's Restaurant on another City Wire excursion. Executive chef and restaurant owner, Bill Lyle was kind enough to share his story with me, give insights on his next business project and explain why Ella's has a personal, local touch that sets them apart.



Many of Ella's employees have worked there for years, a big testament to the restaurant's working atmosphere.






I love that Carnall Hall has so much history behind it and continues to be a part of Fayetteville and the campus, even more than a century after being a girls' dormitory.







You can meet the chef at the local farmer's market, when he's picking up ingredients for the next tasty dish.