Village Living neighborly news & entertainment for Mountain Brook
Volume 6 | Issue 7 | October 2015
Bohemian debut
Hotel set to open in late October
Construction nears completion at the Grand Bohemian Hotel, part of the new Lane Parke development. Photo by Frank Couch.
Pre-Sort Standard U.S. Postage PAID Memphis, TN Permit #830
“People say they have never spent the night in a museum, but that they feel like they just did that [when they have stayed in our hotels].” -Richard Kessler
By MADOLINE MARKHAM Suzan Doidge will have a new answer at the end of this month. Mountain Brook residents often call the chamber of commerce to ask where to host a bar mitzvah, tea or wedding reception, and in the past there hasn’t been a good venue in the city for more than 30 people. That was before the opening of the $35 million Grand Bohemian Hotel, though. “It’s a game changer,” said Doidge, the chamber director. The chamber itself plans to hold its annual luncheon at the Grand Bohemian in January as well as the Fashions for the Foundation event for the Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation in November. Plus, Doidge said, hotel guests will patronize
INSIDE
Sponsors .......... A6 City...................... A7
other Mountain Brook businesses. “It’s a really great opportunity for us to bring more people into the community,” Doidge said. “They are going to enjoy Grand Bohemian and shop at Lane Parke and enjoy our trails. It will foster business that we might not otherwise see. We haven’t had a resource like this in the past.” The Kessler vision Inspired by the Bohemian Club in San Francisco, Richard Kessler’s Grand Bohemian boutique hotel collection celebrates arts and culture at locations in Orlando, Savannah, St. Augustine, Asheville, Taos and Beaver Creek, Colorado. “People say they have never spent the night in a museum, but that they feel like they just did that [when they have stayed in our hotels],” Kessler said. Business............ A10 Food................... A15
Community ..... A17 School House .... B4
A Charleston location opened this summer and was the first to offer the wine blending experience also available in the Mountain Brook location. The interior design of the Mountain Brook hotel will feature whimsical botanicals inspired by neighbors Birmingham Zoo and Birmingham Botanical Gardens, as well as elements inspired by the state’s auto industry and nearby Barber Motorsports Park. Ground broke for the Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook in January 2014. It is situated in front of Lane Parke apartments in Mountain Brook Village and will be adjacent to the new Lane Parke retail phase that broke ground last month. Kessler has partnered with Evson Inc. and
See BOHEMIAN | page A30
Sports ................ B8 Faith .................. B13
Calendar .......... B26 facebook.com/villageliving
Fashion forward
Home inspiration
The Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation is preparing for its annual fashion show fundraiser with a new format and new location.
Find tips and tricks on caring for your home and garden in this month’s special advertising section.
Features page B1
Special page B14
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A2 • October 2015
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October 2015 • A3
faster
• Custom run plans • Weekly speedwork • Goal race training • Boston Marathon qualification training • Team race events
“I have had huge PRs & shaved off my times: 7 minutes off 5k 8 minutes off 10k 3 minutes off half 6 minutes off marathon”
~Shilonqua, marathoner
APSA-1007_2.pdf 1 8/18/15 A4 • October 2015
11:28 AM
Village Living
A PUBLIC NOTICE FROM ALABAMA POWER
TREE CREWS WORKING IN MOUNTAIN BROOK THROUGH EARLY 2016 Alabama Power crews are working in several Mountain Brook neighborhoods, removing trees and other vegetation that threaten the safety and reliability of our electrical system. As part of this process, Alabama Power goes to great lengths to talk with individual property owners. Company representatives are going door to door, leaving notices at locations where work is needed. If you have any questions before crews come by your home, please call Alabama Power at 205-257-2155 and ask for someone in the Vegetation Management Group to contact you. Or you can email us at apcvm@southernco.com. Work in Mountain Brook and nearby areas is expected to continue through early 2016. Also, you can go online to alpwr.co/vm for more information about these safety and reliability measures, as well as resources for property owners who would like recommendations about planting the right tree in the right place.
Thank you for your understanding. We appreciate your business. Vegetation Management Group 205-257-2155 | apcvm@southernco.com
Š 2015 Alabama Power Company.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A5
Village Living
A6 • October 2015
About Us Support our partners
Meet our new staff Cameron Tipton Cameron Tipton, a Birmingham native, recently returned after graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in journalism. During her time in Tuscaloosa, she volunteered at The Crimson White and interned at The Tuscaloosa News. For two weeks during her final semester, she took her love of storytelling to England and Wales while working on a travel magazine called Alpine Living. With her experiences in tow, she is excited to be back home and to join the team at Starnes Publishing. She is ready to help tell the stories of her hometown.
Jon Anderson Jon Anderson has 23 years of professional experience in reporting, writing, editing and management. He worked for The Birmingham News for all 23 years (including the last three years as a part of the Alabama Media Group, which publishes the AL.com website and The Birmingham News). Since graduating from the University of Alabama in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, Jon has covered a variety of subjects, including business, legislative and municipal elections, Shelby County and Hoover. From 2006 to 2012, he oversaw reporting teams in Hoover and western Jefferson County. In 2012, The Birmingham News reorganized as part of a new company called the Alabama Media Group. Many jobs were eliminated, but Jon went back to reporting in Hoover. He did that for the past three years and is excited to continue coverage of Hoover and other Over the Mountain areas for Starnes Publishing.
Editor’s Note By Jennifer Gray This month the long awaited Grand Bohemian will be opening as part of the Lane Parke development. I have watched its progress over the past months as I have traveled through Lane Parke each week wondering what it will look like inside. My kids have been begging to spend a night there. A great way to get to see the new luxury hotel is to attend Fashion for the Foundation in early November. This annual event features fall fashions modeled by teachers, administrative staff and members of our community, all to raise money for the Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation. This October it will be held at the new hotel,
so buy your tickets and enjoy helping raise money for our schools while you check out the new Grand Bohemian. Since October means we are in the full swing of fall, there are many fun events planned in the community. Don’t miss the annual Mystics of Mountain Brook Halloween Parade, Mountain Brook Baptist’s Pumpkin Patch, Canterbury Methodist Church party and Trunk or Treat at St. Luke’s. Other festivities this season include the Antiques at the Gardens benefiting the Birmingham Botanical Gardens along with their fall plant sale. It seems there have been so many children in our community touched by pediatric cancer. Mountain Brook
is at its best when we are all rallying behind these children and their families. Encouragement and prayers, ribbons or crosses on mailboxes, Sean Strong bracelets and the video tributes to Sid Ortis on his 16th birthday are just a few examples of how our community comes together. Sean Fredella, a Mountain Brook Junior High student and cancer survivor, along with some of his friends are organizing trick-or-treating campaign to raise money to help find a cure for this deadly disease. It’s always encouraging to see teens in our community stepping up to help others so please come and support this cause.
Village Living Publisher: Creative Director: Community Editor: Managing Editor: Sports Editor: News Editor: Staff Writers: Community Reporters: Editorial Assistant: Copy Editor: Graphic Designer: Advertising Manager: Sales and Distribution:
Contributing Writer: Contributing Photographer: Published by:
Dan Starnes Keith McCoy Jennifer Gray Madoline Markham David Knox Sydney Cromwell Katie Turpen Erica Techo Jon Anderson Roy L. Williams Cameron Tipton Louisa Jeffries Andrew Anderson Matthew Allen Warren Caldwell Don Harris Michelle Salem Haynes Brittany Joffrion Rhonda Smith Kari Kampakis Frank Couch Village Living LLC
School House Contributors: Catherine Gasque - Cherokee Bend, Trish Hand - Crestline, Kathleen Woodry - Brookwood Forest, Elizabeth Farrar - Mountain Brook High School, Shaun FlynnMountain Brook Elementary, Collins Clegg - Mountain Brook Jr. High Contributing Photographers: Image Arts Contact Information: Village Living #3 Office Park Circle, Suite 316 Birmingham, AL 35223 313-1780 Dan@VillageLivingOnline.com
Please submit all articles, information and photos to: Jennifer@VillageLivingOnline.com P.O. Box 530341 Birmingham, AL 35253
For advertising contact: Dan@VillageLivingOnline.com Legals: Village Living is published monthly. Reproduction or use of
editorial or graphic content without prior permission is prohibited. Village Living is designed to inform the Mountain Brook community of area school, faith, family and community events. Information in Village Living is gathered from sources considered reliable but the accuracy cannot be guaranteed. All articles/photos submitted become the property of Village Living. We reserve the right to edit articles/photos as deemed necessary and are under no obligation to publish or return photos submitted. Inaccuracies or errors should be brought to the attention of the publisher at (205) 370-0732 or by email.
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30 A Realty (A9) Addiction Recovery Program at UAB (B9) AL Newspaper Advertising Service (B13) Alabama Goods (B12) Alabama Outdoors (A24) Alabama Power (A4) Always Best Care: ABC Senior Services (A20) Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama (B8) Amy Smith (B9) Architectural Hardware Supply (B23) Backstreet Treasures (A28) Barton-Clay Fine Jewelers (B14) Bates, Roberts, Fowlkes & Jackson Insurance (A17) Batts’ Chimney Services (B19) Bedzzz Express (A1, B28) Ben Franklin - One Hour (B17) Birmingham Bicycle Company (B27) Birmingham Botanical Gardens (B14) Birmingham Speech and Hearing Associates (A25) Birmingham Zoo (B7) Brandino Brass (A23) Bromberg & Company, Inc. (A14) Brookdale University Park (A24) Calico Home (A5) California Closets (B26) Canterbury Gardens (B27) Children’s of Alabama (A8) Christopher Glenn (B19) Classic Gardens (B23) Dirty Hippie (A23) Dish’n It Out (B7) DSLD Land Management (B22) Ex Voto Vintage (B27) Eye Do (A25) EZ Roof & EZ Restoration (B18) Gardner Landscaping (B15) Granger Thagard Associates (A28) Great Smiles Orthodontics (A15) Greater Birmingham Assoc. of Home Builders (A22) Hanna’s Garden Shop (B25) Hufham Orthodontics (A29) Issis & Sons (A21) Jacqueline DeMarco (B13) Jersey Mike’s Subs (A2) JJ Eyes (A19) John-William Jeweller (A7) Judith Bright (A8) Junior League of Birmingham (A18) Kevin J. Alexander D.M.D., P.C. (A27) Kirkwood by the River (A28) Lane Parke - Evson Inc. (A11) Leaf & Petal (A14) Liberty Park (A16) Martha Gorham Realty South (A7) Monkee’s of Mountain Brook (A13) Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation (B5) Nix Design Build (B16) Otey’s (B3) Phoenix Builders (B25) Pizza 120 (A13) Planet Fitness (B11) PlumCore (B24) RealtySouth (A32) Red Pearl Restaurant (B26) Rehaba (A27) Renasant Bank (B4) Resolute Running Training Center (A3) Savage’s Bakery (A10) Simply Ponds (A22) Stephanie Steinmetz DDS (A22) Swoop (B9) Taco Mama (B12) Target Auction Company (B8) The Cook Store (B15) The Fitness Center (A30) The Maids (B3) TherapySouth Crestline (B2) Tom Williams BMW (B10) Total Beauty and Skin Dermatology (B1) Urban Home Market (B21) Village Poodle (A10) Vitalogy Wellness Center (A31, B6) Weigh To Wellness (A12)
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A7
City Overbrook sidewalk approved
Zoo relocates entrance
By MADOLINE MARKHAM
The Birmingham Zoo entrance has been relocated as a part of construction for a new front entrance. Guests are entering at the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo Breezeway entrance. The relocated front entrance is equipped with a special entrance for zoo members and with ticket booths for guests. The front entrance move is the first step in preparing for the construction on the new Arrival Experience and Front Entrance in September. “We are excited at the opportunity to give back to the community that has supported us throughout the years,” Birmingham Zoo President and CEO Dr. William Foster said. “With the construction beginning soon, we aim to make the Birmingham Zoo an even more significant asset of the Birmingham community. Through several innovative and new improvements, we will be able to accommodate more guests and further the Zoo’s mission of Inspiring Passion for the Natural World.” As visitors enter the zoo parking lot, they will be directed to continue toward the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo, to the right of the Zoo’s former front entrance. For the safety of guests and the construction crew, the zoo asks the public to follow the posted rules during the construction period. For more information visit birminghamzoo.com.
A new sidewalk will be constructed for Mountain Brook Junior High students who walk to Canterbury United Methodist Church for programs after school. At its Aug. 24 meeting, the city council approved an agreement with the church for the project, subject to the city receiving right of access to the property. The project will connect the existing sidewalk on the school’s side of Overbrook Road to the church’s
property and run parallel to Pine Crest Road. It will be 5 feet wide and run 85 feet long. The city has also proposed a sidewalk from the existing Overbrook sidewalk to the new Pine Crest section. The project was first proposed at an Aug. 10 council meeting. At that meeting, Jim Lott, a representative of the church, said the church would provide an easement for the pathway, which will be located on the church’s property.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM
A proposed sidewalk would be located on Canterbury United Methodist Church’s property.
Additional light to be added on Hoyt Street By MADOLINE MARKHAM
Lights currently line Hoyt Street on the City Hall side of the street, and another will be added near the alley to the left of the Christmas Shoppe.
Is another street light needed for Hoyt Lane? The city council said “Yes” at its Aug. 24 meeting. Jan Cobbe, who runs the Christmas Shoppe in the back of Crestline Pharmacy that is reopening next month, had expressed to the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce her concern that the limited lighting on the street is a safety issue. The proposed light would be placed on a pole on Hoyt where it intersects with the alley adjacent to Oak Street Garden Shop. Police Chief Ted Cook studied the area at dusk earlier this month and determined an additional streetlight would improve lighting but not to a great extent. The sidewalk on the
side under consideration does not run all the way to Oak Street, and the sidewalk on the other side of the street is already well lit, he said. Thus, he recommended pedestrians walk on the side that is lit. Cook also found that most of the alley is well lit except for the three or four spaces closest to Hoyt, but he thinks this could be resolved by fixing nonfunctional decorative lights that are already there. However, there has been an issue with the landlord fixing them. Sam Gaston said the city talked with the three adjoining property owners and that they are OK with the light addition. The council decided to approve the new light, which will cost $651.
Village Living
A8 • October 2015
Farmers market proposed for Crestline
Urban Cookouse ran a farmers market in the summer of 2014 in Crestline Village.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM Urban Cookhouse is proposing a new fall farmers market on Saturday mornings in Crestline Village, but it has yet to finalize a location. The Mountain Brook City Council discussed the proposal at its meeting on Sept. 14. Organizers plan to start the market the last weekend of September (Sept. 26) and run it through the weekend before Thanksgiving (Nov. 21). Each market would run from 7-11 a.m. “Our hope for this farmers market is to bring the community together... to provide a place for family and friends to gather on a Saturday morning to enjoy and also help out local farmers and vendors,” Lindsay Horne of Urban Cookhouse wrote in a letter to the city. Urban Cookhouse representatives requested to hold the market on Oak Street between La Paz and Otey’s Tavern.
Mountain Brook Police Chief Ted Cook said the location is problematic because it is a one-way street and drivers have no place to turn around other than making a U-turn, which there might not be room for. Council member Lloyd Shelton agreed that it would not be good for traffic or surrounded businesses and recommended they look at Dan Watkins or the field across from the library. A representative from Oak Street Garden shop confirmed that blocking off the street would negatively affect their customers on Saturday morning. Both the city and Urban Cookhouse agreed that the field next to the Emmet O’Neal Library would make a strong alternate location. “Most of us like the idea of a farmers market as long as it’s not impacting the village,” Council President Virginia Smith said. The restaurant ran a farmers market last summer on Wednesday evenings on Vine Street. For updates on the market, visit villagelivingonline.com.
KNOW
w h a t t o d o i n ca se of
SUSPECTED
CONCUSSION A concussion is an injury caused by a blow to the head in which the brain moves rapidly and may collide with the inside of the skull. Even a minor fall or collision may be of concern, so be alert to symptoms such as headaches, unsteadiness, confusion or other types of abnormal behavior. Any athlete with a suspected concussion: n Should be IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM PLAY/ACTIVITY n Should be urgently assessed medically n Should not be left alone n Should not drive a motor vehicle
www.ChildrensAL.org/concussion In case of medical emergency, call 911 or go directly to your local ER
Council approves budget, satellite vet clinic By MADOLINE MARKHAM At its recent meetings the Mountain Brook City Council: ÌÌ Approved the city’s fiscal 2016 budget following a public hearing. Finance Director Steve Boone said the budget includes a 1.5 percent pay raise, paying off general obligation warrants scheduled for Oct. 1 and capital projects to replace existing equipment. ÌÌ Approved a conditional use application of Dr. Craig Martin to operate a satellite veterinary clinic for Liberty Animal Clinic in Mountain Brook Village in the modular offices located at 2129 Cahaba Road, formerly the State Farm office of Chad Anderson. It would be a day use facility for veterinary services and grooming. City Planner Dana Hazen said its hours will be complementary to other businesses’ peak hours on the street. ÌÌ Declared the week of Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week. ÌÌ Approved a conditional [service] use application for Melanie Pounds Interior Designs at 2822 Petticoat Lane, part of the former Linda Dobbins Dance space on the corner. ÌÌ Approved a professional services agreement with Skipper Consulting, Inc. for a traffic study at the intersection of Old Leeds Road at Crosshill Road to examine intersection turning movement traffic counts during the morning peak hour and to determine the impacts of implementing a protected left turn arrow at the intersection. Resident Lisa Burton addressed the council about the line of sight issue on the way to Mountain Brook High School from Cherokee Bend. ÌÌ Approved an APPLE grant administration agreement for the study and evaluation of 13 bridges in the city.
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The agreement with Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham will result in any recommendations for repair, rehab or replacement. It will also estimate probable construction costs, recommended priorities and identify potential funding sources for the improvements. The grant will be funded 80 percent by the federal government and 20 percent by the city. Gresham, Smith, and Partners, a consulting firm, will perform the engineering studies. The public works department regularly inspects the city’s bridges, but this would provide recommended improvements for the future. Reappointed Henry Lapidus to the Board of Zoning Adjustment to serve without compensation until Sept. 25, 2018. Approved increasing the salary schedule for all classified and unclassified employees and increasing the compensation for contract security services for the city’s Public Works facilities (Resolution No. 2013-146) by 1-112 percent effective Oct. 6. Approved increasing the salary (1-112 percent) of the city manager effective Oct. 6 amending the related employment agreement. Approved a commercial Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services agreement for Grille 29, a new restaurant coming to Brookwood Village at 719 Shades Creek Parkway. Authorized the early redemption without penalty of the Series 2007 General Obligation Warrants on Oct. 1. All warrants would mature on Oct. 1, 2016 or later. Established employees’ and retirees’ monthly premiums for medical insurance effective October 2015. These were last updated by Resolution No. 2014-110.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A9
South Brookwood pedestrian improvements under consideration
Residents are concerned about road safety around Brookwood Forest Elementary School. Photo by Madoline Markham.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM Residents around Brookwood Forest Elementary have requested several pedestrian improvements in the area near the school. After her son started kindergarten, Stefanie Davis noticed that kids would often fall on sidewalks walking home. She looked more into the issues, contacted the city and brought a group of other neighbors to the Sept. 14 city council meeting to speak for accommodating safety for children in the area. Their requests included: ÌÌ a sidewalk extension along North Woodridge Road ÌÌ reconstructing sidewalks and adding guardrails along South Brookwood Road ÌÌ a pedestrian crossing at South Brookwood Road and North Woodridge Road ÌÌ a four-way stop sign at North Woodridge and Spring Valley Court, where there is now a two-way stop. “I would love to see what we need to do to get the ball rolling on wider sidewalks and maybe guard rails of some sort,” Davis wrote in a letter to the city. “I feel like this could also help alleviate some of the car pool problems we have.” In response, Richard Caudle of Skipper Consulting said there is a gap in the sidewalks. Regarding the South Brookwood area, he said the terrain issue that would require cutting into a bank and an easement from property. When
he studied it previously, he said he didn’t see a need for a guardrail. He said that guardrails can also give a false sense of security because a child on the other side of it can still be struck when a vehicle hits it. However, Public Works Director Ronnie Vaughn said he talked to a professional who said who could install one. The council suggested studying this issue further. Regarding the four-way stop, Caudle said he doesn’t think it’s necessary to have a formal study and doesn’t see any reason not to recommend putting one there. Mountain Brook police will perform a two-day study on the intersection and send a letter to surrounding residents regarding this addition. Caudle also said that there is a sight distance issue at the South Brookwood Road and North Woodridge Road but that there may be more solutions to that issue than just a crossing. He recommended a formal study of this intersection. The council suggested the city look into the guardrails and pedestrian crossing suggestions, and the police department will look into the four-way stop signs. Skipper Consulting will study the advisability of a pedestrian crosswalk at of South Brookwood Road and North Woodridge Road. The issues were scheduled to be on the agenda at the next council meeting on Sept. 28. For updates, visit villagelivingonline.com.
Mountain Brook Village roundabout funding moving forward By MADOLINE MARKHAM Funding is in the works to bring a new roundabout to Mountain Brook Village. At the Sept. 14 council meeting, the city discussed a cost-sharing agreement with Birmingham to use federal transportation funds to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Lane Parke Road, Cahaba Road and Culver Road to improve traffic flow. The agreement stated that the intersection is of importance because it connects visitors to the Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Mountain Brook Village and other areas. ALDOT would administer the project, with 80 percent of it financed federally, and Mountain Brook and Birmingham will share the remaining 20 percent equally. In total, the project is estimated to cost $3.49 million, with Mountain Brook and Birmingham paying $349,100 each. The city also approved a right of way acquisition agreement with ALDOT for the project for an estimated $360,000 total, $72,000 of which is city funds. The city of Birmingham has received the same agreement; it has not yet signed it but plans to. Council member Jack Carl pointed out suggested language changes for the
Sain and Associates suggested these roundabout designs for Mountain Brook Village based on a study in 2013.
agreement before the council moves forward with it. He also asked that language be added to make sure all expenses are shared between Mountain Brook and Birmingham. Mountain Brook requested federal funds for the roundabout project in February. A study from April 2013 by Sain and Associates found that the adding a large roundabout at Cahaba Road, 280 and Lane Parke Road and a mini roundabout on Cahaba Road would create the highest traffic efficiency and pedestrian and bike safety at the intersections in the village.
Village Living
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VillageLivingOnline.com
Now Open Judith Bright Artisanal Jewelry is now open in Mountain Brook Village in the former Christine’s location at 2411 Montevallo Road. The line of handmade jewelry has stores in the 12 South neighborhood of Nashville and the Virginia-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta. judithbright.com
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Crestline Pharmacy’s Christmas Shoppe has reopened. It is located behind the pharmacy on Hoyt Lane facing City Hall. The store was previously open during the Christmas season from 20052012. 871-0317
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Jersey Mike’s Subs opened in the shopping center across from Publix on Overton Road. The national chain bakes its bread daily and features freshly sliced premium meats and cheeses. Its new address is 3150 Overton Road. jerseymikes.com
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Gourmet takeout food business Black Sheep Kitchen has opened next to Church Street Coffee & Books at in Crestline Village. Owner Julie Grimes is a former food editor at Cooking Light and Southern Living. The business address is 81 Church St., Suite 104. 612-3510, blacksheepkitchen.biz
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News and Accomplishments RealtySouth agent Stephanie Robinson was recognized by REAL Trends as one of the nation’s top 1,000
October 2015 • A11
Realtors, published in the Wall Street Journal. Nationally, she ranked 231st with more than $72 million in closed business. She is based in RealtySouth’s Cahaba Road office, 2807 Cahaba Road. 870-5420, realtysouth.com Two Maids & A Mop, 16 Office Park Circle, Suite 18, has been named to the 2015 Inc. 5000 list of fastestgrowing companies in the United States, ranked at No. 782. 870-8643, twomaidsfranchise.com
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Momentum Telecom, 880 Montclair Road, Suite 400, has been named to the 2015 Inc. 5000 list of fastestgrowing companies in the United States, ranked at No. 4,282. 1-877-251-5554, momentumtelecom.com
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Hirings and Promotions RealtySouth’s Mountain Brook Cahaba office, 2807 Cahaba Road, welcomed Amanda Fox as a new agent, and the Mountain Brook Crestline office, 105 Euclid Ave., welcomed Chris Henderson and Noel Scott as new agents. 870-5420 (Cahaba), 879-6330 (Crestline), realtysouth.com
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Anniversaries Elle, a boutique located at 61 Church St. in Crestline, celebrated its first anniversary in September. 870-5683, ellebirmingham.com
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Business news
to share? Now Open Coming Soon
Relocation Expansion Anniversary
If you are in a brick and mortar business in Mountain Brook and want to share your event with the community, let us know.
Village Living iving Email dan@villagelivingonline.com
LANEPARKE.INFO
Village Living
A12 • October 2015
Ground breaks for Lane Parke retail space
(above) John Evans recognized the many collaborators with the Lane Parke project at the ground breaking on Sept. 10. (left) The Lane Parke Retail Phase I ground breaking was held under a tent due to rain. Photos by Madoline Markham.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM A new selection of retailers and restaurants are officially set to open a year from now at Lane Parke. A ground breaking for the first phase of retail development was held on Sept. 10. “I was a young man when this project started,” Rele Evans of Evson Inc. said at the event. His father originally developed Park Lane Apartments and the Mountain Brook Shopping Center in 1947, when Rele was an engineering student at Tulane University. “This project is a tribute to [my father] for starting this 70 years ago, and we consider it a legacy from my father to Mountain Brook, the place that he so enjoyed,” he said. Twenty years ago Rele and his son John Evans
became owners of the property and soon realized it was time to redevelop it. “Today we can see the project is going forward to the end,” Rele said. “It is very gratifying to us.” Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood served as architects on the retail phase, financing was provided by Iberia Bank, and Hoar will complete the construction. John Evans also recognized the work of Daniel Corporation, Maynard Cooper and Gale and Retail Specialists on the project. “We started off with a lot of associates, but now I can honestly say we have a group of friends,” John said. The names of some of the new restaurants and retailers coming to the retail phase were released in May:
• CharBar No. 7, a steakhouse out of North Carolina • Kinnucan’s Specialty Outfitters, an active lifestyle retailer with stores in Tuscaloosa, Auburn and other Southeastern cities • The Local Taco, a Tex-Mex-Southern food hybrid with locations in South Carolina and Nashville • Revelator Coffee Company, which has a location downtown on 3rd Avenue North • YEAH! Burger, an Atlanta-based fast casual restaurant that uses natural and organic ingredients, as well as gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Retailers opening new versions of existing Mountain Brook stores in the retail phase are A’Mano, M&S Interiors and Western
Supermarket. Once Phase I is complete, Western will move to its new space, and the existing Mountain Brook Shopping Center will be torn down up to the existing Rite Aid, which will remain until its lease ends in 2019 unless it is terminated earlier. Regions Bank will also relocate to a new building in Parke Lane. Robert Jolly of Retail Specialists said after a brief break they will dive into recruiting retailers for Phase II. City Council President Virginia Smith recognized the importance of Lane Parke at the ground breaking. “It is a game changer for Mountain Brook,” she said. “It will be a world class place, and we can’t wait for it to be finished.”
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A13
Chamber
Everest in view
Kent Stewart speaks to Mountain Brook Chamber
(left) Kent Stewart addresses the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce about his mountain climbing experiences. Photos by Madoline Markham. (above) Ansley Balogh, Hadley Hitson, Bill Hairston, Kent Stewart and Gerald Gillespy.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM Kent Stewart expected terrible food, freezing weather, feeling miserable and climbing through dangerous conditions when he set out to climb Mt. Everest. What he didn’t expect was an earthquake. Stewart, a Mountain Brook resident and president of Reli Title, talked about his experience in Nepal this spring at the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Sept. 15. “I have been home four months now, but it still feels like a dream,” Stewart said. During the luncheon, Stewart recounted his
and his wife, Julie’s, experiences working to climb the seven highest peaks on the seven continents. He showed images of elephants near the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, riding in a cargo plane in Antarctica where they later found “nothing but white as far as they could see” and the rocky edge of the highest peak in Europe. In South America, they helped a man down who was in desperate condition close to the top. After a failed attempt to summit Denali in Alaska, Stewart returned alone, staying in a tent six straight days on the mountain while he waited for the weather to clear, and eventually climbed to the top. From there, he knew what was next
— Everest. “Everest has a way of not letting you go,” Stewart said. After getting sick on his first attempt to climb it, he trained three to five hours a day for seven months, climbing the stair master with a pack on his back, and for eight months sleeping in a tent that restricts oxygen so he could more easily acclimate to the altitude. That trip ended up being canceled, but he trained again and returned in the spring of this year. The earthquake struck while he was eating in the dining tent at base camp. “Every time you think you have it figured out on Everest, something bad happens,”
Stewart said. After the earthquake, Stewart became a medical rescue worker before taking a helicopter down from the mountain. After returning to Birmingham, he spearheaded raising around $85,000 to help rebuild two villages where Everest sherpas live. He plans to return next spring. “Whether I make it to the summit of Everest or not, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.” To learn more about Stewart’s relief efforts and how to support them, visit sevensummitsfoundation.com.
Village Living
A14 • October 2015
New boutique home to both clothing and poodles The Village Poodle 2410 Canterbury Road Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 423-5443 Hilary Kent and Beverly Ruff work with their standard poodles Prissy and Lulu at The Village Poodle on Canterbury Road in Mountain Brook Village. Photo by Madoline Markham.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM
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Stepping into The Village Poodle feels more like stepping into an elegant home than a store. Clothing racks and jewelry displays are placed among antiques and décor, some of which are for sale and some not. Each dressing room has its own Italian glass chandelier, along with wall art and home furnishings. “The dressing rooms make you feel good to try on clothes,” owner Beverly Ruff said. Ruff wanted the clothing store to be beautiful
upon its opening in August, and customers assure her it is. Ruff has owned Beverly Ruff Antiques and Linens for 10 years now, and she opened a second store, The Village Poodle, across the street in a larger space that was formerly home to Charlotte Woodson Antiques. The original store sells baby items, loungewear and linens, while the new one focuses on clothing, shoes and accessories. Both, however, have antiques and décor. You can’t visit the store without meeting its namesake. Lulu, Ruff’s black standard poodle,
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comes to work with her each day, and Prissy, whose owner Hillary Kent also works at the store, is there many days as well. The French antique bed at the front of the store isn’t for sale; it’s for the poodles. Beyond the dog bed you’ll find a selection of clothing, shoes, jewelry, purses, body products and more at The Village Poodle. Ruff describes the clothing selection as “things you want to wear every day.” “You can dress them up or dress them down,” she said. “You don’t have to think hard
about how to wear them.” The store carries Florida clothing designer Jewel Toffier, who has stores on the Gulf Coast. Other lines featured are Planet and Estelle and Finn. Outside of clothing, Ruff carries a comfortable line of shoes made for walking on cobblestones, Charleston Shoe Company. Artwork by Fairhope’s Kent Walsh is also available for sale.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A15
By land or by sea
Grille 29 brings steak and seafood menu to Brookwood
By MADOLINE MARKHAM After sitting vacant for three years, new life is coming to the former McCormick & Schmick’s building at Brookwood Village. Grille 29, a Huntsville restaurant, is completing a $2 million interior renovation of the domed building and plans to start serving steak and seafood Oct. 6. A 600-gallon freshwater fish tank anchors the center of the dining room and divides the bar from other areas. Booths surround an expanded bar, which also features a 12-seat community table. In all, the dining area seats around 230 guests. The interior also boasts accents of copper, which is atomic number 29 on the periodic table of elements. The restaurant name also takes inspiration from Route 29, which leads to Napa Valley wineries. Before guests are seated, they will pass a special pastry deck area where they can see chefs prepare desserts, salads and some appetizers. As they walk past, they will be able to smell one of the restaurant’s signature desserts, chocolate soufflé, baking. “People love to see how their food is made,” General Manager Barry Abes said. Behind the prep area, the kitchen has all-new equipment, including a wood-burning pizza oven. “We are ready for the volume I know this area will bring,” said Abes. The restaurant also features a banquet room that seats up to 80 and boasts projector and AV equipment. It will be used for regular dining when special functions aren’t occurring. The new Birmingham menu is still being finalized by chef Daniel McMillan, who is coming from Greystone Country Club, but it will feature some of Huntsville’s signature items. On the Huntsville menu you will find
Grille 29
Brookwood Village grille29.com Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.
Barry Abes, general manager for Grille 29, stands in front of the pastry area where diners can watch chefs prepare desserts, salads and more. Photo by Madoline Markham. Grille 29 is known for its sirloin steak. Photo courtesy of Grille 29.
Atlantic salmon, stuffed sea scallops, roast half duck and jumbo lump crab cakes. Closer to the top of the menu you’ll find Gorgonzola fondue, lobster mac’n pimento cheese, gruyere and mushroom sliders, calamari and a kale
Waldorf salad. Abes’ favorite dish favorite is an 8-ounce Filet Mignon of certified Hereford tenderloin seasoned with Grille 29’s blend of herbs and spices and served with a choice of two sides.
The restaurant’s Grouper Oscar made the “100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die” list. The fish is pan-seared and topped with jumbo lump crabmeat, asparagus and hollandaise with a side of jasmine rice. Abes also raves about the blackened ahi tuna, served with bamboo rice, a soy butter sauce and sesame asparagus. “I’d put it up against any good sushi restaurants,” he said. The chicken and waffles are only served for one meal a week, Sunday brunch, but they are still the sixth-best seller on the menu and sell out every week. A pecan butter sauce is served on top of the fried chicken over a waffle. Also on the Huntsville menu are smoked salmon platter, crab cake Eggs Benedict and Grand Marnier french toast. Over at the bar, 36 wines are available by the glass, and around 90 by the bottle. Specialty cocktails will be served at all times and will be half price at happy hour, Monday to Friday from 3-6 p.m. A special bar bites menu will also be available at that time. As the restaurant prepares to open, Grille 29’s Huntsville staff is training the new staff in Birmingham. Abes raves about his restaurant’s food, but he is perhaps most proud of the overall experience diners will have. “The ambiance and level of service is amazing,” he said. “I think Homewood and Mountain Brook are geared for it.”
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Village Living
A16 • October 2015
Get to know
Officer Rozetha Burrow As a business liaison for the Mountain Brook Police Department, Officer Rozetha Burrow is a personal contact for the questions and concerns of businesses in the community. Photo by Madison Miller.
By MADISON MILLER Growing up in Pinson, Officer Rozetha Burrow doesn’t remember having to worry about safety. “You could leave the door wide open,” she said. “No one would bother you.” Although she wishes this were still the case, Burrow knows that times have changed. Even in a generally safe city such as Mountain Brook, it is important to be on the lookout. As a business liaison for the Mountain Brook Police Department, Burrows sees crime in the community firsthand.
For her position with the department, Burrow keeps in touch with businesses in the community and provides them with a personal contact for questions, concerns or any other request. “Just by her popping in the door, it’s an added extra security,” Jennifer Neil of Monkee’s of Mountain Brook said. “She makes me feel safer.” Village Living sat down with Burrow to discuss her position and what she loves about Mountain Brook.
Q
Tell us a little bit about your job.
A
I’m a business liaison officer. I try to foster a relationship between owners and the city.
Q A
How long have you been at the Mountain Brook Police Department? Six years. I’m a hostage negotiator, crime scene technician and a traffic homicide investigator. I continue to hold all of those titles with business liaison.
Q
What are some of your favorite things about working with the people in Mountain Brook?
A
The residents are very nice people, and the business owners as well. It’s a nice atmosphere to work in [because] people go above and beyond. It’s easy to build a relationship with them. That makes a difference in this field.
Q A
What are some challenges of your job? You have to have someone that can deal with all types of people. Getting to know everybody is challenging, but I was up for the challenge. [Another challenge is] not being
able to be in more than one place at one time. Sometimes I have to prioritize which call is more important.
Q A
What safety situations would you tell residents to be aware of? Be observant. Pay attention to your gut feeling because that feeling is 99 percent right. We have to make it kind of hard for the [criminals]. We live in a comfortable zone and then stuff happens that we’ve never seen before. Don’t be complacent, and don’t hesitate to call us. For more information, visit mtnbrook.org.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A17
Community Sean Fredella spearheads Pedia Trick or Treat fundraiser By MADOLINE MARKHAM A group of trick-or-treaters will be looking for a different kind of treat this Halloween. Mountain Brook Junior High students will be trick-or-treating for donations for pediatric cancer research in honor of Sean Fredella. Sean, now a ninth-grader at MBJH, and a committee of friends are organizing the Pedia Trick or Treat fundraiser and encouraging their peers to join them. They also hope that it helps raise awareness as they process in the Mystics of Mountain Brook parade, go from house to house and set up tables for donations at neighborhood parties. Sean has now been cancer-free for three years.
The community rallied around him by placing blue bows on mailboxes during his treatments in 2012 when he was a fifth-grader at Mountain Brook Elementary. He was first diagnosed with leukemia at age 2, and in 2011 he was diagnosed with a rare form of tumor, esthesioneuroblastoma. Pedia Trick or Treat will kick off with a band party and silent auction in Crestline Village on Sept. 27. Riverbend, a band of fellow ninth-graders formed through Mason Music, will perform. Those who atttend will be encouraged to sign up to trick or treat for the cause. To sign up or learn more, visit childrensal.kintera.org/centerforchildhoodcancer/ pediatrickortreat.
MBJH students are planning Pedia Trick or Treat for Halloween. Front row: Anna Rose Alexander, Isabele DeBuys, Jessie Holt, Claire Kimberlin. Back row: Brett Lewis, Olivia Rodrigues, Pierce Rodrigues, Sean Fredella, Chip Porter, Anna Wolter. Photo by Madoline Markham.
Block party coming to Canterbury Road By MADOLINE MARKHAM Canterbury Road in Mountain Brook Village will be blocked off for a block party on Thursday, Oct. 1. The event will run from 6-8 p.m. Shindigs food truck and live music by Will O’Rear and Brian Felder will be in the street, and the stores that line it will feature refreshments, special sales and door prizes. “We wanted to plan a fun event to kick off fall and to introduce the new stores,” said Elizabeth
Adams, owner of Ex Voto Vintage. The Village Poodle and Christine’s on Canterbury have both opened recently on the street. The event also coincides with Antiques at the Gardens, which takes place that weekend at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Participating stores include Antiquities, Beverly Ruff Antiques and Linens, Christine’s on Canterbury, Ex Voto Vintage, Marguerite’s Conceits, Mountain Brook Yoga, Mulberry Heights Antiques and The Village Poodle.
Canterbury Road merchants Beverly Ruff of The Village Poodle and Beverly Ruff Antiques and Linens, Gigi Weldon and Carolyn Bradford of Mulberry Heights Antiques, Marguerite Ray of Marguerite’s Conceits, Jean Clayton of Christine’s on Canterbury, Jimi Lee of Mountain Brook Yoga, Hannon Davidson of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce and Elizabeth Adams of Ex Voto Vintage. Photo by Madoline Markham.
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Village Living
A18 • October 2015
Mystics set for 10th annual Halloween Parade By MADOLINE MARKHAM Beads, T-shirts, stuffed animals and footballs will fly through the air as the annual Mystics of Mountain Brook parade processes through Crestline Village on Halloween day starting at 4 p.m. “We started 11 years ago with our Halloween parade,” said Casey Wright Horn, a Mobile native who started the parade with her brother, Trent. “We both missed Mardi Gras badly and thought this was a great way to bring a little Mardi Gras to Mountain Brook.” The event, which started with one car driving down Dexter Avenue, now features floats, Mountain Brook High School cheerleaders, Dorians and Mayor Terry Oden in his antique fire truck. The current parade route descends down Dan Watkins Drive in front of the library and Tot Lot, and then down Church Street. After taking a right on Euclid Avenue and a right on Vine Street, the parade ends on Vine Street near Crestline Elementary. The parade usually lasts about 45 minutes. The money raised after expenses are covered has gone to various needs in the city, as determined by parade participants. Most years, the money is given for beautification projects around the city such as flowers for the planters around the villages. The Mystics Parade processes down Church Street in Crestline Village. Photo by Madoline Markham.
MBBC holds Fall Festival Mountain Brook Baptist will hold its Fall Festival Sunday, Oct. 25 from 4-6 p.m. This is a free event, open to the public. It will feature live music, games, food, inflatables, hayride to the pumpkin patch, cakewalk, face painting and balloon animals. Contact Mary Splawn for more information at mary@mbbc.org or 803-3448.
St. Lukes to host pet blessing, other community events St. Luke’s Episcopal Church has invited the community to several events in October. Blessing of the Animals – Sunday, Oct. 4, 3 p.m. The community is invited to bring their special animal friends to the meadow to be blessed by church clergy. All pets need to be on a leash or in a carrier. The meadow is located adjacent to the back parking lot of the church.
Trunk or Treat –Wednesday, Oct. 21, 6 p.m. Back Parking Lot. Wear your costumes and Trunk or treat. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Saint Luke’s Homecoming and Celebration Picnic – Sunday, Oct. 25, following 10:30am worship service. All members, former members, prospective members and those in the community are invited for worship and a
celebration Picnic in the Meadow. Service of Remembrance - All Saints Sunday – Sunday, Nov. 1, 5 p.m. This service with Taize music is open to all. Those who have experienced loss will have an opportunity to light a candle in memory of a loved one.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A19
Momastery blogger to speak on ‘messy, beautiful life’ Glennon Doyle Melton seeks to help people understand that everyone deals with struggles in life, but with faith and community they can get through them together. “That’s what a warrior does,” she said. “She comes out imperfect, out of her armor, and out of hiding. She shows up on the battlefield every day and she takes some hits, but she carries on.” On Sunday, Oct. 4, Melton, author of the popular blog Momastery and the New York Times best-seller Carry On, Warrior: The Power of Embracing Your Messy, Beautiful Life, is scheduled to speak at Canterbury United Method- Glennon Doyle Melton ist Church at 6 p.m. their feet. Underneath and on top of all that The following is a brief summary of Melton’s I’m a Recovering Everything. Every morning, story in her own words: I open my eyes and immediately understand “For 20 years I was lost to food and booze that I am still that girl on the bathroom floor, and bad love and drugs. I suffered. My family holding that pregnancy test like a terrifying suffered. On Mother’s Day 2002, unwed and invitation, trying to decide whether to stay addicted, I found myself holding a positive down on the cold floor or get up and walk. pregnancy test. I decided to become a mother Life is brutal. But it’s also beautiful. Brutiand vowed to never again have another drink, ful, I call it. Life’s brutal and beautiful aspects cigarette, drug, unhealthy relationship or food are woven together so tightly that they can’t be binge. I found myself marrying a man I’d separated. Reject the brutal, reject the beauty. known for 10 sober nights. So now I embrace both, and I live well and Twelve years later, I’m still married to that hard and real. My job is to wake up every day, man I barely knew, and I’m also the mother say yes to life’s invitation, and let millions of of three kids, two mutts, a geriatric guinea pig women watch me get up off the floor, walk, and the two most majestic banyan trees you’ve stumble and get back up again.” ever seen. I’m also a Sunday School teacher, Tickets for Melton’s event are $30. For an award-winning blogger, a New York Times more information and to register, visit canterbestselling author, speaker, and the founder and buryumc.org/momastery. president of Together Rising – a non-profit that -Submitted by Canterbury UMC serves women who need help getting back on
Outdoor Jewish Food Festival adds basketball tourney
Traditional Jewish foods, deli and Israeli street food will be cooked in-house in celebration of the Jewish fall harvest holiday of Sukkot. Photo by Jessa Pease.
This month, the community is invited to participate in an outdoor culinary celebration of Jewish heritage and culture. The Levite Jewish Community Center (LJCC) will be hosting its 13th annual Jewish Food Festival on Oct. 11 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The event will again take place on Levite Field with live music and local vendors. Traditional Jewish foods, deli items and Israeli street food will be cooked in-house in celebration of the Jewish fall harvest holiday of Sukkot. The menu will include brisket, stuffed cabbage, matzah ball soup, falafel and corned beef sandwiches.
This year the event will also feature a new Terry Drake three-on-three basketball presented by Goudy Construction. Contact Spencer Lynch at spencer@bhamjcc.org for more information on it. The Levite Jewish Community Center has been in Birmingham since 1906 and is a family-oriented recreational and educational facility as well as a United Way agency. The facility offers a wide array of programs and activities in sports and fitness, childcare, education and more. For more, visit bhamjcc.org.
Village Living
A20 • October 2015
Fall Plant Sale to feature native trees
Rob Pulliam earns Eagle rank Rob Pulliam, a member of Troop 28 at Independent Presbyterian Church, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Rob is a senior at Indian Springs School, where he is a member of the varsity baseball and golf teams as well as the school choir, and was elected to the Judiciary Committee. A member of Independent Presbyterian Church, Rob serves on the Youth Grant Team and attended the Montreat Youth Conference. He is the son of Stacy and Scott Pulliam. Rob’s Eagle project was to construct a landscaped pathway at the Children’s Fresh Air Farm in Bluff Park, where IPC’s Summer Learning Program provides an academic, recreational and spiritual environment to dozens of elementary children each summer. Rob completed the project with the assistance of eight other scouts from Troop 28, raised over $1,000 to fund the project and made a $570 donation to the Dale Kyle Head Playground Fund. As a member of Troop 28 at IPC, Rob served as Assistant Patrol Leader and participated in the Northwest Trek trip to Camp Parsons in Washington, SeaBase high adventure sailing trip in the Bahamas and Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Founded in 1923, Troop 28 is one of the
Rob Pulliam
oldest troops in continual operation in the Vulcan District and currently has active members from eight area schools.
The Fall Plant Sale offers a variety of annuals, shrubs and other greenery.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens will hold its annual Fall Plant Sale on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17-18. The event will run Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m. at Blount Plaza, rain or shine. Herbs, sustainable trees, fall annuals, shrubs, natives, perennials and more will be for sale. Trees available for purchase were selected especially for Birmingham’s climate and condition. They have proven easy-to-grow, free of injurious insect and disease pests and both heat and drought tolerant. Available natives add to local biodiversity and
most will live for several generations, while available exotics are not known to be invasive. Proceeds from the sale benefit The Gardens’ mission to promote public knowledge and appreciation of plants, gardens and the environment. It fulfills this mission through discovery field trips, plant adventures, adult and family classes and other programs. The Spring and Fall Plant Sales are the two largest fundraisers for Birmingham Botanical Gardens. For more information, visit bbgardens.org.
Library adds storytime for preschoolers The Emmet O’Neal Library Children’s Department has added a special storytime for children ages 3 to 5 and their caregivers. Residents who attend other storytimes have requested a program for their pre-kindergartners, so in September the library started Movers & Makers on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. The library’s children’s department also offers storytimes and programs for all children from birth to sixth grade, including age-specific events for 0-3 years and kindergarten to sixth grade and all-ages events geared toward the preschool set. Merideth Stackpole, the creator and facilitator of
Movers & Makers, describes the program as a time for adults to participate with their kids in themed stories and activities that build cooperation, pre-literacy skills and school readiness. She emphasizes the importance of having children’s caregivers involved in the moving and making. “Movers & Makers is intended to be a new opportunity for kids and their caregivers to learn and play through active together time,” Stackpole said. “It is designed around a do-and-make model of storytime.” -Submitted by the Emmet O’Neal Library
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VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A21
A weekend of antiques at Botanical Gardens
A variety of antiques dealers will show their wares Oct. 1-4. Photo by Madison Miller.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens will host the tenth annual Antiques at The Gardens Oct. 1-4. The antiques show welcomes tastemakers and dealers from across the country. Interior designers and landscape designers will curate themed areas with goods selected from Birmingham and other regions of the country. The show also includes dealers from across the United States presenting antiques, furniture, porcelain, fine art, silver, garden accessories and jewelry. This year’s honorees are Mary and Jamie French. Proceeds from Antiques at The Gardens support educational programs at Birmingham Botanical Gardens The public show will be open Thursday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Entrance costs $15.
Other events include a lecture by interior designer Bunny Williams, author of On Garden Style, Thursday at noon ($40); Gala in The Gardens Thursday 7-11 p.m. ($175); a lecture by floral designer Emily Thompson Friday at 10:30 a.m. ($30); After Hours with Stone Hollow Farmstead cheeses, a cash bar and music Friday at 4 p.m.; Taste in Spades featuring Jane Scott Hodges author of Linens: For Every Room and Occasion Saturday at 11 a.m. followed by a book signing reception at noon; and Taste in Spades featuring James Farmer author of Dinner on the Grounds: Southern Supper and Soirees Saturday at 3 p.m. followed by a book signing reception at 4 p.m. All events are free with show admission unless otherwise noted. For more information or tickets, visit bbgardens.org/antiques.
Buckyball basketball program offered for elementary boys A basketball program for elementary aged boys has been named in honor of MBHS head coach Bucky McMillan. Buckyball Academy will be starting in October for second through sixth-grade boys. McMillan and his staff will instruct participants in a series of clinics at Spartan Arena. The academy will run throughout the entire basketball season until late April. The program kicks off with a Neon Night on Oct. 25 where participants will meet the Spartans and receive T-shirts and prizes. Other events will be held
on Veterans Day on Nov. 11, at the MBHS vs. Bob Jones game on Nov. 20 and at the MBHS vs. Vestavia Hills game on Jan. 1. Clinics and camps will be held select dates in early December and mid April. Early registration runs until Oct 2 and is $250. Late/final registration runs until Oct. 9 and is $275. For more information or to register, visit buckyballers.com. If you have additional questions, contact Bucky McMillan at buckyball@mtnbrook.k12.al.us.
Annual Pumpkin Patch returns to Mountain Brook Baptist
Mountain Brook Baptist Church Early Learning Center students learn about pumpkins at last year’s pumpkin patch. Photo by Madison Miller.
The Halloween spirit is alive all month as the Mountain Brook Baptist Church Early Learning Center hosts its annual pumpkin patch. Pumpkins will be sold Oct. 1-28. The selection includes many types of pumpkins, such as minis, squash, orange carving, white and fairytale. The variety is provided by local supplier Bud Graves. Prices range from 50 cents to $20, with the average price around $10. “The specialty pumpkins go quickly, but toward Halloween, the orange pumpkins sell
the best,” Director of Children and Family Ministries Sharon Howard said. The first pumpkin patch was held in 2005 to benefit the Early Learning Center. In the past, funds raised from the patch have helped purchase items such as playground equipment and furniture for the center. The center has also donated part of the profits to the Children’s Hospital Sugar Plum Shop and provided toys, clothing and food for the Angel Tree. Hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 1-6 p.m.
Village Living
A22 • October 2015
Discount card benefits Junior League projects
Taco Mama General Manager Micah McDaniel, Taco Mama Owner Will Haver and Snoozy’s Kids Owner George Jones.
For the tenth year in a row, the Junior League of Birmingham (JLB) will hold its Shop Save & Share program from Oct. 21-Nov. 1. This fundraiser supports the League’s 34 community projects while at the same time driving customers to local retailers and restaurants. When you purchase a Shop Save & Share card for $40, you receive a 20 percent discount on merchandise and food at the fundraiser’s more than 550 participating stores and restaurants. “Personally and professionally being involved in something like this endeavor that supports the community is incredibly important,” said Will Haver, Owner of Taco Mama and Otey’s, two restaurants participating this year in Shop Save & Share.
Other Mountain Brook-area retailers who will be participating include the Levite Jewish Community Center, Town and Country, Once Upon a Time and Snoozy’s Kids. “Fall is really when most of our customers start on their holiday gift list,” said George Jones, owner of Snoozy’s Kids. “When shoppers enter our store we encourage them to purchase a Shop Save & Share card because we know not only will they save money, but they are helping area nonprofits through the mission of the Junior League of Birmingham.” Visit shopsaveshare.net for a complete retailer listing, to purchase a card and for more information. -Submitted by the Junior League of Birmingham
Class of 1995 makes gift in memory of classmates
MBHS Class of 1995 members Brad Baker, Roxane Mackin, Vance Ballard, Karly Summerford Martin (holding the piece of art she created for an auction), Kelley Ringland Cain and Carlie Monheit McMillan.
By MADOLINE MARKHAM Mountain Brook High School Class of 1995 made a special gift in memory of their classmates. During its reunion in August, the class raised $500 for Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation with classmates John Bell, Alex Sokol, Cat Porter, Michelle Bledsoe, Stuart Rush, Robert Greene, Frances Valencia and Chase Swatek in mind. “This project was so special because we really wanted the parents and families of our missing friends to know how much we still think about them and miss them everyday,” reunion committee member Carlie Monheit
McMillan said. “Even though they were not physically at our 20th reunion, they were in everyone’s memories and thoughts. They will never be forgotten.” Also to raise funds, the class auctioned off a painting of an angel by classmate Karly Summerford Martin during their reunion at Carrigan’s. Vance Ballard won the painting. Earlier in the day they held a family picnic with a food truck, bouncy house and tour of school at MBHS. Other reunion committee members were Roxane Mackin, Carlie Monheit McMillan, Brad Baker and Kelley Ringland Cain.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A23
On order and chaos
By MADOLINE MARKHAM Kay Vinson’s art starts on the street. In cities, the English Village resident searches for graffiti, rust or glass bricks, urban decay she said “people often find unsightly,” and photographs them to later incorporate into her art. “I like the energy of cities,” she said. “That shot of energy keeps me going for a while.” The photos are only one element of how she seeks to balance order and chaos in her work. First, her pieces begin with random markings, such as the squiggles in the piece pictured. From there she determines where a photo fits and then a color scheme. She cuts a transparency made from a photo into a shape, often a circle, and adds acrylic paint and enamel. Sometimes when she feels like a piece needs one more element, she will add the numeral 5, the number she said she finds most appealing, to complete the spontaneous process. The end result, she said, feels cosmic, like something you would see through a telescope or microscope. She can also see the influence of Asian cities, where she spent years traveling as an international flight attendant. Twenty of her pieces will be on exhibit at The Joy Gallery at Homewood Cumberland Presbyterian Church starting Oct. 11. For Vinson, the process is just as important as the product. She has created art all of her life, but it wasn’t until she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2001 that she “made a serious commitment to art.” “Cancer made me aware of the fact that I am not immortal, and I wanted to leave a legacy,” she said. Following surgery, Vinson faced an extended period of depression and anxiety where she reassessed everything in her life. “Working on art helped me deal with my
Kay Vinson Art Exhibit The Joy Gallery Homewood Cumberland Presbyterian Church 513 Columbiana Road Oct. 11-Nov. 8 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Artist Kay Vinson holds one of her works that will be on exhibit at The Joy Gallery starting Oct. 11. Photo by Madoline Markham.
emotions,” she said. “The making of it was very, very healing.” For instance, adding a series of dots to a work gets her very quiet, almost like a meditation. After her cancer diagnosis, Vinson found
herself wanting to return somewhere familiar as well. The Homewood native had lived in California for 27 years following high school, where she studied art at San Jose State University, and then Memphis for five. So in 2003, she and her
husband moved back and renovated a home in English Village, adding a studio for her above the garage. It was also at that time that she began to show her work for the first time, which made her anxious. More than a decade later, her nerves are calmer headed into this month’s show, her second at The Joy Gallery. She has now shown her work in Montreal, California, New York and all the Southern states except South Carolina. She still, however, said she has a hard time describing her art in words. “It’s hard for me to talk about it,” she said. “If I could say it, I wouldn’t need to paint it.” For Vinson, her art is her expression, and her studio is its home. “Art takes me out of myself for a while,” she said. “I forget to be terrified.” To learn more about Vinson’s work, visit kayvinsonart.com.
VL
Village Living
A24 • October 2015
New campaign brings men into breast cancer awareness By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE The local chapter of the American Cancer Society is kicking off a fundraising campaign with local men leading the charge. During the “Real Men Wear Pink” campaign, 26 select men from the Birmingham area have been nominated to serve as the “Pink Men” of Birmingham during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Each participant will promote breast cancer education and early detection with messaging provided by the American Cancer Society. There is also a fundraising component in which the men will compete against each other, raising as much funds as possible (a minimum of $2,500) for the American Cancer Society. The participant who raises the most funds will be named the “Birmingham’s Pink Man of the Year.” Several Mountain Brook men are getting involved in the campaign: Wilmer Poynor, of Ray and Poynor Properties, decided to be a part of the “Real Men Wear Pink” campaign because of the devastation and struggle this disease has caused his family and countless friends. “Hopefully we can help raise the funds that will aid in finding a cure,” Poynor said. “The only way to is through research and finding a cure must be one of the most important endeavors of our time. Just as Dr. Jonas Salk found a cure for polio, I am hoping that we can fund a doctor or research team that can find a cure.” Poynor will be raising funds by communicating with family, friends and contacts by phone and email.
Wilmer Poynor
Dr. Jack Schaeffer of Schaeffer Eye Center said he and his company have been deeply involved in the community since opening their first office more than 35 years ago. He did not hesitate to take part in the campaign. Schaeffer said that in today’s world, everyone is affected by cancer. “We all know someone fighting this battle or someone who has lost it, whether it’s a family member, a patient, a friend or a colleague. Until we find a cure, no one is immune to the devastation of this disease,” Schaeffer said. For his fundraising efforts, Schaeffer will be reaching out to friends and colleagues to pledge
Dr. Jack Schaeffer
their support for this effort. Chef Chris Newsome of restaurant Ollie Irene chose to participate in Real Men Wear Pink because he knows several people whose lives, and the lives of their loved ones, have been affected by breast cancer. “Any progress in beating this devastating disease is important – any bit of relief to mothers and daughters, husbands and fathers, and siblings, and parents and friends would be a good thing,” he said. Newsome said he thought the Real Men Wear Pink concept was a different and interesting way
Chef Chris Newsome
to catch people’s attention and raise some funds for cancer research. He will be wearing pink and asking the Ollie Irene guests and regulars to donate to the effort through their Facebook page and Instagram feed. Other Mountain Brook participants include Chef Chris Hastings of Hot & Hot, UAB basketball coach Jerod Haase, Joey Pearson of Tacala, Matt Condra of First Commercial Bank, author Morgan Murphy, Richard Shea of Shea Brothers and Rob Conrad of Magic 96.5 FM.
VillageLivingOnline.com
Truth in song
October 2015 • A25
MBBC worship leader releases album of congregational songs
By MADOLINE MARKHAM Most contemporary songs disappear from church worship services after two to three years. But Stephen Fryrear sees a theme in the ones that do stick around. Inside a hymnal at Mountain Brook Baptist Church, he points out an exception. “In Christ Alone,” written in 2001, is now on the page next to “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus,” written in 1882. “The songs that do stay are Scripture put to music,” Fryrear said, explaining that he has the same aim in his songwriting. “My goal is to write songs with staying power, and the way to do that is by writing songs that are Scripture-based.” Fryrear, the contemporary worship leader at MBBC, released a new album in September that features primarily songs he wrote for his church to sing congregationally. The Badlands was recorded it in Franklin, Tennessee, and produced by David Leonard of All Sons & Daughters, Nashville worship leaders who record their own music. Fryrear takes writing seriously, making sure to run his lyrics by pastors at the church to ensure they convey what they see as Biblical truth. He wants congregational songs to be singable and memorable, but more than that he said he wants them to be true. “That’s a big responsibility,” he said. “The most important part is that they need to be true, because during the week they form our thoughts and pop up out of nowhere.”
Stephen Fryrear leads the contemporary worship service at Mountain Brook Baptist Church. He released a new album, The Badlands, last month. Photo by Madoline Markham.
For Fryrear, songwriting began in high school, but upon moving to Nashville to study at Belmont University, he said he learned he “had a long way to grow” in his writing. He first started writing songs for church congregations while serving as a worship leader in San Antonio at Oak Hills Church, where bestselling author Max Lucado is a pastor.
EYE
WE ARE COMMITTED TO YOUR EYE CARE.
“I fell in love with writing songs for the church to sing,” he said. The thematic idea for Fryrear’s new album, The Badlands, came from MBBC, where Fryrear has worked since he and his wife, Carleigh, moved here three years ago for her medicine residency. The church has been singing the hymn “How Firm a Foundation” over
the past year. The song is recorded as the EP’s fifth and final song, and serves as the thematic basis for the other four songs. Fryrear said it’s about “the faithfulness of God through trials.” “If the word is the foundation for this faith, I want it to be the foundation for this record,” Fryrear said. Fryrear is one of many musicians
writing songs for their own churches: “[We] write for where their community is, for what the pastor is teaching, for what the church is going through.” The album’s title track, “The Badlands,” is the only song that is not congregational. Fryrear’s brother-inlaw, whose mother died tragically of complications from cervical cancer, was at the forefront of his mind when writing it. “I haven’t had a loss that has brought me to my knees, but I know I will and I want to know the truth about it,” he said. The climax of its chorus gets at its primary message: “Live long enough you’ll learn to love, The Badlands.” It references how he has looked back at times of trial and seen growth from it. Still, the song, sung with Fryrear’s “bluesy, soulsy” voice, is far from dark. Fryrear has led MBBC in singing three of the five songs on the album, which he feels is his best songwriting of the three he has now released. But sharing his music isn’t about himself, he said. “I don’t care if we sing my song in my church or not,” he said. “I want to do songs that best serve the church and what the pastor is preaching on.” The Badlands is available on iTunes or stephenfryrear.com for $5. Watch Fryrear perform “The Badlands”
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Village Living
A26 • October 2015
Patriot Day ceremony remembers Sept. 11 tragedy By MADOLINE MARKHAM Elementary students watched in awe as doves were released in front of Homewood’s City Hall on Sept. 11. They weren’t alive when planes truck the World Trade Center 14 years ago, but after the Patriot Day ceremony, they have a greater understanding of the significance of the date. The annual Patriot Day ceremony rotates locations between Homewood, Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook. Next year, it will be held in Mountain Brook. “Sept. 11 is a reminder that evil and terror still exist, but it is also a reminder that when things are at their very worst, we are at our very best,” said Captain Christopher Tanner, the ceremony’s keynote speaker. Patriot Day was a joint ceremony held by Homewood, Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook. Tanner, a Mountain Brook native, was a student at West Point in 2001 and later served in Afghanistan. He now serves as the executive director and assistant professor of military science at UAB. “I remember the confusion, the horror, the anger and the uncertainty as we formed up outside,” Tanner said of that day. “That feeling was cemented in my gut as we saw the first plumes of smoke in the air from the burning rubble of the World Trade Center.” Tanner recounted how he helped stage supplies for first responders and search and rescue crews across the river from the towers, and how he would later learn that 2,983 civilians, 343 firefighters and 72 police officers had lost their lives. “In an instant our lives and futures changed,” Tanner said. “We saw ourselves galvanized toward a common goal, defeating extremism, vanquishing terror and continuing to show the world that we are a nation of hope.” After performances from the Homewood High School show choir, an invocation and a singing of the national anthem, Brian Bowman played “Amazing Grace” on bagpipes as doves were released at the end of the ceremony.
Homewood firefighters Grant Kline and Taylor Hancock help raise a giant flag between two ladder trucks. Photos by Frank Couch.
Captain Christopher Tanner, the keynote speaker, relayed his emotions and experiences as a young soldier watching the events unfold in New York City.
The cities of Mountain Brook, Homewood and Vestavia Hills joined together for a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony and Patriot’s Day Celebration at Homewood City Hall.
“
Sept. 11
is a reminder that
evil and terror still exist, but it is also
After the 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony and Patriot’s Day Celebration, firefighters lowered the giant flag.
”
a reminder that when things are at their very worst, we are at our very best.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A27
Village Living
A28 • October 2015
On stage, on camera MBHS graduate’s acting career picks up in LA and New York By MADOLINE MARKHAM Mountain Brook residents might see a familiar face on TV this fall. Anna Grace Barlow, a 2012 Mountain Brook High School graduate, has played roles on recent episodes of Scream on MTV, Young and Hungry, Faking It,The Middle, and I Didn’t Do It on Disney Channel. Barlow and her family moved to Mountain Brook in 2006 from Jackson, Mississippi. While growing up here, she was highly involved in Into Red Mountain Theater Company, playing Margot in Legally Blonde after her senior year as well as roles in Hairspray, Big River and youth program showcases. “Red Mountain Theatre influenced everything about the journey I’m on,” Barlow said. “It prepared me for the real world.”
After graduation, she studied musical theater for a year at Pace University in New York. The following summer, she went out to Los Angeles for a call back and to take headshots with the guidance of Lynne Marks, a teacher Red Mountain who now represented her. “I fell in loved with it and stayed,” she said. “I was scared, but at the same time they say a musical theater degree is useless. It won’t get you an audition. I might go back to school one day, but it would be for nutrition or something.” Barlow gave herself a year time limit of auditioning in LA, and within that time she landed several TV and film roles. Still, she has continued in musical theater with Prom, a production she said has “Broadway dreams” for the 2016-17 season in New York City.
Anna Grace Barlow was active with Red Mountain Theater Company before moving to New York and then Los Angeles to begin her acting career.
“I like that I can go back and forth and exercise both musical theater and film acting muscles,” she said. “The hours are very different. In TV you film one scene for a whole day, versus doing the whole thing together.” Prom, directed and choreographed by Tony-winning director Casey Nicholaw, is set in
Indiana. Barlow plays a closeted lesbian cheerleader who struggles with the relationship with her mother and wanting to come out to her. “It’s super challenging,” Barlow said. “I feel like I am really upset every time I’m on stage. It’s been really fun to play though.” Barlow’s favorite role so far was in a feature
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A29
2012 MBHS graduate Anna Grace Barlow played a lead role in the new film Summer Forever.
film, Summer Forever, which released in September. It follows three best friends the summer after high school and also features Disney stars Alyson Stoner and Ryan McCartan and YouTube star Megan Nicole. “I’m the very funny, academic dork quirky one,” Barlow said. “My character is going to study to be a doctor, which is funny because both my parents are doctors. The character is basically me but a little dorkier.” The film, rated PG, is currently available for download on iTunes and Amazon and is due to come to Netflix soon. “It’s so good for young girls,” Barlow said. “The producers have daughters that age and wanted to create a movie that’s a good example
for their daughters. All three of them are trying to find themselves, but I think it’s about girls staying together and sticking up for each other. Filming Summer Forever was distinct of both theatre and TV, Barlow said. “It was crazy,” she said. “I had gotten used to how quickly TV moves. You rehearse for two days sand then you tape for two days. But in a movie it’s shot over one or two months, and it was a good learning experience for me because you shoot half a scene a day. You are in the mindset of that one part for that entire day so it’s easier to get into that character and what you are doing. Spending all that time together we become close friends. It takes more time, but it’s so much fun to watch.”
This fall she also plays a different sort of recurring character on the new Fox show Scream Queens, which follows a series of murders that happen in a sorority house. She describes it as a “horror comedy,” “like Mean Girls meets Friday the 13th.” Barlow’s “mean girl” character is part of flashback scenes about what happened 20 years ago in the sorority that influences the contemporary plot. “Mean girls are so fun to play and [I] tend to go out for them since I’m blonde,” Barlow said, noting its contrast with her experience in Summer Forever. “The nice blonde girl is also an emerging type, and that’s the type I want to play.”
She also got to work alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays the dean of the school. For now, Barlow is back to auditioning. “I’d love to do film or be on a sitcom like Friends,” she said. I want to do film really badly, but I’m not going to be picky about it. Living out here is my main dream, so I’m just enjoying it.” You can follow Barrlow on Twitter at @therealagbarlow. Her profile clarifies, “Yes I go by both names,” as she has had to explain many times since moving away from the South. Barlow’s parents, Polly Anna and Mike, still live in Cherokee Bend with her sisters Abigail Ross, a MBHS junior, and Aliza Kate, a seventh grader. Her older sister, Arabella, is in nursing school.
A30 • October 2015
Rooftop Bar Guests and area residents alike can order cocktails on the terrace that overlooks Mountain Brook Village.
Cooking School Hands-on classes, which accommodate 12-20 people, will provide a new way for companies or families to engage in team building. They are held in a full-size kitchen.
Wine Blending Room The hotel’s sommeliers lead small classes on the history of wine making and help participants to create and bottle their own personal blend, complete with a custom label.
Village Living Restaurant Adjoining the rooftop bar, the restaurant will feature farm-to-table menu items made with regional ingredients.
Hotel Rooms One hundred individuals spaces are available for guests, including presidential and vice presidential suites.
Ballroom The 6,000-square-foot space can host events for up to 400 people. Additionally, a private dining room on the third floor seats up to 45 people.
BOHEMIAN
CONTINUED from page A1 Daniel Corporation on the project. Thomas Hoffmann was hired earlier this year to manage the hotel. “Their innovative ideas really appealed to me,” Hoffmann said. “Every hotel is different.”
Mary Mashun and Rahim Mashun assemble chandeliers inside the ballroom at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Mountain Brook Village. The Mashuns own Crystal Art Lighting in Atlanta. Photo by Frank Couch.
Poseidon Spa The spa will offer aromatherapy massages, facials and special treatments.
Culinary offerings For chef Kirk Gilbert, dining at the new Grand Bohemian Hotel will be more than just a restaurant. It’s a collection of varied culinary experiences on the
Art Gallery The freestanding 2,110-square-foot building will showcase local, regional, national and international artists. It can be used for events with up to 50 people.
hotel’s third floor. You can attend a cooking class, which will be taught by a local chef the hotel is in the process of hiring, that will teach you how to source local food and highlight what you can do with it. You can taste a sampling of 32 bottled wines that are housed in a Vintec, which removes oxygen from the wine so it’s like the bottle was never opened, “almost like a keg system for wine.” You can let a sommelier lead you through a wine blending experience and have your preferred blend bottled, an offering exclusive to the Grand Bohemian’s Mountain Brook and newly opened Charleston locations.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • A31
Kirk Gilbert, executive chef at the Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook, stands in the main dining room of the restaurant. The building’s third floor features an open kitchen, spacious bar, pool room, outdoor seating, cooking school and private dining room. Photo by Frank Couch.
You can select a signature cocktail to sip on the rooftop patio or in the billiards room, or partake in either a family-style meal or order off a menu in a private dining event for up to 40 people. In total, the third floor dining areas, including the dining room itself, seat more than 200 people
who can order from menus Gilbert has crafted. “My philosophy is that the ingredients should speak for the food,” he said. “I don’t like to do anything overly complex.” The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The menu will be eclectic, supporting regional food but not bound
by specific types. It will not be all Southern but will feature Southern elements. “You don’t want it to be so specialized,” he said. “You want to create an experience where you can stop by for breakfast, a quick snack at the bar or dinner. I want to create a broad enough offering that you could come by two to three times a week
Are you at your wit’s end trying to get
and experience something different.” Gilbert plans to use game from Alabama farmers, create a cheese sampler from the Southeast region, add a Grand Bohemian crab cake and offer a signature Grand Bohemian charcuterie plate that features regional artisanal items. Steakhouse-style entrees will be served with sides a la carte while seafood items will come as a complete entree with accompaniments. “It will balance adventurous and familiar, regional and local,” Gilbert said, noting it will be grounded in Alabama and the Southeast. “There is great local food with the agriculture and seafood. There are rich opportunities to highlight what local farmers and fishermen are doing.” There’s no doubt Gilbert’s background both in the Southeast and in hotels will inform his menu. He served as executive chef at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff from 2009-11. During his time there, he met Birmingham chefs Chris Hastings and Frank Stitt, who attended the Music to Your Mouth event for chefs the inn hosted, and was invited to make a dinner for the James Beard House in New York City. Prior to that he served as executive chef at the Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte; executive sous chef at the Cloister at Sea Island’s Beach Club and Bitter End Yacht Club in the British Virgin Islands; and various roles for three Ritz Carlton properties for seven years. Most recently, he developed new menu items for the Cheesecake Factory in Los Angeles, but the Grand Bohemian drew him back to his hotel roots and the South, where his wife’s family lives and his two daughters live in Pensacola with their mom. “I’m a hotel guy to my core,” Gilbert said, noting how he enjoys overseeing a plated event for 350 people and developing teams. This is also his fourth hotel to open. Plus, just two weeks into the job, he said he is enjoying Birmingham and Mountain Brook — which he said reminded him of Napa Valley when he first arrived. For more information, visit grandbohemianmountainbrook.com.
RID OF BELLY FAT?
Village Living B SECTION
School House B4 Sports B8 Home and Garden B14 Calendar B26
OCTOBER 2015
New twists on Fashions for the Foundation Annual fundraiser to be held at the new Grand Bohemian Hotel By MADOLINE MARKHAM An annual fashion show fundraiser has a new venue and a new runway style. Schaeffer Eye Center Fashions for the Foundation, scheduled for Nov. 9, will take place in the Grand Bohemian Hotel’s new ballroom. Like in years past, Mountain Brook students, teachers, administrators and parents will model fashions from local stores and boutiques. This year, however, the runway won’t be straight down the center of the ballroom. Models will enter on a small stage and then walk through the audience. “It will be interactive for guests more like New York Fashion Week,” event chair Lori Robertson said. “People can take a good look up close at the jewelry and clothes. Everyone will have a front row seat.” Caroline Gidiere and Martha Thompson from Style Briefs will emcee the event. Robertson said they are also excited about
using all local vendors, including florist Marigold Designs. This will be Foundation Executive Director Stephanie Maxwell’s first Fashions for the Foundation as she began in the position earlier this year. “I’m looking forward to the new venue and meeting more sponsors in the community,” she said. The new venue also allows slightly more seats than were available at The Club, where the event was held in the past. Around 240 tickets will be available. To encourage people to purchase them early, the foundation is offering a door prize for those who register before Sept. 30. All ticket purchasers will be entered to win a two-night stay at the Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook; two sets will be given away. All proceeds from the event benefit the
See FASHION | page B11
Mountain Brook students, parents, teachers and more modeled in last year’s Fashions for the Foundation event. Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Village Living
B2 • October 2015
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VillageLivingOnline.com
Instafishing
October 2015 • B3
MBJH fishing enthusiasts develop Instagram following
By MADOLINE MARKHAM It all started in kindergarten at Brookwood Forest Elementary. Luke Black had a picture of an eel he had caught at Cape Sand Blas, and Jack Alexander had one of a shark he caught in Naples, Florida. They shared the photos with one another, and before long they were banned from reading fish books because they looked at them too much. Seven years later, the boys still talk fishing nonstop and have now taken their passion to social media. Their reel.southern.fishing Instagram account now has more than 1,500 followers, and it only started this summer. “Sometimes it’s almost like they are talking in a different language,” Luke’s dad, Lance Black, said. Jack said the Instagram was the result of “summer boredom.” He and Luke started off by sharing their own pictures and following other fishing accounts. Before long, people were direct messaging them pictures of their catches. Now the boys cull through the submissions to select ones to post daily, adding a few words for a caption and a host of hashtags to get more traction. “It comes down to who has the best picture,” Jack said of their photo selection. So far the account has run one lure giveaway. The winner lived outside Buffalo, New York. The boys never reveal their identity, so likely most of the reel.southern.fishing followers have no idea that it’s 12-year-olds behind it. “[Jack] knows more about it at 12 than I will ever know,” Jack’s dad, Chris Alexander, said. Jack remembers the weight of seemingly every fish he has caught and has encyclopedic knowledge of anything and everything fishing, most of which he learned from YouTube videos. Since the boys became friends, their families
Mountain Brook Junior High School seventh-graders Jack Alexander and Luke Black started the Instagram account reel.southern. fishing. Photo by Madoline Markham.
have, too. They now co-own a house on a private lake in North Carolina where the boys fish for bass and trout, often documenting it on a GoPro. They also shore fish, bay fish and deep sea fish on other family trips. If they go out fishing with other friends, Luke and Jack are always the
ones to pull the hook out of the fish’s mouth. They also clean their own fish. “Most of our friends say they like fishing, and we take them out and they just want to swim,” Jack said. The boys are now working on a T-shirt design for reel.southern.fishing.
“Around here they like anything with ‘Southern’ in it” Jack said. Still, as the reel.southern.fishing brand grows, their primary focus remains on the reels, the bait and the catch. “The feeling when the fish is on the end is the best thing in the world,” Luke said.
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Village Living
B4 • October 2015
School House Preschool programs provide unique learning environment
MBE preschoolers play with teacher Caroline Springfield.
The Mountain Brook Special Opportunities Preschool Program is designed for children 3 to 5 years old with special needs. There are two classrooms housed at Mountain Brook Elementary led by teachers Carol Lott and Mary Margaret Moore and one classroom at Brookwood Forest Elementary led by teacher Donna Cornelius. In order to be eligible for the program, children must demonstrate significant difficulties that would adversely impact their participation in their natural environment, which could be a home or a typical preschool program. The children receive special
instruction that might include speech-language therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy. There are also opportunities for typically developing children to serve as models in the preschool class instruction. These children are chosen to serve and match the needs of their peers. The concept underlying this approach is that the students with special needs benefit from daily exposure and interaction with students who are developing in a more typical fashion. Educational support staff assist each teacher in the class, which creates a low
student-staff ratio. In addition to engaging preschool activities and reading readiness, emphasis is placed on taking care of each other and embracing individual abilities. “All three of our boys have attended the Mountain Brook Schools Preschool Program, and it’s been amazing to see first hand the power of excellent preschool education coupled with a unique emphasis on developing an increased compassion and respect for others,” said MBE mother of three Bragan Petrey. -Submitted by Carol L. Lott, Ed.S., CCC/ SLP
CES Media Center transformation complete The Crestline Media Center was completely transformed over the summer. The $126,000 project, which was almost entirely funded by the Cougar PTO, included new carpet, new paint, new bookshelves, new furniture and various forms of new technology. The goal of the project was to make the media center a more usable, child friendly space. Movable furniture was installed so that the room is much more versatile
and suited for collaborative lessons involving small groups of children. The computer lab was renovated, and a large touch screen television was installed along with a large screen interactive whiteboard and projector. In addition, a small glassed-in room with a wall-mounted television was added for small study groups, small group collaborative lessons and small group research projects.. -Submitted by Trish Hand
Second-grade students Kati Ortis, Georgia Jayne Stuckey and Lawson McKnight read in Crestline Elementary’s newly transformed Media Center.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • B5
MBJH names new assistant principal Brook Gibbons is now Terry Cooper years before serving as Mountain Brook learning the new C2C Junior High’s new assistant program for Alabama principal, serving alongside High School Athletics Assistant Principal Derek Eligibility. Deerman and Principal In August of this school Donald Clayton. year, Gibbons received Gibbons is a familiar face at her promotion to assistant MBJH as she has been on staff principal in charge of since 1997. She was originally curriculum and instruction, hired as a PE teacher and replacing Dr. Emily volleyball and softball coach, Freeland. She will continue after she graduated from to help with seventh-grade Samford University in 1995 volleyball, but she will and taught at Hayden High be turning softball and School for a year and a half. swimming coaching over During her time at Samford, New MBJH Assistant Principal to new coaches. she played volleyball on Brook Gibbons Gibbons is married to scholarship. Gibbons received Robbie Gibbons, a teacher her Masters in Educational and coach at Homewood Leadership at UAB in 2000 and her EdS from Middle School, and they have four children, UAB in 2011. She added swimming to her ranging from fifth grade to a freshman in list of coaching duties in 2011. In the fall of college. She is excited about her role in 2013, she filled in as assistant principal while supporting teachers in their content areas Deerman was on leave for military duty. and continuing to attend athletic events, just In the spring of 2015, Gibbons was named playing a different role. athletic director at MBJH. She trained under -Submitted by Collins Clegg
Chiefs cheer for Red & Yellow Run
Cherokee Bend Principal Betsy Bell cheers with third-graders Mark Torbert, Steele Darnall and Amelia Fulton.
Cherokee Bend Students recently gathered for a pep rally to celebrate the second annual Red & Yellow Run. The 1-mile untimed run is all about having fun. Following the run, an after party on the school’s fields will include dinner, drawings and music. Registration is currently open to Cherokee Bend students, parents, siblings and neighbors.
You do not have to attend Cherokee Bend Elementary to take part the event, but you do have to register each person on the Chief PTO website. The run is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 4, at 4 p.m., with the party immediately following. Proceeds from the colorful run go directly back to the school. -Submitted by Catherine Gasque
Mountain Brook Elementary welcomes new faces
Anna Carlisle, counselor; Jacob Sparkman, special education; Thea Patrick, technology coordinator; Bethany McCandless, second-grade teacher; Mary Margaret Moore, preschool teacher; and Kelly Kidd, kindergarten teacher. Photo by Hilary Ross.
Mountain Brook Elementary began this school year with several new faculty and staff members. “A new school year presents opportunities for various beginnings – new classes, new faces and often new materials,” said Principal
Belinda Treadwell. “We are proud to introduce our new teachers to our school community. These teachers are already making a difference at MBE.” -Submitted by Shaun Flynn
Village Living
B6 • October 2015
MBHS helps Sid celebrate
Sid Ortis stands with the surprises he woke up to in his front yard on his 16th birthday. Photo courtesy of the Ortis family.
Trisha Yearwood and Sarah Evans sang “Happy Birthday” to Sid Ortis on a Wednesday morning. The singers were part of an all-star lineup who made videos wishing him a happy 16th birthday that aired on Mountain Brook High School’s morning news broadcast. Sid, an MBHS sophomore, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in August 2014. Since then, the community has rallied to lend their support to Sid and his family. On Sept. 2, the day of his 16th birthday, Sid woke to find a shiny black jeep from his parents and balloons and signs from his friends in the driveway. Those were just the first of many surprises for Sid. The high school entrances also were decorated with balloons in Sid’s beloved LSU purple and gold, and a banner greeted Sid as he entered the school. To show their support, the student body dressed in LSU’s colors, filling the halls of the school with purple and gold. Instead of the regular morning school
broadcast, the high school anchors wished Sid a happy birthday and played a special birthday tribute. Fellow MBHS student Mary Carrington Gullage created a 15-minute video filled with birthday wishes from celebrities including Courtney Cox, Chris Hemsworth, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line and the Today show anchors. To honor Sid’s devotion to the LSU Tigers, numerous LSU coaches and players also sent their best wishes. The highlight of the video was the gift of sideline passes to the LSU/Alabama football game on Nov. 7. “Today has been a day that we will never forget,” Sid’s mother Lynn posted on her Facebook page. “This morning waking up to his room being decorated…to seeing his new car, then going to the high school and seeing all the purple and gold, and this video. That was just amazing. I do not even know how to thank people for caring and loving us.” -Submitted by Elizabeth Farrar
Crestline welcomes Newcomers
Crestline sixth-graders David Pruet and Sims pose with Champ, Crestline’s cougar mascot, at the Newcomers’ Party.
The Crestline Elementary PTO held a party in the school auditorium the day before school started to welcome its 28 new students in first grade through sixth grade. The party was planned and hosted by parent Allison Stallcup and her Newcomers’ Committee. Each new student was paired with a buddy from his or her class. The students and their parents were served
light refreshments and learned about the school from Principal Laurie King and PTO President Britt Redden. Then they were given a tour of the school, which included a sneak peek at their new classrooms. Finally, the students met their new teachers and had a photo opportunity with Champ, the Crestline Cougar mascot. -Submitted by Trish Hand
Community pep rally kicks off season Dorians and cheerleaders from Mountain Brook High School led the community in a pep rally in Crestline Village on Aug. 22.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • B7
Brookwood Forest kicks off school year with picnic BWF students, families and staff gathered at Overton Park on a Sunday in August for the annual Back to School Picnic at Overton Park. The event provided an opportunity for families to catch up with one another before the start of the school year. Later that evening the sixth graders at BWF met at the school for ice pops and organized games on the field. It was the first of many events that will take place during the school year. Future activities for the BWF sixth-graders will be a service project, ice skating, a sock hop, roller skating, a winter dance and a breakfast. Teachers also welcomed back students for the first annual Meet The Teacher, which gave students and parents the opportunity to visit classrooms before the first day of school. -Submitted by Kathleen Woodry Principal Nathan Pitner, Assistant Principal Christy Christian, parent Cary Rome and students Kate and Olivia Rome.
BWF celebrates summer reading Students at Brookwood Forest Elementary celebrated summer reading with summer treats from Doodles sponsored by the BWF PTO in
August. It was a delicious way to celebrate summer reading and the first full week of school. -Submitted by Kathleen Woodry
Julia Graves and Francis Morris
Village Living
B8 • October 2015
MBHS Spartan
Sports
football recaps
By DAVID KNOX
MOUNTAIN BROOK
SPARTANS
2015SCHEDULE Date
Opponent
Results
W/L
8/21
Jamboree
-
-
8/28
Huntsville
16-14
W
9/4
Hoover *
14-21
L
9/11
Thompson *
14-21
L
9/18
Vestavia Hills *
-
-
9/25
James Clemens
-
-
10/2
Tuscaloosa County*
-
-
10/9
Oak Mountain *
-
-
10/16
Hewitt-Trussville *
-
-
10/23
Spain Park *
-
-
10/29
Huffman +
-
-
All games start at 7 PM unless noted * Region game, + Homecoming Home games are highlighted
The Spartans take the field against Hoover. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
Game 1, 8/28
MOUNTAIN BROOK 16 HUNTSVILLE 14 Harrison Pyburn’s 4-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter gave the Spartans the lead but it was a defensive play by Ford Alexander that sealed Mountain Brook’s
stirring season-opening victory against Huntsville. “I can’t think right now. I have no words,” the Spartans’ senior defensive end said after the Spartans rallied from a two-touchdown deficit to beat the Panthers at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans lost 22-21 to the Panthers last year when Huntsville kicked a field goal with three seconds remaining.
“We’ve been feeding off that field goal all summer,” Alexander said. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world to win this game.” Huntsville was driving in the final minute Friday night with the Spartans holding a twopoint lead. The Panthers reached Mountain Brook’s 36-yard line when Alexander came up with the biggest defensive play of the game for the Spartans.
VillageLivingOnline.com He broke through to sack Huntsville quarterback Matthew Nowlin for an 8-yard loss and on top of that Nowlin was flagged for intentional grounding when he tried to get rid of the ball. The resulting 5-yard penalty pushed the Panthers back to the Spartans’ 49 with only 45 seconds remaining. Three plays later, facing fourthand-23 from the 49, Huntsville tried a quick pass and a lateral, but the lateral went awry and Mountain Brook’s Will Wetzler recovered the fumble at midfield to seal the victory. The Spartans trailed 14-3 at halftime, then began their comeback after waiting nearly two hours before the start of the second half because of a weather delay due to lightning in the area. Mountain Brook scored its first touchdown when junior wide receiver Sims Herron caught a quick screen from junior quarterback Connor Adair, who was making his first varsity start. Herron slipped two would-be-tacklers and then made a nifty cutback near the goal line for a 28-yard TD reception, pulling Mountain Brook within 14-10 with 6:22 remaining in the third. The Spartans took the lead on Pyburn’s run with 11:13 left in the fourth quarter. Pyburn finished with 26 carries for 110 yards.
Game 2, 9/4 HOOVER 21
MOUNTAIN BROOK 14 Mountain Brook didn’t show up at Spartan Stadium hoping to keep it close against No. 1 Hoover. The Spartans showed up to win and they darn near did that, pushing the Bucs to the limit before dropping a Class 7A, Region 3 decision in front of a full house. Afterward, following handshakes
October 2015 • B9
Mountain Brook’s Harrison Pyburn (8) drives for the end zone against Hoover. Photo by Barry Stephenson.
and hugs with the Hoover players and coaches, Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager took his team inside to talk about the game. There wasn’t a whole lot of difference in the two teams. Hoover hurt itself offensively with drive-altering penalties and three lost fumbles. But the Mountain Brook defense also had something to do with the problems. Both of Hoover’s second half turnovers came after Mountain Brook linebacker Joe Donald separated the football from the running back. The second one was scooped up by junior defensive back Zachary Carroll, who carried the ball 13 yards into the end zone to tie the game at 14 with 3:43 left in the third quarter. Hoover then made a big defensive play. Cornerback P.J. Hall stepped in
front of a Mountain Brook receiver to intercept a pass thrown by Spartan quarterback Connor Adair with just under five minutes left. Three C.J. Sturdivant runs netted the 35 yards needed for the go-ahead score with the touchdown run covering 9 yards. Barret Pickering added the extra point to give the Bucs a 21-14 advantage with 4:18 left. Mountain Brook (1-1, 0-1) scored late in the first half to cut a 14-0 Hoover lead on a Adair-Pyburn 4-yard TD pass. The Spartans were hampered in the second half by the prolonged absence of Pyburn, who was cramping. Pyburn had 52 yards on 18 carries but most of it came in the first half. But the defense was able to come up with the big play to tie the game.
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Top-ranked Hoover improved to 3-0 overall, 1-0 in the region.
Game 3, 9/11 THOMPSON 21 MOUNTAIN BROOK 14 After a hard-fought loss to Hoover, the Spartans were in need of a victory. A triumph over Thompson would not only give the Spartans their first region win of the season, but would also catapult head coach Chris Yeager into the 100 career-victory club. For a moment it seemed like it would happen. After another slow start, falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter, the Spartans gradually clawed their way
back into the game, evening the score with just under five minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Connor Adair hit wide receiver Sims Herron on a pinpoint 36-yard touchdown pass, their second six-point connection of the game, to make the score 14-13. An extra point by kicker Harrison Ritchie knotted the score at 14-14, marking the first time the Spartans weren’t trailing since 7:45 of the first quarter. But all of that momentum came to a screeching halt on the very next Thompson possession. Taking advantage of a shortened field due to a lengthy kick return that brought the ball to the Spartan 49-yard line, the Warriors needed only six plays to reach the end zone. Quarterback Walker Lott bulldozed through the Mountain Brook defense for a 17-yard rushing touchdown, and kicker Dimitri Davis added an extra point to put the Warriors up 21-14 with 1:52 to play. A Mountain Brook (1-2, 0-2) fourand-out on its final possession solidified its second-consecutive 21-14 loss in region play. “You don’t make the number of mistakes that we did and win in this region,” Yeager said. “As hard as the region is, it’s very unforgiving on this stage.” Thompson (3-1, 1-1) jumped out to a quick lead, scoring on two of its first three possessions. “That’s three games in a row that we’re down 14-3, 14-0,” Yeager said. “We’ve got to come out of the blocks a little quicker, and I think that would solve a lot of problems. “There’s a lot of football left to play, and we just got to go back and get a little bit better every week, but I think we’re OK,” Yeager said. “I love how hard our kids are playing. We just got to play smart Mountain Brook football.”
Village Living
B10 • October 2015
Spartans’ McMillan wants to teach elementary kids ‘Buckyball’ too By STEVE IRVINE Mountain Brook High boys basketball coach Bucky McMillan is offering elementary school boys in the Mountain Brook community a unique chance at being part of his program with the newly minted Buckyball Academy. In some ways, it’s basically a basketball camp that begins in October and runs through next spring. In reality, though, McMillan said it’s more than that. “If you’re a second-grader in Mountain Brook or you’re part of the Mountain Brook varsity team, we’re all part of the same team,” said McMillan, a Mountain Brook graduate who is entering his seventh season as the Spartans varsity head coach. “I think that’s what makes it unique. We’ll have a community that from second grade all the way up to 12th grade, we’re all part of one thing. It’s a great thing for our community.” David Good, a former member of Mike Davis’ staff at UAB and a first-year assistant coach at Mountain Brook, said the idea was an example of McMillan’s “out-of-the-box thinking.” “He just came up with it and ran with it,” Good said. “We sat there and met and met and met and got all the dates down, made sure they didn’t conflict with other stuff. We printed out that schedule and went with it.” The result is a program open to Mountain Brook boys from second grade to sixth grade. The tipoff event is the Oct. 25 Green and Gold game that features UAB head coach Jerod Haase as guest speaker. The schedule features several clinics run by McMillan, the varsity coaching staff and varsity players throughout the year, a pair of events surrounding Mountain Brook varsity games and countless chances to interact with the varsity players. “We’re going to be able to start doing a lot of our stuff all the way down to second grade, in
terms of the skills, the drills, even the strategy I use with the high school team,” said McMillan, whose team won state titles in 2013 and 2014 and made the Class 7A championship game last season. “We are going to have these guys at our practices, around our players, hanging out with our players after the game.” McMillan said one of the best things about the academy is the chance for the youngsters and varsity players to strike up friendships. “I remember when I was in third or fourth
grade that those players at the high school… were LeBron James to me,” McMillan said. “I remember when I got up there, I would walk around and kids would want my autograph, and we didn’t have near the success that we’ve had now. These kids identify more with Mountain Brook players more than star NBA players.” Cost for the academy is $250 before Oct. 2 and $275 for the next week until the final deadline on Oct. 9. Signup information can be found at buckyballers.com. The academy is open only
Mountain Brook High basketball coach Bucky McMillan is beginning an academy to teach skills to Mountain Brook children from second grade up through high school. Photo by Keith McCoy.
to Mountain Brook residents, and McMillan said he won’t limit it to a particular number of participants.
VillageLivingOnline.com
October 2015 • B11
Top-ranked Lady Spartans edge No. 3 Hoover Mountain Brook seems primed for stretch run, return to Elite Eight volleyball championships By DAVID KNOX
The Lady Spartans celebrate a point at the Juanita Boddie Invitational earlier this season. Mountain Brook was ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 7A with a 22-1 record after beating archrival Hoover on Sept. 15. Photos by Barry Stephenson.
FASHION
CONTINUED from page B1 Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation. Its projects include iPad pilots; a model interactive classroom at Mountain Brook Junior High School; new books, magazines, software and supplies in all six school libraries; a summer learning conference hosted at the high school open to all system faculty and administrators; and salaries for two math coaches who serve the four elementary schools. Tickets are available at mtnbrookschoolsfoundation.com for $100 for an individual or $800 for a table. Event and table sponsorships for the event are available. For more information, call 414-0042.
Mountain Brook’s girls volleyball team continued its march toward another state championship by beating Hoover 3-2 in a thrilling match worthy of Elite Eight intensity on Sept. 15 at Mountain Brook. The two schools met in last season’s Class 7A state championship final, with Mountain Brook claiming its first state title in volleyball. The Lady Spartans (22-1) won the first two games 25-13, 25-22 and then dropped the next two 15-25 and 20-25. They pulled out the fifth game 15-11. Sara Carr’s 20 kills and 25 digs led Mountain Brook, ranked No. 1 in the state as of press time. Sara Chandler Mitchell had 55 assists, 12 digs and three
aces. Lacey Jeffcoat had 26 digs, Ellie Ritter had five blocks and eight kills, Caroline Davies added 13 kills and Emmy Kilgore had 12 kills. “[It] was a great match for sure,” said Mountain Brook coach Haven O’Quinn. “It was hard fought on both sides. Our leadership stepped up towards the end.” The third-ranked Lady Bucs (15-2) were fresh off capturing the Rocky Top Classic in Tennessee. Ali Lowe and Caroline Sanford led the team in kills with 16 each, Lowe adding 13 digs and two block assists, Sanford with four digs and five block assists. Libero Olivia Portera commanded the defense with 25 digs and two aces. Setter Jamie Gregg tallied 41 assists, 18 digs, four block assists, a kill and an ace. The Lady Spartans seemed primed for the stretch run as area play began. Area tournaments are Oct. 19 (Classes 1A, 2A, 3A and 7A) and Oct. 20 (Classes 4A, 5A, 6A). The regional tournaments are set for Oct. 22-24. The state tournament will be at the Birmingham CrossPlex Oct. 28-29.
Fashions for the Foundation Benefitting Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation Grand Bohemian Hotel Monday, Nov. 9 11 a.m. Doors 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Luncheon $800 table $100 individual ticket mtnbrookschoolsfoundation.com Fashions for the Foundation organizers and sponsored gathered at the new Grand Bohemian Hotel in preparation for the event. Pictured are Mountain Brook City Schools Foundation Executive Director Stephanie Maxwell, Fashions for the Foundation Chair Lori Robertson, Dr. Jack Schaeffer of Schaeffer Eye Center, Alice Womack of MBCSF, Dr. Craig Martin of Liberty Animal Hospital, Suzan Doidge of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce and Jim Williams of Oakworth Capital Bank. Photo by Madoline Markham.
Village Living
B12 • October 2015
Williams, Patrick lead the Spartans’ charge By SAM CHANDLER Mountain Brook High School’s cross-country uniforms have always said a lot about the team’s tradition. This year, the Spartan green reflects heavily upon its composition. Anchored by a nucleus of young talent, the Spartan boys and girls teams feature a flurry of rising runners with talent beyond their years. “We treat our program, and we’re one of probably the most successful at this, as being a [grade] seven through 12 program,” Mountain Brook coach Michael McGovern said. “We don’t see us as a high school program and a junior high program. We’re in collaboration with the junior high program.” The impact has been obvious. At last year’s AHSAA 7A State Cross Country Championships, three of the Spartans top-five finishers on the boys team — Charlie Slaughter, Gram Denning and Jack Wedge — were eighthand ninth-graders. All three placed in the top 30 to propel the team to a third-place finish. On the girls side, the youth impact was even more dramatic. Of the Spartans scoring five, four were seventh- and eighth-graders. Despite their inexperience, Lily Hulsey, Anna Balzli, Cameron Hudson and Tessa Allen all posted top-14 finishes to spur the team to its 12th consecutive state title. With such a green core of depth returning on both sides, Mountain Brook entered the 2015 season with an elevated need for veteran leadership. Luckily for the Spartans, seniors Drew Williams and Frances Patrick have stepped up to the task. “Since both of them were pulled up at an early age, they kind of know what to expect,”
Seniors Frances Patrick and Drew Williams have stepped up to lead the younger Spartans runners by example. Photo by Sam Chandler.
McGovern said. “They do a very good job of taking care of those younger guys and girls.” Having been a part of Mountain Brook’s teamfirst culture since their junior high school years, both Williams and Patrick have directly experienced the lasting effects of positive team leadership, equipping them for their current roles. “I think both Frances and I have grown up with teams that have had really solid leaders and
have made impressions on us,” Williams said. “It was an obvious choice that we wanted to model after them.” And the most tangible way to do that, they decided, is leading by example. “I want to lead them in the right direction just as much as older girls led me in the right direction,” Patrick said. “It helps me, too, when I’m making decisions in life other than running
to know that it’s not just me I’m making the decision for. It’s kind of like for all the younger teammates I have.” In addition to setting an example, the seniors have also made a point to invest in the lives of their teammates, building team community from the ground up. “It’s just important to know your teammates and to know what they’re going through,” Williams said. “That way they know that you’re really looking after them.” Through the first month of the season, Williams’ and Patrick’s approach to leadership has yielded exceptional results on the course. Both picked up season-opening victories at the Warrior 2 Mile Invitational on Sept. 3, leading the Spartan boys and girls to team titles, before posting personal bests at the Chickasaw Trails Invitational on Sept. 12. Patrick raced her way to a convincing victory in the girls large school division, finishing in a state-leading time of 18:27.38, while Williams crossed the line in seventh place (16:20.96), propelling the Mountain Brook boys to their second straight team triumph of the season. Driven by leadership and founded in youth, the Spartans’ outlook for the remainder of the fall looks intensely promising. As both teams continue to progress throughout October, a state championship sweep could be a viable outcome when the state meet rolls around on Nov. 14 at Oakville’s Indian Mounds Park. “Ultimately our goal is to perform the best we can. At the end of the year, if that turns into a state championship, that’s great,” McGovern said, “but I tell them if we go out and compete as hard as we can, and try and take on as many challengers and see what we can do in competition, it’ll work itself out.”
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October 2015 • B13
Faith Life Actually By Kari Kampakis
Raising a brave child “A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success.” - Unknown I believe it’s fair to say most parents want to raise brave children. We want them brave in doing what’s right. Brave in chasing their dreams. Brave in saying “no” when necessary. Brave in facing their fears. But the thing about bravery is there’s a lot of psychology involved. There are fears that mess with our psyche — and subsequently hold us back, shut us down or make us want to retreat. So if we really want brave children, we need to think about these fears. We need to remember ourselves at their age and consider what did or didn’t build our courage. There are many fears that can prey on a child’s mind, such as fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being different and fear of embarrassment. But if you ask me, the most overwhelming fear for a child is the fear of losing your parents’ approval. Because deep down, we all crave our parents’ acceptance. We desperately want their affirmation. No matter how old we get or how much success we achieve, we never outgrow the need to hear our parents say the five words that sound like music to our ears: “I am proud of you.” Now, I’ve been blessed parents who say this often and with conviction. Even as a young girl, I knew they meant it. Of the many things
they did to draw this shy child out of her shell, what made the biggest impact was celebrating my efforts above results. As long as I gave my absolute best and took on healthy risks, they were happy. The expectations ended there. To this day, I can picture my parents’ faces the second I saw them after trying out for something. Even I didn’t win, they beamed at the sight of me. They grinned and held their arms out to embrace me as if I had won. Because in their eyes, I was a winner. I’d won not because of the final score, but because I’d pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, challenged myself and gained experience that would benefit me a lifetime. In these moments, I learned to be brave again. I came to understand how losing wasn’t the end of my story, but rather part of my story. Encouragement at the right time and from the right people is huge confidence boost. It can be just the thing a sensitive psyche needs. My parents’ reactions to my self-perceived “failures” made me willing to try again. Win or lose, they loved me the same, and that brought me comfort. Had they reacted differently or shown even a trace of disappointment, I would have hesitated to challenge myself the next time. Internal fears would have gotten the best of me. This is why I feel so sorry for kids whose parents take a different approach than mine. Some parents live so vicariously through their children their emotions swing with the outcome. When the child does well, they’re up. When the child
does poorly, they’re down. The message this sends to kids is that they’re lovable when they win, less lovable when they don’t. Quite frankly, I find it crazy to live in a world where parents scream at little league games, storm off after bad plays and pull sneaky moves to gain competitive advantages. Kids today are more stressed, anxious and depressed than ever before, and can we blame them? Imagine living up to the insane expectations set by many adults. Imagine giving your absolute best — and being told it isn’t good enough. I’m all for excellence, and I love to win. But with the world already telling our kids they’re only as good as their last performance, they don’t need added pressure at home. What they need is love they can count on because it’s steady, and parents who are proud regardless of the outcome. Is it great if our child gets the lead in the school play? Of course. But the real victory comes when they audition on stage, overcoming jitters to read a script in front of judges. Is it awesome when our child’s team wins a championship? Absolutely. But the real victory comes when they grow closer as a team and rise to the challenge of a high-stakes game. Are we proud when our child wins the school essay contest? Definitely. But the real victory comes when they find their voice, realize it matters and use it to impact others. Raising a brave child starts with being an encouraging parent. It means celebrating efforts above results. After years of coaching
third-grade basketball, my brother has noticed that whenever players make a good or bad play — such as score a goal or miss a shot — they immediately look at the stands. They’re searching for their parents’ reaction. The way a parent reacts carries so much weight. For better or for worse, our kids internalize it all. Growing up my dad always said, “Do your very best, Kari, and leave the results to God.” Knowing I didn’t have to control any outcome brought me peace. And now that I’m a mom, I try to pass on that peace. I encourage my kids to take healthy risks, put themselves out there and face their fears. I remind them that as long as they give 110 percent, they’ve done all they can do. I love seeing how my girls change after a brave experience. I’ve noticed them sit up taller in my car, exhale with relief and smile because they’re proud of themselves. And if that’s all they get from the experience, that’s enough for me because what these moments reveal is that being brave wasn’t as bad as they feared, and when it comes time to be brave again, they’re a lot more likely to be game. Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mtn. Brook mom of four girls, columnist, speaker and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer,” visit her blog at karikampakis.comor contact her at kari@ karikampakis.com.
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P lumbing
Home Repair Gardenin g
Fall
Landscape Architecture
O
Village Living
Home Guide Special Advertising Section
ctober is the time to take on a project or two. Whether you are looking to redesign a room, revamp your summer garden or prepare your home for winter, we’ve got you covered. Browse through our fall home guide for advice, tips and resources for every aspect of home improvement.
Home Cleaning
Waste Removal
Chimney Se
Interior Design
INDEX
B14 • October 2015
Landscaping
Arch. Hardware.......B23 Batts’ Chimney........B19 Ben Franklin.............B17 Christopher Glenn...B19 Classic Gardens......B23
rvices
Home Furnishing
DSLD Land..............B22 EZ Roof.....................B18 Gardner Land...........B15 Hanna’s Garden......B25 Nix Design Build......B16
Phoenix Builders....B25 Plumcore..................B24 The Cook Store........B15 Urban Home............B20
VillageLivingOnline.com
Fall
Home Guide
October 2015 • B15
Special Advertising Section
Pottery, cookware, gifts and more at The Cook Store
Exceptional landscaping at reasonable prices Gardner Landscaping is a full-service lawn, landscape and hardscape company that also offers lawn service maintenance to its customers. The company has served the Over the Mountain area since 2006 and prides itself on responding to your needs quickly and making sure you are a satisfied customer. Their garden center, Gardner Nurseries, is conveniently located by the Riverchase Galleria. Gardner Nurseries stocks a wide variety of plants, flowers, trees, stone and hardscape materials. In addition to bagged materials, they carry bulk materials such as: pine mulch, top soil, soil conditioner, mason/ playground sand, 8910 gravel, 57 gravel, 78 pea gravel, oversize pea gravel and Wrip Wrap. Gardner Nurseries can load these materials in your truck or trailer or they can deliver these materials for you. Its retail garden center has the
feel of a mom and pop store yet provides you with the large material selection of a large garden center. Furthermore, Gardner Landscaping has a sister company called Advanced Turf Care that specializes in turf weed control and fertilization as well as ornamental tree and shrub maintenance. They will look at a customer’s lawn and landscape and offer professional suggestions. Gardner Landscaping wants to be your one-stop source for all of your landscaping, lawn and hardscape needs and looks forward to having an opportunity to be your company of choice. For more information, call 823-3168 or 401-3347 or visit GardnerLandscapingLLC. com.
The Cook Store is a kitchen specialty shop featuring functional pottery, pots, pans and gadgets for cooking and entertaining. “The Cook Store has been a fixture in Mountain Brook since 1975,” says owner Wesley Lassen. The Cook Store exclusively carries pottery skillets and saucepans from The Pottery Works that are stovetop safe on both gas and electric cooktops. The store also offers kitchen linens, bakeware, cookware and more. You can choose from Le Creuset skillets and saucepans, All Clad stainless steel cookware, Doughmakers bakeware, Wusthof knives, and pottery from local potters like Tena Payne of Earthborn Studios, Stephanie Dikis and Gidge Black Pottery.
Bridal registry is offered, and the store also delivers locally to brides, registered or not. This holiday season, visit the shop for lots of great gift ideas for the person who has everything and the person who doesn’t have enough. Ideas include pottery, whiskey stones, Fabulous Pottery by Jessie, new Corkcicle tumblers and canteens, whisky wedge glass, assorted wood products, marble slabs, great seasonal towels and much more. The Cook Store has all your entertaining and cooking needs for tailgating, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas. For more information on The Cook Store, call 879-5277 or visit thecookstoremtnbrook. com.
B16 • October 2015
Fall
Home Guide
Village Living
Special Advertising Section
Changing the construction industry in Birmingham Nix Design Build is a full-service remodeling company specializing in design-build project delivery that is changing the construction industry in Birmingham through strict adherence to the core principles of craftsmanship, integrity and value. Jeremy Nix has been part of the construction and remodeling industry for many years, having managed multiple, diverse residential home and multimillion dollar commercial and government projects. The quality of his work has brought him recognition as an industry leader by Professional Remodeler magazine and an inclusion on their “40 under 40 Class of 2014” list. Jeremy also received first place in the 2008 ABC Excellence in Construction Awards for the $5 million to $10 million category. As an employee of RSU Contractors of Nashville, he opened that company’s Birmingham office at 920 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, in early 2014. Under his guidance, the local branch flourished and, in June of this year, Nix purchased the Birmingham division, renaming it Nix Design Build (NDB). “The name may be new, but our location is the same and our highly dedicated and professional team remains intact,” he said. “Making this a ‘hometown’ company allows us to not only better serve our area but to be more community focused and more active locally.” For those unfamiliar with design-build, it is a method of building in which the design and construction of a new space are contracted and controlled from one source. Traditional construction methods often require the client to serve as the designer or, worse yet, as a referee/mediator between the general contractor and the designer or architect. But NDB serves as a single point of accountability, creating a more organized and
controlled project. This process helps prevent unnecessary delays in schedule and added construction costs due to unforeseen design discrepancies typical of traditional construction. “The NDB team can take you from zero to your design and then finished project with everything tailored to your budget,” Nix said. “NDB’s ability to provide our clients with excellent customer service and superior craftsmanship reflects the construction experts on our staff, the top design professionals we partner with, and our overall implementation of the design-build process.” The advantages of the design-build process include: • Maintaining realistic project completion dates and reduction in the amount of time from the inception of your project to its completion. Teamwork reduces rework and redesign. • Phased construction: Allowing construction to begin before the full design is complete saves time. • The creation of a non-adversarial relationship between owner, design members and the construction team. Team members are encouraged to work together to solve issues between design and construction to save time and money. • Contractor-directed change orders are minimized, if not completely eliminated. Ongoing estimating during the design phase results in more accurate and guaranteed construction costs. • For more information about Nix Design Build, go to nixdesignbuild.com or call 352-4100. For more information on Nix Design Build, call 352-4100 or visit nixdesignbuild.com.
Nix Design Build
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VillageLivingOnline.com
Home Guide
October 2015 • B17
Special Advertising Section
Money saving plumbing, heating and air tips Your typical household headaches — be it water heater failure, bursting pipes or a breakdown in heating and air — can be tackled with one phone call to Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating. Dan Stomoff, vice president, said, “We have been servicing the community for over 100 years. We started as Evans Services in 1901 and have been keeping the area cool and comfortable ever since. Though we have changed our name to Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating, we are still building on our decades of experience.“
The companies pride themselves on an extensive list of guarantees to their customer, including, but not limited to: • On time technicians and plumbers • 100% satisfaction • No overtime rates — EVER • Friendly, courteous and skilled professionals Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and One Hour Air Conditioning and Heating have helpful tips and tricks to help you save money.
Don’t let money drip away • For leaky faucets and showerheads, make sure your washers and gaskets are tight. Replace them if they are worn with newer, water efficient options. • The most common cause of a leaking toilet is often the inexpensive, rubber flapper. Check for wear and replace if needed. • Inspect your irrigation system and garden hoses. The spigot where the hose is attached to your home is a common area for leaks.
Change filters regularly Most HVAC filters are disposable and should be replaced every month. Reusable filters that are designed to be cleaned with a vacuum or garden hose can be cleaned even more frequently to maximize their effectiveness. If you’re running your air conditioner with a clogged filter, you’re forcing your system to work harder, which wastes energy. It also accelerates wear on your HVAC fan and other components, which costs you more in system maintenance. For more information, call 205-533-7992.
At One Hour® We Offer the Following Services:
At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® We Offer the Following Services:
Residential & Commercial Repairs & Replacements Duct Cleaning
Indoor Air Quality Maintenance Agreements
Sewer & Drain Cleaning Garbage Disposals Water Heaters
Water Conditioning Leaks and Repairs
No Overtime or After Hours Fees EVER! Standard rates 24/7 including holidays & weekends because heating and air conditioning AND plumbing problems are an inconvenience no matter WHEN they happen.
$50 OFF
www.onehourbirmingham.com www.benfranklinplumberbirmingham.com
ANY REPAIR
CALL TODAY! 205-533-7992
Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Some restrictions, taxes and fees may apply. Expires 12/31/15.
Drug Tested, Background-Checked Employees • StraightForward Pricing® • Fully Licensed and Insured BF Lic. # 00639 / OH Lic. # 15022
©2015 Clockwork IP, LLC
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B18 • October 2015
Home Guide
Village Living
Special Advertising Section
What to know about roofing We asked roofing specialist Gerry Rotter of EZ Roof what homeowners should be aware of regarding roofs.
solutions for your individual project. Also, ask about warranties. What extended warranties can you provide? What is your labor warranty?
Q A
Q A
What advice would you give to someone thinking about replacing his/her roof? Talk to a professional. Find someone who is fully licensed and insured, with experience and a good reputation. Always use a company that is rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau. Remember, if you have any warranty issues that arise, you want a company that will be around, that you can find years down the road. Look up the address of the business using Google Earth. Choose a company with a brick-and-mortar business, not one operating out of a basement. Find reviews and ask for references. The biggest thing – ask questions. Your roofing contractor should be knowledgeable about products and
What are some signs that you need a new roof? One sign is if you notice your shingles are curled, cracked or missing, or you find shingles on the ground. Age is also a big factor. If your roof is at least 20 years old, you may need a new roof. Are your neighbors getting new roofs? Homes built around the same time period and in the same location will experience the same types of weather conditions and natural wear. Did your neighborhood experience a hail storm or high winds? You may have damage that is covered under your homeowner’s insurance. When in doubt, call a professional roofer to give you a free consultation. A roofing professional can tell
you how much life is left in your roof, if there is storm damage worthy of a filing a claim, and what action is recommended. Be careful though. There are groups that I refer to as “storm chasers” that just go after insurance claims and encourage you to file a claim, whether there is one or not! This can increase your rates. Make sure you are talking to someone that has your best interest in mind.
Q A
Why should a homeowner choose EZ Roof as his/her roofing contractor? EZ Roof is locally owned and operated and has been in business for over 10 years. We are fully licensed and insured, and have worker’s compensation and general liability. EZ Roof has an office and showroom located at the corner of Valleydale Road and Caldwell Mill Road. You can visit us in person and view real samples of
the products we use. You can always put a face to the name. EZ Roof has a full-time staff, which means we do not subcontract out our roofing jobs. You will always be getting someone reliable, professional and experienced on your job. We also make payment easy. We do not collect anything up front, but rather upon completion and satisfaction of the job. Financing is also offered to help with the upfront expense of a new roof. We pride ourselves on our reputation and treating our customers like we would our own family members. I encourage you to look us up and read our reviews. EZ Roof is top rated on professional roofing sites, has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has an A rating with Angie’s List. For more information on EZ Roof, call 968-1034 or visit ez-roofer.com.
VillageLivingOnline.com
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Home Guide
October 2015 • B19
Special Advertising Section
How to select antiques for the home and garden
A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be
Christopher Glenn has been the place to find collectible items from another era for 22 years. With beautifully aged antiques and a large selection of decorative items, Christopher Glenn has everything you need to create the perfect atmosphere. To help you navigate the many options available, Chris Carter of Christopher Glenn has answered some questions. How can you tell the quality of an antique? Look at the overall proportions of the piece. Do the lines flow well? Are the legs and drawers as they should be? Check for the integrity and the construction methods used, such as the thickness of the wood or veneer. Has it been repaired or refinished? Are the pulls original? Is there discoloration/oxidation where it should be? Many older pieces will have some cracks where there has been shrinkage through the years. What are some standout pieces available in
your store? Beautiful crystal, iron and wooden chandeliers are available in all sizes. We also have ceramic and porcelain garden seats in assorted colors and patterns. These are very versatile as they can be used indoors or out. They are beautiful as a side table in a living room as well as out by a pool or on a patio. Blue and white porcelain is classic and timeless, and we have wonderful old and new pieces from which to choose. How can you mix antiques with contemporary pieces? Antiques can warm up a contemporary interior. Old wooden boxes can easily be mixed with any style. Our midcentury Italian Murano lamps look just as much at home on a 200-yearold chest as they do on a Lucite console. Large Chinese bowls or vases can make a statement as a pair or alone. They really generate a wow factor in a foyer or draw your eye to a bookcase. For more information on Christopher Glenn, call 870-1236 or visit christopherglenninc.com.
When the weather gets frightful, your fireplace can be delightful. Batts’ Chimney Services is a local family owned and operated, full service chimney company. Area residents have been relying on Batts’ for its professionalism and knowledge to handle their entire chimney needs for more than 36 years. “Our goal is to provide the highest quality work at a reasonable price,” owner Phillip Batts said. To ensure your chimney is in tiptop shape, the experts at Batts’ Chimney Services have answered some of the most important questions concerning the safety and upkeep of your fireplace. How often should I have my chimney cleaned? The National Fire Protection Association Standard 211 says, “Chimneys, fireplaces and vents shall be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits and correct clearances. Cleaning, maintenance
and repairs shall be done if necessary.” My fireplace has an odor. What can I do? A good cleaning will help, and during this process Batts’ can determine if there are other contributing factors that need to be addressed. I have water leaking into my fireplace and water stains on the ceiling and wall. Can your company fix my problem? We will conduct a thorough inspection to determine where the water is coming from and help in the prevention of further leaks. Sometimes the problem is not chimney related. A roof problem can show up at the chimney and deceive us. To learn more about Batts’ Chimney Services, visit battschimneyservices.com or call 956-8207. Visit csia.org/Homeowner-Resources/index.aspx for more FAQs on chimney service.
B20 • October 2015
Fall
Home Guide
Village Living
Special Advertising Section
Telling the story of your home By TAMMY HEINSS Fall is the perfect season for gathering. As the air starts to chill we ready our homes for friends and family to gather around our table and in our kitchen for hearty soups and warm conversation. The clinking of glasses and dishware offer a sweet reminder that fun is in the house. Memories are being made. Dreams are being shared. This time of year we look forward to lounging around the family room with a sometimes rowdy crowd to scream, yell and cheer for our favorite football team - the enthusiasm moving us like musical chairs throughout the night. With cooler temperatures the fire pit is once again enjoyed, and we are drawn to it for roasting marshmallows and simply sitting under the stars wrapped in our favorite throw with nothing to do but soak in the time. The rhythm of routine is relished and slowing our pace is welcomed. Tailgating before and after a football game, whether it’s high school or college, becomes like a watering hole for humans. We come for camaraderie and refreshment, leave to watch our
favorite football team and then return to celebrate our victories or mourn our losses. Only later, sometimes much later, we sink deep into our bed, welcomed by dreamy quilts and comforters for a restful night’s sleep we are yearning for. By themselves, the table and chairs with dishes, the sofa and throws and bedding are just furniture and dishes and pretty things. When placed together in your home, they begin to tell the story of your life by what happens around them. At Urban, we offer furnishings with a story.... your story. The story of your home. A discussion around the dining table can spur a dream into action or just provide a retreat of understanding after a long day. Relationships are built and bonded under the ambient lighting and then memories are made around the sofa, chairs and coffee table watching a well-worn movie. The building and beauty of your life starts in your home, and we at Urban want to be a part of that. We offer all the furnishings to enhance your journey or just get you started in this crazy adventure called life. Sofas and chairs in every shape and fabric to personalize for you and to express
your personality are in ample supply. Our expanded bedding department will entice you to a treat of luxurious fabrics from a simple throw to a complete outfitting of your bed with most of them being machine washable. Our lighting is to die for. The selection of styles and the scope of our offerings is something to see. Choosing light fixtures that will work best in your home is no small task, and we look forward to the opportunity of showing you what we have. Lighting makes such a difference in the ambiance of our homes. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway? Creating the atmosphere where gatherings are warm and relationships can flourish? After all, it’s not just a sofa or a chair, or a throw, or just bedding and lighting. It’s home. All the furnishings that give us comfort only take shape when the memories of life happen around them. And that’s what makes a home. That’s what makes your story. Here’s to a beautiful fall and furnishings with a story...yours! For more information on Urban Home Market, call 980-4663 or visit urbanhomemarket.com.
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Home Guide
Special Advertising Section
October 2015 • B21
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B22 • October 2015
Home Guide
Village Living
Special Advertising Section
Design your dream landscape
David H. Sharp
DSLD Land Management is a full service design/build landscape contractor firm. We are a family owned and operated company that strives to meet and exceed the expectations of our clients. During our initial consultation all on site factors are considered from function to form, with special emphasis given to economy and value added work. DSLD Land Management, Inc. opened its doors in 1983. Today DSLD has built an excellent reputation in landscape construction as a prominent design/build company that services central Alabama. Over the past 30 years DSLD has been recognized and featured multiple times in publications such as Southern Living Magazine and Builder’s Architect Magazine. DSLD welcomes projects of any scope and size and stands ready to serve our clients with a full staff of
Megan A. McNair
J. Cole Sharp
licensed and degreed designers, a full time administrative assistant, and one of the most experienced field service teams in the business.
The team David H. Sharp
Pursing his life-long interest in horticulture and business, coupled with a background in drainage and soil erosion, David Sharp was inspired to create the ideal landscape construction company specializing in residential design and installation. This inspiration is now DSLD Land Management, a full service design/ build landscape contractor firm founded in 1983. David studied Geotechnical Engineering at the Ohio State University. While a student at OSU David was offered and accepted a scholarship to
Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Soon after graduating David became interested in applying his background in Geotechnical Engineering and Business Administration to a new course of study in Ornamental Horticulture. Over the years David has been a speaker at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Birmingham Public Library’s Lecture Series, and at various garden clubs throughout the Birmingham area. In addition to learning from the environment around him, David has developed a more thorough understanding of various cultural landscape design applications from his travels throughout Europe and Asia visiting gardens and landscapes in over 20 countries.
David firmly believes in the value of family. Not only does he enjoy his family, but also works to improve the lives of families with at risk children. David sits on several national board of directors where he volunteers on behalf of foster and adopted children across the country.
Megan A. McNair
Megan McNair is DSLD’s newest team member serving as a Landscape Designer. She is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in Landscape Horticulture with an emphasis in Landscape Design. While obtaining her degree from Auburn University, Megan was able to develop a strong foundation in landscape design. She has advanced training and specializes in software such as Dynascape and ProLandscape. Megan looks forward to continuing
her career with DSLD Land Management and creating spaces that reflect the lifestyle, purpose and attitude of our projects as well as injecting it with her personal flair.
J. Cole Sharp
Growing up alongside his father, Cole Sharp learned the family business from the ground up. Cole attended Jefferson State Community College where he studied Computer Information Systems Technology and Mathematics. In addition to his major courses he took Horticulture courses to enhance his knowledge of the family business. Today Cole is fully engaged in the day-to-day operations of DSLD; from sales to installation as well as providing technical support. For more information on DSLD Land Management, call 437-1012 or visit dsldlandmgmt.com.
VillageLivingOnline.com
An entrepreneur’s story
While fishing with my wife’s grandfather one day, he asked me what I was going to do for a living. I was not sure, and this was the wrong answer to him. He said, “Son, if you’re not going to school, then pick a trade and learn it inside and out, and then surround yourself with smarter people and own the dang thing.” I was 19 at the time, and by the time I was 30, I had done just that. I have dedicated my whole work life, which is pushing 30 years now, to the ups and downs of the decorative hardware industry. For the last six years, with
Fall
the downturn of the economy, I’ve operated alone inside of Architectural Heritage by Pepper Place and have come to love the “less is more” business plan. If you are building or remodeling, please call for a designated time to walk through your plans, and let me help put together a door, cabinet and bath hardware package that fits your budget and style. My name is Jeff Seabolt, and I look forward to the opportunity of working with you. For more information, visit ahardwareman.com.
Home Guide
October 2015 • B23
Special Advertising Section
Fall is for planting
“Fall is for planting” is a recurring theme in the garden center/nursery industry. Fall planting is encouraged for many reasons. First, it’s cooler, putting less stress on plants as they go into the ground. It’s also much easier on the person planting the plants. As ground and air temperatures drop and day length shortens, plants are triggered to stop the growth of leaves and begin to put on new root growth. Whether you’re planting trees or shrubs, an abundance of new root growth occurs during fall, winter and early spring. So by planting now, plants are better rooted come summer time. Keep in mind that fall is typically our driest season, so new plants must be watered. Also,
I like to tell people you must baby plants for two years to get them established before they can tolerate any neglect. I also often surprise people when telling them they can plant any time of the year. So if you want to plant in the dead heat of summer, it’s okay. You just have to remember to water. Do you want to know when I do all my personal planting? It’s usually when we aren’t busy — and that would be January. Again, it really doesn’t matter. Do it when it is convenient for you. But don’t be surprised if you see articles this fall in the gardening magazines that fall is for planting! For more tips on planting, gardening and other related topics, visit classicgardens.com.
It’s what we do... Complete Landscaping Installation
Retaining Walls • Pathways • Patios Trees and shrubs • Sod • Irrigation Fertilization & Weed Control of Lawns
We’ve got you covered! (205) 854-8001 • classicgardens.com
B24 • October 2015
Fall
Home Guide
Village Living
Special Advertising Section
A new solution to a timeless problem PLUMCORE Inc. is a full-service plumbing and utility company with a specialty in lining/ rehabilitating piping for all applications. We were incorporated in 1977, started in residential development, and progressed from there to commercial and industrial works over the last 38 years. We have never lost sight of the fact that customer satisfaction is our main service that we provide because at the end of the day our business is our customers. Whether we provide a service for a company or an individual, our main goal is to provide our clients with the best finished product and overall experience in our market. This philosophy has taken our company to where it is today. PLUMCORE Inc. is bonded, insured, and has an unlimited bidding status license with the state of Alabama and surrounding states.
About 15 years ago we got into lining small diameter piping (6-inch diameter and down) because we would run into dilapidated pipe, and it would either not be feasible or possible to shut down a business to make the traditional repairs needed to restore flow in a timely manner. If you think about it, a business or residence is not somewhere anyone wants to spend their time without working restrooms or sewer backups, so there had to be a better way to deal with this problem without creating additional issues that take people away from their business or family life. We started looking for reliable and unorthodox technologies, which we found in two different companies. One technology would do main line (8-inch diameter and larger) and another that would take care 6-inch diameter and down. We bought into both companies and utilize both
technologies for the industries we serve. Lining is basically putting a pipe inside of a pipe. It sounds like a magic trick, but it’s not. There are actually two methods: pull in place and inversion techniques. Both have their place. We can either line the whole pipe or just a portion (start and stop). Both products are a two-part epoxy mixed together and then put into a flexible felt tube. The tube is then wet-out by pressure rollers and saturated completely. We then squeegee out the remaining epoxy, and depending on the method, we proceed to install the liner inside the pipe by inversion or by an inflatable bladder.
We then either let it ambient cure, or we cook off the epoxy with steam (3-hour cure). The finished product is a stronger, acid resistant, faster flowing pipe that will last up to 50 years or longer. There is a peace of mind to be had in knowing that roots, separated joints, main connections, even no-pipe areas in a pipeline can be fixed without being invasive. These are just a few persistent problems that occur every year with certain aging facilities or homes. So don’t dig; there is a better way and we have it. For more information, call 631-4343.
Fall
VillageLivingOnline.com
Building this fall
Owners Ryan Harry, left, and Stephen Boehme, right.
Stephen Boehme, co-owner of Phoenix Builders Group, shares a little about his business and projects to tackle in the fall. How did Phoenix Builders Group get its start? Ryan Harry and I have known each other for over 10 years. We have worked together for several successful companies in the Birmingham area. We often talked about what it would be like to have our own company. As fate would have it, we both found ourselves in a place recently where we could really start to build on this dream. With much thought and planning, we formed Phoenix Builders Group. What is your business philosophy? We provide our customers with an experience that is developed from honesty, performed with accuracy, completed efficiently, and in an atmosphere that is both personal and professional.
What services do you specialize in? We have a very wide base of quality trade partners that complement our personal experiences. This allows us to specialize in everything from new construction, remodels, additions, kitchens, baths, decks and porches to door and window swaps. Are there any projects that people should take care of in the fall? Fall brings several advantages to certain projects. Generally, the weather is more predictable and not as rainy as in the spring. Fall also brings football gatherings and holiday planning. With football, people may want outdoor living spaces with decks, screen porches and fire pits. With the holidays on the horizon, it is the ideal time for kitchen and den renovations. There’s also the monetary benefit. In the fall to early winter, commodity lumber markets are at their low for the year. For more information, call 966-0543
Home Guide
October 2015 • B25
Special Advertising Section
How to plant a fall container garden Tips and ideas from Lorraine Fincher, sales manager over annuals, perennials and seasonal color at Hanna’s Garden Shop }} Think outside the flower box. Pansies, violas and mums are popular fall and winter annuals, but consider expanding your plant palette to include snapdragons, dianthus, ornamental kale, Swiss chard or mustard greens. All of these will last throughout a typical Alabama winter. You can also add acorus grass for green color all year. }} Mix it up. In addition to your flowers, try adding in greenery for a backdrop in your container. Ornamental grasses such as carex or juncus complement any annual or perennial bloom, as do evergreens such as false cypress, boxwood and arbor vitae. Your summertime marigolds and petunias can also remain in your containers until the first frost of the season. }} Add pumpkins. Arrange a set of
ornamental pumpkins around your containers. Hanna’s sells a variety of sizes and textures in greens, whites, yellows and classic oranges. Be careful not to water your pumpkins when you water your flowers, though, so they don’t rot prematurely. }} Vary container sizes. Instead of planting one large container, try placing plants throughout three different sized containers in one location. Each can feature plants of the same color or complementary colors. Hanna’s sells ceramic and concrete containers in a variety of sizes and colors. Hanna’s Garden Shop, located at 5485 U.S. 280 E. across from the Lee Branch Shopping Center, offers not just flowers but also trees, shrubs, fertilizers and gardening accessories, as well as the expertise of its staff. For more information call 991-2939, visit hannasgardenshop.com or email support@hannasgardenshop.com.
Village Living
B26 • October 2015
Calendar Mountain Brook Events
MBHS Athletics
Oct. 1-4: Antiques in the Gardens. Thursday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Visit bbgardens.org/ antiques.
Oct. 1: Varsity Volleyball: Mountain Brook @ Hewitt Trussville. 5 p.m. Oct. 2: Varsity Football: Mountain Brook @ Tuscaloosa County. 7 p.m. Oct. 5: Junior Varsity Football: Mountain Brook @ Clay Chalkville. 5 p.m.
Oct. 1 Canterbury Road Block Party. 6-8 p.m. Mountain Brook Village. Shindigs food truck and live music will be in the street, and the stores that line it will feature refreshments, special sales and door prizes.
Oct. 6: Junior Varsity Football (9th): Mountain Brook v. Clay Chalkville. 5 p.m. Oct. 6: Varsity Volleyball: Mountain Brook @ Hoover. 5 p.m.
Oct. 1: Shake your Lulav in the Sukkah. 5:30-7:30 p.m. LJCC. Celebrate Sukkot under the Sukkah. Visit bhamjcc.org. Oct. 1-28: Mountain Brook Baptist Annual Pumpkin Patch. Monday to Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 1-6 p.m. Prices range from 50 cents to $20. Oct. 4: Glennon Doyle Melton. 6 p.m. Canterbury United Methodist Church. Melton is the author of the popular blog Momastery. $30. Visit canterburyumc.org/ momastery. Oct. 11: Friedman Family Foundation Jewish Food Festival. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. LJCC. Visit bhamjcc.org. Oct. 11: Terry Drake 3v3 Basketball Tournament. 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. LJCC. Third to 12th grade.
Oct. 8: Varsity Volleyball: Mountain Brook @ Vestavia. 5 p.m. Oct. 9: Varsity Football: Mountain Brook vs. Oak Mountain. 7 p.m. Oct. 12: Junior Varsity Football: Mountain Brook v. Oak Mountain. 5 p.m.
The Mystics of Mountain Brook Parade is scheduled for Oct. 31.
$100 per team. Visit bhamjcc.org. Oct. 17-18: Fall Plant Sale. Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday noon-4 p.m. Blount Plaza, Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Visit bbgardens.org. Oct. 18: Girlology: There’s Something New About You. 2-4 p.m. Canterbury United Methodist Church. The first installment in the series for fourth- and fifth-grade girls on puberty. $75 per pair. Pre-registration is required at girlology.com/programs. Oct. 28: LJCC 7th Annual Mah
Jongg Tournament. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. LJCC. $30. Includes kosher lunch and prizes. Proceeds benefit the Circle of Life Knitting Society. Visit bhamjcc.org. Oct. 30: OLLI Course: Downton Abbey. LJCC. 1:30-3 p.m. Free. View the classic British episodes and learn about the history of Downtown Abbey. The four-week series is taught by instructor Linda York, PhD, Early Modern History, Auburn University. Visit training.ua.edu/olli. Oct. 31: Mystics of Mountain Brook Parade. 4 p.m. Crestline Village.
Oct. 13: Varsity Volleyball: Mountain Brook vs. John Carroll. 5 p.m. Oct. 16: Varsity Football: Mountain Brook @ Hewitt Trussville. 7 p.m. Oct. 19: Junior Varsity Football: Mountain Brook v. Hewitt Trussville. 5 p.m. Oct. 23: Varsity Football: Mountain Brook @ Spain Park. 7 p.m. Oct. 26: Varsity Football: Mountain Brook v. Spain Park. 5 p.m. Oct. 30: Varsity Football/Homecoming: Mountain Brook vs. Huffman. 7 p.m.
Newly Expanded
Lunch specials $5.99-$7.99 Tuesday-Friday 10 am - 3:30 pm Full dinner menu available all day Live Lobster, Crabs, Bullfrogs, Tilapia, and Eels Large Selection of Fresh Oriental Veggies
Market & Red Pearl Restaurant 243 W Valley Ave, Homewood • 205.945.9558 • superorientalmkt.com
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October 2015 • B27
Calendar Emmet O’Neal Library Events
Area Events
Call 445-1121 or visit.eolib.org.
Adults
Wednesdays: *Mother Goose Story Time. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m.
Wednesdays: Brown Bag Lunch Series. Noon doors, 12:30 p.m. program. Bring a sack lunch. Beverages and dessert provided.
Wednesdays: *Movers & Makers Story Time. 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 12 Great Books Book Group. 6:30 p.m. Discussing Weekend by Fay Weldon.
Thursdays: *Patty Cake Story Time. 9:30 and 10: 30 a.m.
Oct. 13 The Bookies Book Group. 10 a.m. Discussing River of Doubt by Candice Millard or any true-life adventure nonfiction book.
Thursdays: SNaP. 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 20 Documentaries After Dark. 6:30 p.m. Film about Stonehenge. Oct. 23: Back to the Future Double Feature. 7 p.m. Food, a costume contest and prizes free for ages 21 and up. Oct. 27: Genre Reading Group. 6:30 p.m. Discussing historical fiction.
Children Mondays: *Toddler Tales Story Time. 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: Together Story Time. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays: Library Out Loud. 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays: Evenings @ EOL. 6 p.m.
Saturdays: Family Story Time with Mr. Mac. 10:30 a.m. *Registration required. Teens (Grades 7-12) Oct. 3: Game On! 1-4 p.m. Board games, card games, video games, pizza and prizes. Oct. 5: TAB. 5-6 p.m. The monthly meeting of the Teen Advisory Board. Oct. 13: Family Night. 5:30 p.m. Birmingham Children’s Theatre’s The Little Red Hen. Oct. 15 *Bookmania: The Graveyard Book. 6 p.m. Oct. 16 A Night Dark and Grim, 6 p.m. Oct. 29 Teen Trivia: Halloween Edition. 6:30-8 p.m. Spooky trivia and monstrous prizes.
Oct. 1 Ballet Women’s Committee Extravaganza: 6:309:30 p.m. Alabama Ballet, 2726 1st Ave. South. Tickets include hors d’oeuvres, beverages, live music and a performance by the Alabama Ballet along with a silent auction and raffle. Visit balletwomen.com. Oct. 1-3: 43rd Annual Greek Festival. 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Downtown Birmingham. Featuring food, music, jewelry, art and more. Free admission. Visit bhamgreekfestival.com Oct. 1-4: Antiques in the Gardens. Thursday 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Visit bbgardens.org/ antiques. Oct. 6: Birmingham Financial Planning Expo. Hoover Public Library. Educational workshops and meetings with financial planners. Oct. 8: Girls on the Run Evening of Empowerment. 5:30 p.m. Clubhouse at Highlands, 2908 Highland Ave. South. Featuring cocktails, appetizers and meet-and-greet with Women Who Inspire. Visit girlsontherunbham.org Oct. 10: Walk to End Alzheimer’s. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Railroad Park. Visit act.alz.org.
Oct. 11: Cahaba River FryDown. Noon-4 p.m., Railroad Park. Food, beer, music and fun to benefit the Cahaba River Society. $20 donation for adults, 12 and under free. Visit frydown.com Oct. 14: 57th Linly Heflin Annual Scholarship Luncheon and Fashion Show. 11:30 a.m. doors, Noon luncheon. Sheraton Birmingham Hotel Ballroom. Visit linlyheflin.org/fashion-show/. Oct. 17: 12th Annual Holy Apostles Denim & Diamonds Dinner and Auction. 5:30 p.m. Harley Davidson Event Room, Pelham. Tickets $30, $225 table of eight. Contact Mickey Bunn 886-2769. Oct. 17-18: Fall Plant Sale. Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday noon-4 p.m. Blount Plaza, Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Visit bbgardens.org. Oct. 21- Nov. 1: Shop Save & Share. Use a card for up to 20 percent discount at select stores. Benefits the Junior League of Birmingham. $40. Visit shopsaveandshare.net. Oct. 31: Fare Walk for Food Allergy. 8:30 a.m. Railroad Park, 1600 1st Ave. South. Visit foodallergywalk.org. Nov. 1: 10th Annual Out of the Darkness Walk. 2:30 p.m. Heardmont Park. Registration at 1 p.m. Visit afsp.org.