17 minute read
IN THE KITCHEN
IN IN theKitchen with William & Lindsey Weller
Story by Scottie Vickery | Photos by Kelsey Bain
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Newlyweds embrace lake life, life together a perfect recipe
Mealtime at William and Lindsey Weller’s Logan Martin Lake home takes a lot of planning. It’s not so much the menu that requires extra thought; it’s more about logistics.
She works three nights a week as a labor and delivery nurse in Birmingham. He works days as an aortic clinical specialist and travels all over the state, so the young newlyweds are constantly juggling crazy schedules. That’s why, on several weekdays, they often rely on a meal kit home delivery company so they can sit down each night and share a meal together.
When they do have a little more time, they love sharing the duties in the kitchen. “I’m more of a recipe follower, and he’s more of an eye-baller,” Lindsey said, and William agreed. “I’m a dash of this and dash of that, and it works out most of the time,” he said. “If it tastes good, it worked. If it doesn’t, I know not to do it again.”
One meal they’ve mastered, seared ahi tuna and twice-baked potatoes, has become a favorite. “It’s our go-to,” William said. “It’s super easy, and it doesn’t take long at all. It’s what we made on Valentine’s Day.”
Saying “I do” to lake life
The Wellers, who married last August, are still new to lake life. William, who grew up in Trussville, and Lindsey, who is from Hayden, started dating in March 2020 and were engaged eight months later.
“I’ve always been the kind of person who takes things slow – and then I met him,” Lindsey said. William moved into their Logan Martin home last April, and she joined him after their wedding in August. Since then, they’ve been settling in to married life, entertaining family and friends and enjoying their own little piece of paradise that’s not far from Lakeside Park.
“We just love waking up and seeing the view,” William said. “We bought a boat last August, so we’re looking forward to our first summer with it.” In the meantime, they’ve hosted weekend barbecues, Memorial Day and Fourth of July parties, bridal and baby showers, as well as family Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. “There’s always something going on here,” William said.
Their home, with its open floorplan, is perfect for entertaining. The kitchen, which has a gas stove and butler’s pantry, features leathered quartz countertops with seating for four at the island as well as a table for six. There’s concrete flooring throughout the main level, and the living area boasts wood beams, a brick fireplace flanked with open shelving and a beautiful view of the lake. They especially enjoy the patio that’s just off the living area, and Lindsey said they hope to add an
outdoor fireplace and kitchen soon. William handles most of the grilling duties when there’s a crowd, cooking everything from hamburgers and hotdogs to ribs and Boston butts, while friends and family pitch in with side dishes. He’s also mastered the art of cooking a big breakfast – pancakes, eggs and bacon – on the flat top grill.
“In the summer, there’s people here almost every weekend,” he said, adding that they have the best of both worlds. “It’s always lots of fun, and as much as we enjoy hosting and doing things with family and friends, we love our alone time, like movie nights, too.” Cooking up fun
Lindsey works three 12-hour shifts a week, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights. She comes home in the morning, goes to bed around 8 a.m. and wakes up about 4 p.m. “While I’m sleeping, he likes to start the Home Chef, and then when I get up around 4, I help him with it,” she said. Those evenings, they usually eat about 5:30, and William has been known to grab a bowl of cereal or something around 9 p.m.
The other days, Lindsey tries to be up by noon. “I hate wasting my day,” she said. Since they have more time, they may cook out those nights or try new recipes. Although most meals are winners, there have been a few that haven’t turned out quite as expected.
No matter the outcome, though, they have a lot of fun. “We laugh at each other all the time,” he said. “She was making broccoli seasoned with ranch dressing one time, and it called for 2 tablespoons, but she put two packets of seasoning in. It was so salty, and I was guzzling water, but I could tell what it could have been. I tasted the potential.”
Although he likes to boast that he never uses a timer, Lindsey is quick to point out that he probably should. “How many Home Chef meals have you burned?” she asked with a laugh. “It’s only the glazed meals,” he replied. “I made that mistake like twice, and now I know better than to walk away while it’s cooking.”
One thing they never joke about is how much they love the life they’re building together. “It’s pretty great,” William said. “We’re pretty lucky.”
Seared Ahi Tuna Ingredients: Ahi tuna steaks Coconut oil Everything Bagel seasoning Sriracha mayonnaise
Directions: Season tuna steaks with Everything Bagel seasoning. Add about 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the pan and preheat for 3-5 minutes. Add tuna and sear 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove steaks from pan, drizzle with Sriracha mayonnaise and serve.
Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients: 4 large russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed Olive oil 1 cup plus 4 oz. shredded sharp cheese, divided ¼ cup sour cream ¼ cup milk 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 4 strips bacon cooked crisp and crumbled Salt Pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly rub each potato with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes, evenly spaced, on a baking sheet. Bake the potatoes 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove potatoes from the oven, let them cool about 10 minutes before cutting them in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the potato flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thickness of flesh in each shell. Return potato shells to baking sheet and cook at 400°F for about 10 minutes. Combine sour cream, milk, half the cheese, half the butter, half the bacon and half the scallions (if desired) with the baked potato flesh. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix together until smooth. Remove potato shells from oven and set oven to broil. Fill each shell with the potato mixture until it’s rounded in the middle. Top with remaining cheese, bacon, butter and scallions. Broil potatoes about 5-10 minutes until cheese has melted. Watch closely. Allow them to cool about 10 minutes before serving.
REELING IN A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR LINCOLN AND REGION
Story by Carol Pappas Submitted photos
Rising from the banks of a main channel stretch of Logan Martin in the city of Lincoln lies the future of an entire region.
That’s what officials see in the reflection of a massive investment taking root on 100 acres adjacent to Lincoln’s Landing, a 40-acre fishing park quickly becoming a destination point in its own right.
Couple it with Angler’s Pointe, the $30-million residential, recreation and entertainment community now under construction next door, and together, they become a destination spot from all kinds of points inside and well beyond Alabama’s borders.
McCaig & Griffin, a lakeside and commercial development company based in Lincoln, is creating an exclusive waterfront resort with a mix of cottages, RV lots, a swimming pool, an amphitheater-anchored entertainment district of food trucks, arts and crafts and other vendors plus a stage and seating for performances. Dubbed The Yard, the entertainment district is the centerpiece of the project.
McCaig & Griffin CEO DeLane Griffin calls it a return to typically Southern hospitality, reminiscent of families and friends gathering in the back yard while children played and the adults enjoyed the fellowship of their neighbors.
“It will be a relaxed environment,” he said, a place to get away from “the chaos that is the rest of the world and make it disappear for a little while. That’s what I see in my mind – a return to true Southern hospitality.”
Just next door, Lincoln’s Landing, features a world class tournament fishing park, pavilions, a 10-boat launch into the main channel and a boardwalk with fishing piers and boat slips. Plenty of parking accommodates the crowds. Coming in the next phase is a swimming beach. When complete, the park will be a venue for reunions, weddings, gettogethers and other celebrations.
The vision began when the City of Lincoln was considering the 40 acres where the fishing park is now. “We talked about the fishing park and what they wanted, and it became apparent what they were going to need – places for people to stay, something for the families of anglers and recreation,” recalled Griffin.
He and his partners own other lake developments in the area – River Bay, Waterfront and Blue Eye communities, where they have made vast
An earlier photo of construction at Lincoln’s Landing shows the Angler’s Pointe property to the left
improvements to enhance them for residents.
As the vision for Angler’s Pointe began to take shape, “we saw it as a community, a resort to serve everyone, not just the fishermen,” he said. In March, the Lincoln City Council approved rezoning for the property, and creation of plots and appraisals followed. Model cottages are being built now for pre-sale. Angler’s Pointe will be developed in two phases. Phase I is one- and two-bedroom cottages, 800 to 1,000 square feet – and covered RV lots plus the entertainment district. Phase II is a continuation of the cottages and RV lots. It will become a resort with all the amenities and aesthetics of lake life. In total, there will be 118 RV spots and 203 cottages.
“People from all over the country will be coming to fish here, and we’re not even touching the surface of realizing what it will be,” Griffin said. “This will be a destination point that draws people here.”
Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson couldn’t agree more. “We built the park with the idea to attract more business at the same time,” he said. Angler’s Pointe is “the perfect complement to Lincoln’s Landing. It’s designed to support it. It takes care of lodging needs for people to enjoy the lake. It will bring more people in, attract more business and reinforce Lincoln’s Landing.”
The mayor said he could not have envisioned a better neighbor to the city’s development, which has already exceeded expectations. “We had no idea we would be booking this many tournaments, he said, noting that they have already landed bookings as far ahead as 2024. And the vision that included more business, like hotels and sit-down restaurants is indeed beginning to have a ripple effect from Lincoln’s Landing and Angler’s Pointe, the mayor said.
“We are beginning to get some attention in that area – a good sign of the efforts.” Likening it to fishing, Watson reasoned, “You have to have good bait. We’re seeing the cork bobbling now, and we’re getting some nibbles.”
Councilman Joey Callahan called the area a “transformation to a recreational family environment that is an asset to the city. It’s a place people can come to on Logan Martin, buy a cabin to rent or stay the weekend. It’s huge for Lincoln and for the whole area.”
It’s bigger than Lincoln, he said. “Spending has a regional impact. We benefit from each other.”
Echoing the sentiment, Councilman Brandon Tate, in whose district the developments lie, called it an asset for the entire county and the state of Alabama. In the short term, “it’s already making a huge impact. There’s lots of interest and people coming in.” Layout of the development
Long term, he sees more good things ahead. Pointing to the developments side by side, he expressed gratitude to Griffin and his company for “seeing the vision and planning a premier, luxury” destination to go with it. “We’re excited to see this happening next to our world-class facility.”
An added benefit, he noted, is a local company undertaking the investment. Griffin has a proven track record in the area, and his experience and understanding will serve the development and the city well. “DeLane and his team are perfect for this. The vision is there, and they will be mirroring what we’re trying to do out there.”
Looking toward the future, Tate said, “Lincoln was already on the map in my mind. This definitely puts it up there with everybody else.”
“DeLane is a visionary,” said Councilwoman Jennie Jones. “That man amazes me.” She, too, sees the future in a brighter light because of Lincoln’s Landing and Angler’s Pointe. There may be other attractions nearby, like Talladega Superspeedway and Barber Motorsports Park, but fishing is a sport that lasts all year long. The impact will be felt throughout the year, too, she said.
“The citizens will benefit,” Jones added, explaining that restaurants and hotels and tourism dollars will follow to meet the needs of anglers. Easy access from Interstate 20 is a plus, and observers should see a sizable economic impact on the entire area. “I’m excited about it. Very excited.”
Robinson eyes the city’s new lake neighborhood as a “win, win, win. This is a win for everybody. It complements the park in such a way that fishermen can stay a stone’s throw away from the park. They can keep their boat in the water and don’t have to launch again.”
As for Angler’s Pointe, “they are just steps away from an attraction to support it.” It checks the boxes for lodging and entertainment needs, and golf cart trails illustrate the close connection between the two developments.
The design of the cabins and RV sites complement Lincoln’s Landing, Robinson said. “It’s a no-brainer that the city would support it. It is only going to complement what we have.
One and two-bedroom cottages part of the plan
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Lincoln’s Landing attracting boatloads of attention as destination point
Story by Carol Pappas Submitted photos | Archived photos
Story by Carol Pappas Submitted photos | Archived photos
The saying goes, ‘Build it, and they will come.’ In Lincoln these days, they have already arrived.
Since opening less than a year ago, Lincoln’s Landing is now on the map as a destination point. Thousands of boats have already launched from this cutting-edge fishing park, and tournaments are already scheduled two years out.
Les Robinson, director of Lincoln’s Landing, has been “a real plus to this project and to our city,” Lincoln Mayor Lew Watson said. “He puts his heart into it, which is what you need if you’re going to have a successful project.”
Success? Just take a look at the numbers. Lincoln’s Landing has launched 50 tournaments since July, Robinson said. With tournaments and everyday use, it already has reached the 3,500 to 4,000 boats launched mark, “and we haven’t been open a year,” he added.
Grand pavilion at night
The prestigious Bassmasters College Series is coming to Lincoln’s Landing in June for a two-day tournament and in the next 18 to 24 months, Robinson predicts, a Bassmasters Elite or Bassmasters Open, which are major attractions in the fishing world, are in its future. But it doesn’t stop there. The tourist dollars it lures along with the notoriety for Lincoln will have a huge economic impact, not only for Lincoln but the surrounding areas.
In the next budget period, a pavilion, bridge and swimming beach will be on the agenda for the city and this 40-acre site. “Then we’ll catch our breath a little bit,” Robinson said.
The park already includes a 165-foot long by 60-foot wide, stacked stone grand pavilion with fireplace and 4,000 square feet of open space for other events, fishing piers, an impressive boardwalk and a boat ramp that can launch 10 boats at a time. The first wedding at the park is already booked.
Parking also will be a consideration. While 250 parking spaces seemed like plenty when the park was on the drawing board. The Alabama Bass Trail event had every spot filled plus parking on the grass, Mayor Watson said.
Two other pavilions – both 30 x 30 feet – will be built near the shoreline and be rentable for events as well as everyday use. A pad is planned for a food truck area to serve tournaments.
In July, when construction was at its height, Watson could already see what was taking shape and its potential. He noted its accessibility – near Interstate 20 and U.S. 78. “It is right off the main channel on the lake, with yearround water,” Watson said at the time. “It is the perfect place for the park. It’s like, ‘If we build it, they will come.’”
Take a look around on any given day. They’re already here.
