Pete J. Vallas designs himself an Orange Beach home fit for an architect.
Four chefs compete at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, and the results are delicious.
Peri and Brad Summersell renovate a Fairhope home for ultimate serenity and big Bay views.
OUR COVER The winning dish from the 2022 Alabama Seafood Cook-Off is a tempting butter-poached redfish with new potato and blue crab salad by Chef Jeffrey Compton of The Battery in Birmingham.
PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU
MCGEHEE
the history of Skull Island?
BACKSTORY Stand riverside at a Magnolia Springs Fourth of July celebration held at the turn of the last century.
VOLUME XXXVIII
PUBLISHER T. J. Potts
JULY 2022
ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Stephen Potts
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Maggie Lacey
EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Judy Culbreth
MANAGING EDITOR/WEB Abby Parrott
SENIOR WRITER Breck Pappas
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT Amanda White
ART DIRECTOR Laurie Kilpatrick
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Amelia Rose Zimlich
COPY EDITOR Lawren Largue
SR. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Joseph A. Hyland
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Ray
PRODUCTION Melissa Heath
ADMINISTRATION
CIRCULATION Anita Miller
ACCOUNTING Keith Crabtree
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Audrey McDonald Atkins, Dooley Berry, Emmett Burnett, Catherine Dorrough, Hallie King, Tom McGehee, Christy Reid, John Sledge, Jim Stenson
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Summer Ennis Ansley, Justin Cordova, Elizabeth Gelineau, Meggan Haller / Keyhole Photo, Chad Riley, Brooke Ru , Sam St John, Anna ornton
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Mobile Bay is published 12 times per year for the Gulf Coast area. All contents © 2022 by PMT Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents without written permission is prohibited. Comments written in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily re ect the opinion of the ownership or the management of Mobile Bay. is magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. All submissions will be edited for length, clarity and style.
Jubilees are an amazing phenomenon. The fact that this upwelling of dazed sea creatures happens just two places in the world, and one of them is our very own Bay, makes it almost unbelievable. (The other, if you are wondering, is Tokyo Bay, Japan.) I’ve been lucky enough to witness more than a few and enjoy the bounty they provided.
A jubilee can be hard to predict, especially the smaller ones that might happen just along one stretch of shore. The big ones, however, have been known to affect almost the entirety of the Eastern Shore, from Daphne down to Mullet Point, and those are the ones people still talk about. A Mobile Press-Register article from August 4, 1993, reports what was “possibly the biggest jubilee ever seen in Point Clear,” as described by Lloyd Hall, security guard at The Grand Hotel. I remember that particular jubilee, as much for the overflowing coolers of fish as for the company we had that day. We were hosting an exchange student from Austria named Marc who was studying at NC State and had come to stay for a week of Alabama culture. The conditions had seemed favorable for a jubilee by bedtime the night before, so my dad set his alarm for some ungodly hour to check what was happening on the water. By 5 a.m., he had awoken the family and called some neighbors to let all know that it was on. Marc stumbled out of bed, confused and amazed at the spectacle, like all first-time witnesses. Those who have seen it before, however, just run for a bucket and a gig, not wasting a moment to gather the goodness that early settlers and native people thought must surely be a blessing from God.
In reality, it takes a number of very specific factors to induce a jubilee, including a late afternoon rain or cloud cover and an east wind, followed by a falling tide. It must be late summer, and only very early in the morning. The slightest wave action, like a boat going by, can churn enough oxygen into the water to end the excitement for all.
Before long, our Austrian friend was stalking the shoreline, gig in hand, with his black European socks pulled up high in his loafers. Fortunately, he had been fly fishing before and had even cleaned a fish or two, so he was a quick study when Dad showed him how to filet a flounder in preparation for that night’s fish fry. If he was looking for a dose of Deep South culture, man, he got it.
In the old days, I am not sure there were limits on how many fish you could gig or gather in your cast net, and most people filled their buckets. Once limits were set, I think most locals assumed rules don’t apply to jubilees. This was sent straight from God, right? Surely the Department of Conservation has nothing to say on a “manna from heaven” type event.
You rarely hear cries of “jubilee!” anymore, either. I suppose that tradition was lost with the onset of air conditioning. With windows open and folks reclined on sleeping porches, a good holler would have worked fine. Today, however, the windows are closed tight, and it takes a text message to rustle the troops.
I hope this annual Coastal Issue can be your call to the water. The beauty (and bounty!) of the Bay is waiting.
Maggie Lacey EXECUTIVE EDITOR maggie@pmtpublishing.com
NAUT TOO CUTE ARCHITECT PETE J. VALLAS USED BRASS BOAT CLEATS FOR CABINET PULLS IN HIS ADORABLY NAUTICAL ORANGE BEACH BATHROOM. TOUR THE HOME, PAGE 38
BABY BOOM NOW IS THE TIME TO WITNESS SEA TURTLES HATCHING ALONG THE GULF COAST. THANKS TO THE WORK OF AWARD-WINNING SCIENTIST AND MOBILE NATIVE ARCHIE CARR, THESE TURTLES ARE BEING PROTECTED AROUND THE WORLD!
PAGE 18
A TISKET, A TASKET THIS SILVERWARE CADDY IS PERFECT FOR OUTDOOR ENTERTAINING! JULISKA PROVENCE RATTAN BASKET, THE IVY COTTAGE
ARE YOU READY FOR THIS JELLY THE PINDO PALM BEARS BUNCHES OF VIBRANT ORANGE FRUIT FULL OF PECTIN. OUR PUBLISHER HAS A TREE IN THE PARKING LOT, AND I THINK IT’S HIGH TIME THE MB TEST KITCHEN MADE SOME JELLY!
PAGE 16
BEACHY BLUE THE BEADED WALLS OF THE COASTAL RETREAT ARE PAINTED FARROW & BALL PARMA GRAY, BRINGING THE FEEL OF THE SEA TO EVERY INCH OF THE INTERIOR.
On May’s Tastings, featuring The Insider food hall
This sounds amazing! No way to decide what to eat, so I’d have to sit there for six to eight hours and drink and eat at all the places.
- Kyle Walding
Love this concept!
- Loree Barnett Gump
That’s a mean chicken sandwich right there! Can’t wait to try one.
- Cory Mattas
Just tell me when!
- Mandy Vines Gatlin
Looking forward to that. Just down the street from where I live.
- David Thornton
Excited about the growth in Mobile. We’ve come a long way!
- Gerri Mach Hallmark
Very excited for this opening!
- John Baker
On May’s Legends, “Mobile’s Knights of Old: Harry Maury and the Baron,” on duels and love affairs in 19th-century Mobile that made news across the nation
This is perhaps one of Mobile’s greatest dramas.
- Matt Green
On May’s Bay Tables, “Backyard Tomatoes,” exploring the impact of Baldwin County gardener John Kitch
John Kitch was an original founder of the Mobile Bay Kayak Fishing Association a few decades back. Back then, most of us had no idea part of his legacy would be outstanding tomatoes. Great for redfish court bouillon! RIP John.
- David A. Bagwell
Can’t wait to try the cheesy tomato tart with this year’s bumper crop.
- Lawren Largue
On May’s Gardening story, “The Butterfly Garden Made Easy,” and how to attract the elusive creatures to your own backyard
On my way to buy milkweed! Check out these plants for some friendly visitors to your garden this season.
- Tracy Womack
On May’s Ask McGehee about the history of the Battle House Hotel’s design
Such a wonderful hotel in downtown Mobile. Love staying there!
- Myra Dewitt
On May’s History article, “The Odd History of Cattle Dipping,” an overview of the ancient, long-forgotten practice
I read David Bagwell’s piece on cattle dipping with great interest. Family lore has it that my great-grandfather, Albert M. Thompson, oversaw the dipping program at that time in Baldwin County. The story had been told for years about Albert being called when a vat was dynamited. He died suddenly from a heart attack in 1922. Thank you very much for the great work you and your staff do. The magazine is such an asset to our area.
- Al Thompson
Want to share your thoughts and reactions to this issue? Email maggie@pmtpublishing.com.
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Have a photo that is “so Mobile Bay”? We want to see it! Go online to submit your picture into our “Best of Mobile Bay” photo contest. Images should depict people, places or things from Mobile or Baldwin county. Readers will vote, and the winning images will be published in our September 2022 issue!
Put your excess summer fruit to good use with our 4 go-to recipes: Strawberry Crostata, Blueberry Buckle, Blackberry Dutch Baby and Peach Crumble Bars.
Share your proposal story, and we’ll feature your engagement online.
Exterior designer Catherine Arensberg shares the latest tips and tricks for creating the outdoor space of your dreams, no matter your budget. Browse our complete archive of videos chock-full of advice for local homeowners looking for simple solutions to common outdoor design questions.
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text by ABBY PARROTT
The time between early July to mid-August was given this nickname after Sirius, the dog star in the constellation Canis Major, which is at its brightest during this time of the year. Ancient Romans and Greeks believed the star was responsible for the heat and ensuing drought and sickness.
What did the beach say to the tide when it came in?
Long time, no sea.
How do we know that the ocean is friendly? It waves!
What do you call a Frenchman who wears sandals?
Phillipe Phloppe[JULY 27 ]
You know what to do.
The weight of fireworks Americans buy annually
Three presidents have died on the Fourth of July: Thomas Je erson, John Adams and James Monroe. Je erson and Adams died on the same day, July 4, 1826, the nation’s 50th anniversary.
Every July 14, France marks the anniversary of the 1789 storming of the Bastille, a major turning point in the French Revolution.
Turn to page 76 to read about an attempt to destroy French Mobile in 1709.
– Author Sam KeenThe movie “Jaws” was originally slated for a Christmas 1974 release, but shooting took so long that the movie was pushed to the summer of 1975. Its success prompted Hollywood to adopt a summer release schedule for future blockbuster films.
To read about a local fisherman’s real shark encounter, turn to page 34.
“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”
MB’s contributing food fanatics share their go-to local dishes.
“These wings are so fine. I really like Dragonfly’s technique of roasting them in the oven before frying. The mango habanero sauce adds a sweet heat. These beauties are then served on a small bed of cilantro and topped in pickled radishes. Don’t worry about extra dipping sauce; blue cheese crumbles melt against the warm wings.”
DRAGONFLY TAVERN • 1800 MAIN ST., DAPHNE 586-8113 • FACEBOOK: DRAGONFLY TAVERN
“I wager that no one in Mobile can drive down Old Shell or Halls Mill roads and not at least consider stopping by Cammie’s Old Dutch Ice Cream Shoppe. I certainly can’t! My favorite is the traditional banana split, loaded with toppings. Cammie makes all her ice cream in-house and always creates fun seasonal flavors to enjoy, along with the old favorites.”
CAMMIE’S OLD DUTCH ICE CREAM SHOPPE 2511 OLD SHELL ROAD AND 4380 HALLS MILL ROAD • 471-1710 • CAMMIESOLDDUTCH.COM
“My husband and I love Southwood Kitchen for day dates. Buttermilk onion straws are my forever starter, but I like to switch up my entrée. I recently chose the pesto roasted salmon, nestled atop creamy spinach risotto and crowned with blistered tomatoes and a dollop of crème fraîche. I might just order it again and again.”
SOUTHWOOD KITCHEN 1203 US-98 SUITE 3-D, DAPHNE • 626-6676 SOUTHWOODKITCHEN.COM
“Only a quick walk from my building, Front Yard Tacos (along with Nova Espresso) has made the corner of St. Anthony and Claiborne a hot spot. Their steak ‘n’ eggs is a perfect selection any time of day. The FYT team marinates the meat to perfection and pairs it with fluffy scrambled eggs and cheese. Enjoying one of these delights has become one of my favorite simple pleasures of downtown Mobile.”
FRONT YARD TACOS • 306 SAINT ANTHONY ST. 287-1379 • FRONTYARDTACOS.COM
Graceful, low-maintenance and fruit-producing, the jelly palm is a fine addition to lower Alabama’s coastal landscaping and gardens.
text by DOOLEY BERRYAlthough there are more than 2,000 species of palm trees, the jelly, or Pindo, palm is an easily identifiable and dramatic evergreen tree, which came to Alabama by way of Brazil. Its single, stout trunk, which can grow up to 18 inches in diameter, is covered in rough bark. At its top, a high canopy of silvery, shimmering foliage is concentrated in a distinctive crown. That large ball is made up of blue-green fronds — each 5 to 10 feet long — which sinuously bend in toward the trunk. Palms with this unique type of fronds are known as pinnate, or feather palms, because each shoot resembles a bird’s pin feather. In addition to its beauty, this tree offers enticingly delicious fruit, perfect for making jelly, hence its nickname.
A slow-growing plant, the jelly palm prefers climates like warm, sunny coastal Alabama. It particularly thrives when planted in a drier spot with sandy soil. When situated in a shadier location, its fronds tend to grow longer, giving it a more graceful appearance than those growing in full
sun. The hearty palm has some tolerance to drought due to its deep root system, but it also favors soil high in organic matter that offers good drainage. Under ideal conditions, jelly palms can be expected to live for 40 years or more. For this reason, they are commonly used in landscaping for cemeteries and public parks in coastal regions. They also offer ample privacy screening and may be grown in large containers as well.
A typical jelly palm can grow approximately 6 inches per year in height and, at maturity, it may reach 20 feet or taller. As its older fronds fade and die, they tend to remain on the trunk for several years before they finally detach, leaving ragged, upright 6- to 10-inch frond bases that may be pruned. Be careful though: Coarse black spines rise along the palm’s stems so those should be avoided, as they may cause injury. However, if this dieback is carefully pruned off, the palm will remain impressive, and any resulting scars on the trunk will only enhance the aesthetic of the tree. Otherwise, the jelly palm is a relatively lowmaintenance option and remains a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to a garden.
PALM / PINDO FRUIT
In the spring, this palm boasts fragrant, showy flowers, ranging from yellow to orange to burgundy in color. The blooms release a pleasant, fruity fragrance that can instantly transport you to the tropical, sunny place of your dreams. Likewise, its fruit, often called palm dates, has a flavor that tastes like “apple transforming to tart, tropical flavors.” Simultaneously sweet and tart, there are hints of mango, papaya, pineapple and even coconut in the mix. When these luscious fruits begin falling from the trees in summer, it is time to gather what drops and harvest the rest. The texture is quite fibrous so the fruit is sometimes chewed for the juice and spit out like sugar cane or fermented to make wine. However, since it also contains an ample amount of pectin, it is ideal for making jelly MB
Dooley Berry is a Master Gardener, a cook who is ever learning and a writer of numerous articles in newspapers and lifestyle magazines. She lives, gardens and writes with her husband, Scott, in Spanish Fort.
3 quarts jelly palm (sometimes called Pindo) fruit
1 package dry pectin juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon butter
5 cups granulated sugar
1. Choose the freshest jelly palm fruit you can find. Clean it under warm water to remove dirt and debris.
2. Add fruit to a large pot of water. The water should rise a few inches above the fruit. Bring water and fruit to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for 1 hour.
3. Allow fruit to cool completely. Using a large strainer over a large bowl, pour the fruit and juice through the strainer into the bowl to catch and remove the fruit pits and pieces.
4. In a large cooking pot, add 5 cups of the fruit juice, pectin and lemon juice. Mix ingredients and bring to a boil.
5. Add butter and sugar to the boiling mixture. Stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Turn the temperature down to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Monitor the mixture carefully to ensure it does not boil over or scorch.
6. Let cool and pour the jelly into sterilized canning jars. Allow the jelly to set for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Add the canning lid and ring to each jar. Place the jars in a pot filled with 4 inches of water. Heat the water with the jars in it. When you hear a popping noise, the jars are sealed. Store in a cool, dry area.
World-renowned naturalist Archie Carr left an impressive legacy on America’s southeastern coastal environment. Repercussions of his preservation efforts, based on positivity and education, can still be seen today, particularly in restoring sea turtle populations.
text by JIM STENSON
World-renowned naturalist Archie Carr was born in Mobile in 1909. His dad’s name is still engraved on the plaque of ministers down in the old Presbyterian church on Government Street. As a boy, Carr rode his bike to the Delta to spend his days fishing and exploring. As an adult, he was instrumental in saving sea turtles from extinction. Although Carr spent his career at the University of Florida, those youthful days running free around the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, one of the last undammed, free-flowing deltas left on this planet, colored the rest of his life and work.
Carr loved the outdoors. He loved anything and everything that nature had to offer; as such, he knew nearly as much about the spawning habits of the Suwanee River sturgeon, the life cycle of carnivorous plants along the Panhandle, Spanish moss forests and the epithetic bromeliads of the Everglades as he did about topics within his more narrowly defined academic purview. According to Bob Graham, Florida’s one-time governor and U.S. senator, Carr was beyond just a scientist; he understood the singularity of Florida’s landscape. Peter Matthiessen, a New York Times best-selling author best known for his novel “Killing Mister Watson,” once called Carr an “old-fashioned generalist.” Although the term generalist is no longer in vogue in the sciences, it does describe the depth of Carr’s knowledge and the breadth of his interests — the pillars and foundation of his success.
Many would consider Carr a colorful character. Working as a professor in Gainesville, he chose to live on a farm deep in the heart of Paynes Prairie. His backyard crawled with colorful creatures that most people would consider downright frightening. Carr and his wife Marjorie, a well-known biologist and naturalist in her own right, raised five children on the prairie — a place only naturalists could love. In fact, Marjorie liked to joke that they reared and educated five children on their small farm, “and no one died.”
Carr relished taking his students into the field. He preached that the natural world does not live in a book or on a specimen slide, and thus proper zoologists need
to get their hands dirty. Still, walking around in the mud and muck or rolling up water hyacinth didn’t appeal to every young scholar. Not knowing what was in the hyacinth was a bit disconcerting to some. And a few of his students paid the price when bitten by what locals call the hot bug — a minor bug with a caustic attitude. According to Carr, “The bite of the hot bug is no worse than the sting of a bee.” But the hot bug’s bite was so painful that, on more than one occasion, a less-than-motivated would-be zoologist changed majors. Muck itch had the same effect. It burned on contact and left one with a lingering rash, but the irritation and burning sensation only lasted for a few days. Both were inevitable.
Unfortunately, Carr also witnessed the world he loved driven to the brink of extinction. He was forced to watch helplessly as timber companies greedily harvested the hammocks of the Everglades for exotic hardwoods, such as West Indian mahogany, live oak, gumbolimbo, black iron and sweet bay magnolias, without concern for regrowth or the fauna that called them home. Carr had a front-row seat as the Everglades were reduced from 8 million acres across seven counties to a mere 1.1 million acres.
But unlike other ecologists of his time, such as John Kunkel Small and Thomas Barbour, who were alarmed by the same trends, Carr remained upbeat in his message and always did his best to take the high road. One of the aspects that made Carr such an effective conservationist was his ability to focus his message on the positive — on what can still be done — and make science accessible to all. Graham once called Carr a “master teacher and storyteller.” I, for example, had never heard of Carr until Ann Bruce, the librarian at Tallahassee’s Tall Timbers Research Station, gave me a copy of his book “A Naturalist in Florida: A Celebration of Eden.” I fell in love with stories such as “The Bird and the Behemoth,” “All the Way Down Upon the Suwannee River,” “The Moss Forest” and many more. Carr had the unique ability to turn science into something laymen would enjoy
reading. He made his subject matter come alive.
Carr once opined, “For most of the wild things on earth, the future must depend on the conscience of mankind.” He knew it would require more than just a village to save what natural treasures were left. There had to be an “all hands on deck” approach, not simply efforts from a few scientists. It would require a paradigm shift in how others think about the natural world. To preserve what’s left of Carr’s vision, mankind would eventually have to protect the remaining flora and fauna for the planet’s sake and not necessarily what’s best for humans.
Years before landing on the doorstep of the University of Florida, Carr fell in love with turtles as a teenager living in Savannah, Georgia. He dedicated his life to saving the ecosystems and habitats crucial for the reproduction of the green sea turtle, the Kemp’s ridley and other sea turtles. He managed to put together a coalition of committed activists, such as Joshua B. Powers, a prominent member of the Inter American Press Association and founder of The Brotherhood of the Green Turtle. Powers founded the Sea Turtle Conservancy in 1959 in response to Carr’s book “The Windward Road,” which first alerted the world to the plight of the sea turtles. Together, and with the help of the Costa Rican government, they put together an even broader coalition when the U.S. Navy offered to provide more resources.
In the end, it took more than 20 years to see any positive results. It turns out, for example, that sea turtles don’t reach reproductive maturity a few years after birth, as Carr and his team had assumed. Rather, it takes decades, a startling and, frankly, inconvenient discovery for scientists. The critical message for those passionate about conservation is that perseverance is an essential virtue in this pursuit. Endurance is key as well. Carr’s determination carried him from Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp to the rain forest of Honduras, and it all paid off in the end. Thanks to Carr and all the scientists and volunteers who worked diligently through the years, we have finally turned the
corner; turtles are now spawning again on beaches worldwide.
By the end of his career as a professor, naturalist, and zoologist at the University of Florida, Carr had published 11 books and more than 120 scientific papers on sea turtles and their habitats. But, what’s more, his ultimate success in preserving sea turtles reminds us that it is worth fighting for conservation and environmental goals, even when it feels like tilting at windmills much of the time.
In 1987, Carr was laid to rest at his home on Wewa Pond near Micanopy, Florida. He was 77 years old. His legacy lives on with each new generation of sea turtles taking to the sea for the first time and with many new generations of naturalists helping us appreciate and protect the diversity of our oceans, deltas and estuaries.
A 4th-century Chinese poet, Chuangtzu, once wrote, “Good fortune is as light as a feather, and few are strong enough to carry it.” Essentially, success is fleeting, and the strong have to be vigilant. If not, everything we have fought for will disappear. MB
James Stenson writes about fly-fishing, surfing and culture, and he is the founder of Sweet Waters Adventure, an international adventure travel company catering to fly fishermen and wing shooters, based in Mobile.
Beachside dining is nothing new on the Gulf Coast. One of the major perks of a trip to Gulf Shores, Orange Beach or Dauphin Island is the opportunity to nosh alongside stunning white sand and crashing Gulf waves. Many of these coastal restaurants feature fan-favorite fried seafood, with classic accoutrements, such as hush puppies and coleslaw, to boot.
Perch, however, is doing things a bit differently. “We don’t want to be cookie-cutter, right out of the box,” says executive chef James Balster. “You can get fried shrimp anywhere. You won’t find things like that on our menu.”
Located at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, Perch opened in 2018 with a menu of appetizers and small plates prepared with fresh, local ingredients and high-end techniques. They’ve since expanded to hosting banquets and wine dinners. The introduction of a Spanish la plancha grill emboldened Balster and executive sous chef Brad Gilstrap to develop a more complex menu of inventive, full-sized entrées. (One such specialty is a citrus-crusted tuna and toasted coconut rice with a mango butter sauce.) Paired with a full bar and signature cocktails imagined by restaurant manager Rocco
Romanelli, Perch offers something for anyone with a refined palate. Diners do not have to be hotel guests to visit the restaurant.
The atmosphere is as much of a draw as the upscale menu. Situated right on the shores of Gulf State Park, perhaps the most impressive feature of Perch is its exterior patio outfitted with cozy firepits and a breathtaking view of the beloved park. Inside, the intimate dining room and bar are bursting with natural light flooding in from a full wall of windows. Alabama-made artwork accents the interior’s crisp, clean design, and a sleek black acrylic mural, entitled “Alabama the Beautiful,” showcases beloved stopping points on a quintessential Alabama road trip.
Perch is one of five dining establishments associated with The Lodge at Gulf State Park, all of which feature Balster’s menus. However, Perch has a premium appeal that attracts diners for both special occasions and casual evenings out.
“It’s well-rounded,” says Kurt Fedders, marketing and public relations manager. “Great food, unbelievable outdoor seating, two firepits; you can’t ask for much more than that on the Gulf Coast.” MB
A lush wedge of gem lettuce, opposite, is dressed in an herbed blue cheese vinaigrette, and surrounded with ripened cherry tomatoes and pickled onions.
Crispy, fried portabella mushroom wedges stand at delicious attention alongside a rich, creamy garlic- and truffle-scented aioli.
Fresh, local Gulf fish rests atop butternut squash puree, paired with fingerling potatoes, mushrooms and marinated tomatoes.
The classic coastal combination of white rum, mint and lime gets a fresh upgrade with the addition of coconut and bright blue Curaçao.
The balmy days of July call us to the water's edge, gathering with family, friends and a dish to share. But the heat of summer also begs us to leave off the oven and serve cool salads made to be toted in the cooler, no fuss and no heat required. Make the most of the bountiful local produce at this time of year, add some herbs and bold flavors, pick up some fried chicken and call it a party.
text and recipes by MAGGIE LACEY • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU model WHITNEY GORDON • dress by SWAY FAIRHOPE
Don't feel like you have to make your own fried chicken; MB editors buy ours at Greer's on both sides of the Bay for the easiest entertaining! Serve piping hot, at room temp or even chilled from the cooler.
Shepherd mix Ruby loves chasing seagulls and spending lazy days on the wharf in Point Clear with her two dog sisters.
This versatile salad makes the most of summer produce fresh from the farm stand. It travels well and is delicious at any temperature!
SERVES 6
4 ears Silver King corn
2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 medium-sized zucchini
1/2 red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 ounces feta cheese crumbles kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1. Preheat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan until very hot. Husk the corn and brush with oil. Add corn to the pan and allow it to cook until darkened with char marks, turning occasionally until all sides are cooked.
2. While the corn is cooking, slice zucchini in half lengthwise, and cut the red onion into thick rings. Brush all sides of both with oil. Remove corn and set aside, adding zucchini and onions to pan. Cook until softened and charred.
3. Hold an ear of corn standing up in a large bowl and run a knife down the sides of the ear to remove the kernels into the bowl. Repeat with each ear of corn. Slice zucchini into half-rounds about 1/4-inch thick. Chop onion into pieces. Add all vegetables to the bowl. Add basil and toss to combine. Stir in feta, salt and pepper to taste. Can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled.
Recipe adapted from Gimme Some Oven
This crunchy and refreshing salad is the perfect accompaniment to something heavy, like fried chicken. While the ingredients are all familiar to South Alabama residents, the flavor combination is punchy and exciting. Leftovers take on the flavor of pickles and can be enjoyed as condiments on grain bowls or tacos.
juice of 1 lime 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 small garlic clove 1 tablespoon honey red chili flakes to taste (optional) 2 - 3 large cucumbers 2 green onions, chopped 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup fresh cilantro 1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts
1. In a large bowl, whisk together first 7 ingredients. Set aside.
2. If cucumbers have a very thick peel, either fully or partially remove peel with a vegetable peeler. Slice cucumbers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Slice into half-round pieces and add to the bowl of dressing.
3. Add onions and cilantro and toss to combine. Refrigerate until serving, adding peanuts right before serving.
A store-bought main dish keeps entertaining simple. Just serve a few fresh sides and herbs alongside. Corn, zucchini, cucumbers and watermelon from roadside stands are bursting with flavor this time of year.
Crab dishes are a mainstay around these waters — think West Indies salad, Crabmeat Maison or fried claws! But this curry and mint version served over sweet watermelon feels fresh and new.
This beautiful salad is served plated, and the flavors are bold and exciting. If your gathering is a little more casual, the curried crab makes an excellent dip with blue corn tortilla chips.
SERVES 4
1/3 cup mayonnaise juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly cracked pepper, to taste
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
8 watermelon triangles, 1/2-inch thick
1 cup baby arugula
1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lime juice and curry powder. Fold in onions and mint. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Pick through crabmeat for shells and then add to mayonnaise mixture. Gently fold to combine and place on ice until ready to serve.
3. Arrange 2 watermelon triangles on each of the 4 plates. Top with crabmeat mixture and sprinkle with arugula leaves. Crack a little more pepper over the top of the watermelon and add a pinch of salt. Serve immediately.
Whether on a wharf, at the park or in someone's backyard, a potluck screams good old-fashioned summertime.
Balancing surf and sand is a continuous, but worthy, quest when done correctly and naturally. Let bulkheads be bygone. Today’s shoreline reclamations utilize a more natural approach, and this month,
MB turns its focus on two such e orts. One is a city-wide project, the other caters to residential and small business properties. Both work with nature instead of against it.
Lightning
City Asset Bayou La Batre’s Lightning Point is hard to believe. Not the grassy marshlands, winding creeks and wildlife-friendly habitats. No, that part is delightfully real. What is difficult to grasp is that four years ago, the aforementioned natural splendors were not even there.
But the need for it was glaringly obvious. The shores of Mobile County’s seafood city were at risk of disappearing. “Actually, it was on the brink,” recalls Andrew Blejwas, associate director of marketing for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Alabama. “Four years ago, the shoreline was right where we are sitting,” he says from a picnic table at Lightning Point’s new pavilion, overlooking its new shore. “At this spot, we would have been in water.” The good news is, we are not.
Today a large marsh, teeming with wildlife, separates and buffers the Gulf of Mexico from terra firma.
Working with the City of Bayou La Batre, the Alabama Department of Conservation and National Resources, Mobile County, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, TNC set out to protect and preserve Alabama’s iconic coastal town.
New tools and philosophies were emphasized; natural and native materials were implemented rather than relying heavily on manufactured barricades. The result was Lightning Point, the restoration project that doesn’t look like one.
Over 240,000 cubic yards of sediment was used to build 40 acres of coastal habitats, and approximately 2.5 miles of new tidal creeks were created. Jetties, about 700-feet long, were built at the mouth of the channel.
“The channel had to be dredged about every two years,” says TNC’s coastal projects manager Mary Kate Brown. “The new jetties should slow down sedimentation issues and all that digging. It’s vital that we protect the navigation channel.”
More than 90,000 native plants were added to new marsh beds. Today, 50-plus bird species have been observed roosting, feeding and nesting. “We also have river otters,” smiles Brown.
“These are the habitats that make the babies possible. Our little crabs, shrimp and fish come from it,” adds Judy Haner, TNC’s director of Alabama marine programs. She and Brown approached the city council with a proposal: Build Lightning Point — named for the high number of lightning strikes that hit Bayou La Batre — at no cost to the city.
“If we can make a habitat that supports livelihoods and at the same time protects the shore, isn’t that a win-win?” Haner asked. Bayou La Batre agreed.
“Within a year into construction [in 2019], oysters were growing on rocks,” recalls Bayou La Batre’s Mayor, Henry Barnes Sr. “This will not only help our seafood industry, but it adds beauty to our area.”
Lightning Point is only 80 percent complete. Area residents and visitors already enjoy hiking, exploring, boating and gathering together. Many are unaware of the erosion control measures designed in each marsh, the jetties, one mile breakwater and the shoreline’s 600-foot expansion. Walking paths, a handicap-acces-
sible fishing area, picnic areas, kayak and boat access and other amenities are either currently available or will be soon.
Haner’s group asked local folk for their wish lists for Lightning Point. “They wanted a spot for family reunions, small festivals and recreational activities,” Haner says, “but they also needed a stable, steady access to the channel for their livelihoods, which revolve around the seafood industry.”
The project addresses both and has been weather tested; it has already survived five hurricanes or named storms.
Home is Where the Beach Is Though a joy to call home, residential beachside properties are not exempt from troubled waters. “Lots of large shoreline restoration projects are being done with grant money, which is great,” says Lee Yokel, senior scientist of EcoSolutions, Inc. “But private waterfront property owners are making shoreline protection decisions every day. Usually, public funds are not available to them. We try to reach those people to let them know they may have preservation options besides a vertical bulkhead or lining their shore with rock.”
- Judy Haner, Director of Alabama Marine Programs, The Nature Conservancy
“A living shoreline mimics a naturally occurring shoreline,” says Tom Hutchings, owner and founder of Baldwin Countybased EcoSolutions. “Our first step is to learn about the history of the property and what is currently going on. Why is it eroding? Then we try to design a project that addresses the client’s needs with minimal impact on the natural environment. We encourage clients to reestablish conditions that were there historically. That could, for example, be a marsh or sandy beach.”
Kim Barnett was a property owner who elected for a greener option. “I was having erosion issues caused by storms, boat traffic and a next-door bulkhead,” she says of her home in Josephine. “I wanted to be able to walk into the water and for it to be safe for my grandchildren to play. So I called EcoSolutions,” she adds.
“Rather than building a wooden wall or putting rocks across the entire beach area of Barnett’s property, EcoSolutions de-
“IF WE CAN MAKE A HABITAT THAT SUPPORTS LIVELIHOODS AND AT THE SAME TIME PROTECTS THE SHORE, ISN’T THAT A WIN-WIN?”Previous page A shrimp boat heads out of harbour near Bayou la Batre’s Lightening Point. Above Lightening Point at sunset. Right Kim Barnett’s grandchildren enjoy her restored shoreline. PHOTO BY BROOKE RUFF
signed a beach protected by headland breakwaters,” Hutchings says. “These structures are wood or rocks that extend from the shore into the water. They help alter the waves and water velocity, so beaches are more stable.”
“I chose rocks rather than wood because it is more natural,” Barnett notes. “It is a beautiful asset.” Shortly after completion, Hurricane Sally tested Barnett’s property upgrade on September 16, 2020. “After the storm, every wharf east of my property was gone,” she recalls. “My beach is still there, and my wharf is still standing. Tom and his team are amazing.”
Many beach homeowners request help permitting bulkheads for their properties. “We try to offer natural alternatives,” Hutchings says. “Usually, after we explain the human and environmental benefits, they are receptive.”
He adds that shoreline structures installed by man always have impact — somewhere. “We must ask ourselves, ‘What is the most ecologically sound alternative to protect property and have the least impact on my neighbors?’” Hutchings says.
“The environment never sleeps,” Yokel adds. “Conditions are constantly changing. Some change by nature; others are humaninduced. Soon, the Mobile Bay Ship Channel will be deeper, and larger ships will be coming into the Bay. Our growing coastal population means more recreational boat traffic. This will all have an impact on waterfront homeowners.”
As for Barnett, she has no regrets. “My beach restoration was the best investment I have made. It buffers waves and boat wakes and has held up beautifully. I played on the beach as a child with my grandparents at their home on Mobile Bay. It was important for me to protect my shoreline while also having a beach to share with my grandchildren.”
With natural restoration and preservation, Barnett’s grandchildren — and our own — may enjoy a legacy of Mobile and Baldwin shores, in harmony with nature and people. MB
A lifetime of fishing in waisthigh water has yielded plenty of specks for Buddy Russell — and two lifetimes’ worth of stories.
Buddy Russell is in his element, sitting on the wharf at his Point Clear home. Gazing upon Mobile Bay is a constant reminder of his 40 years in fishing. But to Buddy, the aquatic outdoors provides more than just a pretty view. It offers adventure.
He recalls tales of pursuing speckled trout in missions covering 100 miles, fishing by day and sleeping on boats or in tents by night. Buddy fished with friends, often traveling in two or more vessels during a three-day journey at sea. Occasionally, as they commandeered open waters, friendly fire between boats erupted; manning cannons with ill intent, the crews launched barrages of water balloons at one another.
There was also the time the Eastern Shore angler chartered a boat whose captain, Buddy suspects to this day, was a pirate — at least by demeanor. Buddy also learned speckled trout devotees were not always human, and he has the shark tales to prove it.
But wow, what a ride. “It was so much fun,” Buddy, now 77, says, recounting days when schools of specks were measured in square miles. “Let me tell you about it,” he adds, as we sit on his wharf unfolding a nautical map and popping tops from two Coronas.
And just like that, the fisherman sets his hook, reliving adventures spanning almost a half century. You may fish for specks. You may travel by boat. And you may be cool. But you are not Buddy Russell cool.
text by EMMETT BURNETT portraits by CHAD RILEY“Now, I am no expert,” he says. “I started speck fishing in the 1960s and fell in love with wade fishing.”
He adamantly states that wade fishing is not surf fishing. Surf fishers are usually onshore, often within sight of their hotel rooms. Wade fishers often travel by boat for miles, as Buddy and company did. Once a good spot is secured, they go overboard and slowly walk through knee-deep-or-higher saltwater, casting lines and reeling in specks.
Wade fishers are limited only by water depth. One might stay near the vessel or far away from it. “There are guys better than me at wade fishing, but nobody loves it more than I do,” Buddy smiles.
“The best speck fishing back in the 1960s through the ’80s was around the Chandeleur Islands,” he recalls. The uninhabited 50 miles of small islands in the Gulf of Mexico start at coastal Mississippi and stretch almost to the mouth of the Mississippi River. Getting there, Buddy remembers, was half the fun. In the early days, Buddy and friends chartered “head” boats. “If you remember the old Humphrey Bogart movie, The African Queen , our charter resembled that boat. It reached top speeds of about 8 miles per hour.”
The fishermen would cast off from Bayou La Batre in the afternoon and sleep all night on board as the vessel set a course for coastal Mississippi or Louisiana. They’d awakened the next morning in the Chandeleur Islands. “The boat had the converted hull of a shrimp boat with no air conditioning, but it was comfortable and worth it,” Buddy adds.
The crew disembarked their African Queen on small skiffs and ventured into shallow water. From skiffs, they jumped out, wading, casting and reeling in fish for two and a half days. “I think my record speck trout haul is about 40 in one trip,” Buddy says.
The Chandeleur Islands offer much diversity. The Gulf side provides typical wade fishing. The inland side has grassy beds, attracting bait fish which draw specks. But that’s not all.
“The key to speck fishing is to go where the mullet are,” Buddy says. “The two feed together. Mullet schools often mean speckled trout schools.”
On one trip, fishing companion Greg Leatherbury shouted, “Y’all need to come over here!” Greg was in a school of mullet that covered acres. “Suddenly, the water literally exploded,” Buddy recounts. Mullet leapt from the waves like Polaris missiles.
It was then that large fins breached the water’s surface. Greg was being corralled by sharks. Much like the leaping mullet, the fishermen ran to their boats as fast as wading boots allowed. Fortunately, the sharks were more interested in eating mullet than people.
“It was scary,” Buddy recalls of the Jaws encounter. “Greg had transformed from the hunter to the hunted.”
To pass the hours of boat travel, Buddy and friends in another seacraft often waged war against one another with water balloon battles. They (the other side) had a huge launcher, comparable to military grade, only for water balloons. It was a two-man operation. One guy loaded the launcher. The other guy pulled back the sling and let it go.
At first it was amusing, as they were not very good at it. But then, with practice, their aim became more precise and the opposing boatmen ducked for cover.
They eventually stopped maritime ballooning when, one morning, a surprise at-
tack almost took Buddy’s eyeglasses off.
There was also the time “Captain Bligh” was hired as charter boat captain. “I can’t remember his real name,” Buddy says, “but Captain Bligh (the tyrannical chief officer from the movie, Mutiny on the Bounty ) fits. He let you know who was boss.”
Bligh insisted his two-man crews return to the boat at sunset. Now, Buddy and friend defined sunset as the astronomical phenomenon of earth’s orange star visibly setting in the horizon. Wrong.
The captain meant the official world time clock for the sun setting on that specific day. At that point in time, Bligh hoisted anchor and left.
“We saw him leaving and jumped in our skiff, finally catching up to him and boarding the vessel,” the forlorn fisherman adds. The trip home was somewhat awkward as Mutiny on the Bounty Part Two was contemplated.
But overall, life was good at the Chandeleur Islands. The water was crystal clear, and the fishing was great. After about a half-century chasing speckled trout, Buddy could write a book about lessons learned.
His first rule for those wanting to jump over the side of the boat and wade fish: “Always ensure your boat is well anchored and secure. Fishermen have drowned while
attempting to swim out to their unmoored vessel drifting away.”
He adds, “You never want to see a porpoise. Speckled trout are a delicacy for porpoises and speckled trout know it. At the first sight of a porpoise, specks take off — gone in a flash. You might as well leave, too.”
As for gear: “Some speck fishermen look like they stepped out of an Orvis catalog. They are dressed to the hilt. Others go fishing with the bare minimum, and that would be me,” Buddy says. “Less is best.”
Another gear tip: Never use wire stringer cable which fish cannot bite through. “I was fishing when a shark started eating the fish on my stringer,” the angler recalls. “I beat the shark’s head with my fishing rod, and it swam away, or so I thought.”
Moments later, Buddy was almost jerked into the water as the shark returned, grabbed the line connected to the fisherman’s belt and swam away with the entire stringer of fish.
When asked if he knew what type of shark it was, Buddy laughs. “Eh, no. I didn’t stick around long enough to find out.” The moral of the story is: Do not use wire stringer. A shark cannot bite through it either, which means it could lead you like a kite on a string.
As for stingrays: “I’ve seen them 4 feet
long,” the saltwater wader says. “Always shuffle your feet when wading so you don’t step on a ray. I also wear lightweight wading boots that I can get out of easily if necessary.”
The 1970s and ’80s brought changes to speckled trout fishing and the Chandeleur Islands. Not all was for the better. Boats became bigger, faster and more luxurious. Fifteen-hour trips to a good fishing spot at Breton Island (a Chandeleur Island chain favorite) could now be accomplished in 4 to 6 hours, depending on the destination. Also, more people were fishing. It became crowded.
Local casinos established offshore opulent houseboats, literally hotels at sea, complete with cooks, nice beds, air-conditioning and other amenities. “They were floating Taj Mahals,” Buddy says. “The staff ran anglers to the good spots and, after a day of fishing, brought them back to the luxurious houseboats or casinos.”
He refers to the fishers’ population explosion as one of the three-way punches that would be the Chandeleur Island’s demise. The second punch was Hurricane Katrina. “That storm just clobbered the islands,” Buddy says. The third factor was the BP oil spill. “It killed the grass beds, which destroyed bait fish habitats. Speckled trout need to feed on those bait fish.”
Years have passed since Buddy last made
the 50-to-70-mile-by-sea venture to the Chandeleur Islands. “There is not as much fishing there now,” he laments. “But I’ve heard it’s making a comeback. The grass beds are growing again, but the islands are not like they were.”
He looks back with nostalgia at the times he and great friends shared — such as when one of their eight cars towing eight boats in a caravan broke down on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge. Of course, the other seven vehicles and watercraft pulled over to help their friend in need, making Team Buddy about as popular in New Orleans as canceling Mardi Gras.
Today, he continues his quest for speckled trout, but, this time, closer to home. “Specks are a great fighting fish and good eating,” Buddy says. Typical fishing spots include Dauphin Island, Sand Island and the Fort Morgan area.
“In my early days, it was all about catching fish,” he reflects. “I still love fishing, but now I appreciate the tranquility of nature, the beauty of birds and just listening to the surf.”
All of these conditions are in place today as he gazes upon Mobile Bay’s vista on the Eastern Shore. We watch a relaxing sunset from the wharf, sipping our Coronas. And there’s not a single worry of having to catch up with Captain Bligh. MB
Clockwise from top left Another year, another thrilling outing for Buddy and company in 1991. Left to right: Buddy Russell, Roy Benton and Ray Herndon. A postcard from 1966 advertises the Honeymoon out of Bayou la Batre under Captain Dayton Graham. Buddy Russell still fishes, but he admits the activity now brings a different type of joy: “Now I appreciate the tranquility of nature, the beauty of birds and just listening to the surf.”
THAT LINE PERDIDO BEACH BOULEVARD, IN A BLINK-AND-YOU’LL-MISS-IT NEIGHBORHOOD ALONG COTTON BAYOU, A HOUSE SPRINGS UP LIKE A DANDELION FROM A SMALL GROVE OF SPINDLY LIVE OAKS. LIKE ALL THE HOUSES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, IT SITS ON A LOT THAT WAS CAREFULLY DRAWN SO AS NOT TO DISTURB THE TREES. ALTHOUGH THE HOUSE WAS FINISHED IN 2017, IT’S SUCH A NATURAL PART OF THE LANDSCAPE, IT SEEMS LIKE IT COULD HAVE BEEN HERE MUCH LONGER.
This is the weekend home of architect Pete J. Vallas and his husband, artist and art teacher Mark Davis. Designed by Vallas and built by friend and contractor Mark Colglazier, of Colglazier Builders, it’s a welcoming getaway made for entertaining friends and family.
“Architect designs home” is not a particularly unique story, except that Vallas, in all his years of designing homes for other people, had never built one for himself.
That’s especially surprising given that he seems to have been born an architect. Even as a child, he would naturally notice the little details and flaws of the homes he saw around him. Why, for example, did one of the houses in his neighborhood have a kitchen window opening into a carport? That made no sense to him then, and it still seems to rankle him today.
Whenever he pointed these things out, his dad would encourage him by asking, “Why don’t you show me how you would fix it?” And so he would, redrawing the home the way it should have been designed in the first place.
His interests steered steadfastly toward residential design — even though commercial projects would have been more lucrative and residential work wasn’t considered serious when he graduated from architecture school.
“And he was serious about it,” Davis notes.
“Now houses have gotten to be very serious,” Vallas adds.
Vallas and Davis’ beach home sits in a sweet spot: It’s located at the highest point in Orange Beach, with the ground 15 feet above sea level and the house itself 2 1/2 feet higher still, a major asset during hurricane season.
Although condo towers have swallowed up the beachfront on the other side of the road, the neighborhood has retained its own beach access. Dodging the cars that roar along the boulevard can be harrowing, but traffic notwithstanding, it’s a theoretically easy walk to the water.
On the bayou side, each home in the neighborhood has its own boatslip. The couple keep their boat nearby at Zeke’s Marina during the week, then bring it over to the house for the weekend.
The home itself is a study in intentional simplicity. “Even when I’m designing for clients at the beach with larger lots and budgets, I try to simplify things,” Vallas says. “There is something about not necessarily roughing it, but living simpler at the beach, that reminds me of my childhood summers at Dauphin Island.”
In keeping with that spirit, he played with several historical references as he designed the home’s exterior, left. Among them: Southern cracker architecture, the simple Alabama Greek Revival homes common in the Black Belt and even the Charleston side house.
“As much as I love mid-century architecture and design, our neighborhood at the beach has architectural guidelines
requiring lap siding, a galvalume metal roof with a required minimum slope, and other restrictions that steered me to play with more traditional motifs,” he says.
Structural two-story exterior columns punctuate the porch side of the home, playing into the Greek Revival reference. The square pressure-treated pine columns were intentionally left raw, amplifying the naturalism of the facade.
The home is bordered in a meadowy landscape of saw palmetto, lomandra grass, Texas sage, beach sunflower and African irises planted by the couple’s friend, landscape architect Paul Fontenot of Garden Design Solutions Inc. (GDSI).
“That was another reason we liked this spot, because we are into trees and vegetation,” Vallas says. “A lot of places at the beach are just sand. At Dauphin Island, you could never plant anything. It would just get flooded every couple of years.”
Davis points to a trio of smaller trees set among the flowers and grasses. “These are olives. And I have harvested and cured them, and they are delicious.”
Inside, the main living space is located on the second floor, bracketed above and below by a third-floor master suite and ground-floor bedrooms. White labs Pearl and Beau greet visitors at the door with tail wags, ready to escort their guests upstairs.
The lot’s footprint is a petite 30 feet by 38 feet, with an added restriction on the maximum height of the roof peak established by the neighborhood. Instead of balking at these limitations, Vallas leaned into them, working them into the theme of the house.
“I wanted to replicate those tight simple spaces from the past when all you needed was protection from the elements,” he says, adding that the ground floor captures that best. With a low 7-foot-5-inch ceiling height and 24-inch-wide doors, the bedrooms here most closely resemble ship cabins. To make up for what might seem cramped quarters, Vallas included floor-to-ceiling double-hung windows on almost every wall.
The low ceilings on the ground floor allowed Vallas to incorporate a lofty 11-foot ceiling into the second floor living area without overstepping the neighborhood’s height restriction. This floor is a single, airy open space, with a minimalist contemporary kitchen that opens into the living room.
If the rooms below are the ship cabins, this is the upper deck: a sunlit space with windows on all four walls and a generously proportioned porch.
“We’re big porch people,” Vallas says. “We gave up a third of our footprint for this porch ... We have a 12-foot porch and an 18-foot living room. But that was important to us.”
“This is where we live,” Davis adds.
Here, the wood floors are painted a neutral gray. “In a house this small, we knew we were going to have a painted porch outside, so we did the same thing inside just to kind of blur that line between the two,” Vallas says. “Everyone said, ‘Why did you paint your floor and not have a pretty wood floor?’”
“Because it’s the beach house,” Davis interjects. “You know, I’m glad that it’s nice, but it’s the beach house. It’s the casual house to relax. It’s not supposed to be fussy.”
The porch also comes in handy when the narrow quarters below decks cause spatial challenges. “When we ordered our sofas, we
Opposite Although the small Sherrill’s Landing community is flanked by two other neighborhoods, the property’s trees and landscaping add an element of privacy.
Top The sleek, streamlined fireplace in the living room makes the beach house a comfortable retreat in the winter.
Left In the downstairs entryway, Vallas has hung a collection of found vintage photographs of men at the beach. Vallas collected the frames separately and experimented with different pairings of frames and images.
Above Although Vallas incorporated historic and traditional motifs into the architecture of the home, he mixed in contemporary elements such as minimalist floor-to-ceiling kitchen cabinets.
couldn’t get them up the stairs. They had to go through the screen porch,” Vallas says. Now, Davis adds, the porch features a piece they can easily pop out should they ever need to move oversized furniture again.
When they moved in, the only items they had to buy were the sofas and a pair of Le Corbusier chairs. “We don’t decorate. We just like to collect some of our favorite things,” Vallas says.
Opposite the porch, a long gallery wall showcases an art collection, opposite, acquired over the course of the couple’s 25year relationship. The wall is anchored by an abstract centerpiece that Davis painted there in place.
Peeking out from behind the painting’s foreground are the vestiges of an underpainting that houseguests contributed to. “It was kind of like a guest book,” Davis says. “Some would write words. Some would do pictures; some would just scribble.” As they painted, he snapped photos and videos to document their progress. Once the underpainting was complete, he painted over it in a striped brickwork pattern of serene blues.
Mementos and artifacts take pride of place not just on the gallery wall, but throughout the home. Perhaps the most intriguing items here are a matching pair of bombs, right, found on the home site during construction. Although they are small and their exteriors have become somewhat misshapen and coarse with age, they are still very clearly bomb-shaped.
Davis, who grew up spending the summers with family in Orange Beach, says his mother remembers when bombs were dropped by Pensacola Naval Air Station pilots for target practice back in the days when this stretch of the coast was vacant land. So the story goes, the bombs would send up smoke when they hit the ground, giving the bombers a frame of reference to work on their aim.
“We found one while we were building the house,” Vallas says. “Then, a year later, the landscaper was here. He said, ‘Pete, let me show you what I found in your yard.’ He had it in his truck … He said, ‘I took it home and my wife wouldn’t let me bring it in the house. So, if you want it, you can have it.’ So now I have a pair.”
“They look like some kind of modern Damien Hirst sculpture,” Davis muses.
Like the living area, the top floor is light and airy. Vallas points out an upper window and dryly remarks: “We have a Gulf view,” with a laugh. Indeed, a scrap of Gulf blue sparkles between the two condo towers that stand across the boulevard.
The master suite is still a work in progress, with sheetrock on the walls but finishes still to come. “We weren’t in a hurry, because I like to look forward to things,” Vallas says. “There was no sense to finishing this first thing.”
This upper-story perch offers a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding landscape through windows set lower than normal to avoid offering a view of the underside of the roofline — a concession to the home’s height limit.
Along the stairway leading down to the ground floor, Vallas and Davis hung framed pages from real estate brochures, found at an old family beach house. “They were just all in an envelope,” Vallas says. “They were a mess — all folded and tattered. You could see the holes.”
The downstairs walls and ceiling are clad in beadboard painted entirely in Farrow & Ball’s Parma Gray, a calming bluish hue that evokes a summer storm over the water. Durable encaustic tiles in the entryway add a splash of pattern and color.
“We splurged on the beaded board, because we knew we were going to be close to everything, so we wanted it to be a little bit nicer than sheetrock,” Vallas says. Along what looks like an uninterrupted expanse of wall, the architect has added secret doors, behind which are hidden utilitarian necessities such as the laundry room and a powder room.
Even though the ground floor berths were designed to be compact spaces for weekend getaways, small details elevate the rooms. In the bedrooms, built-in side tables float off the floor, taking up a minimal footprint. The bathrooms feature wood vanity countertops, crafted by a friend, in variegated colors that resemble boat decking. These are paired with brass fixtures and one final surprise element; instead of traditional knobs or handles, they installed boat cleats on the cabinet fronts.
“Anything to not be ordinary,” Vallas says.
Although the process of designing this home presented its challenges, Vallas brushes them off. “They’re always fun challenges.” He reflects that it’s an “incredible feeling” to now have a home he designed himself.
“Even though this is so small, I’ll bring my clients here,” he says. “All this translates to a bigger house. The same ideas — they are so excited to see this because it shows some seriousness. There’s a big difference, to me, between architecture and just houses. This is architecture.” MB
Top Vallas’ dad opened Johnny’s, the first drive-in restaurant in Mobile, in 1954.
Vallas, left, and Davis, right, hung a vintage sign from the landmark on the secondfloor gallery wall.
Left The downstairs bathrooms play up the home’s nautical theme with brass fixtures and beaded walls and ceilings, as well as boat cleats for drawer handles.
Above “To make up for what might seem like cramped quarters,” Vallas says. “I included floor-to-ceiling double-hung windows on almost every wall.”
As the sun fades into the distant horizon and the salty waves crash onto the white sand nearby, the Lodge at Gulf State Park is awash with foodies. Chef Pete Blohme’s energized voice booms over a loudspeaker. Four acclaimed chefs and their sous chef counterparts from across the state are positioned at fully equipped cooking stations on the terrace, while enthusiastic onlookers gather in the adjacent ballroom to observe the action. The superstar of the main event? Premium, local Alabama seafood.
The Alabama Seafood Cook-Off celebrates the bounty of the Gulf, promoting the mission of the Alabama Gulf Seafood brand presented by the Alabama Seafood Marketing Commission. For the seventh year, this competition attracted chefs from around the state to pay homage to one of the most prized and indigenous specialties on the Coast.
“I have always preferred fresh seafood as my inspiration over other proteins,” says chef Scott Simpson, executive chef of The Depot in Auburn and winner of the 2021 cook-off. “Wellprepared, ultra-fresh seafood is a delicious treat and it is so beneficially healthy.”
Flavor, technique, creativity and thoughtful composition are the criteria that determine the winner of the cook-off. The top
chefs advance to the Great American Seafood Cook-Off, a national competition with representatives from all 50 states.
Additionally, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Alabama Gulf Seafood brand, a $2,500 cash prize was awarded to first-place winner Jeffrey Compton.
“I have a very modest and elegant approach to seafood recipes,” says the cooking champ. “Fresh fish and fresh produce are what’s on the menu.”
Jim Smith, another state legend, executive chef of The Hummingbird Way and 2011 winner of both the Alabama Seafood Cook-Off and the nationwide Great American Seafood Cook-Off, adds that the competition, though keen, takes second stage to “the collaborative experience and the goal of success in the seafood and restaurant industries.”
Each Alabama restaurant chef brings professional-quality recipes to the competitive stage, but the beauty of Gulf seafood is that it shines just as impressively with at-home preparations that highlight natural flavor, transforming fish or shellfish into the best version of itself. Prepare these competition-worthy dishes in your own kitchen to discover that cooking Alabama seafood is approachable for cooks of all calibers.
Four chefs bring the heat to Gulf Shores to compete for a spot as state seafood representative— and bring their prized recipes right to your kitchen.
e utve Chef, he a ery, irmingham
irst pla e winning hef e rey Compton is ommi ed to develop ing dishes featuring lo al produ e sour ed dire tly from farmers near his omewood based restaurant. he freshest sele ton of seasonal ingredients is ust as important to him as the origin story behind ea h one, whi h dire tly translates to the ulf seafood that he grew up at h ing and eatng. edfsh, the primary ingredient for his pri ed re ipe, is a at h that was near to his heart from a young age growing up on the lorida oast and remains a favorite to this day. is herished onne ton yields a dish burstng with avor and passion, using simple te hniques.
SERVES 4 - 6
Adapted from chef Jeffrey Compton
4 - 6 (6-ounce) redfi sh fi llets salt, to taste neutral oil for searing 12 ounces butter
2 tablespoons roasted garlic
2 lemons, zested and juiced
2 pinches red chili fl akes
3 fresh bay leaves fresh mint, to taste fresh dill, to taste fresh parsley, to taste fresh basil, to taste olive oil
New Potato and Blue Crab Salad (recipe follows)
Lemon Bay Aioli (recipe follows)
1. Season both sides of fish fi llets with salt.
2. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat until shimmering.
3. Sear fish fi llets until golden brown on both sides.
4. Add butter, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, chili flakes and bay leaves to pan. Allow butter to melt and poach the fish until cooked, about 10 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.
5. Garnish with chopped mint, dill, parsley and basil. Drizzle with olive oil.
6. To serve, place a bed of New Potato and Blue Crab Salad on a serving dish. Top with a poached redfish fi llet and drizzle with Lemon Bay Aioli. Serve warm.
2 pounds baby red potatoes, blanched 1/2 pound jumbo lump blue crab
1 cup French-style green beans, blanched and thinly sliced
5 radishes, thinly sliced
5 asparagus stalks, thinly sliced 1/4 cup spring peas
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
2 tablespoons capers
freshly chopped parsley, to taste freshly chopped mint, to taste freshly chopped dill, to taste freshly chopped cilantro, to taste 1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sherry vinegar salt and pepper, to taste
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, crab, green beans, radishes, asparagus, peas, green onion, capers and chopped herbs.
2. Fold in olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss everything to combine.
3 lemons, zested and juiced
2 fresh bay leaves
2 tablespoons roasted garlic
2 cups Duke’s mayonnaise salt and white pepper, to taste
1. In a blender jar, combine lemon zest, lemon juice, bay leaves and roasted garlic. Puree until smooth.
2. Place mayonnaise in a separate bowl. Whisk in lemon mixture and season with salt and white pepper to taste.
RUNNER-UP Morgan McWaters Chef de arte, he epot, Auburn
No stranger to the ontest, aters also ompeted last year and was on the frst pla e team for the 6th Annual Alabama eafood Cook O alongside Chef o impson. A heni City, Alabama natve, aters has been ooking sin e she was years old. hatever kit hen she fnds herself in, she always applies her interest in learning about new ultures and world uisines while fo using on regional foodways. he o ially ted on her hef s apron and started her ulinary areer at a lo al outhern fried omfort food restaurant in Auburn alled the a son ar it hen. inding her passion, aters oined the histori epot restaurant to sharpen her skills and work with sustainable seafood. he has also whipped up her mouthwa tering dishes at famous ultural and ulinary festvals, in luding ather ound in Atlanta a outhern ood Arts Celebraton and the Charles ton ine ood estval.
Adapted from chef Morgan McWaters
4 (6-ounce) Gulf red snapper fillets salt and pepper, to taste neutral oil for searing 8 large green tomatoes
2 cups self-rising flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste 1 cup buttermilk
Spicy Creamed Corn (recipe right)
Granny Smith Apple and Gulf Crab Slaw (recipe right)
4 - 6
6 large ears of corn
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup cream cheese
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper salt and pepper, to taste
1. Shave the corn kernels off the cobs and set aside.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the corn and stir to coat with butter. Stir in the cream and reduce until slightly thickened.
4. Transfer half of the corn to the jar of a blender and blend until creamy. Return to saucepan with whole corn kernels.
5. Add cream cheese and heat until melted and fully incorporated.
6. Season with cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste.
2 honeycrisp apples, julienned 1/2 head red cabbage, shaved 1/2 pound jumbo lump Gulf crab 1/2 cup Alabama White Sauce (recipe follows) salt, to taste
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine apples and shaved red cabbage.
2. Add crab and toss gently, taking care not to break down crab.
3. Fold Alabama White Sauce into the slaw, then season with salt to taste.
2 cups mayonnaise
1. Cut snapper fillets evenly in half. Season each side with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Heat oil in a hot skillet until shimmering. Sear snapper until golden brown on each side.
3. Using a mandolin, cut green tomatoes into 1/8-inch slices.
4. Carefully wrap tomato slices around each piece of seared snapper. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, combine flour and cornmeal with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour buttermilk into a separate dish. Dip each tomatowrapped snapper fillet into buttermilk, then dredge in seasoned flour mixture.
6. Fry fish in a deep fryer for 3 - 4 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
7. To serve, place a heap of spicy creamed corn onto a serving dish. Top with a warm piece of fish, then finish with a pile of crunchy slaw.
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 dash Tabasco
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt salt and pepper, to taste
1. Add all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
2. Whisk ingredients together until smooth and creamy.
Following culinary school in Birmingham to study pastry arts, Sam Adams showed her chops in a few Kansas City kitchens before returning to her roots. In 2018, Sam moved back to the Iron City where she accepted a positon at ot ot ish Club and eventually migrated to ighlands ar rill. here she learned an abundance of technique. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Sam and her partner, Brian Dyer, were both furloughed. ith their free tme, the duo began a passion project, developing innovatve menus to ook for friends. hat evolved into small batch), a pop-up restaurant which features a di erent si ourse menu ea h month. he two have been wowing Birmingham locals ever since with their avorful reatons that spotlight fresh, local and seasonal ingredients.
Sam Adams
SERVES 4 - 6
Adapted from chef Sam Adams
2 tomatillos, chopped
1 jalapeño, diced
2 cups vinegar
1/2 pound jumbo lump crab
2 tablespoons black garlic
1 small onion, diced
3/4 cup Shrimp Stock (recipe right)
1 cup masa harina salt and pepper, to taste 4 - 6 corn husks, soaked
Fermented Corn Puree (recipe right)
Oyster Emulsion (recipe right)
Shrimp Pico de Gallo (recipe right)
Candied Habanero (recipe right)
2 radishes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1. In a large stock pot, simmer tomatillos, jalapeño and vinegar until the vegetables are softened and the vinegar has infused them with flavor. Allow to cool slightly.
2. Add crab to vinegar mixture. Toss to combine and set aside to marinate.
3. In a large skillet, saute black garlic and onion until tender and fragrant. Add shrimp stock, then blend with an immersion blender or in a standard blender until smooth.
4. Mix black garlic puree with masa harina to form a paste, adding more shrimp stock as necessary to achieve the desired texture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Spread masa onto each corn husk, then top with marinated crab. Fold to seal and place tamales in a steamer basket.
6. Steam until fully cooked and tender, approximately 30 - 40 minutes.
7. To serve, swipe Fermented Corn Puree and Oyster Emulsion onto the bottom of a serving dish. Open a steamed tamal and place it on top of the purees. Finish with Shrimp Pico de Gallo and garnish with Candied Habanero, radishes and parsley.
1 pound shrimp
1 1/2 cups water
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon chili powder
1. Peel shrimp. Set aside, reserving the meat.
2. Place shrimp shells in a large stockpot with water, onion, celery, garlic, cilantro, black pepper and chili powder.
3. Simmer until stock is fragrant.
3 cups fresh corn
1 tablespoon salt room temperature water
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter salt and pepper, to taste
1. To ferment the corn, place kernels in a sealable mason jar. Sprinkle with salt and lightly press with a wooden spoon to release juices. Pour in water to completely cover the corn. Seal lid and ferment at room temperature for 5 - 7 days until desired flavor is achieved.
2. In a large skillet, saute fermented corn, onion and garlic until translucent and tender.
3. Top with heavy cream and simmer until slightly thickened.
4. Using an immersion blender or standard blender, blend corn mixture with butter until smooth. Strain and season to taste.
1/2 pound fresh oysters
1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 cup neutral oil salt and pepper, to taste juice of 1/2 lemon
1. Blend fresh oysters with minced garlic until smooth.
2. Pour into a bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Be careful not to let the water touch the base of the bowl.
3. Using a whisk, slowly pour oil into the oysters, whisking constantly to emulsify into an aioli.
4. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
2 tablespoons neutral oil
reserved shrimp meat from Shrimp Stock, approximately 1 pound 4 tomatoes, diced 1 onion, diced 1 jalapeño, diced 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1 lime, zested and juiced
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 2 tablespoons chives, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper, to taste
1. Heat oil in a skillet until shimmering. Add shrimp and saute until curled and pink. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add tomato, onion, jalapeño and garlic, stirring to combine.
3. Toss in lime zest and juice, cilantro, chives and olive oil to coat.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided 2 habaneros, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon salt
1. Bring 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil to create a simple syrup.
2. Add habaneros to syrup and simmer until tender.
3. Mix 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon salt in a small mixing bowl.
4. Strain habaneros and toss in sugar / salt mixture.
5. Set habaneros aside to dry.
Natonally re ogni ed in and around the outheast for his distn tve approa h to outhern style uisine, Chef Ni olaisen began his ulinary ourney during his hildhood, work ing on his family s farm ust outside of Asheboro, North Carolina. Chas ing his passions, he a ended the highly a laimed ohnson and ales niversity in Charleston, outh Carolina, graduatng with honors. In 0 , Chef Ni olaisen relo ated to Auburn, and in 0 , he a epted an opportunity to lead ulinary operatons at he ound. erving as the e e utve hef of the famous and lo ally loved restaurant and bourbon bar, the hef fo uses on high quality outhern produ ts though ully sour ed from lo al or regional grow ers. e re ently laun hed his own new pop up on ept, he Chubby elly Noodle hop.
SERVES 4 - 6
Adapted from chef Robbie Nicolaisen
4 cobia fillets, 6 ounces each salt and pepper, to taste Chubby Belly XO Glaze (recipe right) Crab Fat Rice Middlins (recipe right) Collard Green Furikake (recipe right)
1. Fire up the charcoal grill.
2. Season both sides of cobia fillets with salt and pepper.
3. Place cobia on grill and cook for 6 - 7 minutes on each side until fully cooked. Brush with Chubby Belly XO glaze.
4. To serve, place a scoop of Crab Fat Rice Middlins on serving dish. Top with cobia and finish with Collard Green Furikake.
5 1/2 ounces dried shrimp
5 1/2 ounces dried scallops
1/4 cup Shaoxing (Chinese) wine or sherry wine, divided 3 1/2 ounces country ham (like Benton’s)
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 1/2 cups vegetable oil
5 Thai bird chilis, seeded and finely diced
7 large shallots, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce 2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/4 cup red pepper flakes
1. Divide dried shrimp and dried scallops into separate bowls. Add 1/2 tablespoon wine to each bowl, then enough boiling water to each to submerge proteins.
2. Soak shrimp for 1 hour to rehydrate, and scallops for between 2 and 6 hours.
3. Strain proteins and place into heatproof bowls. Place in steamer and steam over high heat for 15 minutes, reserving any liquid. Remove from steamer and set aside to cool.
4. Shred scallops with your fingers, then place in food processor. Working in batches, pulse scallops 6 - 7 times to yield short, fine threads.
5. Repeat with shrimp, pulsing 7 - 8 times until they resemble coarse crumbs.
6. Mince ham by hand until fine.
7. In a large mixing bowl, combine reserved steaming liquid with chicken stock and brown sugar. Set aside.
8. In a large wok, heat oil to 225 degrees. Add scallops and fry for 5 minutes. Then, add shrimp and fry proteins together for 15 additional minutes. Add ham and cook 3 minutes. Add chilis and cook 3 more minutes.
9. Drain seafood in a strainer and transfer to another large wok. Set aside.
10. Heat oil back to 225 degrees. Add shallots and fry for 10 minutes until golden but not crispy. Add garlic and cook 10 more minutes until golden and slightly crisp.
11. Reheat seafood over medium-high heat. Add remaining wine, soy sauce and reserved chicken stock mixture. Stir and simmer until fully reduced.
12. Once liquid has cooked off and garlic is golden, carefully pour seafood mixture back into oil. Lower heat to medium. Stir to combine. Add fish sauce and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Remove from heat. Let cool.
2 tablespoons crab fat* or butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup white onion, chopped
1 cup rice grits, cooked
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon shiro miso butter (butter mixed with shiro in 2 to 1 ratio)
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 scallion, sliced
1 teaspoon crunchy garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
1. In a large skillet, heat the crab fat until shimmering. Add garlic and onion and saute until tender.
2. Add cooked rice grits, sesame oil, fish sauce, shiro miso butter, soy sauce and cilantro. Toss and fry until fragrant.
3. Remove from heat and top with scallions, crunchy garlic and chili powder.
8 collard green leaves, stems removed and leaves cut into 1-inch squares
1 1/2 teaspoons light sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup avocado oil
1 large shallot, finely diced
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/2 cup benne seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper or cooking spray and set aside.
2. Rinse collard greens until clean and dry. In a large mixing bowl, toss greens with sesame oil and salt. Arrange in a single layer on the sheet pan and bake for 15 - 18 minutes until crisp and lightly golden. Cool completely.
3. In a small skillet, heat avocado oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add shallot and ginger and cook for 3 - 5 minutes, until tender and beginning to brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
4. Add benne seeds to a dry skillet and toast over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Remove from heat and cool completely.
5. Combine toasted benne seeds, red pepper flakes, fried shallots and fried ginger in a mixing bowl. Gently add crispy collard greens and toss to combine.
*Crab roe blended with schmaltz, bacon fat or butter
Peri and Brad Summersell undertake a renovaton combining modern taste and traditonal style atop the Fairhope bluf.
text by CHRISTY REID • photos by JUSTIN CORDOVA
Clean lines and natural textures and colors unify the Summersells’ bayside home. The original kitchen was expanded and opened up so that Bay views could be enjoyed from the cooking oasis. Bianco Rhino marble waterfall countertops are a showstopper paired with custom white oak millwork cabinets, SubZero Wolf appliances and brass Visual Comfort lighting fixtures.
past the raised garden beds and reinvented carriage house, sits Peri and Brad Summersells’ home atop the bluff. After searching all over Fairhope for a property to renovate as empty nesters, they finally arrived at the abode that would be theirs.
“When we approached the front door and could see the Bay from that position — not even being in the house yet — we knew we were done looking,” Brad recalls.
“This is what sold us on the house,” agrees wife Peri as she looks out over the water. “Thank goodness it had good bones.”
The couple called on architect Clay Adams and architect and interior designer Abby Davis, both principals and partners at Walcott Adams Verneuille, to remodel the home and open up the floor plan so that their view of the Bay was the focal point.
“For me, the most important goal with the renovation was to create a fresh modern interior design without destroying the character of the existing cottage style,” Peri says. “I wanted it to be functional, not too formal, and maximize the Bay views from all the major living spaces.”
Clay and Abby say that the Summersells saw the potential for their house but were also passionate about preservation. “They embraced what might seem limiting to some, like the interior winder stairs, as just part of the quaintness or character of the house,” Abby says. So Clay worked in the existing architectural features while making structural changes that opened up the rooms and emphasized the stunning, panoramic view.
“His initial space-planning efforts and vision for the house resulted in some incredible transformations,” Abby says. New doors and taller windows across the bayfront side of the home made the view more accessible from the inside.
A bayfront porch, outdoor kitchen and outdoor living area, complete with a fireplace, made for more places to enjoy the natural surroundings. “Overall, we appreciate Clay’s design because there’s no real wasted space for our lifestyle,” Brad says.
One of the most popular transformations among both the homeowners and architects came from enclosing two bayfront porches to create his and hers sitting rooms. Brad’s is off the living room on the north side of the home, and Peri’s is off the master bedroom on the south side. Symmetry is important to Peri, so having the two
Opposite The Summersells’ study interrupts the light color scheme of the home.
“We created a cozy, intimate feel here with rich, dark painted trim and ceiling, and moody light fixtures,” Abby says. A custom-designed mantle and trim were added around the original Alabama white marble fireplace. The hallway leading to it is painted a contrasting Toque White by Sherwin Williams and includes custom trim to camouflage the door to a powder room, which was added in the renovation.
Above In the dining area, the designers curated modern furnishings, textiles and fixtures for a sleek aesthetic. Statement mirrors from Gabby Home reflect natural light pouring in through the bayfront windows and doors. A cluster of art on the grasscloth wall features Rebekah Webb originals found at Sophiella Gallery and framed by Lyons Share.
Right “Brad and I wanted to enclose the two ends of the bayside porches with the existing raised ceiling features,” Peri says. “It still left plenty of open porch space between the two sunrooms.” Brad adds that it was important to his wife that the house maintain a symmetrical facade, so he loves how Clay designed all the pathways linking the porches and patios with that in mind. The exterior of the Summersells’ home was painted a crisp Alabaster by Sherwin Williams.
enclosed rooms with a recessed porch in between was really pleasing to her. Both of the rooms reflect their associated individual’s style and represent how they like to spend their time there.
“The sun room is my morning quiet space, my at-home office and napping room when I actually get a chance to catch a few winks,” Brad says. Peri adds that Brad also enjoys watching golf and football in there. In Peri’s serene area, she has space for reading and relaxing.
Abby led the interiors side of the project with the help of Sam Greenwald. Sam jumped in and immediately connected with the Summersells and caught their vision for the home. “The creative process on the interiors was truly collaborative and unique in that it melded a more traditional-style house with modern detailing and furnishings, while still underscoring the welcoming, unfussy feel of the home,” Abby says. They brought an organic look and feel to the inside with features such as wood floors and natural stone countertops throughout. “The majority of the furnishings were kept clean-lined and low profile so as not to detract from water views but with texture and interesting details that helped create a contemporary flair and luxe, comfortable feel,” Abby adds.
While Abby and Sam purchased many fresh, new pieces for the home, they also incorporated family heirlooms. Peri’s father was a talented and skilled craftsman, and she and her family treasure his pieces, so Abby and Sam put them on display. “They are a special part of the Summersell family’s history, and they add depth and personality to the design,” Abby says. The decorating duo mixed original paintings from local galleries and curated abstract prints to continue the blending of traditional and modern styles into the Summersells’ art collection. “They have created an elegant yet comfortable space Brad and I will be able to enjoy for the rest of our lives,” Peri says. After remodeling and decorating for two years, the couple moved into the home in October of 2021. “We really enjoy being able to sit and watch the sunsets, stargaze, and soak in the outdoor sights and
Peri’s favorite spot, her sitting room, offers her a serene space off the master suite where she can read her Bible and enjoy the scenery. An eye-catching brass and coconut bead chandelier by Arteriors draws the eye up to the shiplapped ceiling that, coincidentally, Walcott Adams Verneuille Architects designed decades ago for a previous owner. At that time, the space was a porch. To adapt the new interior room, they replaced the porch’s open louvers with encasing trim.
sounds. Watching lightning storms roll in on the Bay with a cocktail in hand is one of our favorite things to do,” Peri says. She also enjoys her exercise room and their vegetable garden.
The open floor plan, bayfront porches and outdoor rooms make the home ideal for entertaining, and the couple loves opening up their doors to friends and family. Brad will start up the grill and build a fire in the outdoor fireplace on chilly nights. “We understand this location is truly a gift from God, meant to be shared,” Brad says.
Peri adds, “It’s an absolute blessing being able to enjoy the water and the sunsets — it’s God’s paintbrush.” MB
DESIGN GOAL: Highlight breathtaking bay views.
“WE REALLY ENJOY BEING ABLE TO SIT AND WATCH THE SUNSETS, STARGAZE, AND SOAK IN THE OUTDOOR SIGHTS AND SOUNDS. WATCHING LIGHTNING STORMS ROLL IN ON THE BAY WITH A COCKTAIL IN HAND IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE THINGS TO DO.”
– Peri Summersell
Above For the master bedroom decor, “I decided to go darker and Abby and Sam ran with it,” Peri says. Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Grey on the walls sets the tone. Luxe velvet throw pillows from Chloe and Olive pop against the lighter shades of the other layered linens.
Original art by B’Beth Weldon from the Sophiella Gallery “floats” in sleek glass frames above the bed. The customdesigned trim is continued from other walls in the home.
Right Since the bayside porch is recessed, it offers privacy plus stunning views of the water. A cozy chair, ottoman and sofa from Summer Classics invite the Summersells and their guests to sit a spell.
THE FOLLOWING PAGES ARE FILLED WITH BAY-AREA WOMEN WHO ARE LEADING THE WAY IN THEIR FIELDS.
After 43 years of practicing medicine, here are some things I’ve learned that have helped me throughout my career in healthcare.
Be careful of your words, as they can have lasting impressions. Try to ensure that your every word is kind, helpful, rm, or blunt, if necessary, but always repeatable.
e power of patience. Medical patients are vulnerable, and having a compassionate caretaker who is also patient can ease their discomfort in the situation. Patience is a part of the emotional stability necessary to work in the eld of healthcare. is does not mean you should allow someone to take advantage of you, but try to consider what may be causing the behavior before reacting.
Remain calm. As physicians, in both our personal and professional lives there will be situations that are di cult, sudden, and sometimes even brutal to bare. It is important to remember to keep a calm disposition whenever possible, as it may help di use stressful situations. Do not be afraid to make a decision and stand by it — even if it’s not the popular opinion; integrity will prevail every time.
Take time for yourself. Make sure you are doing the things that allow you to decompress daily. After a long day, I nd that reading, listening to music, meditating, exercising, being in nature and attending church allow me to do just that! So, whether you plan a staycation at home or travel to some exotic
destination, taking time for yourself will allow you to relax and recharge ... and you will nd it’s just what the doctor ordered!
When asked who in my life instilled the basic attributes that have allowed me to practice medicine for so many years, I believe my mother was my inspiration. Although she only lived 54 years, she left an indelible mark on myself, my ve siblings and her many students and friends. She was a multitasker before that was ever a word. She taught me that success requires hard work. It requires a daily dedication to detail and quality, no matter how tired, uninterested, or overloaded you may be. She also taught me to not let life crises derail me from my goals or duties. She always told me to keep moving forward.
All of the above-mentioned attributes have held me in good stead through medical school, residency (when there were no female call rooms), my career and the ups and downs of a beautiful life!
101 Memorial Hospital Drive 251-414-5900
alabamamedicalgroup.com
Angie Leaver is the owner of Big Bill’s Appliance Service. She began working with her father, Big Bill, not long after he established the repair service in 1989. After Big Bill’s passing in the early nineties, Angie took over the family owned and operated business, proving female repair technicians are real.
“I am the only appliance repairwoman along with my mother in Mobile.” Whether as a result of her reputation or a sign of changing attitudes, Leaver says she’s witnessed a lot of the skepticism towards repairwomen melt away in the past ten years. “I had overcome the belief that women could not repair appliances, that it was a man’s job. We can do anything we put our mind to.”
“My father, who was “Big Bill”, drives me every single day, even after his passing 22 years ago. I want him to look down on me and be proud of the name I’m creating for us.” Often averaging 15 to 18 calls a day, Leaver hardly stands still, but she likes it that way. “I’m trying to keep that legacy going and trying to show my children that you can do whatever you want to do.” Angie has three daughters, one son and one granddaughter. She also sights her supportive husband’s role in her success. “I am married to a wonderful partner who understands my need to achieve. He doesn’t see me as a threat and loves my success.”
Left to right: Tiffiny Moseley, MSN, RNC-OB, C-ONQS, Director of Thomas Hospital Women’s & Children Services; Debra Hinton, MBA, RN, NE-BC, Mobile Infirmary Family Plaza Director; Meredith Jackson BSN, RNC-OB, Mobile Infirmary Family Plaza Nurse Manager; Gena Cash, BSN, RNC-OB, North Baldwin Infirmary Birth Center Manager; Amanda B. Jones RN, BSN, Thomas Hospital Nursery Manager
In rmary Health is the largest not-for-pro t, private healthcare system in Alabama. It holds three awardwinning and state-of-the-art birth centers at its hospitals in Mobile and Baldwin County.
e Birth Centers at Mobile In rmary, omas Hospital and North Baldwin In rmary have been caring for the next generation of Mobile and Baldwin Counties since 1910. Each birth center o ers state-of-the-art suites to mothers and babies. Additionally, the Birth Centers at Mobile In rmary and omas Hospital o er Level II Specialty Care Nurseries allowing mothers and babies to stay together if baby needs an advanced level of care. North Baldwin In rmary is also the only Baby-Friendly hospital in the region.
e nursing leadership at In rmary Health’s birth centers are dedicated to providing the highest-quality care to mothers and babies. ey have received awards from US News & World Report, BlueCross BlueShield, Better Bama Babies and Women’s Choice to name a few. e birth center
teams at In rmary Health have been delivering and caring for Mobile and Baldwin County’s next generation for more than 100 year. Learn more about how In rmary Health is building legacies at in rmaryhealth.org.
Mobile Infirmary Family Plaza
Mobile: 5 Mobile Infirmary Circle 251-435-2400
The Birth Center at Thomas Hospital Fairhope: 750 Morphy Avenue 251-928-2375
The Birth Center at North Baldwin Infirmary Bay Minette: 1815 Hand Avenue 251-937-5521
infirmaryhealth.org
Bethany Brenes is the director and co-owner of Magnolia Mind Mapping, providing brain mapping and neurotherapy in the form of neurofeedback and neurostimulation to optimize and restore mental health.
Brain map guided neuromodulation is an advanced treatment approach with a foundation of historical e cacy shown in conditions such as anxiety, depression, attention disorders, insomnia, Parkinson’s, memory decline and more. Unfortunately, neurotherapy was an elusive option in the South. Seeing this de cit, Brenes and her partners worked with established leaders in the eld to bring this revolutionary technology to the Gulf Coast in 2020.
Magnolia provides treatment to identify and address the root neurological cause of mental and physical health disorders, without medication or long-term treatment. Neurotherapy diminishes dysfunctional pathways and replaces them with restored and more e cient connections. Similar to how muscle memory is embedded, repeated activation of healthy brain functioning creates and embeds these pathways, thereby alleviating the symptoms caused by dysregulated functioning, resulting in lasting change.
rough Bethany’s e orts, Magnolia is leading the Gulf Coast in the eld of Neurotherapy, providing the most comprehensive qEEG mapping technology and advanced neuro treatment on the coast.
1327 Springhill Ave, Mobile 101 Villa Dr, Daphne 251-272-9606
magnoliamindmapping.com
Mitchell McLeod Pugh & Williams (“MMPW”) is an independent, employee-owned investment advisory rm located in Mobile, Alabama, and one of the largest independent investment management organizations on the Gulf Coast with approximately $1.9 billion assets under management as of December 31, 2021.
What advice would you give the next generation of female leaders?
I would advise future generations of female leaders to believe in themselves! All of them truly have the ability to accomplish anything they set their minds to. Having that con dence is such a big part of positioning yourself as a leader and laying the groundwork for success.
When you began your career, did you ever imagine you would be a leader in your eld?
I hoped that I would, but I think it probably happened sooner than I expected. Joining MMPW in 2019 – one of the leaders in the retirement plan management industry in the Southeast – gave me a great opportunity to become a leader in the eld. I was hired to be the Director of Qualied Plans for MMPW. In that role, I manage our existing 401(k) and pension plan relationships and develop new retirement plan clients, and I think I have helped our company to both expand our retirement plan business and
also serve our clients better and with greater e ciency. Currently we manage roughly 70 quali ed retirement plan relationships along the Gulf Coast, and this did not happen overnight!
Who inspires you and why?
My mother. She has the drive, energy and focus to complete any task, which I have always admired. She is someone who believes in herself and, in doing so, she is indeed able to accomplish anything she sets her mind to. is is the way she has always been, and I hope I have inherited those genes so that I can do the same!
What’s one leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career? When you see another woman succeeding, cheer her on! She is paving the way for you and future women to follow, so o er her your hand, your applause, and your generosity.
2610 Dauphin Street 251-471-2027 mmpw.com
Contina Woods leads the Treasury Management team in South and Central Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida Panhandle and leads the team of Treasury Management Analysts for all of Alabama and Mississippi. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi, Contina started her career at Regions in 2000. Since then, she has completed her MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, become a Certi ed Treasury Professional, been a multi-year winner of the bank’s Chairman’s Club, and, in 2017, received Regions’ highest award, the Better Life Award.
Outside of Regions, Contina spends her time supporting the Mobile Bay area through Leadership Mobile, Prodisee Pantry, Mobile Area Education Foundation, the Junior League of Mobile, Impact 100 of Mobile and Baldwin County, and Distinguished Young Women. Contina also spends her time with her husband, Ricardo, and her two daughters, Danielle and Morgan.
Regions Bank is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management and mortgage products and services.
11 North Water Street 251-690-1162 • Regions.com
“CONTINA WOODS IS A TRUE PROFESSIONAL AND AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD OF TREASURY MANAGEMENT. BUT, MOST NOTABLE IS HOW HER CLIENTS AND TEAM REMARK WHAT A JOY SHE IS TO WORK WITH.”
Meet the woman moving mountains at Southern Cancer Center to ensure every patient is given the proper tools and resources needed to win their ght against cancer.
As head of the social services department at Southern Cancer Center, Stephanie Andrews has devoted herself to helping patients work through the challenges of not only cancer but of everyday life.
“My purpose here is to provide patients with resources that aren’t necessarily cancer related, including other peripheral problems they may be having outside of our doors. I nd them nancial assistance, local food banks, new wigs, a variety of social and spiritual support groups; I’ve even assisted in nding a daughter’s prom dress. Patients can feel defeated in life when they receive a cancer diagnosis, but I’m here to show them that defeat is not an option.”
A licensed social worker for the state of Alabama with a master’s in healthcare administration, Stephanie is as skilled as she is experienced. Whether in person or over the phone, in a family setting or with an individual, she is ready to work for the patients of Southern Cancer Center.
Clinics in Mobile and Baldwin County 251-625-6896
southerncancercenter.com
“MY PURPOSE HERE IS TO PROVIDE PATIENTS WITH RESOURCES THAT AREN’T NECESSARILY CANCER RELATED.”
My experience as a Certi ed Wealth Strategist and Certi ed Retirement Counselor in banking has taught me to listen and learn from both my clients and my team. rough this, I can provide the nancial advice needed to support those seeking my services.
No client is the same, so we tailor plans for each family instead of using templated plans other rms may o er. We use the latest software to achieve this as well.
My husband and I developed this business with the intention of building assets. With over 56 years of combined experience, we have garnered $260 million in assets under our management.
106 Ecor Rouge Place 251-901-3630
smartbank.com
“NO CLIENT IS THE SAME, SO WE TAILOR PLANS FOR EACH FAMILY INSTEAD OF USING TEMPLATED PLANS OTHER FIRMS MAY OFFER.”
The USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute (MCI) specializes in advanced gynecologic oncology research and treatment, led by a multidisciplinary team of physicians utilizing leading-edge medicine.
As Division Chief of Gynecologic Oncology, Jennifer M. Scalici, M.D. directs the gynecologic oncology research laboratory. Her research focus is ovarian cancer including work for new prevention and early detection methods. She recently received funding through the Department of Defense to better de ne ovarian cancer origins and the role of hormonal exposure and its development. As a graduate of the inaugural fellowship of the Women’s Policy Institute of Alabama, Scalici brings attention to women’s health policy across the state.
Nationally recognized for her work in HPV prevention, Jennifer Young Pierce, M.D., M.P.H., serves on the cervical
cancer committee for NRG Oncology, the cooperative clinical trials group for the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and conducts research in HPV vaccine uptake and cervical cancer prevention. She chose the MCI for the high standards of patient care, active clinical trials portfolio and the commitment to outreach and education of underserved and diverse populations.
USA HEALTH
MITCHELL CANCER INSTITUTE
1660 Springhill Avenue 251-410-1010 usamci.com
This exhibit explores illusions and how they impact the perception of reality.
EXPLOREUM SCIENCE CENTER EXPLOREUM.COM
KIDS’ NIGHT
6 - 9 p.m. Children may enjoy music, bouncy houses, games and more. Free admission and parking. Some activities $5 - $10.
THE WHARF, ORANGE BEACH ALWHARF.COM
PEPSI TREASURE HUNT FOR HUNGER
6 - 9 p.m. Bring the kids to this free event to search for treasure while raising money for Secret Meals for Hungry Children.
THE WHARF, ORANGE BEACH ALWHARF.COM
LADIES’ NIGHT
6 p.m. - Midnight. Gather your girlfriends for a night of music, cocktails and fun.
FLORA-BAMA • FLORABAMA.COM
BANDS AFTER THE BEACH
6 - 9 p.m. Live performances from local bands and kids’ attractions makes this free event perfect for the whole family.
THE WHARF, ORANGE BEACH ALWHARF.COM
LIVE TRIVIA IN THE TAPROOM
6:45 p.m. Hop on over and enter this challenging yet fun pop quiz event for a chance to win a gift card to a local restaurant.
FAIRHOPE BREWING COMPANY FAIRHOPEBREWING.COM
MOBTOWN VEGAN CHEF CHALLENGE
Chefs create mouthwatering vegan dishes. Sample their inventive creations, and vote for your faves!
VARIOUS MOBILE RESTAURANTS VEGANCHEFCHALLENGE.ORG/MOBTOWN
FLORA-BAMA FREEDOM RUN
8 a.m. Don red, white and blue and run (or walk) a 4-mile course or 1-mile fun run. Registration: $25
FLORA-BAMA • FLORABAMA.COM
MORGAN WALLEN
6 - 11 p.m. The country artist will perform his music as part of “The Dangerous Tour.” Ticket prices vary.
THE WHARF, ORANGE BEACH • ALWHARF.COM
7:30 a.m. - Noon. Shop for produce, baked goods, jellies, honey, original artwork, decor and more from local farmers and artisans.
CATHEDRAL SQUARE, DOWNTOWN MOBILE FACEBOOK.COM/MARKETINTHEPARKMOBILE
3 - 7 p.m. Su. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. M. Take in live music, vendors, a car show, a pretty baby contest and, of course, plenty of watermelon on the 4th! Admission: $5.
ODD FELLOWS FESTIVAL PARK GRANDBAYWATERMELONFESTIVAL.ORG
4 - 9:30 p.m. This party begins at Mardi Gras Park with a kids’ zone. The fun continues at Cooper Riverside Park with live music and food, then fireworks at 9 p.m.!
MARDI GRAS PARK AND COOPER RIVERSIDE PARK CITYOFMOBILE.ORGEnjoy barbecue, live music and fireworks at the beach to celebrate America’s birthday.
FLORA-BAMA • FLORABAMA.COM
SHARK RUN 5K & SHARK ADVENTURE RUN
7 a.m. Race in the 5K Shark Run or competitive walk. Finish a run on both days to win the Shark Attack medal. Monday’s extra-fun Adventure Run includes beach courses, flag belts for racers and “sharks” chasing them.
THE WHARF, ORANGE BEACH COBALT RESTAURANT, ORANGE BEACH HARLEYSPORTS.COM/SHARKRUN
FAIRHOPE
3 - 6 p.m. Shop locally grown produce, enjoy live music and take the kids for an afternoon of fun activities, including an outdoor storytime.
FAIRHOPE PUBLIC LIBRARY • FAIRHOPEAL.GOV
6 - 9 p.m. Shop local vendors and check out the work of talented tattoo artists in a competition celebrating National Tattoo Month.
LOWER DAUPHIN ARTS DISTRICT MOBILEARTS.ORG
ROY MARTIN YOUNG ANGLERS TOURNAMENT
Kids 15 and younger compete in this classic deep sea fishing contest. Participants also enjoy hot dogs, ice cream and good times.
DAUPHIN ISLAND • ADSFR.COM
THE COLOR PURPLE ON THE SOUFSIDE
6 p.m. This show celebrates the classic elements of “The Color Purple” while infusing it with new songs, scenes and choreography. Ticket prices vary.
SAENGER THEATRE • ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
Educators may engage in opportunities to learn from experts at this event hosted by the Alabama State Department of Education.
MOBILE CONVENTION CENTER ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
Watch anglers bring in their biggest fish to win cash prizes and bragging rights at this finale of the Gulf Coast Triple Crown Series.
ORANGE BEACH EVENT CENTER, THE WHARF BLUEMARLINGRANDCHAMPIONSHIP.COM
With more than 3,000 anglers and 75,000 spectators, the world’s largest fishing tournament is a can’t-miss event. Ticket prices vary.
DAUPHIN ISLAND • ADSFR.COM
6 - 11 p.m. The singer / songwriter performs on his “All American Road Show” tour with special guests Elle King and Madeline Edwards. Ticket prices vary.
THE WHARF AMPHITHEATER • ALWHARF.COM
VINCE GILL
8 p.m. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Grammy-winning musician brings his solo summer tour to Mobile. Ticket prices vary.
SAENGER THEATRE • ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
CHEERS TO CHILDREN
6 - 8:30 p.m. Sample El Papi’s signature dishes and wines while listening to live music from Harrison McInnis and bidding on live and silent auction items. Proceeds benefit Child Advocacy Center. Tickets: $35, available at CAC.
EL PAPI • CACMOBILE.ORG
PAW PATROL LIVE! 6 p.m. The popular animated series about heroic pups comes to life in a Broadway-style stage production. Ticket prices vary.
MOBILE CIVIC CENTER ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
PRETTY IN PINK
7 p.m. See Molly Ringwald’s 1980s cult film on the big screen as a part of the Saenger’s Summer Classic Movie Series. Patrons are encouraged to bring supplies from a list online to donate to Dumas Wesley Community Center.
SAENGER THEATRE • ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
WATER LANTERN FESTIVAL
5 - 9 p.m. Glowing water lanterns are released into the night to celebrate happiness, hope and love. Food vendors and live music included. Ticket prices vary.
MUNICIPAL PARK • CITYOFMOBILE.ORG
HILLSONG UNITED
7 - 11 p.m. The worship band performs their “All This Future” tour, featuring special guests TAYA, Tauren Wells, Andy Mineo + Ryan Ellis. Ticket prices vary.
THE WHARF AMPHITHEATER • ALWHARF.COM
LODA ART WALK
6 - 9 p.m. Local businesses, artists and arts organizations celebrate National Makeup Day and Back to School Day.
LOWER DAUPHIN ARTS DISTRICT MOBILEARTS.ORGLIVING HISTORY CREW DRILL
8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Watch as historical reenactors bring the stories of World War II crewmen who served to life. The day will include special drills, displays, weapon demonstrations, a mock battle attack and more. Activities included in regular admission to the park.
USS ALABAMA BATTLESHIP MEMORIAL PARK USSALABAMA.COMFRIDAY NIGHT LIVE
6 - 11 p.m. Enjoy an evening of live gospel and jazz music at this free outdoor event.
DAUPHIN AND FRANKLIN STREETS CITYOFMOBILE.ORG
VINTAGE MARKET DAYS
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Shop this vintage-inspired market to find original art, antiques, clothing, food, jewelry and more. Tickets available at the gate. Free admission for children 12 and under. Ticket is good for the entire weekend.
THE GROUNDS • VINTAGEMARKETDAYS.COM
* Check event websites for most current status.
Indian agent Thomas Nairne decided that the interests of the British Crown were threatened by French Mobile — so he set out to manipulate tribes to destroy them.
text by JOHN S. SLEDGE • illustration by ANNA THORNTONThomas Nairne, a native Scotsman and South Carolina’s first Indian agent, concocted the plan in a Charles Town (present-day Charleston) jail cell. Attentive to his duties as agent, Nairne had traveled all the way to the Mississippi River, but upon his return, political differences with the colony’s governor landed him in the calaboose. While waiting for his situation to resolve, Nairne pondered all that he had learned on
his trip and conceived a grand scheme to eliminate the French and Spanish threats posed to Charles Town by the recent settlements at Mobile and Pensacola. Nairne had observed firsthand France’s peacemaking efforts between the Choctaw and Chickasaw and rightly understood that Louis XIV was determined to link Canada and the Gulf of Mexico, thus dominating the Mississippi Valley and controlling a lucrative fur trade. More ominously, he feared, France would
send its Indian allies against the British along the Eastern Seaboard.
On July 10, 1708, Nairne wrote a letter to Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland, the British Secretary of State for Colonial Affairs, and included a carefully drawn map depicting the Southeast from the Carolinas to Texas. Nairne emphasized that he “had a personall view of most of these parts” based on travel and trading, which qualified him to mark the locations and strengths of the
various enemy forces and Indian tribes. At Mobile, or “Fort Louis de la Louisiana” as he designated it, he counted 150 French troops; at Pensacola, 40 Spaniards; northeast of Mobile, 2,200 “Talapoosie Indians”; to the northwest, 700 “Chactas”; and so on throughout the interior. His aim was to acquaint the secretary with the overall situation and suggest a strategy so that “the English American Empire may not be unreasonably Crampt up.” To prevent that, he believed, the British must turn or destroy their enemies’ Indian allies.
Fortunately for Nairne and his fellow traders, the Indians preferred English-made hatchets, knives, muskets, pots and red blankets, which were better, cheaper and more plentiful than the scarce French equivalents. Using such gifts as an incentive, Nairne believed that he could befriend the French-allied Choctaw, and, if not, that he could convince the Chickasaw and Creeks to raid the Choctaw and other smaller tribes closer to Mobile. The Chickasaw were “hardy, active, and good marksmen, excellent at ambuscade,” he wrote, and nothing pleased them so much as “slave catching. A lucky hitt at that,” he explained, “besides the Honor procures them a whole Estate at once, one slave brings a Gun, ammunition, horse, hatchet, and a suit of Cloathes, which would not be procured without much tedious toil a hunting.” Nairne pursued his plan, even though the government never formally adopted it.
The result was bloody misery as the British-allied Indians launched dozens of slave raids toward Mobile and Pensacola. One party actually sacked the village of Pensacola to the very walls of the presidio before retiring. The Indians lacked the skill and patience for a prolonged siege against fortified troops and artillery. In May of 1709, 500 Creek Indians descended the Alabama River in dugout canoes and surprised a Mobilian village at the juncture of the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. The Mobilians quickly recovered their equanimity and strongly resisted with their French-supplied muskets. The Creeks burned a few huts, suffered 14 killed and retreated with several dozen captive Mobile women and children.
The town of Mobile proper was then located at Twenty-Seven Mile Bluff, and as soon as its commandant Jean Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville heard the fracas, he hastened upstream with 70 troops. They arrived to find the Mobilians frantic to recover their loved ones and exact revenge. Bienville chased the Creeks farther upstream until the latter took to the shore, abandoned their canoes and brutally massacred their prisoners. Anxious to return downstream and ensure the fort’s security, Bienville sent the enraged Mobilians after the foe with several French soldiers. They returned within days bearing scalps and a few prisoners whom the Mobilians immediately whisked away for slow death by fire.
Obviously shaken by the violent episode and fearing what might have happened had the enemy reached Fort Louis, Bienville penned a note to Comte de Pontchartrain, the French Minis-
ter of Marine: “The English in Carolina are sparing nothing to have our savages assaulted by their own. They continually come against us in large forces which [so far] has not accomplished anything.” He begged for more soldiers and the fortification of Dauphin Island. In the interim, he would redouble his own efforts at forest diplomacy, lavishing gifts and “caresses” to ensure continuing alliances.
Thanks to Bienville’s considerable influence and skill among the Indians, Nairne’s strategy to destroy Mobile failed. Despite frequent alarms, France’s Indian alliances held, and Fort Louis was never directly attacked. The French remained in the Mississippi Valley until 1763. As for Nairne, the master strategist, Georgia’s Yamasee Indians tired of his backwoods scheming and, in 1715, tethered him to a stake and slowly tortured him to death. MB
John S. Sledge is the author of the “Gulf of Mexico: A Maritime History.”
When a new life chapter invites the opportunity for change, writer Audrey McDonald Atkins wonders — is it really worth it?
Iremember filling out my application for the University of Montevallo when I was a senior in high school. Last name. First name. Middle name. Name you go by. Hold the phone! “Name you go by?” Are they telling me I can pick any name I want to “go by?”
Now it didn’t occur to me at the time that Daddy and his twin “went by” nicknames for their middle names. Or that I had a friend named Mary Louise who “went by” Sissy. I’ve always been unable to see the Amazon rain forest for the twig, so I was captured by the enormous possibility in those four words — name you go by.
What could I “go by?”
Svetlana. Exotic, worldly, foreign. Maybe I could be a spy and smoke clove cigarettes and watch the frilly sorority girls from behind dark glasses with scornful disdain. Where is my beret?
No one knows me there. No one.
Maeve. The artist, barefoot, aloof, wildly talented. She drinks ouzo and dances around the fire with reckless abandon. Long skirts and paint-stained shirts.
I won’t be the new girl — everyone will be new.
Missy. Fraternity little sister, dingbat with a heart of gold. Blond and cute, studying interior design so she can share the healing powers of pink with all of mankind or at least Macy’s.
Nope, can’t pull that off.
Dixie. Beer drinkin’, truck drivin’, football watchin’ gal who’s one of the guys. She might spit, but it would be cute and not nasty. She can gut her own fish and look good doing it.
Nah. I stared at that blank on the application. Thought and stared. Stared and thought.
Once I graduate and go off to college, I can “go by” anything I want! I can do anything I want. I can be anything I want. No longer the new girl. The redneck. The uncool. If I just set my mind to it and work hard, the world is mine on a silver platter.
Sort of.
Some people do graduate and go on to greatness realizing that expansive new chapter of bettering themselves and helping their downtrodden brother with the help of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, all while raising hydroponic strawberries, recycling, and rescuing abandoned puppies.
Unfortunately, and back in reality, that’s not really how it works.
The rest of us start off with a head full of dreams only to realize that when you get there, no matter what you “go by,” you’re still the same person you ever were. Bad in math. Can’t afford grad school. Country when country isn’t cool.
We do, however, still manage to learn — both in the classroom and by being confronted by the real world for the first time ever. We try to better ourselves if by “better” you mean learning how to drink beer and not wind up in a pool of your own vomit. We make friends, some that last for a lifetime and some that don’t last until the end of the semester. We quote Nietzsche and Led Zeppelin and marvel at our own intelligence and wit.
We learn to get by and get along. We learn that sometimes you fail, and it’s not the end of the world. We learn that everyone doesn’t like you, but many more people do. We learn that you can indeed eat Cap’n Crunch for three meals a day.
And we learn to live — passionately and ferociously — hoping for greatness but content in the now. MB
Born and raised in Citronelle, Atkins shares stories about growing up and living in the South in her book, “They Call Me Orange Juice,” and at her blog folkwaysnowadays.com.
“Skull Island” or “Massacre Island” were names given to what we have long known as Dauphin Island. The island had been called White Island by coastal Indians, and the earliest Spanish explorers called it Isla de Lobo (Wolf Island).
It’s unclear how many different explorers made landfall on the barrier island, but at some point one of the groups was attacked by hostile natives with grim results. During a subsequent landing, Iberville and his crew thought the beach oddly “crunchy” before they realized that they were walking on bones and skulls bleached by the sun. The island became known as Skull Island.
When France came into possession of the island, they named it Isle de Massacre, or Massacre Island. The island’s natural harbor allowed seagoing ships to anchor and unload supplies needed at the settlement of Mobile, 55 miles north of the Gulf. Warehouses were constructed at the port to hold incoming provisions as well as animal skins being exported.
Due to the island’s economic importance, it was decided it needed a better moniker. It was renamed Isle de Dauphine honoring Marie Adelaide of Savoy, mother of the future King Louis XV of France.
In 1710, a ship sailed into view, and the settlers sent an expedition out to meet it. To their considerable surprise, they discovered their visitors were well-armed English pirates who subsequently looted the island’s warehouses and held the residents captive for two days. Although they had hoped to find gold, they instead settled for animal hides as their plunder.
The island, like Mobile, found itself under control of the British in 1763, the Spanish in 1780 and finally the Americans in 1813. The eastern end of “Dauphin Island,” as it was now called, was quickly chosen as the site of an American fort to help protect the entrance of Mobile Bay. Construction of Fort Gaines began in 1821 and was completed in 1848. With 200 granite gun mounts and brick walls seven feet deep, the structure must have been imposing to any ship entering the Bay. The Confederates seized the fort in 1861 and spent three years improving it. Despite their efforts, and though the fort was designed to survive a six-month siege, Fort Gaines fell on August 8, 1864, just days into the Battle of Mobile Bay.
After the Civil War, the island languished, with most of its residents involved in fishing and taking their catch in small sailboats to markets in Mobile. The island became home to a general store and a school for students through the 9th grade.
In the 1880s, a group of investors began buying up portions of the island, incorporating as the Dauphin Island Company in 1910. Five years later, a small hotel had been built, with its visitors accessing the island by ferry from Cedar Point.
In 1929, the Alabama Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo was established and headquartered on Dauphin Island. More than 250 fishermen participated that year. The event’s popularity quickly soared and would grow to an average of 2,000 each year, many of whom had never seen the island up until then.
After the end of World War II, attention turned to developing the island, but it was still only accessible by a small ferry. In addition, once on the island, there was not a single decent road nor even a cottage for a tourist to rent at the time.
The solution was a bridge, but in a situation quite similar to ours today, upstate interests balked at the idea of tax dollars being used to build one. A compromise of sorts was reached in 1950 with the state highway department requiring that $2 million be raised locally.
The Mobile Chamber of Commerce organized the Dauphin Island Bridge Committee and tasked them with a plan. Members included bankers Robert Bacon and Dwain Luce, drugstore chain owner
Roy Albright and Coca-Cola bottler Walter D. Bellingrath.
The island was mapped out into available building lots to be sold to prospective buyers at an average price of $2,000 each. Sight unseen, bidders gave their first, second and third choices.
As incentive, the island would be developed with a clubhouse for lot owners, which featured a heated pool, air-conditioning, ballroom, dining room, lounges and terraces. It would take its name from the French era and be called Isle Dauphine. Two “luxury motels” and rental cottages were also planned facing the Gulf.
To appeal to politicians, the developers would provide four miles of public beaches, an open-air pavilion and handle the construction and maintenance of inland roads on the island. Mobile County issued bridge bonds to complete the funding, and the $3.5 million bridge was opened on July 2, 1955, just in time for the holiday traffic, with cars paying a $1 toll.
Hurricane Frederic took out a large portion of that bridge in 1979, and property owners were back to riding boats back and forth to the island. In 1982, the current bridge was completed at a cost of about 10 times the one it replaced.
Known by a number of different names over the years, Dauphin Island has been called the most historic island on the American Gulf Coast. It has survived a massacre, pirates, wars and hurricanes and remains a favorite with fishing enthusiasts and beach lovers today. MB
THE TOWN OF MAGNOLIA SPRINGS, tucked into a bend of Baldwin County’s Magnolia River, has origins tracing back to a Spanish land grant in 1800. Named for its abundance of magnolia trees and crystal clear springs, the town grew quickly after the Civil War, thanks in part to the arrival of soldiers who had been enchanted by the area during their service. Throughout the years, Independence Day was (and still is) a noted celebration in the town. It often included orations, competitions, food and dancing until evening. The celebration pictured below, from either 1910 or 1912, looks to have attracted a large crowd, perhaps observing a boating or swimming race in the river.
“The oration by the elegant Bishop Beckwith will bring something worthy of attention and remembrance. The music by the Magnolia Springs Orchestra, ... the athletic contest, foot races, boat races, and swimming races, concluding with a dance at the town hall, will make July 4, 1912, a day of pastime and pleasure.”
– news clipping from The Foley Onlooker, 1912
Length in miles of the Magnolia Springs postal route by water. If mail were delivered over land, the winding route would be nearly twice as long.
The number of stars on the merican ag hich debuted on July 4 of that year. he updated ag re ected the additon o e e ico and Arizona to the Union.
Price o a men s ne grade Peruvian Panama hat,” much like the ones pictured above, in the spring 1912 Sears Catalog.
The number of gold medals the U.S. won in the 1912 Stockholm Summer Olympics. These were the last games to award solid gold medals to the champions.
Do you know any further details about this photo? Let us know! Email azimlich@pmtpublishing.com.
