Local interior designer Matthew Metcalfe-Bees shares his personal tips and tricks for decorating to the max for the holidays, with trees, mantles and delightful dinner tables
PUBLISHER T. J. Potts
ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Stephen Potts
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Maggie Lacey
EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Judy Culbreth
DIGITAL MANAGER Mattie Naman
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT Amanda White
ART DIRECTOR Laurie Kilpatrick
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Amelia Rose Zimlich
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Marissa Deal
EDITORIAL INTERN Keylee Fillingim Brianna Grady
ADVERTISING SALES DIRECTOR Walker Sorrell SR. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Joseph A. Hyland ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Ray PRODUCTION Melissa Heath
Dourough,
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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.
Igot in the Christmas spirit early this year. Part of the reason is an occupational hazard. Working in magazines, with crazy-early deadlines, I am always a holiday ahead. Recently, I was shocked to realize grocery stores don’t sell bags of fresh cranberries until November. How can I make Carolyn-Lee Goodloe’s cranberry relish for the Thanksgiving issue if the stores are focused on back-toschool? It just doesn’t happen. Soon after, I was beating the doors down at Hobby Lobby looking for candy canes and red ribbon while most people were just carving their pumpkins. Magazines force me to get my head in a “peppermint” frame of mind when it should be more “pumpkin spice.” It can be weird, but we make it work.
The other reason I’m feeling like a jolly old elf is that we missed our traditional Christmas last year. We took a wonderful trip and made memories of a lifetime, but we missed a lot of our Christmas traditions at home, too, and it has left me eager to start the festivities. Fairhope’s Lighting of the Trees will be fi rst, followed by a trip to Bellingrath Gardens. We always cut down our own tree, and I hope to do that early so we can enjoy many nights in front of its twinkling lights. There will be hot cocoa and movies in the park and lots of Christmas crafts, too, and I’m ready for it.
For all those wondering, like I was, about whether Santa would fi nd us on our trip, I am happy to report that he did! We sent him a letter ahead of time letting his workshop know where we would be. And, lo and behold, Christmas morning, a stack of presents awaited us all (much to my kids’ relief).
Fortunately for the magazine, Matthew Metcalfe-Bees gets in the holiday spirit early, too. He was already pulling the tissue paper off gold-foil floral picks and unboxing his collection of vintage glass ornaments when we decided to share his decorating know-how in this annual holiday issue. His ability to layer tinsel and style glass icicles would make any grinch sing “Feliz Navidad.” I learned so much from our day spent decking the halls at Feather Your Nest, including: not to be afraid of artificial, when in doubt go with gold foil and always add more!
I’m hoping each of your holidays are “more,” in all the very best ways.
Merry Christmas!
Maggie Lacey EXECUTIVE EDITOR maggie@pmtpublishing.com
Speaking of working ahead, the magazine is up to our elbows in Mardi Gras over here! History, recipes, parade routes and more will soon be on their way to your mailboxes, including our “Best of Mardi Gras” photo contest. We want to see what Carnival means to you! Turn to page 11 for the details on how to enter!
I LOVE HOW THE COLLINS FAMILY HAS SHARED THEIR NUTCRACKER COLLECTION WITH THE NEXT GENERATION. I’VE BEEN GIFTING MY KIDS ONE EVERY YEAR AND HOPING ONE DAY THEY WILL CHERISH THEM, TOO! BAY TABLES, PAGE 34
On October’s Endpiece featuring the Loop Theatre, which was open from 1941 until the mid-1970s
“The train rumbled by and shook the building, and the whistle overpowered the theater speakers. As a very young kid, I thought all theaters had a train...”
- Walter Bower“I am 75 years old and fondly remember Saturday matinee at the Loop in the mid to late 1950s. Parents would drop off grade school children by the carload and come back hours later. The 1950s sci-fi movies were the best as we screamed loudly at every scary scene. Those were great memories!”
- Roger Christopher“I went there many times in the ‘50s. My babysitter and I slept in the double seats.”
-
DollyE. Compton
“For 25 cents and a Golden Flake potato chip bag, you could watch such thrillers as ‘The House on Haunted Hill’ and ‘The Mummy.’ Scary pictures, but oh, so fun! The last movie I watched at the Loop was ‘A Clockwork Orange,’ and I hid my eyes the whole time.”
- Martha Rose HightowerOn October’s, “Last Man on State Street,” uncovering the identity of Mobile’s infamous pipe-smoking ghost
“We know less than we might if we were more inquisitive. Your recent article attests to that.”
- Lynn B Robinson, Ph.D“I loved reading this article. I haven’t lived in Mobile since the early ‘70s, but I still find my way through town from time to time. As a history buff (likely inspired by my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Lockland, and the book our parents were required to purchase that year: ‘Mobile, A History Reader for the Fourth Grade’), I always find the tidbits Mobile Bay Magazine highlights delightful. Mobile is certainly filled with its ghosts and legends as well as volumes of history worth preserving.”
- Cindy LooneyOn October’s, “Saturdays Down South,” depicting the perfect Southern fall day
“[Audrey McDonald Atkins is] the only person I know who can correctly use the word ‘gittin’ and ‘onomatopoeic’ in the same paragraph.”
- Shari DoyleIn response to October’s “Lafayette, We Are Here. Y’all Come,” on Lafayette’s visit to Mobile
“In 1900, the U.S. Mint issued the first dollar commemorative coin, and it was called Lafayette Memorial Silver Dollar. The charge was a grand sum of two dollars per coin, with proceeds going to build a statue of Lafayette to be shown at the Paris Exposition.
“The coins didn’t sell well and, many years later, the last 14,000 coins were melted down for their silver content. Good coins now sell for three to four grand each. I have one in my collection.”
- John Robinson- Leslie L. Zumwalt Golden Want to share your thoughts and reactions to this issue? Email maggie@pmtpublishing.com.
“Great article! You bring regular life to LIFE.”
mobilebaymag.com
Close the door on 2022 with a look at our most eye-catching photos, scrumptious recipes and talked-about articles of the year.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas on the Bay! Browse our photo gallery of festive scenes around town and decor ideas from local homes.
Want to get in the Christmas spirit without the hassle of decorating an 8-foot tree? These tabletop tree designs will give you all the inspiration you need to create your own mini-masterpiece.
Just engaged? Share your proposal story, and we’ll feature your engagement online.
Have a photo that captures the magic of Mardi Gras? We want to see it! Go online to submit your picture to our “Best of Mardi Gras” photo contest. Images should depict people, places or things from local Mardi Gras festivities. Readers will vote, and the winning images will be published in our February 2023 issue!
Gingerbread Sparkler: Kick off the holiday season with this festive bubbly cocktail. Find this recipe and more cocktail ideas online.
AT DAN DE LION LODGE
GINGERBREAD SPARKLER CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
TABLETOP CHRISTMAS TREE
PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH GELINEAUA subscription to Mobile Bay Magazine is the gift that keeps on giving the whole year. Purchase a 1-year gift subscription for $15 and each additional gift subscription will cost just $10. Scan the QR code above to purchase!
Our online store is stocked for the holidays with new arrivals and customer favorites. Scan the QR code above to start shopping today! (And make sure you join our email list to receive exclusive offers and special deals.)
We’re not just in print. Find us online, on social media and in your inbox.
Funny or sweet, low-brow or high-falutin, Mobile or Baldwin. We’ve got dozens of gifts in all price points and for everyone on your holiday list. Come along for handmade gifts you’ll fi nd nowhere else!
EXCLUSIVE TO MOBILE BAY MAGAZINE! Your little ones will channel the Bay of the Holy (Christmas) Spirit in this polo with shrimp, crabs and flounder donning Santa hats and string lights. CHRISTMAS JUBILEE POLO FROM STUDIO SMOCKS • $40
LANDMARKS
Museum-quality prints feature local scenes like the Old City Hall, the cannon or Sand Island Light. 10” X 10” ART PRINT FROM THE NUTRIA RODEO $14
Teeny-tiny earrings, handmade in New Orleans, feature local favorites like white shrimper boots, Old Bay Seasoning, Tony Chachere’s and more! STUD EARRINGS • $12
EXCLUSIVE TO MOBILE BAY MAGAZINE! Hand-painted scenes of your favorite local landmarks will bring a smile to their faces. CAMMIE’S OLD DUTCH TIN ORNAMENT • $18
STICK TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD Stickers for every zip code in town perfectly capture the personality.
08 STICKER FROM THE NUTRIA RODEO $5
GIFTS IN A JIFFY Tying this hand-painted tin ornament onto a bottle of wine makes cute holiday gifting easy as corn muffins! JIFFY CORN
Hand-painted ceramic ornament captures the bar where locals could see everyone they knew come Christmas night. JUDGE ROY BEAN CERAMIC ORNAMENT BY SUSAN HANNER • $40
DEAL ME IN
This precious deck of cards features watercolor renderings of landmarks and icons across the state.
ALABAMA PLAYING CARDS • $30
INSPIRED BY THE PAGES OF MOBILE BAY MAGAZINE, AND CURATED BY OUR EDITORS, THIS ONLINE STORE FEATURES EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO WRAP UP YOUR LOCAL SHOPPING! WE SHIP ANYWHERE IN THE US AND HAVE LOCAL PICK-UP, TOO! DON’T HESITATE TO CALL IF YOU NEED CURBSIDE
Cooks on the Gulf Coast know that bay leaves add rich flavor to gumbo, soups and stews, but did you also know that
(MB does not recommend you test this theory)
The Blakeley School was erected on Magnolia Church Road, just north of Spanish Fort. It was built according to the state-approved plan for one-room schoolhouses at that time, and the Julius T. Rosenwald Negro School Fund covered the cost of construction.
To learn about another schoolhouse built in this style, turn to page 72.
— NOTABLE OPENINGS —
is now open for dinner, with lunch coming soon! Go for the roof-deck, stay for the craft cocktails.
555 Dauphin Street
Wedding flowers originated in ancient Greece where brides would wear a blend of flowers and plants made into a wreath upon their heads. The flowers were meant to represent fertility, and garlic was often included to ward o evil spirits.
See how Debbie Richards uses wedding flowers to pay it forward, page 24.
While Mobile has never had a WHITE
on Dec. 31, 1962, folks rang in the New Year with a record 2-inch snowfall.
IN 1964, CONGRESS DECLARED BOURBON AS AMERICA’S ONLY OFFICIAL NATIVE SPIRIT.
Whip up this year’s holiday eggnog with a new local bourbon! Turn to page 32 for the recipe.
DID
The “X” in Xmas originates from Greece. The symbol is the letter “Chi,” which is the first letter in the Greek word for “Christ.”
“Three phrases that sum up Christmas are: Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men and Batteries not Included.”
– unknown author
HERBALISTS IN THE 17TH CENTURY believed that bay leaves could protect you from lightning
MB’s contributing food fanatics share their go-to local dishes.
AT DEBRIS
“The word ‘debris’ conjures images of hurricane aftermath in Mobile. But it has a different meaning at Debris Po-Boys & Drinks. Recently, I had their classic debris po’ boy made with slow-braised prime beef, dressed with lettuce, tomato and mayo and served au jus. A bag of Zapp’s chips, collard greens, slaw and gumbo brought it all together.”
DEBRIS PO-BOYS & DRINKS
276 DAUPHIN ST. • 378-8133
FACEBOOK.COM/DEBRISPOBOYMOBILE
“If you’ve never tried the Donkey on Crack at Chuck’s Fish, it’s time that you do. This mouthwatering deep-fried sushi contains tuna, crab and avocado. It’s topped with baked seafood and eel and Sriracha sauces. You will not find it on the regular menu at Chuck’s, so you need to ask the server. Don’t be scared off by the price. It is more than enough for two people.”
CHUCK’S FISH • 551 DAUPHIN ST. 219-7051 • CHUCKSFISH.COM
PHILIP MARTIN, Theology teacher, St.
“I don’t know why, but the older I get, the more I crave spicy foods. At Dragonfly Tavern, there is one dish that has just the right snap: the Firecracker Shrimp Bowl. The fried basmati rice serves as the base for the idyllic combination of mushroom, jalapeno slices and sweet-and-spicy shrimp. The yolk of a soft fried egg serves as a kind of sauce. So delicious.”
DRAGONFLY TAVERN • 1800 MAIN ST., DAPHNE 586-8113 • FACEBOOK.COM/DRAGONFLY-TAVERN
“Although Ox Kitchen has some of the best burgers in Fairhope, I opted to try the Southwest Protein Power Bowl for a lighter lunch. It starts with a bottom layer of quinoa topped with pickled radish, pepitas, tomato, black beans, corn and avocado. I added blackened chicken that gave it a mild spice and a kick of flavor. The cilantro lime vinaigrette accentuated the fresh ingredients. It made for a perfect lunch.”
OX KITCHEN • 365 S GREENO ROAD, FAIRHOPE 725-9385 • THEOXKITCHEN.COM
dishes made you drool and left you hungry for more? Share them on our Facebook page!
dener program in Mobile and Baldwin counties. “It’s a popular plant on the Gulf Coast for sure,” he says.
Native to the Mediterranean, the bay laurel tree (Laurus nobilis) is most often grown for its leaves. It is easy to propagate and can be planted at any time of year, though it does best in cooler months, after the summer heat breaks, from fall to spring. Bay laurels prefer full sun but will tolerate partial shade, and like to be dry. Or as master gardeners say, “They don’t like wet feet.”
Always remove bay leaves from any dish before serving. Their sharp edges can damage throats and stomachs.
Kari Piecuch earned her master gardener certification in Washington state in 2016, but when she moved to Mobile, the following year, she began the intensive 14-week program all over again. “The flora is so different here,” Piecuch says. “It was worth repeating the training because the climate down here is such a contrast.”
Piecuch was soon growing all kinds of herbs in her garden and, one day on a whim, she bought a bay laurel tree from A Bloom Garden Center, her favorite local spot. A self-proclaimed “plant lady,” Piecuch often buys plants on impulse, a trait common in master gardeners who revel in collecting new and unusual specimens, resembling antique pickers.
Growing bay laurel, however, is not rare among locals, says Jack LeCroy, an extension agent who runs the master gar-
Though bay laurels can grow large, they grow so slowly that they typically remain shrub-sized. In fact, Piecuch notes that bay laurels are quite pretty, and can do the work of an ornamental, dignifying front yards. But she cautions against planting them too far from the house, so it remains easy to grab a few leaves when preparing those slow-cooked dishes that allow bay leaves, fresh or dried, to shine. Their flavor permeates soups, stews, chilis, Italian fare and especially … gumbo.
“You can’t make a good gumbo without bay leaves,” says MaryJo Broussard, whose current bay laurel is 30 years old. Broussard has “never lived any place where I didn’t have one.”
Bettie Champion also incorporates bay leaves in her seafood gumbo, using a recipe passed down from her mother, also a Mobile native. “My mama did it, and her mama did it, so I do it,” she
A few other plants have “bay” in the name, so confirm the scientific name (Laurus nobilis) to be sure you get the bay laurel.
Laurel wilt disease is common among bay laurels, especially at 3 - 5 years of age. Fortunately, the plant will usually come back disease-free after being cut down.
Now is the time! Bay laurels are best planted on the Gulf Coast from October to April.
Bay leaves – best known for flavoring gumbo – are easy to grow, make lovely garden shrubs and are the gift that keeps on giving.
says. “I think that’s where Southerners get a lot of our cooking traditions. They’re passed down in the family.”
Though not all gumbo cooks use bay leaves, they appear to be a staple of Cajun cuisine. Broussard makes it plain: “I’m a Cajun from South Louisiana. So I use bay leaves in gumbo.” She includes bay leaves in all manners of gumbo, though chicken and sausage is her favorite, and she admits to using more leaves than most people.
Terms such as “rich” and “earthy” describe the flavor bay leaves impart. It’s subtle, almost like umami, more of a full-bodied quality than a flavor. “It’s very unique,” says Broussard. “It tastes like earth. Not like dirt, but like earth. It almost tastes kind of green. If green were a flavor.”
To preserve the leaves, lay them out in a moisture-free area, such as a kitchen windowsill, for a day or two, then store them in a sealed container away from humidity and light.
All three cooks insist that dried bay leaves make lovely gifts. Piecuch enjoys giving them to her mother-in-law, a prodigious cook, and all of Champion’s supply comes from a friend with an aromatic tree in Destin, Florida. About once a year, Champion is gifted with a paper bag full of dried bay leaves. Broussard bags and ribbons them at the holidays to ensure her loved ones have enough stock to last through the winter.
MB
“IT TASTES LIKE EARTH. NOT LIKE DIRT, BUT LIKE EARTH. IT ALMOST TASTES KIND OF GREEN. IF GREEN WERE A FLAVOR.”
– MaryJo Broussard
When a tornado tore through Mobile on Christmas Day 2012, the community banded together to rebuild.
text by BRIANNA GRADY • photos by MEGAN HALLER / KEYHOLE PHOTO
Christmas is a time for family, friends and making memories to be passed down through the years. In Mobile, some even hope for snow, not letting the low likelihood of a winter wonderland on the Gulf Coast dampen their spirits. Ten years ago, on Christmas Day, Mobile did experience an uncharacteristic weather event, but instead of powdery white flakes falling gently from the sky, festivities halted due to an EF-2 tornado ripping through the city.
Beginning around 4:10 p.m., a tornado warning was issued for the Mobile area. The tornado strengthened and, by the time it reached the city about 40 minutes later, its wind speeds had accelerated to 111 miles per hour. While the Port City is no stranger to severe weather, its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico generally shields it from the severe tornados that plague much of the South-
east. This day was an exception. The scene shifted from kids playing with their gifts from Santa under the tree to hunkering down. Entire families, once chatting and laughing in the kitchen, crowded into bathrooms and closets. With tubs crowded with children, parents found themselves lying on tile floors away from windows. The tornado made its way through Downtown, reaching Midtown by 5 p.m. and destroying much in its path.
District Court Judge George Hardesty had just moved into his new house in Midtown three days before the storm. On Christmas Day, a friend called to warn him that there was a funnel-shaped cloud in the Theodore area. He laughed and said, “This is Mobile. We have hurricanes, not tornadoes.” But, to prepare, he went to the Walgreens at the Loop to gather supplies. “I was heading towards the exit when, all of a sudden, branches and debris started
Left Trinity Episcopal Church, pictured here two days after the tornado, sustained major damage. Below
The tornado caused damage to many homes in Mobile, including this bathroom where the roof fell in.
flying in the air, blowing the doors open,” he says. “So, I slowly backed up from those doors.” After his baptism by fire, he eventually exited the building to find his Chevrolet Trailblazer in a different position than he’d parked it. “It was totaled against the driver’s side of the car, but the passenger’s side had no damage at all,” he said. “I guess that’s the difference between a tornado and a hurricane — the hurricane would have destroyed the whole car.” Several blocks away from his house, people found Spanish-styled roof tiles in their homes or backyards. They were from Murphy High School, which was significantly damaged. Judge Hardesty’s house also was heavily impacted. He moved into a hotel for three months until repairs were made.
Three historical houses that once stood on Dauphin Street are now gone. “The storm knocked them completely down,” says Hardesty. “One, two, three and down.”
These homes were next to the historical Trinity Episcopal Church, also notably harmed. The church’s roof was torn in half, affecting the walls. “It was the most damaging thing that happened to the church since the Civil War, in 1865, when a torpedo blew up and destroyed a large area of the church,” says Robert Howard, who was senior warden of the church at the time.
“The whole front side of the building, where we gather to worship, was blown out … half of the roof blew off, leaning up against one side of the building.”
Efforts to clean up and gather what could be salvaged began immediately. Church members picked up unharmed items — and found a literal flicker of hope amongst the wreckage. The sanctuary lamp, reserved for sacraments, was the only light left burning in the church. Outside, a singular Advent wreath was left hanging from the roof. After all the destruction, this was an indication to him that Christ was present. In all the devastation, he saw hope.
The tornado drew attention from across the country. Jim Cantore, of Weather Channel fame, came to Mobile to record the story and shared that news of the tornado had made the front page of The New York Times. It wasn’t long until people poured in to help the church.
“Membership grew during that timespan, and [we] thought it would send people to other churches,” Howard said. After 20 months of renovations, the congregation was able to worship in their church once more.
Jim Cantore also visited the neighborhood next to the church. Marcelle Naman
has a photo of herself and Cantore — whom she refers to as “the master of disaster” — in her backyard after the tornado. Naman wasn’t in her house during the tornado. Her family was coming home from visiting relatives when her neighbors called her, frantic, “There are trees in your house!” When she returned home, holes were punched in the roof, glass windows were blown out and, astonishingly, Murphy High School’s scoreboard was now lying in the front yard. The next morning, all of her friends arrived in her front yard to help however they could. “This is what true friendship and a real community looks like,” she remembers thinking. Though the damage to the Naman’s house was extensive, they were fortunate. “There were houses down our street totally gone,” she says.
On this day, Mobilians did what they’d done so many times throughout history: they banded together and rebuilt. It started with a massive cleanup. The Salvation Army set up outside homes and roads that were blocked by trees. Hot chocolate was served. Clothes and food were handed to those in need, and soon, neighbors began to share their accounts of the storm. Though the destruction was immense, the strength of Mobile was even more so. “It was a community effort, and everyone came together,” Naman says. “It was a big testament for Midtown — people stayed.” MB
“IT WAS THE MOST DAMAGING THING THAT HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH SINCE THE CIVIL WAR, IN 1865, WHEN A TORPEDO BLEW UP AND DESTROYED A LARGE AREA OF THE CHURCH.”
Wedding flowers find a new purpose after the ceremony is over, thanks to Mobile native Debbie Richards.
text by MARISSA DEAL • photos by CHAD RILEYIt’s nearly midnight at the Battle House Hotel. The toasts have been made, the cake has been cut and everyone has danced the night away. The bride and groom say their goodbyes, hugging the last of their guests as they trickle out into the darkness. Exhausted but filled with the joy that nuptials bring, friends and families of the newlyweds retire to bed. Meanwhile, Debbie Richards and her own husband of 46 years, David, stand outside the door, waiting patiently. It is in now-quiet, echoing banquet halls and at empty tables that Debbie finds her treasure: the wedding flowers.
Debbie and David load the flowers into their car and drive them to their home in Spring Hill, where, come daylight, she will use them to create arrangements for people in assisted living facilities and nursing homes across the Bay area. She calls her enterprise “Happy Flowers,” and it has brightened the day of those who need it most.
Richards, a Mobile native, never planned to be a florist. However, when her five children started to get married, she realized that she could save money by doing their floral arrangements herself. She uncovered a hidden talent, and friends started asking her to create arrangements for the weddings of their loved ones as well. When Richards attended weddings, she noticed colorful bouquets lying on the floor at the end of the night and ornate displays of fresh flowers tossed in dumpsters. “There is nothing wrong with that. The flowers served their purpose,” she says, “but I thought, ‘what if they could serve another purpose?’”
It was also one of her personal traditions that inspired her charitable giving. Richards often brought flowers to her mother, who resided in an assisted living facility. Richards noticed other residents eyeing the flowers and complimenting how lovely they were. It was clear that they wished they had some as well. The idea for Happy Flowers blossomed from there.
Richards’ daughter designed business cards for Happy Flowers, and Richards began leaving them at venues such as the Battle House and Spring Hill College. She also contacted wedding planners and informed them of her services. Brides began generously donating their flowers so often that Richards’ friends joined in to help, picking up flowers and taking them to people they know who are recovering from surgeries or who have recently lost a loved one. “I ask people, ‘who do you know who’s sick?’ They usually know
someone who had a hip replacement or recently lost her husband,” she explains.
The process is simple. Richards drops off her arrangements — elegant blossoms in white vases — at places such as Murray House, Allen Memorial Home and Ashbury Manor. The staff then distributes the arrangements to those who are hurting, feeling lonely or just could use something cheerful. Richards never meets these individuals personally, but she finds fulfillment in knowing that the flowers went to those who needed a reminder that someone is thinking of them.
Today, Richards no longer provides floral arrangements for weddings. The pressure of meeting brides’ expectations and the amount of work required lost its appeal. However, with Happy Flowers, she still gets to use her talent, but on her own terms and with her own creative vision. For the bride and groom, a wedding is one of the happiest days of their lives. Happy Flowers spreads the seeds of that joy throughout the community. MB
The Catholic Maritime Ministry of Mobile reaches out to seafarers, providing comfort, connection and fellowship.
text by JILL CLAIR GENTRY • photos by DAVID RIDER
You’ve worked hard to be able to buy a few gifts for your children. Your wife’s Christmas decorations have been up since September (Filipinos have the longest Christmas season in the world). Your children have likely made their Christmas lanterns already. Your family always attends Mass at dawn on Christmas Day, and your wife buys bibingka (a holiday rice cake) on the way out of church for everyone to enjoy for breakfast. You long to celebrate these traditions with your family while you’re at sea, but you’ve missed all of it this year. You still have three more months until you can see them again.
You’ll spend Christmas at a port in America — Mobile, Alabama. The fog of depression starts to set in as you perform the same tasks you’ve done every single day, without a break, for the past six months.
A few hours after you arrive at the port, a group
of men arrives, including a Filipino priest. You and your shipmates are among the 40 percent of all seafarers who come from the Philippines, where 86 percent of the population is Catholic, so talking to this priest instantly reminds you of home. The group gives you a bag of necessities like toothpaste, lotion, and shampoo. They have a WiFi hotspot so you can video chat with your family. They’ve even offered to take you to a store, and they’ll come back later to celebrate Mass. It feels like God sent these people—the Catholic Maritime Ministry of Mobile—to you at exactly the right moment.
The local chapter of the international Catholic port ministry, Stella Maris, formerly known as The Apostleship of the Sea, provides year-round hospitality and pastoral care to seafarers, nearly 30,000 of whom pass through Mobile annually. At Christmastime, the work of the local chapter is especially important, says John Archer, a deacon who serves with the ministry.
“Last year, we started including Christmas cards made by local kids in the gift bags, and we had a captain start crying when he looked at his,” Archer says. “He said, ‘It feels like these are from my own kids.’”
One of the biggest needs for the men (and a few women) who work on these ships is connection — with the outside world and especially with their families.
“In their limited downtime, they can send emails, and that’s about it,” Archer says. “It’s a tough life. So, as we board these ships, we’re providing physical contact outside those same 20 people they’ve been with for months, and we bring WiFi hotspots so they can see their families.”
The ministry also offers transportation for seafarers who need to go ashore, celebrates Mass onboard the ships, provides care packages and administers COVID-19 vaccines.
Lito Capeding, priest and director of The Catholic Maritime Ministry of Mobile, is
Filipino, which allows him to connect quickly and easily with many of the people working on the ships he visits, sometimes contributing pastoral care for those who need someone to listen.
“I have a special connection with the Filipinos I meet, but we serve everyone, regardless of nationality or religion. We encounter people from Russia, Ukraine, India, China, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia,” he says. “No matter where we are from, we all love to share our life, faith, culture and music with others. The world is so tough. We can be a source of sanity by bringing joy to one another. We can embrace each other and affirm one another’s humanity.”
The Stella Maris model all over the world centers on this concept of affirming the humanity of seafarers, who often feel forgotten and lonely as they spend up to nine months at a time working on a ship. Capeding says no two interactions are alike, and the group doesn’t focus solely on evangelism or measurable results.
“I’ve been a chaplain for 14 years, and I’ve seen and experienced so many sad and joyful occasions with these men and women,” he says. “Seafarers suffer a lot from emotional and physical dislocation. We are mandated to ask what they need from the Gospel perspective found in Matthew 25 — we are called to take care of them. For us, they are the strangers in our midst, the ‘least of these,’ that Jesus speaks of in that passage.”
The ministry continues to grow, and seeks volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences. Affirming seafarers’ humanity is the goal, but Ar-
cher describes that the benefit is mutual.
“I came into this as a deacon, and we are randomly assigned to different ministries,” he says. “I had no background in this at all — I’m a retired accountant. I told Father I’d work four hours a week, but now I spend over 30 hours a week doing this, and I don’t get paid. It just really speaks to you. It’s life-changing. One captain said it best: ‘We meet as strangers and leave as friends.’” MB
“THE WORLD IS SO TOUGH. WE CAN BE A SOURCE OF SANITY BY BRINGING JOY TO ONE ANOTHER.”Above Deacon John Archer, a retired accountant, now spends over 30 hours a week providing fellowship and outreach to seafarers from around the world.
Growing up, Lacey Evans obsessed over the Food Network and enjoyed whipping up tasty treats but she had no idea she’d turn her love of baking into a career.
After graduating from St. Paul’s Episcopal School in 2018, Evans relocated to Los Angeles to train at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. There, she met her business partner, William Allam, who was studying interior design. Evans eventually decided fashion wasn’t for her, and she and Allam dropped out of school, moving to Mobile. Then came COVID-19.
The pandemic gave Evans time to rediscover her love for food and baking. She developed her recipes, and created an online bakery that wowed customers on social media. When her award-winning king cakes went viral, Evans and Allam decided to expand the business.
Dropout Bakery made its brick-and-mortar debut on St. Louis Street inside Innovation Portal in May. Allam used his interior design background to create a modern and eclectic style for the bakery. The interior features hanging skateboards,
original artwork and neon signs around the white exposed-brick walls, where customers can write suggestions of treats they want to see on future menus.
Pastries from the popup are made at home by Evans and Allam. The two venture to Costco each week to purchase ingredients for their dough, such as farm eggs and Kerrygold butter. Croissants, one of their best-selling items, require a three-day process to create, and contain nearly 100 hand-formed layers.
Altogether, there are over a dozen pastries and sweets on hand, with a new menu posted every Monday. From the time the bakery opens, customers line up outside the door, hoping to get in before the goodies sell out, which happens frequently.
“It’s been growing really fast,” says Evans. “I can’t believe I’ve only been doing this for one year.” She plans to build an open kitchen so that customers can watch her make her inspired creations. She also hopes to grow Dropout Bakery across other states. When you hear the word “dropout,” the last thing you think of is an achievement, but Lacey Evans has turned “dropping out” into a sweet success. MB
Half croissant and half muffin, cruffins are as fun to eat as their name is to say. Dropout Bakery keeps it fresh with weekly flavors, and red raspberry gives just the right festive touch.
Perfection takes time, which is why this croissant takes three days to craft and hand roll. Filled with milk chocolate, the savory treat will leave you wanting more.
A flaky croissant is filled with honey ham and freshly-grated swiss cheese. Topped with a mix of dried Italian herbs, it’s a lunchtime delight — if it’s not sold out!
This fun take on a classic 80s breakfast is a made-from-scratch nostalgia rush. With a buttery crust and vanilla bean icing, you can never have just one.
Continuing the bakery’s school theme, these cookies are mixed with brown butter, milk chocolate, toffee and espresso. The end result is a taste worth skipping school for.
text by AUDREY ATKINS MCDONALD photo by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
No one has made liquor (legally, at least) in Mobile or Baldwin counties since 1907, when Theodore Roosevelt was president and Prohibition was just getting started. But a new small-batch craft bourbon named after an Eastern Shore landmark has just reached store shelves. Owner David Gibson hopes the flavor will bring a little taste of Judge Roy Bean’s notoriously fun atmosphere to those who remember the local dive bar best. “The best bourbons are the ones you have the most fun drinking,” says Gibson in the true spirit of Judge’s.
Gibson’s idea for Judge Roy Bean Spirits took shape about a year and a half ago when he ran into Seth Dettling, CEO and Head Distiller at Big Escambia Spirits, at The Grand Hotel. What started as a brief conversation soon led to collaboration to create the flavor profiles for Judge Roy Bean bourbon. “We just got a bunch of Mason jars, filled them up with bourbon and tried different combinations,” he recalls.
Together, they landed on toasted and charred pecan wood. “[Pecan wood] changes the whisky, and it makes it very unique so that gives it a local South Alabama stamp,” says Dettling. “[Gibson’s] honoring that memory, and this bourbon is a good way to do it.”
This classic eggnog recipe is great for holiday entertaining and can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
4 cups whole milk
8 eggs (6 full eggs, 2 egg yolks)
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup Judge Roy Bean Spirits Bourbon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg plus more for garnish
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Whipped cream for garnish
1. Bring milk to simmer in a saucepan over high heat.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until well blended. Remove the milk from heat and whisk into the egg mixture until combined.
3. Return the mix to the saucepan, cooking on medium low heat for 2-5 minutes, stirring frequently (temperature should reach 160-165 degrees).
4. Remove mixture from heat and add bourbon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
5. Serve with whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg garnish.
As a mom to young children, Kathleen Galloway Collins is looking to pass her childhood traditions on to her own family. She’s starting in the kitchen with her favorite: her family’s peppermint layer cake.
Weall have our favorite holiday traditions, the ones that make us exclaim, “Now it’s Christmas!” It may be a treasured sweater worn even in the coastal Christmas climate, an annual holiday party attended by family and friends or an ornament hung more for nostalgia’s sake than style.
For Kathleen Galloway Collins, it’s the first bite of peppermint layer cake from a recipe her mom has made every December that signals the start of the season. More than that, it brings back childhood memories.
Christmases for Kathleen and her siblings growing up seemed close to idyllic. The Galloways attended Christmas Eve Mass and, on the way to dinner afterward, drove through Oakleigh to see the Christmas lights. “When we got home, we’d rush to change into matching pajamas and crowd onto the couch by the Christmas tree to hear my dad read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,’” she says. “Then we’d always take books or toys to bed because we would need entertainment – it was so hard to fall asleep due to the anticipation!” On Christmas morning, the children ran into the living room, with their dad filming the moment, to see what Santa had brought. Every year, Santa left an orange at the bottom of their stockings and their gifts unwrapped, ready for play. “I always thought these two things were normal until I got married and was told otherwise,” she says.
In the midst of it all, the peppermint layer cake has been a staple. Kathleen’s mom, Lee Ann Galloway, originally found the recipe in an issue of Southern Living and added in a few tweaks to make it her own. “It is the perfect dessert for such a special time of year — beautiful to look at and delicious to eat,” says Kathleen. “It tastes like Christmas.”
Mother of 3-year-old Frederick and 9-month-old Thomas, Kathleen is eager for her children to grow up enjoying the same traditions she did as a child, including the festive favorite. She admits that she doesn’t do a lot of cooking or baking during her normal day-to-day. Times spent in the kitchen are usually relegated to special occasions. The peppermint cake is one of those times, and worth the effort. Her mom taught her how to make the traditional recipe.
In addition to a lesson in baking the peppermint layer cake, Lee Ann also passed down helpful tips for hosting the holidays with ease. “My mom hosts our extended family on Christmas Eve,” says Kathleen. “She has always stressed the importance of making as much of the food as possible ahead of time.”
Kathleen now makes a breakfast casserole on Christmas Eve, popping it in the oven the next morning for a no-fuss
Left Frederick Collins sneaks a peek out the front door in hopes of catching a glimpse of Santa. Above Kathleen learns how to bake the peppermint layer cake from her mother, Lee Ann.
start to the day, maximizing family time and relaxation in the morning. This allows the busy mom a chance to enjoy time around the tree with the rest of the family. “It is such a treat to be able to sip hot coffee on the couch watching the joy of Christmas morning. It may be the only morning of the year that the kids are fully entertained, and I enjoy my entire coffee without reheating it!” she laughs.
In addition to baking the peppermint layer cake, Kathleen and her husband Trey have continued the tradition of reading “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” and placing the orange at the bottom of the stockings. “Trey and I have an orange tree in our front yard, so it’s easy for Santa to grab on his way in,” she says. They have also incorporated traditions from Trey’s side of the family to the delight of their kids. “He has a fabulous collection of nutcrackers that we set out each year all over the house. Our 3-year-old loves them and has adopted quite the bedtime stalling technique of saying goodnight to each nutcracker.”
“As a child,” Kathleen reflects, “my favorite Christmas moment was running into the living room and seeing the toys Santa left after weeks of anticipation. As a mom, it is the exact opposite. Now, I savor sitting on the couch watching the boys run and crawl into the room and seeing the excitement on their faces.” MB
Clockwise from top left Kathleen and Lee Ann decorate the family’s peppermint layer cake. Frederick unpacks the goodies Santa left, including several oranges, a tradition Kathleen continued from her childhood. Trey’s collection of nutcrackers decorates the house each year, much to Frederick’s delight. Kathleen and Thomas spend time together in the kitchen.
“IT IS THE PERFECT DESSERT FOR SUCH A SPECIAL TIME OF YEAR — BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT AND DELICIOUS TO EAT,” SAYS KATHLEEN. “IT TASTES LIKE CHRISTMAS.”
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened 3 large eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1½ cups sour cream
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2/3 cup crushed hard peppermint candies
SOUR CREAM CAKE LAYERS
3 cups cake flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened 2 cups sugar 3 large eggs
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FROSTING
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup white chocolate morsels
2 cups whipping cream 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnishes: Lee Ann decorates her cake with round peppermint candies, white chocolate curls and silver pearl sugar sprinkles. For this issue, MB went over the top and also added candy canes and Christmas ornaments.
1. To prepare the peppermint cheesecake layers, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Line bottom and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides. Lightly grease foil.
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes or until smooth and creamy.
4. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add flour, sour cream and vanilla and peppermint extracts, beating until blended. Fold in candies.
5. Pour batter into prepared pans. Place cake pans in a large pan; add water to pan to a depth of 1 inch.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until set. Remove from oven wire racks.
7. Cool completely in pans, about an hour.
8. Without removing cheesecakes from pan, cover with foil and freeze 4-6 hours or until frozen solid.
9. Lift frozen cheesecakes from pans using foil sides as handles. Gently remove foil from cheesecakes. Wrap in plastic wrap and return to the freezer until ready to assemble the cake.
10. To prepare sour cream cake layers, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans.
11. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
12. In another bowl, add sour cream and vanilla. Blend well with a fork, set aside.
13. In the mixer bowl, beat the
softened butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.
14. Add the flour mixture and sour cream mixture. Mix until combined and smooth (do not mix above medium speed or it will over mix).
15. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
16. Let the cakes cool for 5-10 minutes then turn out. Let cakes cool one additional hour before assembling the cake.
17. To prepare the white chocolate mousse frosting, cook sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and often, for 3-4 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.
18. Add morsels and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes), whisking occasionally.
19. Beat cream and vanilla at high speed with electric mixer 1-2 minutes or until soft peaks form. Gradually fold white chocolate mixture into whipped cream mixture, folding until mixture reaches a spreading consistency.
20. To assemble the cake, place one cake on a cake stand or plate. Top with one frozen cheesecake layer. Top with a second cake layer and remaining cheesecake layer. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread top and sides of cake with frosting. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish as desired.
WRAP THESE MINI BUNDT CAKES IN CELLOPHANE TIED WITH A BIG RED BOW FOR A FESTIVE TEACHER GIFT.
CAKE:
1 box chocolate cake mix (devils food cake or German chocolate cake mixes work well)
3.9-ounce box instant chocolate pudding
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1½ cups mini chocolate chips
FROSTING:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups powdered sugar
3 candy canes, crushed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a mini Bundt pan and set aside.
2. Combine all ingredients through peppermint extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into Bundt cake pan so it’s about 3/4 of the way full and bake for 21 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then invert the pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until creamy.
6. Add in the vanilla and then gradually stir in the powdered sugar.
7. Transfer frosting to a large Ziploc bag, folding down the opening to keep it clean while adding the frosting. Remove the air from the bag and seal. Trim the corner off the plastic bag, making a 1/2” opening, and squeeze bag to pipe frosting onto cake.
8. Sprinkle the top with crushed candy canes and serve.
Cook’s note: You can make the cakes, unfrosted, a day head of serving. Store wrapped in plastic wrap in refrigerator. Remove from fridge and frost before serving.
1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1½ cups white chocolate chips
1 14-ounce can sweetened con densed milk, divided
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy (about 5 candy canes)
2. In a large saucepan, combine the semisweet chocolate chips and 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk over medium heat, stirring well until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate fudge into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate to cool.
3. Clean and dry the saucepan, then add the white chocolate chips and remaining 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk over medium heat, stirring well until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Add the peppermint extract and half of the crushed candies to the mixture and stir to combine.
4. Remove the chocolate fudge from the refrigerator and pour the white chocolate peppermint fudge on top and smooth it out. Sprinkle the remaining crushed candies on top. Return to the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours, or until the fudge is set.
5. Use the parchment to help lift the fudge out of the pan. Slice into 16 pieces and serve.
Cook’s note: Run your knife under hot water to help slice smoothly and easily. Fudge may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Leftover fudge may be frozen for up to 3 months, thawing overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
SMALL TREAT BOXES FROM THE CRAFT STORE ARE PERFECT FOR BOXING UP A FEW PIECES OF FUDGE TO GIVE TO NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.
10
1 package (14 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies, crushed 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 containers (1½ quarts each) peppermint ice cream, slightly softened 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed Hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed Crushed peppermint candy
1. In the bottom of an ungreased 13” x 9” dish, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press to form an even layer. Spread ice cream over the crust and top with whipped topping. Cover and freeze until solid. May be frozen for up to 2 months.
2. Remove from freezer drizzle with hot fudge topping and sprinkle with peppermint candy. Slice into squares and serve immediately.
SURE TO PLEASE KIDS, TEENS AND THE YOUNG AT HEART, THESE ICE CREAM BARS ARE THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY TREAT FOR CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST.
MATTHEW BEES USES A CONTAINER TO ELEVATE THE TREE, MAKING ROOM FOR MORE DECORATIONS TO SWAG FROM THOSE BOTTOM BRANCHES AND LET THE PRESENTS PILE UP!
Interior designer Matthew Metcalfe-Bees remembers magical Christmases when he was a boy at his grandmother’s home in Crenshaw County. “You didn’t have to do anything, you just showed up and it was all done. It was this unbelievable Herculean display of Christmas cheer. The first time I did it for myself, I was like, ‘how is this possible?’” He concedes that Christmas is not for the faint of heart, and that much work and thought goes into it. “My generation is just starting to get what it takes to do a full holiday themselves.” With a few of his tried-andtrue tips, however, you can add some color, beauty and cheer to your home, as well.
BEES ADORES JIM MARVIN GLASS ORNAMENTS, SAYING THEY REFLECT THE LIGHT BETTER THAN ANY OTHER. “JIM MARVIN IS TO CHRISTMAS WHAT JULIA CHILD IS TO FRENCH COOKING. HE HAS DECORATED THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THE HOLIDAYS A DOZEN TIMES.”
Bees set out to decorate a tree with an old-world feel, taking cues from historic Williamsburg holidays where the focus was on fruit. “Citrus and the holidays go hand in glove,” he explains, “especially here in South. I remember always getting beautiful crates of oranges and satsumas at this time of year.” Ornaments in shades of peach, orange, yellow and red adorn an artificial tree hung with cranberry garland and swags of ribbon. “When I got it all put together I thought, ‘it looks like a roll of Lifesavers!’”
“Christmas is a lot about CHILDHOOD, even when you decorate on a formal scale. THERE IS SO MUCH NOSTALGIA BEHIND IT, and that’s got to be the headliner of Christmas.”
Table settings are a place where you can get creative, but if you’re feeling stumped, Bees suggests looking to your surrounding for inspiration. He carried the aubergine in the Colefax and Fowler fabric on his dining chairs to the table through votives, William Yeoward water glasses and ornaments at each place setting tied with silk ribbons. “Purple is a color for Advent and the Christmas season,” he explains. Bees also introduced blue and white with an oversized planter (“Leftovers from my rehearsal dinner!”) and modern chargers designed by Christopher Spitzmiller. The painterly design is a fun juxtaposition to Bees’ tradition Herend dinner plates. And when it comes to table linens, he has a few unwritten rules. “If I’m using a patterned table cloth, I add a solid place mat to define the space. Otherwise, I skip it. But I enjoy big French linen napkins with no monogram, the kind you can actually wash!” He prefers to serve a lap supper at the holidays as well, and says napkins large enough to truly cover your lap are a must!
BEES SAYS THE SECRET TO THIS ARRANGEMENT IS TO KEEP THINGS IN BUNCHES — FLOWERS HERE, GREENERY THERE. HE LOVES TO INCORPORATE CURLY KALE, RED CAULIFLOWER AND, AS HERE, ARTICHOKES AND APPLES. JUST SKEWER PRODUCE WITH A WOODEN DOWEL AND INSERT INTO OASIS.
When faced with the question of whether to keep the mantle decoration minimal or go all out, it isn’t even a question for this overthe-top designer. Bees’ maxed-out mantle was built on a base of artificial garland boosted with layer upon layer of individual floral pics. Gilded magnolia leaves, sparkling berries, twigs and pomegranate — all artificial — create this mantle masterpiece.
“It’s hard for us here on the Gulf Coast to see all the gorgeous live foliage in magazines, because we just can’t do that here. You cut it and it’s dead a week later. It just doesn’t hold up with our humidity and temperature.” He instead suggests investing in good-looking artificial trimmings that can be used year after year, not just in mantles but also wreaths, centerpieces and even on the tree. “Some of the pieces in this garland are 20 years old, maybe older. Some of it, I bought in high school” If you store it well, he says, it will last a lifetime. He suggests buying a little bit at a time every year, and saving it.
BEES SUGGESTS BUYING A LITTLE BIT OF DECOR AT A TIME EVERY YEAR. CHRISTMAS IS ALREADY AN EXPENSIVE HOLIDAY, HE SAYS, SO HIT AFTERCHRISTMAS SALES!
IF YOU STORE YOUR FLORAL PICS WELL, THEY WILL LAST YEAR AFTER YEAR. BEES TAKES HIS GARLAND APART, WRAPS EACH ITEM IN PAPER AND STORES IN PLASTIC BINS, SAYING IT’S A LIFETIME INVESTMENT.
“I think it’s important to invest in well-made artificial decorations. When in doubt, YOU CAN’T GO WRONG WITH GOLD FOIL. It just looks really rich.”
Bees’ ideal Christmas trees are purposely imperfect. Tree farms hedge their specimens into perfect conical shapes that Bees says just can’t hold ornaments. It’s just not ideal for decorating, and isn’t that the whole point of the tree? He comes by his preference for natural trees ... well, naturally, tracing it back to holidays spent at his grandparents’ house.
“My grandfather was a coon hunter and, when he was out in the woods, if he came across a cedar sapling he would pull it up, bring it home and plant it in his hay field. Those trees would grow there for years, waiting for the holidays. I loved those trees.” The cedars would be left to mature in the hay field until they reached just the right height for his grandmother’s doubleheight sun porch, and then would be dispatched and decorated. “Cedar branches can’t hold heavy ornaments, so she would decorate them with her collection of lightweight glass ornaments that I have now.”
Bees mostly uses artificial trees these days, but insists they should also be imperfect, with lots of holes to fill with all your ornaments, just like the field-grown kind.
THE ANGEL WAS A GIFT FROM BEES’ GRANDMOTHER, PURCHASED FROM PRIESTERS PECANS. HER FABRIC DRAPING WAS ONCE RED, BUT HE TRANSFORMED IT TO SEAFOAM IRIDESCENT WITH NOTHING MORE THAN A TRIP TO MICHAEL’S AND A COUPLE OF PAINT BRUSHES!
For this more traditional tree, Bees used his pink and blue chinoiserie lamps as inspiration. He filled the innermost branches of the tree with colorful glass orbs that complement the lamp, and he then worked his way outward in golds and silvers. “I love glass icicles,” he says. “You can never have too many. They pick up the light and carry it outward. I’ve even hung chandelier crystals from a tree for an extra bit of sparkle.”
This tree features all clear lights to make his collection of vintage ornaments shine. “Clear lights are really beautiful but some people think they’re boring,” he laughs, saying he grew up decorating the tree with big-bulbed tree lights.
“My dad would have to unplug the tree because it would get so hot. We didn’t need to turn on the heater with that damn Christmas tree!” Today’s LED versions are great because they don’t get hot.
“At my house it can be dealer’s choice on lighting.” MB
BEES USES A PRE-LIT ARTIFICIAL TREE AND THEN ADDS MORE LIGHTS. TAKE OFF THE EXTRA LIGHTS BEFORE PACKING THE TREE BACK UP.
IN THIS SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION, LOCAL BUSINESSES DEMONSTRATE WHY THEY ARE LEADERS IN THEIR FIELDS, WITH SKILLS AND SERVICES THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
Alabama Medical Group, P.C., has provided state-of-the-art health care to patients since 1946 and is the largest independently-owned, multi-specialty physician clinic in Mobile.
My personal mission is to continue to learn and grow. Becoming stagnant is what I want to avoid. I am always excited to learn something new and test my knowledge and skills. Thankfully, working in a multimodality imaging department with many patients a day creates an environment that is never dull and always exciting.
How do your services exceed your patient's expectations?
Being an advocate for my patients is part of my daily job, a role that I take to heart. I feel that it is my responsibility to be knowledgeable so that I’m able to answer any questions a patient may have about the test they are undergoing. So often, my patients are anxious about undergoing these types of tests, so it is my number one goal to make each, and every patient feel as comfortable and relaxed as they possibly can while having an exam. I have held a patient’s hands while they were having a procedure, I have been there to help them dress, and been present as a shoulder to lean on as some received devastating news. It has always been important to me that I try my best to give patients the best care I can offer.
Why did you get into this field?
Growing up, I knew I wanted to help and make a difference in people’s lives and my field affords me the opportunity to do so every day. The idea of being a part of a profession that’s committed to helping others and focused on facilitating people to live healthier lives is truly rewarding—I can’t imagine having a more fulfilling job.
Alabama Medical Group (251) 414-5900
101 Memorial Hospital Drive Building 3, Mobile
AlabamaMedicalGroup.com
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Dr. Judy Corbett of Baldwin GYN & Aesthetics is proud to be the first in the Southeast to offer EMFACE, a revolutionary procedure, that simultaneously reduces the appearance of wrinkles, and lifts the face. The needle-free and noninvasive treatment sessions only take about 20 minutes, and positive results typically show up within 4 weeks.
Dr. Corbett has been practicing for more than 30 years and is constantly looking for the latest technology to improve her work for her patients. That is precisely why she is so excited to provide EMFACE. She truly believes in the product, and all that it can offer for both men and women.
Dr. Corbett says, “Beauty is within each of us, and EMFACE can recognize the beauty that already exists within someone.”
To hear more about EMFACE, or book an appointment, call Baldwin GYN & Aesthetics at (251) 424-1100.
Baldwin
(251) 424-1100
1506 N. McKenzie Street, Suite 104, Foleu BaldwinGYN.com
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BEAUTY IS WITHIN EACH OF US, AND EMFACE CAN RECOGNIZE THE BEAUTY THAT ALREADY EXISTS WITHIN SOMEONE.”
Coastal Stone & Cabinetry has served homeowners, builders, and businesses for over 17 years on the Gulf Coast & in the surrounding areas. We provide high quality natural stone, quartz, flooring, cabinetry & tile products!
What sets you apart?
We provide major design elements in both new construction and remodels. Customers can select cabinetry, tile, flooring, custom showers and countertops with one visit to our showroom. And between our owners, staff and skilled installers we have the experience to ensure the job is done well and timely.
To what do you attribute your success?
Our professional & dedicated staff, of course! From our design consultants, to our fabricators & installers, & those behind the scenes, we wouldn't be where we are today without each and every one of them!
How do you make sure your customers get the best results?
Coastal Stone & Cabinetry strives to ensure that every customer has the best possible experience during the entire process - from the initial visit to the final installation.
Our design consultants listen to our customers' goals & preferences, and help develop a design that matches those goals & needs, all while keeping them within budget! Once a design has been created, our team of skilled fabricators & installers bring that vision to life!
Our top priority is for each and every customer that walks through our doors to feel like their project is important, no matter the size! Your project is personal to you, so therefore, it is personal to us!
Coastal Stone & Cabinetry
(251) 929-3475
16020 Greeno Rd. S., Fairhope
CoastalStone.net
WORKING WITH THE COCHRAN BROTHERS FROM THE START PROVIDED A RELATIONSHIP BUILT ON TRUST AND COMMUNICATION. I KNEW I COULD COUNT ON A PROMPT RETURN CALL OR TEXT, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT, AS SOMETIMES BIG DECISIONS NEED TO BE MADE ON THE FLY! IT WAS A FUN PROCESS WITH A LOT OF LAUGHS AND NO DRAMA.”
Julia SledgeThe mission of Cochran Builders, Inc. is and always has been to provide customers with the very best construction process. From
design to move-in day, attention to detail is the standard.
The men and women who represent Cochran Builders, Inc. are the very best at their trade in the surrounding area. In order to obtain the best results, Cochran Builders, Inc., only works on a couple projects at a time to enure the jobs are managed properly. This also allows for use of the same craftsmen on all the jobs, which results in delivery of the very best work.
If you can dream it, the team of talented craftsmen can build it. Your home is your biggest investment, and when the build or renovation is complete, Geoffrey and Jared Cochran make sure the outcome is more stunning than words can describe.
Cochran Builders, Inc.
(251) 423-9686 (Geoffrey) (251) 401-9059 (Jared)
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Cunningham
Cunningham Bounds has been representing members of our community for over 60 years. The firm has achieved a national reputation based on its trial expertise and precedent-setting verdicts for its clients both locally and throughout the United States. The firm is known for taking cases to trial that involve catastrophic injury and death caused by work related accidents, defective products, truck and automobile accidents, and medical malpractice, as well as for its national and state class action litigation involving defective products and consumer fraud.
Sudden tragedy can grip a family when they least expect it – a breadwinner is burned in an industrial explosion, an elderly parent is defrauded by an unethical financial services provider, a home -
maker is paralyzed due to medical negligence, or a friend is killed in a collision with a commercial truck. With 14 trial attorneys, 3 full-time investigators, and access to the best experts in the fields of engineering, design, trucking safety, fire cause and origin, human factors, biomechanics, economics, medicine, vocational rehabilitation, life-care planning, and more, Cunningham Bounds takes care of your case so that you can take care of your family.
Winning any case is challenging and complicated.
Cunningham Bounds has a track record of success in the courtroom which has been key to the firm getting the best possible results for its clients.
Cunningham Bounds has obtained over $26.8 billion in verdicts and settlements on behalf of the people and businesses they represent. There is simply no better metric for going “above and beyond.”
Providing dental care for the whole family is the heart and soul of Dr. Robert Blankenship “Ship” Maitre’s mission as a dentist. He focuses on aesthetic, restorative and implant dental procedures, offering highly skilled dentistry and routine Botox injections to patients along the Gulf Coast.
Dr. Ship completed a comprehensive implant residency where he acquired skills to surgically place and restore dental implants from a single tooth to a full arch of teeth. He continues his education through annual conferences and hands-on workshops, learning from some of the brightest minds in dentistry. Combining advanced dentistry, personalized care and the latest technology, Dr. Ship and his staff provide high-quality smiles for every patient.
“There are few things in life as satisfying as giving someone a newfound confidence in having a healthy, bright smile,” said Dr. Ship. “Providing customized services and exceeding my patients' expectations are at the root of my passion for dentistry, and the reason I strive to expand my dental education.”
and Crabtree Dental Group (251) 344-4571 | ShipTheDentist.com 801 S. University Boulevard, Suite A
“
As a result of Dr. Ship’s efforts, I have a mouth full of teeth that have allowed me to possess a high quality of life.”
Mobile Infirmary (251) 435-2400
5 Mobile Infirmary Circle, Mobile InfirmaryHealth.org
Thomas Hospital (251) 928-2375
750 Morphy Avenue, Fairhope
North Baldwin Infirmary (251) 937-5521
1815 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette
Infirmary Health is the largest non-governmental, not-for-profit healthcare system in Alabama. With just over 1.3 million patient visits in the last year, the staff and physicians work tirelessly to care for our communities.
However, at the heart of Infirmary Health hospitals is its Volunteer Services & Auxiliary teams. At Mobile Infirmary, Thomas Hospital and North Baldwin Infirmary, dedicated volunteers offer care and compassion to patients and an invaluable service to the community.
As a volunteer, these individuals selflessly donate their time to provide little extras for patients and
visitors during their stay, including giving directions, serving in the gift shops or connecting patients with their families. Additionally, through the support of the auxiliaries, the hospitals are able to purchase needed equipment to serve the community as its FIRST CHOICE in healthcare.
Want to get involved?
To volunteer at Infirmary Health, call the hospitals directly or visit infirmaryhealth.org/volunteers:
Mobile Infirmary: (251) 435-2187
Thomas Hospital: (251 ) 279-1686
North Baldwin Infirmary: (251) 580-1740
JJPR is a top-ranked, full-service public relations, marketing and advertising agency focused on building, protecting and elevating brands.
Leaders take risks, challenge the status quo and influence others to reach their potential. Long before the entrepreneurship bandwagon, Jennifer Jenkins was leading the way for other women when she made a bold move to leave the big agency world to create a company all her own.
She believes powerful storytelling is what creates and grows brands. In her 25-year career in public relations, Jennifer has been promoting clients from the Gulf Coast to the West Coast in industries from healthcare to manufacturing as well as relentlessly volunteering, mentoring, teaching and serving both her profession and community.
Empowering her team to feel and think like owners, creating measurably successful work, and giving back to their community with time and talent is what makes JJPR stand out.
JJPR Agency (251) 375-1297 jjpragency.com
from within. The firm was founded in 2006. Bragg Van Antwerp joined the firm in 2013 after 13 years on Wall Street. Alex Arendall came on board in 2021 after a long career in banking. More recently, Michael Barnett arrived after more than a decade in financial services.
MMPW is an independent, employeeowned investment advisory firm. As of October 31, their regulatory assets under management were $1.7 billion. MMPW provides investment advice and financial planning for individuals, and they work extensively as a fiduciary investment advisor for 401(k) plans. Their clients also include trusts, estates, non-profits, endowments, foundations, corporations and municipalities.
In addition to the growth of the company’s client base and assets under management, MMPW has grown
“It is important for our long-term clients to know that the next generation of MMPW advisors is already here,” said Van Antwerp, “particularly with the number of ‘Baby Boomers’ retiring or on the verge of retirement.”
“And as young professionals come to the realization that they need a solid financial plan,” he continued, “they want to work with someone here who genuinely understands their current situation and where they want to be in the future. We feel that we have put MMPW in the perfect position to serve clients of any age and at any stage of life.”
“ IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR LONGTERM CLIENTS TO KNOW THAT THE NEXT GENERATION OF MMPW ADVISORS IS ALREADY HERE."
Bragg Van Antwerp
The Mobile County Health Department’s mission is to promote, improve and protect the overall health of Mobile County.
Mobile County’s Health Officer, Dr. Kevin P. Michaels, has a proven track record of dedicating his life to service. He spent 24 years serving as a public health and occupational medicine physician in the U.S. Army, retiring just five years ago and moving back to Mobile to work as an occupational medicine physician.
Dr. Michaels continues his community service in a new light, focusing on public health and the diverse areas it encompasses. As the area’s lead advocate for health in all policies, Dr. Michaels continues to strive for Mobile County to be a healthier place for all who live, work and play here. Managing the dual roles of public health is not easy, but it’s Dr. Michaels’ mission and priority for the foreseeable future.
Download the My MCHD Health Check app today.
Mobile County Health Department (251) 690-8158 mchd.org
“ I KNEW FOR A VERY LONG TIME THAT THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO DO. I ALWAYS KNEW I WANTED TO RETIRE IN MOBILE, ALABAMA, AND BECOME THE HEALTH OFFICER FOR MOBILE COUNTY. THIS JOB IS A DREAM COME TRUE.”
Dr. Pitts is a Mobile native who attended Spring Hill College for his undergraduate studies before graduating from The University of South Alabama Medical School. Dr. Pitts trained extensively in Mobile for Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care. He lives with his family in West Mobile. He loves DC Comics and is a huge fan of Metallica. He sees patients in his West Mobile Office located on Airport Boulevard and cares for patients at Providence Hospital.
Dr. Pitts and his partners have created a practice dedicated to improving the lives of patients with respiratory disease and immunologic conditions. He demonstrates great leadership and is an example to his partners and his staff. He leads the way in evaluating new diagnostic equipment and he is an advocate for the company’s Chronic Care Management Division. His patients are able to enroll in a program that monitors their adherence to care plan goals and works to keep them healthy and out of the hospital.
“Pulmonary Associates is fortunate to have great physician leadership and Dr. Pitts is a young physician who is continuing the tradition by using his superb skills to continue to improve the group,” says Joseph Zurfluh, Chief Executive Officer.
Pulmonary Associates of Mobile (251) 633-0573
5955 Airport Blvd, Mobile lungmds.com
“PULMONARY ASSOCIATES IS FORTUNATE TO HAVE GREAT PHYSICIAN LEADERSHIP & DR. PITTS IS A YOUNG PHYSICIAN WHO IS CONTINUING THE TRADITION.”
— Joseph Zurfluh, CEO
With a mission of “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose,” the University of Mobile goes above and the beyond the standard expectations for a college – to provide a quality education that prepares graduates to excel in their fields. The University of Mobile does that – and so much more! Here, “Know and Be Known” describes a unique Christ-centered university where students are known by professors who care about them, pray for them, challenge and prepare them to pursue God’s calling for their lives.
Here are just a few ways students can “Know and Be Known” at the University of Mobile:
• Perform before an audience of thousands at the annual Christmas Spectacular musical extravaganza.
• Gain hands-on experience with human cadavers in one of the very few gross anatomy labs in the nation dedicated to undergraduate education.
• Prepare to be a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in the only Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program in a four-state region.
• Learn in small classes averaging 14 students taught by faculty – not graduate students.
• Experience the #1 Best Small College in Alabama with the #1 Dorms in the state, ranked by Niche.
View a complete list of academic programs at umobile.edu/academics or call (251) 442-2222. Schedule a campus visit at umobile.edu/visit or sign up for a UM Day at umobile.edu/umday.
University of Mobile 5735 College Parkway (251) 442-2222 UMobile.edu
“Our constituents demand that we prepare our graduates for a rewarding career. Beyond that, realizing that any job should be a calling, we stress the higher purpose of grounding students not only in academic excellence, but also moral character rooted in eternal truth.”
Lonnie A. Burnett, PhD, President, University of Mobile
Our patients do not have to leave our facility to get the medication(s) and support they need. It’s unique that our team is able to communicate so closely with our patients.”
Brittney Carden, PHARMD, Specialty Pharmacy ManagerThe USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute (MCI) provides unmatched specialty services to guide patients through their cancer journey – from diagnosis to treatment to survivorship.
Together under one roof, a specialty pharmacist, registered dietitian and social workers collaborate to offer interdisciplinary care in one integrated plan with the same goal for each patient – to fight cancer smarter.
As the region’s only academic cancer research center, the MCI provides patients options for low-cost medication grants, one-on-one consultations for financial counseling, nutritional therapy services
to ensure optimal nutritional support for patients and emotional support groups for patients and family members.
Beyond the physical challenges caused by disease itself, some patients face mental health issues. Some are at nutritional risk. And on top of all that, increasing medical costs can lead to financial hardships. Taking a holistic approach to cancer care, the MCI uses AssistPoint technology beginning immediately after a treatment decision is made to combat financial difficulties by ensuring that every patient is connected with every opportunity for financial assistance. Navigating a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, but at the MCI, treatment doesn’t have to be.
USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute
1660 Springhill Avenue, Mobile (251) 410-1010 usamci.com
“LeAnne Bolton, MS, RDN, Oncology Nutrition Coordinator; Brittany Walker, LMSW, Social Worker; Haley Orillion, LMSW, Social Worker; Brittney Carden, PharmD, Specialty Pharmacy Manager
include unique and different specialties.
Wigman’s Ace Hardware, Wigman’s Vessel Supply & Wigman’s Marine Construction Supplies 251-471-3138
1623 Dauphin Island Parkway wigmanshardware.com
— Mike Whigham,
Wigman’s isn’t just a hardware store — we also specialize in other areas, including marine construction supplies, boat lifts, cargo lifts, piling restoration and vessel supply. But what really sets us apart is our dedication to listening to the needs of our customers. In doing so, we have been able to grow our business to
One person can’t do it all; it takes a village. Or in our case, a great staff. Our employees are another example of what sets us above and beyond our competitors. Each has a wealth of product knowledge, a desire to meet customers’ needs and the willingness to source hard-to-find items. Wigman’s sources as many products as possible locally.
Family owned and operated, Wigman’s Hardware Inc. has been in business for over 60 years. Constantly changing and adapting to fit the needs of our coastal customers has allowed us to stay viable for those six decades, and it is our hope to continue our service for many years to come.
“
HAVING DEPENDABLE PEOPLE WHO ENJOY WHAT THEY DO AND APPRECIATE OUR CUSTOMERS WILL ALWAYS PUT US ABOVE AND BEYOND OUR COMPETITORS.”
owner
MAGIC CHRISTMAS IN LIGHTS
Take an evening stroll through the gardens, illuminated by more than 3 million sparkling lights. Rain or shine. Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
BELLINGRATH GARDENS AND HOME BELLINGRATH.ORG
“LITTLE WOMEN” THE MUSICAL
7:30 p.m. Thurs. - Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Follow the adventures of sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March in this musical adaptation of the Louis May Alcott classic novel. Ticket prices vary.
THE PACT THEATRE COMPANY THEPACTMOBILE.COM
THE PROPHECY SHOW
7 p.m. Rock out to this energized tribute to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Ticket prices vary.
SAENGER THEATRE ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
“ANASTASIA”
8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m. Allow yourself to be transported to the Russian empire and through Paris in the 1920s, as a young woman seeks to discover the mystery of her past. Tickets start at $50.
MITCHELL CENTER SOUTHALABAMA.EDU
MAGICAL CHRISTMAS PARADE
7 p.m. Catch flying candy and wave to Santa at Fairhope’s annual Christmas parade.
DOWNTOWN FAIRHOPE FAIRHOPEAL.GOV
40TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL
Begins 10 a.m. Fri. and ends Sat. at 6 p.m. Downtown Bay Minette is going all out for this anniversary festival: prizes, vendors, food, live music and more.
BALDWIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE SQUARE NORTHBALDWINCHAMBER.COM
“RENT”
7:30 p.m. Fri. and Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Hear the stories of impoverished young artists struggling to survive in Manhattan’s East Village under the shadow of the AIDS crisis. Ticket prices vary.
JOE JEFFERSON PLAYHOUSE JOEJEFFERSONPLAYERS.COM
THE FAB FOUR: THE ULTIMATE TRIBUTE 8 p.m. Swing into the 60s with this acclaimed Beatles tribute band. Ticket prices vary.
SAENGER THEATRE ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
KIWANIS CLUB CHRISTMAS PARADE
10 a.m. Cheer on this annual parade as it rolls through downtown Foley.
HERITAGE PARK, FOLEY FOLEYKIWANIS.CLUB
To have your event included in the online or print edition of Mobile Bay Magazine, email calendar@pmtpublishing.com.
ROLL MOBILE HOLIDAY EDITION
6 - 10 p.m. Lace up your skates and dress as your favorite winter holiday character at this free event. Bienville Square will be transformed into an outdoor roller-skating rink for the evening.
BIENVILLE SQUARE CITYOFMOBILE.ORG
NATE BARGATZE: THE RAINCHECK TOUR
8 p.m. Sun., Noon Mon. Get your second chance to see the comedy stylings of Nate Bargatze who sold out the Saenger Theatre last year. Ticket prices vary.
SAENGER THEATRE ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
BALDWIN POPS CHRISTMAS CONCERT
7 p.m. Bring the family for a free night of holiday cheer. Patrons are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped gift for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots.
GULF SHORES CULTURAL CIVIC CENTER GULFSHORESAL.GOV
INFLATABLE BALLOON LODA ARTWALK
6 - 9 p.m. Experience Cathedral Square transformed into a balloon-filled wonderland. Show your support for local artists, art organizations and downtown businesses at this fun, family-friendly and free event.
CATHEDRAL SQUARE CITYOFMOBILE.ORG
HOLIDAY CABARET
7:30 p.m. Fri. and Sat., 2:30 p.m. Sun. Attend Theatre 98’s first-ever holiday cabaret featuring classic holiday songs and newer pieces as well.
THEATRE 98, FAIRHOPE THEATRE98.ORG
MISTLETOE MARKET
9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Make a dent in your Christmas shopping list at this outdoor market.
SARALAND TOWN CENTER PARK/SPLASH PAD SARALANDCHAMBER.COM
ANNUAL SANTA DROP
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Who needs a chimney when you can watch Santa skydive onto the beach? Enjoy photos with Santa, live music, crafts for kids and bushwhackers for adults. All free ... except the cocktails.
THE FLORABAMA FLORABAMA.COM
LULU’S ANNUAL CHRISTMAS LIGHTED BOAT PARADE
5 p.m. Celebrate the holiday with brightly decorated vessels illuminating the canal from Gulf Shores to Orange Beach.
LULU’S, GULF SHORES GULFSHORES.COM
HOLLY DAYS ON MAIN AT THE WHARF
9 a.m. Enjoy arts and crafts, live performances and a lighted boat parade at this free event.
THE WHARF ORANGE BEACH GULFSHORES.COM
“THE NUTCRACKER”
2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sat., 2:30 p.m. Sun. The Mobile Ballet brings Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece to life once again.
MOBILE CIVIC CENTER THEATRE MOBILEBALLET.ORGMOBILE SYMPHONIC POPS CHRISTMAS CONCERT
7 - 9 p.m. Join the city of Semmes for this free concert. Hors d’oeuvres will be served.
MARY J. MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL CITYOFSEMMESAL.GOV
WHO’S BAD
7 p.m. Moonwalk your way over to this concert, featuring Michael Jackson’s longest-running tribute band. Ticket prices vary.
MOBILE CIVIC CENTER ASMGLOBALMOBILE.ORG
ROMAN STREET AND MARLOW BOYS
7:30 p.m. Hear your favorite Christmas Classics refigured in a new, exciting way at this annual performance. Ticket prices start at $29.50.
SAENGER THEATRE ASMGLOBALMOBILE.ORG
LENDING TREE BOWL
4:45 p.m. Televised nationally on ESPN, the game has built a reputation as one of the most competitive of the bowl season.
HANCOCK WHITNEY STADIUM LENDINGTREEBOWL.COM
THE PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK PRESENTS: “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”
7 p.m. Don’t be a Scrooge and pass up this Charles Dickens’ classic. Tickets start at $20.
SAENGER THEATRE PLAYHOUSEINTHEPARK.ORG
13TH ANNUAL CHARLIE BROWN JAZZ CHRISTMAS CONCERT
6 p.m. Channel your inner Snoopy as the Joe Cool Trio performs “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” This year will also feature American Idol winner Taylor Hicks. Tickets are $30 for general admission and $12 for kids under age 10.
SAENGER THEATRE ASMGLOBALMOBILE.ORG
This 36-hole event is for high school varsity level golfers and boys and girls ages 12-13. Children ages 9-11 will play 18 holes. Entry fees start at $70 and benefit L’Arche Mobile.
AZALEA CITY GOLF COURSE JIMMYGREENTOUR.COMMAGIC CIRQUE CHRISTMAS
8 - 10 p.m. Experience this family-friendly, comedic, and musical holiday experience. Tickets start at $31.
MOBILE CIVIC CENTER ASMGLOBALMOBILE.COM
NOON YEAR’S EVE AT LULU’S
10 a.m. Celebrate the clock striking noon with a beach ball drop, kid-safe fireworks, an inflatable slide, a sandcastle contest and more.
LULU’S GULF SHORES GULFSHORES.COMREELIN’ IN THE NEW YEAR AT THE WHARF
5 p.m. - midnight. Celebrate the end of 2022 with live bands and family-friendly entertainment, with the Park Band, the marlin drop and a fireworks finale at midnight.
THE WHARF, ORANGE BEACH GULFSHORES.COM
MOON PIE DROP
Countdown to 2022 with the city’s traditional Moon Pie drop featuring 90s alternative rock band Third Eye Blind.
DOWNTOWN MOBILE MOONPIEOVERMOBILE.CO
* Check event websites for most current status.
She’s in rough shape, this little community center in Barnwell, over on County Road 3. Her roof is a patchwork of new and rusted sheet metal. The trim white paint on her exterior has cracked and flaked away, succumbing to sun, wind and rain. Inside, chunks of the ceiling have rotted out, leaving holes gaping into the darkness above. She is more than 100 years old, and she looks every bit her age.
But look closely, and there’s more: A sturdy frame. A level foundation. Sunlight pours through newly restored window frames, casting rays onto a smooth wood floor that, despite a few missing pieces, feels strong and even underfoot.
Generations of memory live in this space. Before the Depression, the children of Barnwell went to school here. It’s where children and grandchildren once held weddings, funerals and anniversaries. Over the past century, Barnwell’s tight-knit farming families have gathered within these walls for countless bingo nights, potluck dinners and quilting circles. The community used to vote inside. And now, the most remarkable thing: Though she’s sat dormant for more than a decade, slowly disintegrating and filling up with junk, the Barnwell Community Center is awakening once again.
Over the past year, a dedicated crew of local families have committed themselves to her revival, spurred to action by Hurricane Sally.
When the storm clawed its way across Baldwin County in 2020, it tore off most of the community center’s roof, leaving the already dilapidated building exposed to the elements. Water damage took hold with a vengeance, accelerating her decline.
The following spring, at a local kids’ Easter egg hunt, the conversation turned to the sorry state of the building. “We just got to talking and realized, nobody’s going to do anything unless we do something,” said architect and Barnwell native Melissa Nolte, surveying the progress within the partially renovated building. “We decided that we were going to get together and we were going to fix it. I don’t think any of us knew what we were biting off at that moment. We just thought we were going to show up and throw some patches on it and go.”
But now? “I really feel like we have a tiger by the tail,” she said.
Above A dedicated group of volunteers work to restore the Barnwell Community Center. From left to right: Brian Nolte, Kevin Wadsworth, Robert Rohm, Wayne Childress, Sidney Walter, Chris Haney, Veronica Bishop, Chris Frego, Melissa Nolte and John Frego.
A Baldwin County landmark with deep community roots finally gets a chance to shine again.
There’s more at stake than the collective memory of this rural Baldwin County community. The building is rooted within a larger — and increasingly hard to find — historic tradition.
In 1912, Booker T. Washington, principal of what was then known as the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute (now Tuskegee University), pitched a progressive idea to Julius Rosenwald, a new member of Tuskegee’s board of trustees and the president of Sears, Roebuck and Co. The idea that Washington shared was simple, yet profound: He wanted to build safe, clean schools for Black children across the rural South.
Together, the two men launched a school building program that, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, produced a staggering 4,977 schools during the first half of the 20th century.
The Rosenwald schools, as they came to be known, were revolutionary in their design. Well-ventilated and filled with natural light, they were laid out with strategically placed banks of windows to reduce eyestrain, with interiors painted in light colors to create bright and welcoming learning environments. In addition to typical classrooms, the schools also included “industrial” rooms where the children learned practical skills such as sewing and technical trades.
In the 1910s and 20s, under the architectural direction of Samuel L. Smith and Fletcher B. Dresslar, the group developed standardized school plans whose designs could be replicated across the South, eventually publishing a catalog of small and large buildings to accommodate the varying needs of different communities.
“Professional educators and cost-conscious school administrators borrowed freely from Rosenwald plans in developing their own state-approved school designs,” wrote Mary S. Hoffschwelle in “Preserving Rosenwald Schools,” a short guidebook produced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “They used these plans to build Black schools that did not receive Rosenwald grants and to build schools for white children as well. Consequently, although educated separately, many Southern white and Black children learned in classrooms that looked and felt the same — open, bright, orderly, clean.”
Soon after the people of Barnwell decided to take on the task of renovating the community center, Nolte spent an entire day at the Department of Archives and History in Bay Minette, sifting through old records to find out more about the building. She didn’t even know, at first, when it had been built. “It had been around so long, anybody you talked to was like, ‘it’s always been there,’” she said. “Okay, but it wasn’t
always there. Where’d it come from?”
Clockwise from top left Businessman and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald. Educator and activist Booker T. Washington. Students and teachers at the Noble Hill School in Cassville, Georgia, in 1925, an example of a Rosenwald School.
IMAGE COURTESY NOBLE HILL SCHOOL
Nolte discovered that there had been an earlier school, called the Meadow Springs school, built for Barnwell’s children around 1906. When the hurricane of 1916 wiped it out, the community decided to build a new schoolhouse on a piece of property about a mile farther inland. The timing of this need coincided with the rising popularity of Rosenwald schools. Thus, the Barnwell community found itself, unknowingly, stepping into a historic decision: The new school, erected in 1918, was built according to the design specifications of Rosenwald Community School Floor Plan No. 20.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation estimates that fewer than 500 Rosenwald schools still stand today. The Barnwell Community Center is not, strictly speaking, a “Rosenwald school,” as it was not built under the auspices of the Tuskegee program or the later Rosenwald Fund. However, as a contemporary of the Rosenwald schools built according to Smith and Dresslar’s
plans, the community center nevertheless offers the opportunity to physically step into a piece of the Rosenwald legacy.
Since that Easter egg hunt in 2021, the pieces of the community center restoration project have fallen into place at an ever-accelerating rate. First, an informal group pitched in their own money to fix the roof damage that Sally wrought. Then they hosted a spring cleanup day, where two dozen community members showed up to haul debris out of the building. In the summer of 2021, they officially banded together as an organization and held a community-wide interest meeting. In November, they hosted their first Community Day, a celebratory event where the group showcased their progress.
During Community Day, “people were just steadily putting checks in our hands,” said organization board member Veronica Bishop. “We’ve had a lot of community support. No one has told us no. We don’t ask for a whole lot, though. We’ve been trying to utilize our resources.”
The first half of 2022 brought a fresh flurry of wins, starting with a $75,000 grant from the county and an official 501c3 nonprofit designation for the Barnwell Community Organization. In May, they held their first official fundraiser, a crawfish derby where they hoped to sell 200 tickets. They had to cap it at 400.
Official renovations began this summer, starting with repairing the foundation and clearing overgrowth around
the property. In late summer, the group began repair work on the worst of the building’s walls.
“I didn’t think that we would be this far, this soon,” said Bishop. “I always knew if I ever had a dollar over starvation and everybody wanted to help, we could do it. But the Lord put us together so that we could rally this.”
So far, community members have risen to the occasion, pitching in $40,000 toward the renovation.
Clockwise from top left A class photo of the students at the Barnwell School, date unknown. Repairs are underway inside the schoolhouse. The Community Center as it sits today.
“What makes that really amazing is this is not a high-income area,” said Nolte, who serves as board president. “This is a lot of farmers, old families. We have people who are living on minimal incomes, and they will bake cakes for the bake sale on Community Day and show up to make their contribution, or they will buy a T-shirt or they will just show up and give $20 out of their pocket because everybody who’s been here for very long has at some point been to either a function or party here.”
“We’re a small town,” said Bishop. “We’re slower paced. We’re rural. We like the farmland, we like our ATVs. I think that having something like this for everybody to collaborate on, it’s really put some spark into
our little Barnwell community.”
The group relies entirely on local volunteers, who come out to the property on weekends to lend their time and skills to the renovation. Bit by bit, they are laboring to restore it to circa 1918, peeling back the layers of change that have crept into the building over the years. Those changes included improperly installed windows that allowed water to seep into the building for decades; interior walls that entombed a Fairhope clay fireplace in darkness; and a kitchen that posed a significant fire hazard.
Fortunately, the board seems uniquely suited to the task at hand.
“We have an electrical contractor who’s on our board and we’ve got a construction contractor. We’ve got a guy who builds windows and custom doors. We’ve got the skilled labor. We lucked out,” said Nolte.
She is quick to credit the many neighbors who have stepped up to support the effort, but Nolte herself is a dynamo. When prompted, she swiftly rattles off the list of meetings, workdays, and planning sessions she attends every month to keep the project on track.
“She doesn’t turn the phone off. She doesn’t stop,” said Bishop. “She probably does it all the way until she goes to bed. Plus, she has a career and a family and a home and a farm that she runs.”
“We all have those,” demurred Nolte.
Bishop pushed back, laughing: “No, not everybody has a farm.”
“We want to build [the community center] back for the next 100 years,” Nolte continued. “It’s been here 100 years. Everything that we are putting back, we want to put back as good, if not better, because we want it to be here in 100 years. You know, I doubt we will be here to take care of it, but hopefully, the next people will not have quite as big a mess to pick up.”
“Even the children in this community already see the value in it,” added Bishop. “They’ve been to our little events. They know what we’re doing here. They’re going to have the same memories that we did. They’ll be passionate.” MB
What an Alabama Christmas lacks in snow it makes up for in boozy treats galore.
MCDONALD ATKINSEvery year, as December approached, my paternal grandmother and her friends would start sharing large jars of friendship cake starter among each other. After all, what better way to show a little Christmas cheer and help a sister through the stressful holiday season than with a Ball jar filled with assorted canned fruits that had been fermenting for a month or more. Just perfect for the season of merriment — sweet, fruity ... and lousy with brandy.
Now I have always suspected that friendship cake (aptly named, I might add, because the more you eat, the friendlier you get) was really just a ruse so that nice southern ladies could have a little nip in the middle of the day. It wouldn’t be seemly, you see, to knock back a pre-party shot, no matter how many relatives were fixing to descend on you, no matter how many gifts were left to wrap, no matter how much cooking and dishwashing lay ahead. But a little fruit served over cake, or ice cream, or straight out of the jar, well, it’s just a little dessert, after all. A sweet treat
SERVES 4
1 can pineapple chunks, drained 1 can sliced peaches, drained 1 can apricot halves, drained 1 jar maraschino cherries, drained 1 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/4 cup brandy
1. Mix everything up in a twoquart nonmetallic bowl. Put it to the side and leave it covered at room temperature for three weeks, stirring twice a week.
2. Reserve one cup mixture for future starter, and enjoy or share the rest!
3. To continue the Friendship Fruit, every one to three weeks, add one cup sugar and one can of the fruits to the reserved starter, alternating fruit each time. If you can stand to, then leave it alone and covered at room temperature another three days before using.
Cook’s note: Starter can be used to make a fruit cake (find recipes online), served over ice cream or pound cake, or jarred up to give to your friends as presents! Just be sure to add a little tag with instructions so they can keep their starter going.
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.
to give you a little sugar boost. And it would be positively rude not to partake of a gift. No matter if it is so stout that just removing the lid will make your pin curls droop. One mustn’t be rude.
Come to think of it, many traditional southern Christmas desserts seem to include more than just a little of the sauce.
Mama always said William Faulkner was referring to Lane cake when he described a dessert that was “wicked as sin.” Despite that characterization, Lane cake was always on our holiday menu. Created by Clayton, Alabama, native Emma Rylander Lane, this layered white cake features a filling comprised of eggs, sugar, coconut, pecans, raisins, and, of course, bourbon. Now Emma must have been some sort of cooking phenom because making a Lane cake is no mean feat. There are egg whites to beat until your arm falls off, pecans to shell and chop, coconut to peel and grate. It’s a flat lot of work. I can only imagine that after all that effort, Emma might have tasted the bourbon just to make sure that it would be the perfect complement to her confectionery creation. Just a teensy taste. Or two. Just to make sure the cake would be fit to eat.
Another Christmas favorite is rum balls. Crushed Nilla wafers mixed with Karo syrup, nuts, cocoa and a little 151 to hang it all together — does it get any better? There would always be a big plateful of rum balls at our family Christmas party. I remember sneaking them with my cousins as children. One bite and a warm feeling spread upward through my nasal cavities and down deep in my chest. Two bites and, well, I just felt warm and fuzzy all over. And what is Christmas really all about but feeling warm and fuzzy? Well, there is the birth of baby Jesus.
But sometimes it’s all about fruitcake, at least in Prohibition-era Monroeville, Alabama. Truman Capote and
his spinster cousin kicked off their winter holiday whenever Sook declared it to be “fruitcake weather.” Off they would go with their savings from the past year to procure all the ingredients, including, and most importantly, a quart of bootleg whiskey from one Mr. Haha Jones, which he gave them for a promise of a cake. After days and days of work and after all of the cakes had been made and shipped away to their lucky recipients, Truman and Sook were left with just a little whiskey in the jar, just enough to divide in celebration of another year of fruitcake success. And celebrate they did with much singing and dancing in their otherwise somber, teetotalling household. “Road to ruination?” Hardly. Greasing the skids to unabashed revelry? Most certainly.
And that’s what I like in a holiday – revelry. Merrymaking. Jollity. I like sharing recipes and traditions. I like noshing on a bourbon-soaked raisin or two and dancing with my mama in the kitchen just like Truman and Sook. I like the warm fuzzies on a chilly afternoon. And I love me some sweet, liquor-y desserts — the making, the baking, and especially the eating.
Now I’m sure that we had many holiday treats sans shinny.* Surely we did. I think. Maybe a piece of divinity or a sugar cookie or something. But one thing I am definitely sure of is this — our Christmases were always merry and bright. Very merry and bright indeed.
MB
*Shinny is short for shine, which is short for moonshine. In “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Scout says, “Miss Maudie baked a Lane cake so loaded with shinny it made me tight.” If you drink a lot of shinny, or even a little bit, you will certainly be tight, among other things.
The 12-story hotel was opened in November 1940, and named in honor of Mobile’s Admiral Raphael Semmes. It had been constructed over a course of 15 months at a total cost of $1 million — well over $21 million in today’s dollars.
The grand opening still occurred despite an unfinished lobby and sidewalks composed of red clay. The Bankhead Tunnel would open some three months later, spewing thousands of cars past the new luxury hotel.
Within the hotel were 251 guest rooms, with rates ranging from $3 a night for a single to $4 for a double. In addition were numerous amenities. For starters, the entire structure was air-conditioned — a first for Mobile.
The marble-floored lobby led to several dining rooms, the Blue Cove Cocktail Lounge, a coffee shop, a drug store, a barber shop and a sales office for National Airlines. Congressman Frank Boykin eventually maintained an office here as well.
The ballroom could seat 550 for a banquet or 750 for a meeting. This large space on the mezzanine was accessible by an automobile ramp with a 10-ton weight limit so that the hotel could host car shows.
On the basement level was located the heating and cooling equipment, a wine cellar, an ice-making plant, an office for the hotel’s engineer and a unique plant that could freeze garbage. In the event of an electrical outage, an auxiliary power system would handle the lighting.
The hotel was overseen by long-time
manager Frank C. Drane who lived with his family in a suite on the top floor. A rooftop playground was installed for his son and, at one point, it held a sandbox and wading pool along with assorted ducks and rabbits.
In 1941, the hotel hosted Eleanor Roosevelt during her visit to Mobile. Other celebrities followed, such as Bob Hope, Gene Autry, Carol Channing and Elvis Presley.
Over the years, the Admiral Semmes Hotel became forever linked to Mobilians as it played host to Junior Miss luncheons, UMS proms, Mardi Gras balls and Senior Bowl events. The balcony facing the Mardi Gras parade route made it a center of activity for Carnival visitors. And, with Highway 90 traffic ever on the increase, the 117-room Admiral Semmes Motor Motel was constructed just across the street in the 1950s.
By the mid-60s, Mardi Gras events began gravitating to the new Civic Center. Then Mobile’s downtown core began a steady exodus west and, by the mid-70s, the Cawthon Hotel had been replaced by a parking lot. Soon after, the Sheraton Battle House threw in the
towel, suddenly making the city’s newest grand hotel its oldest.
In the early 70s, the Admiral Hotel had opened its Admiral’s Corner Lounge where an as yet undiscovered Jimmy Buffet could be found singing.
The Admiral Semmes closed its doors in 1978, ending a 38-year run. It was then reconfigured as a retirement home, calling itself the Admiral Semmes Manor. Just as
that entity was getting off the ground, Mobile was visited by Hurricane Frederic in September of 1979, and the former hotel had most of the windows blown out. The “manor” did not reopen.
Like so much of downtown Mobile at the time, the former hotel stood vacant and forlorn. It was not the only building to be abandoned — the motor motel across Government Street was in a similar state.
In 1982, the hotel was purchased along with the vacant Elks Lodge to the east for $975,000 by local realtor Arthur Pope. A year later, a Dallasbased developer paid $1.8 million for the vacant hotel.
All of the hotel rooms were gutted, with the 251 original rooms being enlarged. With the renovation, rooms now numbered 170. A parking deck was added to the west and the auto ramp to the ballroom was removed.
In 1985, the hotel reopened as the Radisson Admiral Semmes Hotel. Although the rooms were vastly changed, the unique lobby remained, and the hotel rated a listing as a Historic Hotel of America.
A 2014 renovation cost more than $27 million, converting it into a boutique hotel with 156 rooms. In 2022, it changed hands once more. The hotel remains a Government Street landmark and an important part of Mobile’s thriving Downtown district today. MB
In 1941, the United Service Organization (USO) was formed to provide entertainment and support for service members during World War II. That spring, the Mobile chapter of the USO was established, with Mobile businessman Alfred Delchamps as chair. By the end of the year, a USO servicemen's hall opened on the corner of Government and Warren streets at the Ross House and an industrial women's hall opened at the Portier House on Conti Street. Both gave members a place for community and support during the war, as shown in the below photo from 1942. The Mobile chapter of the USO closed in the late 1950s, and many of the activities were kept alive by the YWCA well into the next decade.
Franklin D. Roosevelt enlisted the help of the following six organizations to form the USO:
- the Salvation Army; - the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA); - the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA); - the National Catholic Community Service; - National Travelers Aid Association; and, - the National Jewish Welfare Board
These organizations united to care for military members and their families. The USO was formally disbanded in 1947, though operations continued during this time. It was formally reactivated two years later in the wake of the Korean war.
64%
The growth of Mobile's population between 1940 and 1944. The influx was a result of those coming to work in the ports and at Brookley Field.
17,000
The number of civilians who worked at Brookley Army Air Field, cementing it as Mobile's largest employer during the war.
15,000
The number of Mobilians who served during World War II. Of this number, about 300 were killed in action.
$45,000
The amount of money raised in an early 1940s Red Cross effort for war relief in Mobile, led by USO chairman Alfred Delchamps. That's more than $900,000 today!
Do you know any further details about this photo? Let us know! Email azimlich@pmtpublishing.com.
