THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES
August 2019
THE FAMILY ISSUE
FAIL-PROOF
CREPES THE HOLIDAY
local retail landmark gets a makeover
ROSS CARLEY MIDFIELD/ATTACK
BEST IN SHOW THE DOGS ARE BACK IN TOWN
LACROSSE GAINING TRACTION ON THE GULF COAST
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CONTENTS | VOLUME XXXV / ISSUE 8
MYKHA, A FRENCH BULLDOG, WILL BE ONE OF MORE THAN 1,000 DOGS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GULF COAST CLASSIC DOG SHOW IN SEPTEMBER. PHOTO BY MATTHEW COUGHLIN
AUGUST 2019
40
Mighty Warriors Lacrosse, an ancient sport of war, is on the march in the world of Mobile youth sports
46
Shaped by Screens Technology is changing the way children develop — and young Mobilians are no exception
50
Best in Show Meet some stars of the Gulf Coast Classic Dog Show before the September ring time
57
Vive la Crepe Celebrate Mobile’s French heritage by mastering the art of the crepe
Crepes and superstition go hand-in-hand. In the Brittany region of France, young brides hoping to remain happily married are encouraged to toss a crepe on top of a wardrobe. On page 57, learn to make crepes you’d never want to waste.
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CONTENTS | VOLUME XXXV / ISSUE 8
AUGUST 2019 22
25 36
ON OUR COVER Ross Carley of St. Paul’s leaps into lacrosse. PHOTO BY MATTHEW COUGHLIN
11 EDITOR’S NOTE 12 REACTION 14 ODDS & ENDS 17 THE DISH
THE MALONE FAMILY OF MIDTOWN / PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU BLEUS BURGER, AT THE FORT / PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU GIRLS ON THE RUN / PHOTO COURTESY GIRLS ON THE RUN SOUTH ALABAMA
18 MIXOLOGY Orange you glad it’s summer? With this fizzy cocktail, you will be. 20 GOOD STUFF Get the scoop on these gift items, inspired by the sweet decor of Old Dutch
30 SPOTLIGHT Keller Works, a natural skincare company, started with a mother’s love
38 SPOTLIGHT Q&A with Fairhope resident, entrepreneur and bag designer Mary Beth Greene
22 TASTINGS Spanish Fort’s new container park, The Fort, is a treat for every palate 25 BAY TABLES The Malone family brings community, fellowship and good eats to Midtown
32 SPOTLIGHT Beloved boutique, The Holiday, is safe in the hands of a new generation
66 AUGUST CALENDAR Beat the summer heat
36 BAY LIFE A local club gives girls community, confidence and a love of running
72 HISTORY South Mobile farmer Gaines Frazier left quite a legacy — including 24 children
74 LITERATURE Local writer Audrey McDonald Atkins muses on the “Dawg Days” of summer. 76 ASK MCGEHEE Who was the Catholic bishop credited with protecting Mobile from hurricanes? 78 IN LIVING COLOR Travel back to 1937 and see one of Mobile’s shotgun house communities
Though some trace the origins of lemonade back to medieval Egypt, the sugary drink made its Paris debut in 1630, with vendors selling it from tanks strapped to their backs. On page 25, meet the Malones, a Midtown family dispensing lemonade and neighborly cheer.
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Mobile Bay VOLUME XXXV
No8
AUG 2019
PUBLISHER T. J. Potts Stephen Potts Judy Culbreth EXECUTIVE EDITOR Maggie Lacey MANAGING EDITOR/WEB Abby Parrott EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Amanda Hartin PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Virginia Mathers ART DIRECTOR Laurie Kilpatrick EDITORIAL INTERNS Noah Harrelson Emma Newell
ASSISTANT PUBLISHER
EDITORIAL CONSULTANT
ADVERTISING S R. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Joseph A. Hyland Anna Pavao ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Ray
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
ADMINISTRATION CIRCULATION Anita Miller ACCOUNTING Keith Crabtree
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Audrey McDonald Atkins, Eleanor Inge Baker, Mallory Boykin, Emmett Burnett, Jill Clair Gentry, Hallie King, Tom McGehee, Breck Pappas CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Carl Calderone, Matthew Coughlin, Chelsea Francis, Elizabeth Gelineau, Joelle Grace Photography ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL OFFICES
3729 Cottage Hill Road, Suite H Mobile, AL 36609-6500 251-473-6269 Subscription inquiries and all remittances should be sent to: Mobile Bay P.O. Box 43 Congers, NY 10920-9922 1-833-454-5060 MOVING? Please note: U.S. Postal Service will not forward magazines mailed through their bulk mail unit. Please send old label along with your new address four to six weeks prior to moving. Mobile Bay is published 12 times per year for the Gulf Coast area. All contents © 2019 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 reflect the opinion of the ownership or the management of Mobile Bay. This magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photography or artwork. All submissions will be edited for length, clarity and style. PUBLISHED BY PMT PUBLISHING INC .
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EXTRAS | EDITOR’S NOTE
WATCH OUT, HE BITES ADD SOME SNARK TO YOUR DOG’S BARK. SAY WHAT? DOG TAGS OAKRIDGE PHARMACY • $2.50
The dog days
I
love a good dog. I firmly believe that every kid should grow up with a dog. When I was young, I had a mutt that I absolutely adored but that my mother lovingly said had “unfortunate breeding.” Her short legs, stringy hair and rat tail bore a creature that only a mother could love. A mother … and her 7-year-old sidekick, of course. She had a good life, but it was nothing compared to the life being lived by my present-day dog. Our current companion — yet another black and white mutt — was adopted from a local shelter at age 2, after being adopted once before and promptly returned. (If I could be a fly on the wall …) Who knows what adventures or misfortunes she saw before she came to us, but her life has been nothing but boat rides, squirrel chases and barking fits at the neighbors ever since. She enjoyed a good many years without kids, but she has adapted and adopted them as well, if for no other reason than the sheer amount of food they seem to drop on the floor. She’s a good dog who loves us far more than we deserve. And the lessons our kids are learning from her are priceless — how to love, forgive and enjoy every aspect of this wonderful life. This month, MB brought nine area dogs into the studio, all who, unlike my dogs, are perfect examples of their kind, in honor of the upcoming Gulf Coast Classic Dog Show. The benchmarks of their breed, you would expect these show dogs to be regal and stoic, serious and noble. We, instead, found them quite the contrary. These dogs were silly and messy, boisterous and lovable. At the end of the day, after all, these show dogs are someone’s family pet, too. I almost lost one of them inside GulfQuest Maritime Museum, but that’s a story for another day. My dad has often said that life begins when your youngest child graduates from college and your dog dies. (Thanks, Dad.) But maybe life begins when you find the kind of enthusiasm for everyday things that we see in our dogs — the kind that starts at the tip of your tail and waggles all the way to a big smile. Oh yea, and squirrels. Life definitely begins and ends with squirrels. Let’s all wag more, y’all.
Maggie Lacey
LOVE THIS ISSUE GOLD MEDAL WINNERS THESE GOLDCOLORED DOG BOWLS ARE JUST WHAT YOUR SHOW DOGS (AND MUTTS) DESERVE. THE BETTER BOWL BY PLATINUM PETS B&B PET STOP • $18
TAKE NOTE INSPIRED BY BAYLEIGH MALONE FROM THIS MONTH’S BAY TABLES, A CUSTOM PLANNER IS NOW ON MY WISH LIST. LOVE THIS BANANA LEAF PRINT! PLUM PAPER • $32
BROAD BRUSH MARY BETH GREENE DESIGNED THIS COLORFUL PRINT IN HONOR OF HER LATE SISTER, ARTIST MANDY BAGWELL. SMALL TRAIN CASE MB GREENE BAGS
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
maggie@pmtpublishing.com
SO SWEET THE HEART BACK CHAIRS FROM CAMMIE’S OLD DUTCH WOULD LOOK SWEET IN A PLAYROOM! WE FOUND THIS VINTAGE SET ONLINE. HEART BACK CHAIRS • 1STDIBS.COM
Join us!
MB IS JOINING FORCES WITH MOBILE RETAIL INSTITUTION, THE HOLIDAY, TO CELEBRATE THEIR GRAND RE-OPENING IN STYLE! MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE BIG FETE, COMPLETE WITH CHAMPAGNE, SNACKS AND A SNEAK PEEK AT THEIR FABULOUS NEW SPACE! THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019 • 5:30 - 7:30 PM LEFT NEW OWNERS, SARAH THOMAS AND MARY-LACEY ROGERS ZEIDERS
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EXTRAS | REACTION
Tell us how you really feel ... DESIGNING WOMAN
IN ALL FAIRNESS
On June’s “Spotlight” of Lisette Normann, owner of The Fairhope Store and The Orange Beach Store
On June’s “Awareness” about red foxes of Dauphin Island
Boss! You gotta love an artist who dreams it, creates, it, lives it and then does it — big time. You make it look easy, and we all know it is anything but. Thank you for your inspiration, Lisette. - Gina Littlepage
‘WOOD’ YOU LIKE A RIDE? On June’s cover story featuring classic wooden boats of Mobile Bay You did not mention the Negus boat, which was a very popular wooden fishing boat in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Negus Marine is still in operation. - P.J. White
You mentioned “predator” issues in your recent story, but foxes are at the end of the list of threats to the nesting Piping Plovers: extreme loss of habitat, weather, storm surge over low-lying beaches, man, volleyball tournaments and other animals. The “birding” issues could be saved for another day. - Spence Harrison
TAMING THE LION On June’s “Bay Tables” with chef Brody Olive and his lionfish recipes We have to eat [lionfish] and eat them like potato chips, if we can. It’s the only way we are going to control them. - Pete Crutchfield
My husband has a fully restored 1957 Stauter-Built with a 1956 Evinrude. Let me know if you decide to do a part two.
SIPS AND SIGHTS
- Lolly Holk
On June’s Q&A with Gulf Coast Pedal Tours’ owners Matt and Mackenzie Kelly
I will never forget fishing and crabbing in my granddad’s Stauter in the ‘50s.
It’s an awesome way to check out downtown Mobile.
- Nate McClure
- Karla Patrick Brewer
PRATT PATERSON’S 14 - FOOT STAUTER-BUILT PHOTO BY MATTHEW COUGHLIN
Want to share your thoughts and reactions? Email maggie@pmtpublishing.com.
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INSPIRATION HOME DETAILS HAMMERS ARE FLYING ON MOBILE BAY MAGAZINE’S INSPIRATION HOME IN FAIRHOPE, AND THE ARCHITECTS AND INTERIORS EXPERTS ARE GETTING DOWN TO THE NITTY-GRITTY, VISITING SHOWROOMS AND DESIGNERS TO SELECT ALL THE BEAUTIFUL FINISHES YOU WILL SEE COME DECEMBER! KITCHEN THE INSPIRATION HOME’S CHEF’S KITCHEN IS COMING TOGETHER WITH RICH DETAILS. BRIZO KITCHEN FAUCET IN LUXE GOLD • RAYFORD & ASSOCIATES
EXTERIOR A STONE FOUNDATION AND TWO TONES OF SOFT CREAM PAINT WILL ACCENT THE HOME’S EXTERIOR. ASPEN COUNTRY LEDGESTONE BY BORAL • BAY FLOORING
Sherwin Williams Antler Velvet
MASTER BATH BRUSHED GOLD, RICH HONED LIMESTONE AND COOL GREY ACCENTS KEEP THE MASTER BATH CHIC AND SERENE. DAL TILE CHADWICK CHARCOAL LIMESTONE TILE • BAY FLOORING
Sherwin Williams Natural Linen
BRIZO MASTER BATH FAUCET IN LUXE GOLD • RAYFORD & ASSOCIATES
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EXTRAS | ODDS & ENDS
Back to School text by MB EDITORIAL STAFF
143
LUNCH BOX HACKS:
DIY ICE PACK Soak and freeze a new
YEARS
kitchen sponge in a zip-top bag and tape to the inside lid of your child’s lunch
OF THE WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW This makes it the second-longest continuously held sporting event in America, second only to the Kentucky Derby, which began two years earlier.
[ 30TH ANNIVERSARY ]
THE FOUNDING OF
ALABAMA SCHOOL OF MATH AND SCIENCE In 1989, the Alabama State Legislature approved a bill creating the Alabama School of Math and Science. The bill included $300,000 in start-up funds to hire faculty and to purchase books and office supplies.
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box. This creation is lighter than a store-bought ice pack (and cheaper to replace if it gets left in the cafeteria).
August 12 is NATIONAL MIDDLE CHILD DAY We meant to celebrate it last year, but we forgot.
bibliosmia - noun -
: the enjoyment of the aroma of a book
It’s officially back-to-school season! Nothing says August like the smell of books, erasers and sharpened pencils.
APPLE A DAY After pre-slicing that apple, reconstruct it and wrap with a rubber band to hold in its juices and keep it from browning before the lunch bell.
AMERICAN IDOL AUDITIONS come to Mobile
Start preparing those vocal chords for August 20, when the popular TV series stops by the Port City in search of its next star. Of the show’s 17 seasons, the state of Alabama has produced two winners, second only to North Carolina’s three.
FOOD | THE DISH
Bite of the Bay MB’s contributing food fanatics share the local dishes that made them hungry for more.
FRIED SHRIMP SALAD AT BUTCH CASSIDY’S CAFE. PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU
MARY RISER, Festival Director, Fairhope Film Festival
STUFFED SOURDOUGH FRENCH TOAST AT EAST SHORE CAFE “The Eastern Shore’s best breakfast can be found at East Shore Cafe. My friend had the quiche du jour and the best grits in the South (magic ingredient: Parmesan cheese). For the 21 years they have been open, I have stuck with the reliably delicious cafe plate, but this time I sampled the stuffed sourdough French toast with apricots. Dining on their porch, under a gorgeous tree, I was transported to France, if only for a moment.” EAST SHORE CAFE • 1506 MAIN ST., DAPHNE • 625-0055
NICHELLE RODGERS, Marketing Specialist, USA Health
ROBERT BROWN, VP, Pitman Brown Building Company
TACO BOWL AT YOUR-WAY FITKITS “This is definitely one of Mobile’s food truck gems: It’s healthy, convenient and has bomb customer service! #TacoBowlTuesday is my favorite. It’s super hearty, full of flavor and packed with nutritious ingredients. Pair it with a signature lemonade, and you are good to go!” YOUR-WAY FITKITS FOOD TRUCK • LOCATION VARIES • 289-9838 • YOURWAYFITKITS.COM
FLOUNDER AT WOK BY D’BAY “For my first time dining at Wok by d’Bay, I ordered the special: crispy flounder, cauliflower, dried tofu, bamboo shoots, onion, bell pepper and cilantro served in a hot pot with your choice of fried or white rice. BAM! The flavor of this dish was happening. The delicacy of the tempura fried flounder was complemented by the heat of the sweet heat sauce, and the portion was very generous.” WOK BY D’BAY • 420 FAIRHOPE AVE.,
J.C. BARKER, General Manager, Mobile Symphony
FRIED SHRIMP SALAD AT BUTCH CASSIDY’S CAFE “Since construction began on Florida Street, I’ve tried to visit Butch Cassidy’s more often. I’ve eaten dozens of cheeseburgers there over the years, but last week, I decided to have the fried shrimp salad. The salad was fine, but those shrimp were some of the best I have ever eaten. They reminded me of the way shrimp used to taste all the time, right out of the Gulf and fried to perfection.”
FAIRHOPE • 270-7262 • FACEBOOK.COM/
BUTCH CASSIDY’S CAFE • 60 N FLORIDA ST.
WOKBYDBAY
450-0690 • BUTCHCASSIDYS.COM
What dishes made you drool and left you hungry for more? Share them on our Facebook page! august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 17
FOOD | MIXOLOGY
Jenkin’s Royal The perfect summer spritzer for the dog days upon us recipe by MAGGIE LACEY • photo by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
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T
his refreshing cocktail makes perfect use of the leftover Cointreau that’s been hiding at the back of your bar since that last batch of margaritas! It is breezy, easy to sip and should be consumed surrounded by friends with a view of the water. Sailboat optional.
JENKIN’S ROYAL
Named for the downtown Mobile bar where, in post-Civil War 1867, a meeting was held to re-establish regattas between Mobile and New Orleans. 1 part Cointreau 2 parts Champagne or sparkling wine 3 parts soda water ice to fill glass sliced orange wheels, for garnish
Combine Cointreau, Champagne and soda in a rocks glass. Fill glass with ice and garnish with an orange wheel. Serve immediately.
DOWNLOAD MIXEL FRIENDS COMING OVER AND THE BAR IS LOOKING DRY? Hosting can be difficult, and finding a hip new cocktail recipe won’t help if you were too busy to restock your cocktail bar and pantry. The Mixel app takes a different approach by showing you all of the cocktails you can make with the ingredients you already have. With an index of over 600 ingredients and 1,700 recipes, it can get you out of a bind or push you to try something new. Created by Brewton natives Mitchell McMillan, brother Malcolm McMillan and Roy Brown, the app is set to go global. The Mixel app can be downloaded on Google Play and the Apple App store.
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GOOD STUFF | NOVELTIES
In With the Old Celebrate Cammie’s Old Dutch’s 50th anniversary and its timeless decor with items that will surely remind you of the sweet feeling of walking through its doors.
1
POT OF GOLD No one will fault you for splurging on this French piece for your mantle. AUBERGINE • ANTIQUE JUG $160
text by EMMA NEWELL • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
THE VINTAGE OLD DUTCH WALLPAPER THE RIGHT SIZE A gem that is small enough for a limited room but beautiful enough to be noticed. AUBERGINE • ANTIQUE YELLOW POTTERY • $90
FINE CRAFT This handmade piece is of local reclaimed wood. URBAN EMPORIUM • THE BROKE CROKER • STONE AND WOOD NECKLACE • $32
IN PLACE Don’t lie: this late-17th-century find is calling your empty table’s name. AUBERGINE • ANTIQUE DOUGH BOWL • $85
In 1969, Edwin Widemire opened Widemire’s Old Dutch Ice Cream Shoppe on Old Shell Road, and the world said hello to Mobile’s favorite spot to cool down and reminisce. Cammie Layne’s name made its first appearance on the sign when she bought the business in 1998. Despite the change in operation, the charm of the beloved shop has remained constant, with the original quirky wallpaper and decorations still in place. Inspired by those walls of blooms, birds and everything in between, these items will have you reminiscing about Old Dutch. 20 mobilebaymag.com | august 2019
A LITTLE LOVE Express your adoration by wearing your heart on your sleeve — or ears. HEMLINE • PINK HEART EARRINGS • $20
MAKE A WISH Your own personal wishing well, on a much smaller, adorable scale.
PUCKER UP Lips are made for sipping! Pour yourself a cup in this ceramic mug. URBAN EMPORIUM • MG CERAMICS • LIPPY MUG • $35
ANTIQUES AT THE LOOP CHILDREN PLANTER • $8
DUSTING OFF Use these hand-woven dusters to clean up or hang them to achieve that rustic look. THE GARAGE STUDIO • TAG • HAND DUSTER • $5
CUT IT OUT Brighten up your cutlery drawer with this fun, multi-colored array. LIVING WELL • LAGUIOLE JEAN DUBOST • RAINBOW CUTLERY $12 EACH
WING IT Wooden birds are a sleek addition to any collection of decor.
SHADES OF BLUE Display some fresh flowers or let the bold hue of this pottery speak for itself.
ANTIQUES AT THE LOOP WOODEN ROBIN SET • $145
ANTIQUES AT THE LOOP BLUE VASE • $45
RESOURCES ANTIQUES AT THE LOOP. 28 S FLORIDA ST. 476-0309. ANTIQUESATLOOP.COM
HEMLINE. 4356 OLD SHELL ROAD. 287-6875. SHOPHEMLINE.COM
THE GARAGE STUDIO. 17070 SCENIC HIGHWAY 98, POINT CLEAR. THEGARAGEGALLERY.WEBS.COM
AUBERGINE. 315 DE LA MARE AVE., FAIRHOPE. 928-0902. AUBERGINEANTIQUES.COM
LIVING WELL . 25 S SECTION ST., SUITE A, FAIRHOPE. 279-0690.
URBAN EMPORIUM. 260 DAUPHIN ST. 441-8044. URBANEMPORIUMMOBILE.COM
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FOOD | TASTINGS
The Fort text by MAGGIE LACEY • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
I
f you didn’t know where you were, the uber-cool repurposed shipping containers might make you feel like you were in some big-city hangout. If you didn’t know any better, the colorful picnic tables would say you were on a beach vacation. Glance up, and the twinkling cafe lights hint at California alfresco dining. Add in cornhole and ring toss, refreshing water features, a grassy lawn for enjoying live music, fire pits (in winter) and, of course, killer food, and you would definitely start to think this was 30A. Surprisingly, you don’t need to go half that far to get the whole experience. If you know where to look, tucked behind Bass Pro Shops just off Highway 98 sits The Fort. Opened in early 2019 by the developers of Spanish Fort Town Center, the shopping development that is not only home to Bass Pro but also Fairways Indoor Golf, Urban Air Adventure Park and a number of boutiques and other big box stores, The Fort is situated away from the hustle and bustle of it all. Built alongside a playground and splash pad, this group of outdoor eateries is the perfect one-stopshop for local families as well as those driving through town. What could be better while on a road trip than getting the kids out of the car to run and play while you order a good meal, all just a stone’s
throw from I-10? It’s too easy and almost too good to be true. The Fort offers tacos by Fairhope favorite, Dragonfly; chicken and waffles at Deuce Coop; pizza and fries from Happy Pizza; burgers from the well-known food truck, Bleus Burger; cocktails at the Tap Room; refreshing snacks at Soul Bowlz and more. Don’t forget craft coffee, Cammie’s Old Dutch ice cream, shaved ice and more at Beakers Coffee, and you truly have something for every palate at any time of the day — breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between. Despite the July heat on the day MB dropped by, the place was full of families on summer vacation, enjoying the nearby splash pad after a delicious lunch or stopping in for some Cammie’s Old Dutch Ice Cream and shaved ice. Oversized fans and shade sails in summer and cozy fire pits in winter help this outdoor venue stay comfortable year-round. As if the food wasn’t enough to get you fired up, The Fort has a busy calendar of events and activities for every age: yoga, live music, movie nights, marketplaces — even a Bubblepalooza that will have the kids going nuts. The goal is to keep you entertained and well-fed, and the cool ambiance is thrown in free of charge. MB
The Fort • 29001 Bass Pro Drive, Spanish Fort • Open 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Su, Tu – Th, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. F – Sa, closed M • thefortpark.com 22 mobilebaymag.com | august 2019
[ON THE MENU ]
HIGHWAY 61 BURGER BLEUS BURGER This best-selling burger is topped with cheddar, bacon, candied jalapeños, housefried crispy onions, homemade BBQ sauce and arugula and is finished with a branded bun. It’s perfectly spicy and sweet, served with seasoned shoestring fries.
COCKTAIL SPECIAL TAP STATION Find daily cocktail concoctions for only $3, like this sweet and sour layered sipper, or $2 bloody marys all weekend long.
MEAT LOVER’S CONE PIZZA HAPPY PIZZA A pizza dough cone is filled with all the good stuff in an easy-to-carry presentation that the kids will love!
STREET TACO SPECIAL DRAGONFLY This week’s taco featured top sirloin, green chile aioli, baby arugula, diced tomatoes, pickled red onions and queso fresco in a corn tortilla, but the street taco changes every two weeks. The long list of regular tacos can’t be beat either.
CHICKEN AND PECAN WAFFLE DEUCE COOP A warm pecan waffle is topped with crispy fried chicken, honey mustard and black pepper aioli, sweet and sour slaw, house-made pickles and green onions. The menu is as good at breakfast as any other time of day.
MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP CONE BEAKERS COFFEE
TUNA POKE BOWL
Cammie’s Old Dutch Ice Cream is just one of the many frozen treats served alongside killer single-origin, craft coffee. We’re going back for the “Dirty Shakes” with espresso and ice cream! august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 23
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FOOD | BAY TABLES
The Door is Always Open A Midtown family shares love with their neighbors, one meal and glass of lemonade at a time. text by MAGGIE LACEY • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
T
wo girls sit poised at the ready, both astride pink balance bikes, awaiting their parents’ word. When the time comes, they push off the pavement and scoot at breakneck speed down the hill in front of their house. Mom follows behind, pushing a toddler strapped into a tricycle, while dad coasts along on a beach cruiser, trying to keep up with the blurs of pink. The Malone family spends most evenings like this, walking (and coasting) the sidewalks near their Midtown home, hoping to meet the neighbors. The Malones are intentional about meeting and embracing their neighbors. It is a daily, active endeavor spurred by their faith and a desire to be present to those who need a friend. They walk the sidewalks looking to meet new people, keep up with the happenings around them and offer dinner invitations. The menu might simply be a regular Tuesday night spaghetti or takeout pizza. “It’s nothing fancy,” mom Bayleigh explains. And the Malones don’t wait until their home is immaculately clean. “The house might be a mess, but the door is always open,” she says.
“WE WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL SEEN, HEARD AND KNOWN.” Bayleigh Malone
Walking the Walk It wasn’t always this way. Just a few years ago, the Malones were living in a subdivision with manicured lawns and picket fences, but it was hard to meet neighbors. People drove into their garages and shut the door, while kids played behind privacy fences. The Malones felt called to be part of a community, and they just weren’t finding it there. RIGHT The Malone family heads out into the neighborhood. Maisy, front left, and Anniston, front right, are followed by mom and dad, Bayleigh and Justin, and baby sister Miller.
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About that time, Justin and Bayleigh received a call that their paperwork for HER adoption had been approved, and a PLANNER little girl was waiting. The couple Bayleigh is getting and their then-3-year-old daughter, organized for homeAnniston, travelled to Colombia and schooling this fall with a custom-made planner brought Maisy home a few weeks later. from Plum Paper. Bayleigh laughs that they committed a plumpaper.com big “no-no” by adopting out of the birth order (Maisy is a year older than Anniston) but says the sisters are fiercely protective of each other. “The real treat was watching them welcome our next daughter, Miller, who was born a year later,” she says. “Both Anniston and Maisy had only ever seen older children join a family, so watching my pregnancy and the birth of Miller really stumped them!” As time went on, the disconnect the Malones felt within the neighborhood grew, sparking their initial idea to move. Maisy’s arrival cemented it. They didn’t want Maisy, who has beautiful dark skin and achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, raised in an area where no one looked like her. “We are trying to raise girls with kind hearts, and we don’t avoid talking about the hard stuff,” Bayleigh says. “Kids have a lot more empathy than most people give them credit for.” Having Maisy join the family, they say, inspired a desire to expose the kids to all sorts of diversity — racial, physical, religious and socioeconomic. “I never want them to be frightened by differences.” The family of five took its neighborly spirit to the streets of Midtown.
Talking the Talk Bayleigh and her friend, April Nicholson, began producing the Nestled Podcast, initially geared toward their flair for designing on a dime. But throughout the first season, topics became more about hospitality and less about design. “The podcast took on a life of its own, since we were just talking about the kinds of things going on in our own lives,” Bayleigh explains. “It was time to call it like
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it is — maybe design isn’t our wheelhouse.” As a result, the mission was reset as, “Loving your home, loving your neighbor, and loving and serving God.” In a recent episode, Bayleigh spoke about her calling to embrace the vulnerable. This presents itself in big ways, like the family’s decision to adopt, and in little, everyday choices. One of those everyday choices was exemplified last summer when they built a lemonade stand to raise money for Stand for Orphans, an initiative created by kids, for kids, to benefit Lifeline Children’s Services. Kids from 19 states, including the Malones of Alabama, raised money for this wonderful cause. Whether it’s cruising along the sidewalks hoping, maybe, for a chance meeting with neighbors, producing a podcast or selling cold lemonade on a hot summer’s day, the Malones open themselves to others. Inside their cozy home, the focus is always on welcoming hospitality. And now that they are nestled in their new neighborhood, it seems there is always room in their hearts for one more. MB
THE DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN Bayleigh Malone and her business partner, April Nicholson, are designers, bloggers and moms trying to make genuine connections in this hectic world. You can find more of their ideas for intentional living on their podcast and blog, through speaking engagements and their Nestled in The Neighborhood Book Club.
poshnestdesigns.com
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ADULT BEVERAGES, PLEASE! A shot of rum, vodka or tequila will do wonders for all of these fresh lemonades!
DON’T HAVE THE TIME?
LIMONADA DE COCO
You can puree the basil lemonade in a blender and serve immediately, strained or not.
SERVES 2
The Malones discovered this refreshing Colombian slushy when they travelled to meet their daughter Maisy. It’s deliciously sweet, but Bayleigh says a little rum doesn’t hurt it, either! 1 cup cream of coconut 2 1/2 cups crushed iced juice of 3 limes 2 tablespoons sugar, to taste (optional)
1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
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BASIL LEMONADE SERVES 2 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 cups cold water 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
1. Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir until syrup is dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 - 4 hours. Strain to remove basil pieces. Pour over ice and serve immediately.
SO EXTRA
The orange blossom water is optional but worth the extra effort!
LIMONANA BLUEBERRY LEMONADE SERVES 2 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup fresh blueberries 1/2 cup hot water 1 1/2 cups cold water
1. Combine lemon juice, sugar, blueberries and hot water in a blender. Puree and blend until sugar is dissolved. 2. Strain into a pitcher. 3. Add cold water and refrigerate for 1 hour or more. Serve over ice.
SERVES 2
This Middle Eastern frozen mint lemonade literally zaps the sweltering August heat. 6 tablespoons sugar 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 4 stems’ worth of mint leaves with the stems discarded, plus more for garnish 18 - 20 ice cubes 1 - 2 drops orange blossom water (optional) *
1. Place all ingredients in a blender. Pulse a few times to break up the ice and then process until slushy. Serve immediately, garnished with mint leaves. * Orange blossom water can be found at Whole Foods in the essential oils section.
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PEOPLE | SPOTLIGHT
Keller Works A mother’s desperate search for a nontoxic alternative births a local skincare company. text by JILL CLAIR GENTRY • photos by JOELLE GR ACE PHOTOGR APHY
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t’s said that necessity is the mother of invention. When a child has a necessity, we know his mother will go to great lengths to invent a solution. That’s the story behind Keller Works, Mobile’s up-and-coming natural skincare company — a mother who took her son’s wellness into her own hands and ended up with a successful business. “This business was a complete accident,” says Krystn Keller, who began making soaps and skincare products for her son, Elliott, in 2011. “He has severe eczema, over 50 food allergies, multiple skin sensitivities and various chemical sensitivities.” At 3 months old, Elliott developed a rash on his face that spread all over his tiny body. The family saw 14 different doctors over the course of nine months, and the creams Elliott was prescribed contained steroids and other ingredients that further irritated his skin and caused horrible side effects. “So that November, I got on YouTube and learned how to make soaps and other body care products,” Krystn said. “By the end of the year, I had developed a full skincare line for
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him. People saw his skin clear up and started asking me to develop products for their kids.” Soon, Krystn realized there was a huge need — and a huge market — for nontoxic, natural skincare products. She and her husband, Ryan, founded Keller Works and began developing more products. Keller Works’ products began popping up all over Mobile — at REDBAR Espresso and Market, Aura Holistic Hair and, finally, Whole Foods Market in 2015. “I operated it by myself out of a bedroom in my house for a while, but in 2017, I got in over my head and realized I needed help,” Krystn says. “That’s when we hired our operations manager, Christi Corfee (pictured above), who has gotten everything organized and created most of our newer products. It’s really taken off since she came on board.” MB Currently, the Keller Works staff is finishing the process to become FDA approved, which will allow them to sell products to 42 regional Whole Foods stores and beyond.
KRYSTN’S PICKS
ELLIOTT’S SOAP The soap that started it all is still Keller Works’ top-selling product. Designed to treat Elliott’s severe eczema, this soap contains organic, gluten-free colloidal oats, which are more easily absorbed into skin to provide soothing comfort and healing. The oats are ground with a coffee grinder and mixed in with the soap (see left). Each bar is garnished with whole oats to complete the look.
ROLL-ON OILS These blends combat specific issues — seasonal allergies, anxiety, congestion, low libido and hot flashes.
COMPARE KELLER WORKS Most over-the-counter soaps and skincare products contain tallow (beef or pork fat), detergents, sudsing agents such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and chemical fragrance. Keller Works’ soaps contain no animal products, no SLS, no parabens and no fragrance. The incredible smell of the soaps comes exclusively from essential oils. “If you can’t eat it, you don’t want to put it on your skin, and we won’t put it in our products,” Krystn says. GOING NATIONWIDE Look for Keller Works on national television — segments on Hallmark Channel, Shark Tank and the TODAY Show are in the works. IT WORKS — REALLY Natural products have a reputation for lowered efficacy, but Krystn is adamant: “If it doesn’t work, I’m not going to sell it,” she says. “People keep asking for a deodorant. I’ve tried to create one, but I keep testing on myself and haven’t found an effective one.”
ELLIOTT’S HERBAL SALVE “We developed this to replace steroid creams for Elliott’s face,” Krystn says. “Those creams were causing him to grow peach fuzz and thinning his skin so badly it would bleed if you touched it.” Keller Works’ alternative is a beeswax-based salve that acts as a moisture barrier to protect the skin. It contains the same essential oil blend as the body butter along with zinc, which helps relieve itching and provides SPF 15.
COMING SOON Debuting by the end of 2019 — a full line of men’s products! Beard wax and hair pomade will join the lineup alongside Keller Works’ popular beard oil. You can also look out for a new partnership between Haint Blue Brewing and Keller Works. DAILY GRIND COFFEE SCRUB Made with the grounds from Carpe Diem coffee, this scrub fights cellulite. “The caffeine in it wakes up the skin and shrinks fat cells,” Krystn says.
ELLIOTT’S RAW SENSITIVE BODY BUTTER This body butter is Krystn’s favorite product. “I personally use it every day,” she says. An essential oil blend, it contains lavender for skin healing, peppermint to relieve itching and tea tree to fight fungus. Oils are mixed with raw whipped shea butter and coconut oil to moisturize dry skin. KRYSTN KELLER, OWNER
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PEOPLE | SPOTLIGHT
Called To The Legacy The Holiday, a Mobile institution steeped in memories, opens under a new generation of owners. text by AMANDA HARTIN • photo by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
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he blames her mom. “I was just stopping by my mother’s house on my birthday,” Mary-Lacey Rogers Zeiders says. Her hands were full, she was in a rush and her leashed dog was impatiently yanking her toward the door. That’s when Mandy Rogers, who was on the phone, posed a seemingly preposterous question to her daughter: “Do you have any interest in buying the Holiday?” Mary-Lacey, the then-executive director of The Steeple and mom of twin toddlers, laughed and said, “I’m going to dinner, Mom. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.’” But Mary-Lacey didn’t wait until “tomorrow” to think about it.
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Sarah Thomas, on the other hand, had already been thinking about buying the Holiday. Sarah, owner of the gift shop, Collective, which sat adjacent to the legendary Spring Hill boutique, had been approached several times about her interest in purchasing. “I wanted to do it, but I didn’t want to do it alone,” she says, now seated with Mary-Lacey amidst mannequins and boxes of inventory. “I needed a partner, someone I could trust. I just happened to be talking to Mary-Lacey’s mom on the phone that night, and one thing led to another.” ABOVE Sarah Thomas, left, and Mary-Lacey Rogers Zeiders are eager to dress their mannequins with high-end, relevant and feminine apparel.
The Original Call Situated atop the small hill near the intersection of Old Shell Road and McGregor Avenue sits a Mobile institution, one that has quietly watched the hustle and bustle from the shade of the old oaks for the past four decades. Since 1977, Holiday, Inc., has called this knoll home. But the story of the Holiday, as it’s familiarly called, goes even further back. It all started with another phone call, this one in 1955, from Ruby West Twitty to two of her friends, sisters Dorothy Haas Myers and Donna Bea Feore. The women, looking to fill a void in women’s fashion, opened Holiday, Inc., at Portier Place on the campus of Spring Hill College. It’s said that the business fulfilled such a need that it drew customers from as far west as Mississippi and as far north as Brewton. The shop wasn’t just special because it was the first of its kind in the area. As Jolane Edwards, wife of former U.S. Rep. Jack Edwards, put it in 1963, “Holiday, Inc., is not just another dress shop to West Mobilians — it is a way of life. A happy and carefree life it is, too, for the Holiday is aptly named. A true holiday atmosphere prevails in this tiny-tremendous shop.” In 1977, the shoppers’ respite relocated to its current location on Old Shell Road, where it still serves as anchor of the Holiday Place, a walkable collection of shops and businesses.
The ‘80s Called “I remember my first job at the store,” Katie Key recalls. “I was maybe 5 or 6, and my Nana, Donna Bea Feore, would pay me to pick up straight pins from the carpet.” The Holiday became a second home for Katie, with her grandmother as an owner and her mother, Cornelia Zieman Feore, a soon-to-be second-generation owner. In 1985, ownership passed from the original three to Nancy Gibson Brock, Perry Feore Stewart and the aforementioned Cornelia. “Mom enjoyed interacting with all ages at the shop,” Katie says.
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“Oh, I loved every minute of it,” Cornelia agrees. “It was a wonderful place to work. I always liked fashion anyway.” The type of clothes offered over the years has varied. A 2005 Holiday, Inc., newsletter reveals plaid pouf skirts, metallic embroidery, satin gowns and halter necklines were fashion-forward. But no matter the years’ styles or the business’s owners, three things have remained consistent for 64 years: quality products, an inviting atmosphere and customer loyalty.
Calling All Shoppers “I’ve been peeking in the window,” a retired Cornelia admits. Katie’s been peeking through the new storefront windows, too. Scrawled across the large glass panes are the words: The Legend. The Legacy. Reimagined. According to Mary-Lacey and Sarah, the newest owners of the now-officially branded The Holiday, the phrase isn’t just a catchy sentiment. “The Holiday is a legacy, it’s a legend, and everybody knows it and has some sort of connection,” Mary-Lacey explains, adding
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that her grandmother, Tippy Hamel, has worked at the store for 32 years. “We have no intention of getting rid of that feeling and that vibe.” “I want people to feel better walking out the door than they did when they entered,” Sarah adds. “Don’t be afraid to just browse and not buy anything.” This welcome atmosphere certainly mirrors Katie’s childhood memories. “People would just come in to visit,” she says. “Sometimes people just want to be told things are going to be OK or to share the good news of a new grandchild.” “We’re not going anywhere,” Mary-Lacey says adamantly. “We’re making decisions based on the fact that in 50 years, we will still be here. The Holiday needs to always be here for Mobile.” In the end, perhaps it’s not Mandy’s fault after all. Perhaps it’s serendipity. The Holiday seems to have a magical way of stringing together the generations all by itself. MB ABOVE The 1977 announcement for the opening of Holiday, Inc., at its new location.
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PEOPLE | BAY LIFE
Finishing with Confidence A national program teaches local girls it’s not about winning; it’s about how the race is run. text by EMMETT BURNETT • photo from GIRLS ON THE RUN SOUTH ALABAMA
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hey are girls, third to fifth graders, from Mobile and Baldwin counties, 150 strong. They have inner strength. They are Girls on the Run (GOTR), striding to reach their limitless potential. With over 200,000 girls participating each year nationwide, GOTR does as its name implies and more. To clarify, it is not a sporting event or track club, but it does feature running — the physical and mental aspects. Both complement each other. “We want to teach girls from a young age that they have the power within themselves to accomplish anything they put their minds to,” says GOTR South Alabama Executive Director Anna Katherine Ray. “With each season, girls in the program gain a better understanding of who they are, celebrate their positive attributes, recognize the value of teamwork and healthy relationships and discover how to make a positive difference in the world.” But why running? “Running allows time for reflection, time to process your day,” Ray answers. “The girls have a personal sense of accomplishment after completing the lap goals they have set for themselves and, ultimately, completing a 5K at the end of the season.” She adds that there are no qualifications to be in the program, including running abilities. “Girls on the Run is an inclusive program, inviting any girl to participate regardless of social, physical or cognitive development,” the director notes. Sessions run for 10 weeks, and the group meets twice a week for one hour and 45 minutes. Trained coaches guide teams consisting of 16 girls through the GOTR curriculum, which focuses on the 5 C’s + 1 — confidence, care, character, connections, competence and contribution. Participants meet in schools, churches, community centers and civic rooms, among other locations. Ray’s initial interest with GOTR was not as an administrator but as a mom. Her daughter, now age 13, “was having some difficulties at school and losing her confidence,” Ray says. “I didn’t know what to do as a parent to help her.” Ray then heard about GOTR. “I cried when I read about it online.” Julie, then age 9, enrolled in her school’s pilot team.
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“I didn’t like running at first,” Julie recalls of her rookie season with the program. “But it became fun. I met a lot of other girls and learned a lot.” Today, the GOTR graduate who “didn’t like running” plays basketball and soccer for St. Paul’s Episcopal School and has also made great strides academically. Mardie Pfeiffer Sharpe initially introduced the program to the Mobile area. Ray joined as a parent volunteer before becoming a board member in 2015 and executive director in the fall of 2018.
Fun and Games with a Purpose The GOTR-trained volunteer coaches are background-checked, CPR-certified and experienced in communicating with children. Many are moms, such as Mobile’s Debbie Hayes. “I am an avid runner,” Hayes explains. “When we moved here
from Birmingham, I thought, ‘Oh, this is a girl’s running program. It will be great!’ It is much more. Girls on the Run is a beautiful program that develops character.” The coach and mom adds, “You don’t always know what is going on with kids. I can remember my thoughts [at that age], but I don’t know theirs. It is nice to be able to integrate a well-written, curriculum-based training into their lives.” Topics covered include: bullying (don’t be a bystander, be a stand by-er); words matter (be careful what you say); beauty in the world (not just what you look like); peer pressure (don’t do it); and supporting each other (stand by your friend). Skits, activities and lessons are discussed, and practice ends with a 30-minute run, with girls encouraging each other along the way, no matter how fast or slow. During the program, participants complete community impact projects, and at the 10 weeks’ conclusion, all teams from both counties meet for a 5K run. “I was excited to see my mom as coach,” Debbie’s daughter Kate Scot, now age 10 says. “I like running and liked making new friends and being in the activities.” Studies show that by adolescence, “girls’ confidence drops about twice as much as boys’,” according to the Girls on the Run website. “Friendships become more complicated and challenging, girls’ perception of their academic ability declines, the likelihood of anxiety and depression increases and participation in physical activity plummets.” But the website offers hope, noting, “It doesn’t have to be this way.” Ray agrees. “Our mission is to give girls the tools and life skills needed to stay true to who they are,” she says, “and have the confidence to do so.” Sage words to run by. MB
Find more information about Girls on the Run at girlsontherunsouthal.org.
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PEOPLE | SPOTLIGHT
It’s in the Bag A Bay entrepreneur makes a name for herself nationally with her pretty and practical carry-alls. interview by ELEANOR INGE BAKER • portrait by CHELSEA FR ANCIS • photos opposite by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
rable and easy to clean. The lining is a highquality vinyl that won’t tear if monogrammed and can be wiped out easily. I’m a boy mom — I’ve always been practical, and I love being organized. It’s fun to come to the design table and create bags I know will work.
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airhope businesswoman Mary Beth Greene, above, is killing it. Her simple, functional, stylish bags are sold throughout North America, have been highlighted in InStyle Magazine and on “Good Morning America,” and featured in Neiman Marcus catalogs. Here, Greene talks business, creativity and the warm respite she finds in her family. Describe your bags. Why are they so popular? I was a retail sales rep for 10 years and heard again and again from my customers that they wanted a fashionable, high-quality bag at a certain price point. That’s what I set out to create. Our waxed canvas fabric is super du-
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It’s hard to maintain a work-life balance, especially as a working mom. How do you face that challenge? My family is my escape and who I go to when my busy life needs a break. Sometimes, I just need to admit there is no balance. If we’re in the thick of product development, at market or creating a new catalog, it’s busy. I tell myself the balance is coming. When I’m done and burned out and frustrated, my family is my medicine. I step away, and we go to the beach. What’s an unexpected thrill of your job? It’s so exciting to see an 18-wheeler pull up to our office/warehouse on S. Section Street with a new container of our products, shipped from the other side of the world. These products began as an idea in my head. To think of how many different peoples’ hands and efforts went into creating them is mind-boggling. Your sister Mandy Bagwell unexpectedly passed away the same day you received important buy-in from a sales rep group in Atlanta — a turning point for your company. The M. Bagwell Foundation
was established by your family in her honor, and a portion of the profits from your company go there. How does the Foundation reflect the sister you knew and loved? Mandy was giving of her time and talents. She was also hilarious, kind, driven and creative. The M. Bagwell Foundation awards a scholarship each year to a graduating senior from Morgan Academy, our alma mater in Selma. We try to choose a recipient Mandy would have chosen. July marked the fifth anniversary of her passing. This foundation helped us channel our grief and honor her memory. We’re not looking for the kid who got a 36 on their ACT, but for that person who is well respected, a good person who wants to do more good. How do you mesh the creative and artistic side of your business with the necessary, nitty-gritty details? The hardest part of owning a business is keeping a handle on it all the time. As this business has grown, I’ve had to grow with it. The creative and sales sides of the business are more my strong suit. Numbers are not as much fun, so they end up at the bottom of my list. The best advice I received was to hire people to do what I can’t do or don’t want to do. My accountant helps with this, and she keeps me on track. What are you most excited about now? Just this week, we received three new sam-
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT MB Greene’s canvas bags come in an array of colors and sizes, including this small zip pouch. The newlyreleased pebble grain laptop tote. Greene in her Fairhope stockroom.
ples we can’t wait to introduce. One is our pebble grain laptop tote. Staples contacted us last January to create a tote exclusively for their stores, but our deadline was March 1. Talk about a time crunch. I wanted to incorporate maps into the design of the bag’s lining. Since we were so short on time, I asked my son, a senior at Bayside, who the best artist at his school was. He said, “Lucy
Barns, no doubt.” Within three days, she had produced gorgeous, watercolor maps of Europe, Asia and Mobile Bay. Staples ended up passing on the tote, but we are excited to add it to our current collections this fall. MB You can find Greene’s bags at mbgreene.com or at retailers including Beckham’s Florist, Brown Eyed Girl, Living Well and The Fairhope Store.
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JONAH VICKERS POSITION: DEFENSE TEAM: BAYHAWKS
MIGHTY WARRIORS Athletes are being drawn to the timeless and fast-paced sport of lacrosse. text by AMANDA HARTIN • photos by MATTHEW COUGHLIN
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tormi Vickers lowers the car visor to shield her eyes from the summer sun. She’s made this trek across the Bay hundreds of times, and she’s got the routine down pat. Beside her sits Whit, 14, and singing along to the radio is Whit’s little sister, Annabelle, her backseat teeming with snacks. Rattling in the back of the SUV are a couple of folding chairs, a cooler and a smattering of lacrosse gear: a duffel bag stuffed with shoulder and elbow pads, a helmet, gloves, cleats and sticks of varying lengths. The temperature on the dash reads 96, despite the clock announcing evening’s arrival. While lacrosse is typically played in fall and spring, Whit and his Gulf Coast Hitmen teammates, part of the Daphnebased Parallax summer league, take advantage of the opportunity to play year-round, honing skills needed during regular season play with their high school clubs or city leagues. By the time the Vickerses arrive, parents — armed with books, cell phones and drive-thru dinners — are already settling in for the two-hour practice. Stormi and husband Walt, who has just arrived, hang back in the parking lot to chat with other parents about the previous
WHIT VICKERS, POSITION: ATTACK AND DEFENSE TEAM: UMS-WRIGHT
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“I STARTED AS A DAD WHO HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE SPORT BUT QUICKLY SAW THE POTENTIAL AND EXCITEMENT THAT DROVE THE SPORT. I BEGAN DOING WHATEVER I COULD TO HELP, AND I NEVER LOOKED BACK.” – Josh Friedman
SAM FRIEDMAN POSITION: ATTACK TEAM: MAVERICKS
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weekend’s scorching tournament in Louisiana. “I’m sure today’s practice will be a lot of stretching,” Stormi laughs, alluding to the players’ fatigue. The casual observer wouldn’t pick up on that fact, however, as the boys squat, run and catch with game-day gusto. Just by looking at the sheer number of players, it’s hard to imagine that, throughout the Bay area, little is known about the sport.
A History of Warriors The first mention of lacrosse dates back to 1100 AD, a time when Native Americans “played” the game as a kind of symbolic warfare. The “games” were ceremonial in nature, with pre-match rituals identical to Indian warpath preparations. Tournaments would last up to three days and consisted of teams of 100 to 1,000 men apiece on a field several miles long. When French missionaries visited present-day Ontario in 1637, they observed the game and named it “la crosse,” which means “the stick” in French. Although mostly peaceful in nature, the games also served to vent aggression. In the late 18th century, violence broke out in a famous match between the Creek and Choctaw tribes over the rights of a beaver pond. (The Creeks won.) Centuries later, lacrosse, or as it is sometimes called, “lax,” is now more a hybrid of soccer, hockey and football, with its objective being to keep the opposing team from scoring. Warrior-like traits still prevail, with the permissive use of “stick checks,” a controlled stick-on-stick hit used to dislodge the ball from the opponent’s stick pocket. Men’s lacrosse also allows for physical contact, or “body checks” (think football tackles with restrictions). There’s no such contact for women, however, as their rules vary. In the book, “Lacrosse: A History of the Game,” Russian-born Rosabelle Sinclair, who established the first U.S. women’s lacrosse team, describes the difference between the sexes: “Lacrosse, as women play it, is an orderly pastime that has little in common with the men’s tribal warfare version … It’s true that the object in both men’s and women’s lacrosse is to send a ball through a goal by means of the racket, but whereas men resort to brute strength, the women depend solely on skill.”
BROOKS FRIEDMAN POSITION: DEFENSE TEAM: MAVERICKS / ST. PAUL’S
“LACROSSE IS A MIXTURE OF SMARTS AND ATHLETICS; YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE VERY TALL OR BIG TO
ZACH VICKERS POSITION: ATTACK TEAM: BAYSIDE
BE GOOD AT IT.” – Owen Kilpatrick
The Current Battle Although the game is said to be the fastest growing team sport at the national level, at the Deep South level, the participation rate is slow but steady. George Irvine, the self-proclaimed “Father of Mobile Lacrosse,” says kids are the best recruiting tool. Irvine knows a thing or two about growing a team — he and a few other parents formed the Mobile Youth Lacrosse League in 2007. “The recruitment process is difficult,” he says, “because you are competing with existing sports.” Sports like baseball and football reign supreme in the South because they’re sports with which people are familiar and comfortable. Athletes in these sports typically begin playing as youngsters. While specializing in a sport from an early age isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it
OWEN KILPATRICK POSITION: DEFENSE TEAM: ST. PAUL’S
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BROOKS FRIEDMAN
“LACROSSE IS LIKE CHESS FOR THE BODY. YOU HAVE TO ANTICIPATE OTHER PLAYERS’ MOVES.” - Stormi Vickers
could discourage older athletes from trying lacrosse, believing they are too old to learn a new sport. But in the May edition of The Epistle, St. Paul’s Episcopal School’s newspaper, rising senior, Ross Carley, spoke of his high school club’s inaugural year, saying three-quarters of the team had never before played lacrosse. He went on to say the Saints were still “able to hang with the other teams.” Drilling further into the sport’s participation statistics reveals two additional areas for potential growth. What began as an American Indian sport has, as some might argue, been whitewashed, with lacrosse being predominately played in the U.S. by white males. Along the Gulf, there certainly seems to be a deficiency of both female and black players. The
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tide may be turning more quickly for one demographic than the other, however. According to Josh Friedman, coach at St. Paul’s and president of the Mobile Youth Lacrosse League, “St. Paul’s is in the process of starting the very first girls’ club lacrosse program in the area.” This is great news for when Annabelle Vickers gets to high school; she was the only girl on her spring 2018 Mobile Mavericks team. But the South isn’t the only region struggling to find black players. According to data provided by the National College Athletic Association, in 2018, of men and women college lacrosse players, only 3.8 percent and 3.2 percent were black, respectively. Some theorize that misconceptions about the sport or financial hardships may play a role in the lack of diversity. Friedman, with assistance from U.S. Lacrosse, is eager to combat that hurdle. “Depending on the circumstances, loaner equipment is available,” he explains, which could be a good option for those wanting to try the sport before making a financial
“I LOVE IT BECAUSE IT’S SO NEW. PEOPLE ASK ME, ‘WHAT’S LACROSSE?’ MY REPLY IS THAT IT’S THE BEST SPORT EVER.” – Ross Carley
ROSS CARLEY AND OWEN KILPATRICK
investment. “We also have a wonderful diversity program that covers the costs of playing for those who qualify.” Bottom line: If a child wants to play, someone will make it possible.
WHIT VICKERS
The Making of a Warrior
FOR MORE INFORMATION
John Avent, head varsity and junior varsity coach at UMS-Wright and head coach for the U14 Mobile Mavericks team, offers a tongue-in-cheek warning for parents. “Be prepared for your child to fall in love with lacrosse,” he says. “From the first day I picked up a stick, I never wanted to put it down.” Back at the field, there’s no complaining to be found, despite the unforgiving heat. Not from the parents or the players or the coaches. It’s clear they do, indeed, love the game. But what is it about lacrosse that makes it so appealing? “It’s nonstop movement,” Friedman says. “And it’s more than just a team sport; it’s a family sport. Lacrosse offers a home to anyone who wants to get outside and play.” MB
Bayside Academy, high school boys, baysideacademy.org Lower Alabama Bayhawks Lacrosse, co-ed elementary through high school, lallax.com Mobile Mavericks Youth Lacrosse, co-ed kindergarten through 8th grade, mobilemaverickslacrosse.org Parallax Lacrosse, boys elementary through high school, parallaxlacrosse19.com St. Paul’s Club Lacrosse, high school boys (high school girls, coming spring 2020), facebook.com/spslax UMS-Wright Club Lacrosse, high school boys, facebook.com/UMSWrightclublax
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SHAPED BY
SCREENS text by HALLIE KING and AMANDA HARTIN
SCREENS. SOCIAL MEDIA. SUICIDE. THE S’S OF POTENTIAL ADOLESCENT SELF-DESTRUCTION. IN A WORLD OF UBIQUITOUS SCREENS, LOCAL EXPERTS ADVISE PARENTS ON HOW TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN FROM THE WARPED REALITY OF A CYBER WORLD KIDS MAY NOT BE EQUIPPED TO HANDLE.
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Marian Boteler sets a serving bowl in the middle of her kitchen table. Already laid out are four sets of forks and napkins, soon to be used by her husband and children. The smell of freshly made chicken and pasta signals dinnertime for Annie, 12, and Jimbo, 10. Before finding her spot alongside dad Knox, Annie powers off her device and puts it on the counter. “The rules are established around here, so there’s little bickering when it comes time to put devices away,” Boteler shares when asked about Annie’s lack of squabbling and dramatic huffing that can sometimes accompany a tween’s angst over non-screen time. “Every family is different, but it’s important to have your own rules, the non-negotiables, if you will.” For Boteler, lower and intermediate school counselor at St. Paul’s Episcopal School, some of these include no screens at bedtime or dinnertime and, for now, no social media. “I do not think social media is meant for adolescents or tweens,” she explains, “but I don’t know when the right time is. As the children get older, the rules and conversations will change. The world is constantly evolving.”
NEW WORLD, NEW PROBLEMS As smart devices seep into and pervade homes and schools, questions about usage guidelines and possible detrimental effects on children are on the rise. The smartphone emerged in the mid-2000s and early 2010s, and in the beginning, these devices were marketed to adults, the sector that already purchased landlines and mobile phones. With the seismic shift to adolescent use, however, studies now abound regarding the implications of the saturation to younger and younger kids. And the numbers are shocking. According to research compiled by Delaney Ruston and her team, the makers of the documentary “Screenagers” and the “Away for the Day” campaign against smartphones in schools, the average age that a child receives a smartphone is 10.3 years old. These children average three to five hours in front of screens each day, separate from in-school use. But the average recommended age for children to receive a smartphone is 14 or eighth grade. Many Silicon Valley executives — most notably Microsoft founder Bill Gates — openly enforce this regulation in their own homes. The nationally recognized “Wait Until 8th” pledge campaign is built upon multiple credible and extensive research studies and raises awareness for parents to hold out on gifting smartphones to preteens and younger children. Timing, both in age and duration of screen usage,
“SCREEN ADDICTION IS A BIG DEAL. WE HAVE FREQUENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME CAN BE SPENT ON THE SCREENS FOR LEISURELY PURPOSES.” – parent and MB reader
is critical to the maturation of the adolescent brain. A recent study from the National Institute of Health shows that children who spend more than seven hours per day in front of screens have a premature thinning of the cortex, which is the area that processes the information registered from the five senses. Not only does screen time impact brain development, it can easily become addictive. Leigh Hurley, MA, LPC, is a mother and private practice counselor at Hurley Counseling, LLC, in Mobile and Fairhope, and one of her areas of expertise is navigating the digital age. “In adolescents, the brain is rapidly developing,” Hurley explains. “The frontal lobe is the slowest to develop, and it doesn’t stop developing until a person is around 25 years of age. Amongst other things, the frontal lobe is the locus of impulse control.” The urge to phone-check is something Jennifer Joiner, middle and high school math teacher at Mobile Christian School, has seen. “They’re addicts. They have to have their phones on them,” she says. “Even if [the students] are supposed to be using their iPads for an assignment, I would say a lot of the time, they’re not using it for that purpose. And they know how to swipe that screen back and forth to get off whatever app they were on and back to what they were supposed to be doing.”
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE While having the world at your fingertips feels like a positive, like anything else, there can be too much of a good thing. Excessive screen time has been tied to cyberbullying and mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. An article from Time magazine titled, “We Need to Talk About Kids and Smartphones,” connected countless statistical dots from multiple scholarly and scientific resources that show there may be mental health consequences
august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 47
of adolescent actions. A 2016 survey from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that of 17,000 children, 13 percent had experienced at least one depressive episode in their lifetime, compared to 8 percent in 2010. While this could be linked to multiple factors, screens no doubt play a role. Reports like this place particular emphasis on one specific demographic — teenage girls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the suicide rate for teenage girls has reached a 40-year high. Online exposure is thought to be a factor. “Social media puts so much pressure on our young girls,” says Joiner, mom of three, including a teenage daughter. “When you have 13 year olds contouring on a YouTube video or on Instagram, it’s just not realistic. And when these children, especially girls, go through puberty, they’re not going to be a size zero all the time. I think that’s where it does lead to anxiety and depression.” To compound matters, the likelihood of involvement in cyberbullying situations increases the younger the child is and the more hours he or she spends on social media. The Cyberbullying Research Center revealed that nearly 25 percent of children have experienced cyberbullying, and nearly 17 percent have acted as a bully themselves. Sometimes the bullying may be as subtle as
being kicked out of a group text. “They don’t know how to react to that,” Boteler says. And intentional or not, social apps like Snapchat can lead to sadness. “Sometimes my feelings are hurt when I’m left out, or if I see a bunch of my friends together on Snap Map,” reports the child of one MB reader. “Ultimately,” says Boteler, “it’s just another layer of trying to navigate friendships,” the complexity of which is something children may not be equipped to handle on their own.
TIME TO SCREEN The common saying that “they watch your every move” was coined with sound reason. “The first thing I say to parents is ‘check yourself,’” Hurley says. “What are you modeling for your child? You can’t request of your kids what you don’t model.” Kristi Bush, a mother and the owner of KNB Communications and administrator of the Crack the Code community media organization, spends her days speaking to parents, children and educators about the implications of social media. When she began her services, she exclusively spoke on the positives of the platforms but soon changed her ways because she found that parents were also sorely uninformed about the negatives. “I very quickly realized that I was doing a disservice to my parents
NOT ALL USAGE IS CREATED EQUAL!
THE TIME CHILDREN 8 AND YOUNGER SPEND ON MOBILE DEVICES HAS
Setting time limits is not a perfect solution, because not all content is created equal. An hour spent learning a language is not the same as an hour spent on Snapchat. So make sure that you limit your child’s screen time without limiting their opportunities.
TRIPLED IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS – according to a 2017 CNN story
WHAT’S THE RIGHT THRESHOLD? The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:
younger than 2 years of age: avoid using digital media completely
children 2 to 5: limit screen time to one hour per day
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children 6 to 10: set consistent screen time limitations
CHILDREN WHO USE SOCIAL MEDIA DAILY ARE
13% MORE LIKELY TO EXHIBIT HIGH LEVELS OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS according to a study from psychology professor Jean Twenge of San Diego State University
and my educators because what I continue to see happening is parents are sticking their heads in the sand, not really wanting to acknowledge what is going on,” Bush says. Judge Carmen E. Bosch, of the 28th Judicial Circuit of Alabama serving youth in Baldwin County, mirrors that sentiment. Working with cases involving children, she sees firsthand the effects of media misuse and the life-altering damage it can cause. She recounts presiding over hearings regarding privacy issues and the mishandling of personal information, leading to court cases and charges that no child should endure. “I think that parents may give their children more privacy than they actually need where technology is concerned,” Bosch says. “Electronic contact is still contact, and parents need to know who is having contact with their children.” Kids are inherently trusting, and they don’t always realize people could be misrepresenting themselves online. Restricting communication and device use is an essential suggestion that counselors, educators, scientific organizations and parents alike can agree on. Although children are well-versed in navigating devices — they know
A 2016 SURVEY FOUND THAT OF 17,000 CHILDREN, 13% HAD EXPERIENCED AT LEAST ONE DEPRESSIVE EPISODE IN THEIR LIFETIME, COMPARED TO 8% IN 2010. – Survey from the U.S.
how to clear a search history, browse privately and use social media to search things in ways they believe can’t be tracked — staying aware of their usage, followers, searches and applications is the most realistic and reliable way to understand how adolescents are interacting with technology and social media. “No child, no teenager, ever needs unrestricted devices,” Bush says. “If a parent elects to give a child a computer or a phone, we then have to do our due diligence to protect our children by sitting down and setting age-appropriate guidelines, by really looking at the apps that children are on, by really doing some deep investigation.” That translates to doing random phone checks, following your children on social media, knowing their credentials and logging on to check in from their perspective, and enforcing any regulations that you feel should be put in place to keep your child safe. And, most importantly, doing so constantly. “This can’t be a one-time conversation,” Hurley says. “It requires a lot of awkward conversations and exhausting efforts. It’s constant.” MB
SCREEN TIME AND SUICIDE RATES CHILDREN WHO SPEND OVER THREE HOURS PER DAY IN FRONT OF SCREENS ARE
34% MORE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE AT LEAST ONE SUICIDE-RELATED BEHAVIOR THAN THOSE WHO HAD LESS THAN TWO HOURS OF SCREEN TIME PER DAY.
Department of Health and Human Services
AMERICAN GIRLS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN SOCIAL MEDIA THAN BOYS, BUT BOYS TOP IN TIME SPENT PLAYING VIDEO GAMES
– according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Apple has a new feature for iOS 12! The new feature lets you know how much time you and your kids spend on apps, websites and more. This way, you can make more informed decisions about how you use your devices and set limits if you’d like to.
Teenage girls spend on average
92
minutes a day on social media
8:1
teenage boys spend on average
52
minutes a day on social media
Boys typically spend almost an hour playing video games per day, while girls spend seven minutes on average.
august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 49
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BEST IN SH OW After a decade in Biloxi, the Gulf Coast Classic Dog Show prances home to Mobile. text by BRECK PAPPAS • photos by MATTHEW COUGHLIN
O
n September 4, dogs and owners from almost edition will include performance events for the first time, every state will descend on Mobile to participate allowing anyone to register a dog to compete in activities in the Gulf Coast Classic Dog Show, presented such as a barn hunt, coursing ability tests and dock diving. by the Mobile Kennel Club and the Singing The idea, Carberry says, is to allow your dog the opportuRiver Kennel Club, at The Grounds. The five-day event, nity to do what it might have been bred to do. And of course, the event will include the Westminsterwhich will draw an estimated 1,000 dogs, is a show licensed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) that will feature some style conformation show, in which beloved and exotic dogs of the top dogs and owners/handlers in the country, many of all breeds compete over several days in the hopes of beof whom have competed in the esteemed ing named the Best in Show. Visitors can Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show held “TO ME, THERE watch as judges compare each dog to its in New York City. breed standard set forth by the AKC. IS NOTHING “The dogs aren’t competing against This will be the 98th annual dog show PRETTIER THAN one another,” Carberry explains. “They’re the Mobile Kennel Club has hosted, a competing against the breed standard.” fact that might surprise many MobilSEEING A DOG Parking and admission for the show are ians. “We’ve held shows all over Mobile DO WHAT IT WAS free, and once inside, the selection of dog throughout our long history,” says Brian BRED TO DO.” treats and products for sale will make any Carberry, chairman of the Mobile Kennel dog owner drool. Club, which was founded in 1921. Venue Brian Carberry, chairman of “Dogs give people such unconditional limitations have required the show to be the Mobile Kennel Club love,” Carberry says. “People need to see held in Biloxi for the last decade. This and understand that love.” Here, familiaryear, however, the time-honored event is ize yourself with some of the faces, wet noses and unmuzhomeward bound. “The show is going to be bigger than it’s ever been,” zled feelings you might encounter at the Gulf Coast Classic Carberry says. In an effort to engage the public, the 2019 Dog Show.
NAME: Sonia • FORMAL NAME: UKC CH Ebonies Pride Sonia Ares BREED: black Russian terrier • AGE: 5-3/4 years • OWNER: Cecilia Charles august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 51
Wiggins, Mississippi. The state-owned Red Star Kennel, in Moscow, developed the terrier as a working dog, with the original purpose of guarding prisons, gulags and Russian military installations during and after World War II. They’ve come a long way since. “They love people,” Charles says, noting that the strongest evidence of their Russian past is the shaggy hair covering their faces, which would have been a valuable trait during the Siberian winters. Charles began showing black Russian terriers in 1994, just one year after they were first brought to the United States. On top of regular bathing, nail trimming and teeth brushing, Charles, who also works as a manager at McDonald’s, will groom a dog three days in a row leading up to a show. “And they know when we’re getting ready for a show,” she says. “They see certain items go into the car, and they start prancing around.”
“I GOT HOOKED ON IT. IT’S LIKE AN ADRENALINE RUSH FOR ME.” Cecilia Charles
STRAWBERRY CROSTATA recipe page 46
DOG NAME: Wufus • FORMAL NAME: CH RingLeader the Rascal in the Gang BREED: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel • AGE: 5 years • OWNERS: Cheryl and Ben Schoenfeld
Meet the Brood Ben Schoenfeld, like most owners at a dog show, is a hobbyist. And although many owners prefer to hire a professional to present their dogs in the ring, he doesn’t. “The majority of dog shows are made up of professional handlers,” says Schoenfeld, a 24-year veteran of the dog showing circuit. “Using a handler is well worth it. It’s just — I wouldn’t have any fun with someone else showing my dog.” Having fun is the whole idea, after all. Schoenfeld, who works in insurance sales, says he’s gone from “fishing to hunting to golf and now dogs,” and it’s safe to say this hobby has stuck. Ben and wife Cheryl operate RingLeader Cavaliers out of Daphne, where they breed championship-quality Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, such as the 5-yearold Wufus, above, sitting in his lap. “Wufus is just a cool dude,” Schoenfeld says. “He relaxes all the time.” But preparing Wufus for a show is anything but relaxing, which is why many are surprised to learn 52 mobilebaymag.com | august 2019
that dog shows rarely involve prize money. The day before an event, Schoenfeld bathes and grooms Wufus before slipping him into a drying coat, which the dog wears overnight in order to keep his hair in place. Depending on the show’s location and the opening ring time, the next morning could involve a 4 a.m. start, followed by hundreds of miles of driving and a handful of nights booked at a hotel. What, then, keeps drawing him back to the show ring? “We’ve met wonderful people from all over the world, and they’ve become lifelong friends,” he says. Aside from seeing well-known and beloved breeds, such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, visitors to the Gulf Coast Classic Dog Show might also encounter breeds they’ve only seen on television (or have never seen at all). The black Russian terrier, page 50, certainly falls into this category. “The Russians invented this breed,” says Cecilia Charles of Ebonies Pride kennel in
It’s a ritual that dog, and owner, can enjoy. “It’s relaxing when I take them down to my grooming room. I’ll stick a movie in and work on [the dogs] for a couple of hours, just combing them out and trimming them — it’s a break away from the hustle and bustle of the world.” While show prep can be a tranquil, solitary process, the weekend of a show, for many owners, is a social event. “You get very close to people, especially owners in your breed,” says Julie Huffine of Vancleave, Mississippi. That’s why Huffine often finds herself with owners of French bulldogs like her very own Mykha, top right, a 2-year-old grand champion. Each breed and their owners are only in the ring together for maybe 20 minutes. “The owners and handlers spend the rest of the day as friends,” says Huffine, “eating together, sitting around the ring together, barbecuing at someone’s RV. It’s like a whole new family.” Huffine, who’s shown dogs for a combined total of about 20 years, admits it’s a “very expensive hobby,” but she’s found a relatively low-maintenance breed. “There’s not a whole lot to do with a Frenchie,” she says of preshow grooming. “I’ll bathe her, trim her toe-
nails, shave her little whiskers around her face and eyes and inside her ears.” On the day of a show, Huffine brushes Mykha and puts a dab of coconut oil on her nose to shine it up. “And oh my gosh, she turns it on,” Huffine says. “She knows where we’re going before we leave the house.” One misunderstanding many people have about dog show folks, Huffine says, is that the owners, focused so strongly on their dogs’ presentation, lack compassion. “That’s so far from the truth,” Huffine says. “These dogs are adored. They’re living in the house, sleeping in the bed … [Mykha] and I have bonded so much going to these shows. I just love her so much, and she loves me.” For Larry Gibbs, the caring relationship between pet and owner is a major motivator, but there’s another force that so pervades the dog showing world that it’d be irresponsible to leave it out. “I like the competition,” Gibbs says. “I enjoy going into the ring and having my dog named the best longhaired Dachshund in the group.” Gibbs, an adjunct English instructor at the University of South Alabama, was invited to a dog show in Atlanta about 10 years ago, where he gravitated to the longhaired Dachshund. “They looked so beautiful and so unusual because of their size and long hair.” He located a breeder and bought his first longhaired pup shortly thereafter. “The first time I walked into a ring with him was my first time to be in a ring with any dog. And we won that day,” Gibbs says. “I kind of got hooked on it.” Breeders, like the one Gibbs found after that Atlanta show, will often use a theme when naming the puppies of a new litter. Newton, pictured bottom right with Gibb’s partner Susan, was part of a litter of Dachshunds named after famous scientists. Gibbs does some of the pre-show grooming but says “a couple ladies in Grand Bay” help with the final touches. “Newton has a few cowlicks on him, places where the hair doesn’t lay down like I would want it to, so I’ll use some hairspray on him and a curling iron,” he says. “His personality changes the minute we go in the ring. He affects a different gait when I’m showing him. He knows he’s being watched.” With 10 years of experience, Gibbs has certainly become a familiar face at shows across the Southeast, but he’s still got 40
(TOP RIGHT) DOG NAME: Mykha • FORMAL NAME: GCH CH Rickly’s Nest-Lee’s Kandu Little Goddess BREED: French bulldog • AGE: 2 years • OWNER: Julie Huffine (MIDDLE AND BOTTOM RIGHT) DOG NAME: Newton • FORMAL NAME: Newton Von Links V Raab SL BREED: longhaired Dachshund • AGE: 10 months • OWNER: Larry Gibbs (not pictured) (BOTTOM LEFT) DOG NAME: Duncan • FORMAL NAME: BeauJames Darlin Duncan • BREED: Pomeranian AGE: 1 year • OWNER: Cynthia Wallen august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 53
“We may be a bit unusual,” she continues, laughing, “but we’re not elitists.” While some breeds, like the Pomeranian, require a grooming process six months in the making, others breeds are surprisingly lowmaintenance. About a month before a show, Jenni Wren will wash her 4-and-a-half-yearold Berger Picard, named Luna, opposite. “They’re supposed to have a crispy coat,” she says. On the day of a show, Wren runs a brush through Luna and uses a stripping brush to fluff up her ears — but that’s about it!
“THE DOGS KNOW WHEN THEY’RE PRETTY. AFTER GROOMING, THEY’LL PARADE AROUND THE ROOM AND SHOW OFF.” Cynthia Wallen
(RIGHT) DOG NAME: Marbles • FORMAL NAME: BeauJames Merled Marbles • BREED: Pomeranian AGE: 1 year • OWNER: Cynthia Wallen
years to go if he wants to match the longevity of Cynthia Wallen. Wallen was 12 years old when she saw her first Pomeranian, which was owned by a couple down the street. “It was one of the prettiest things I’d ever seen in my life,” she says, and she told her parents she wanted one. “We were basically farmers, and my dad thought that was the silliest thing he’d ever heard.” It would be years before Wallen bought herself a Pomeranian, and in 1969, she entered the show ring for the first time. A Mobile resident, Wallen is a retired regional sales manager who still works as a part-time insurance agent, but she’s decided “it’s time for me to relax a little.” Unfortunately, as the hospitality chairperson for the show in September, 54 mobilebaymag.com | august 2019
she is prohibited from presenting Marbles, above, and Duncan at the event. When she is preparing for a show, however, Wallen does all of the grooming, conditioning her dog’s coat for six months leading up to the event, as that’s “the average time it takes to fully bring the coat to its maximum potential.” The cardinal rules of Pomeranian grooming? Use chemical-free shampoo, essential oils and never overcondition. “People think the dog showing world is an elite club of some kind, and it’s only for the wealthy,” Wallen says of the misconceptions surrounding her hobby. “But sometimes you’re scraping to find the money for show entries or to pay handlers. You do it because you love your dog.
When Wren and her partner Jeremy Middlebrooks met a Berger Picard breeder at a show in Orlando, neither had any handling experience. But as part of the agreement when they purchased Luna, the breeder required that the dog participate in at least 10 shows. Middlebrooks, who lives in Magnolia Springs and works in real estate consulting, sought the help of a few professional dog handlers in order to learn the tricks of the trade. The Berger Picard, an ancient breed developed by sheep farmers in the Picardy region of northern France, is a “quirky and humorous” breed according to Wren. “You have to have a sense of humor to own one,” she says. Wren and Middlebrooks say one misconception about show dogs is that they’re onedimensional. “Luna does other things besides run around the ring and turn left,” Wren says. Luna is rarely happier, she points out, than when standing in line to participate in the Fast CAT (Coursing and Ability Test) event, a timed 100-yard dash in which dogs run one at a time, chasing a lure. “She barks the entire time we’re in line.” Witnessing such happiness is the best part of the experience, Wren says, regardless of Luna’s ranking that day. “You may lose,” she says, “but you still come home with the best dog.” MB Visit gulfcoastclassicdogshow.org for more information.
DOG NAME: Luna • FORMAL NAME: CH Eclipse’s Over the Moon DCAT • BREED: Berger Picard AGE: 4-1/2 years • OWNERS: Jenni Wren and partner Jeremy Middlebrooks, pictured on page 53
july 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 55
Vive
la Crepe text by MAGGIE LACEY photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU
E
ven those who swear they can’t cook an egg can whip up a batch of pancakes on a Saturday morning, right? But would you believe crepes fall into that category, too? Gloriously thin and extravagantly filled, this highfalutin French treat is deceptively easy. Crepes are truly nothing but pancakes in disguise, and our foolproof recipe will make you the master of the spatula. A dusting of sugar is all these dough babies really need, but a few sweet or savory filling ideas can turn a glorified flapjack into the stuff of your Saturday morning dreams.
august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 57
FOOLPROOF CREPES MAKES 8 12-INCH CREPES 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for buttering pan 1 1/2 cups milk 4 large eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 pinches kosher salt
1. Partially melt 3 tablespoons butter in the bottom of a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add to a large mixing bowl. Finish melting the butter off the heat by whisking until fully melted. 2. Add milk, eggs, flour and salt, and whisk to combine. The mixture may be slightly lumpy. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 3. Remove batter from refrigerator and whisk again. Heat a 12- to 13-inch flat nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of butter and spread with a spatula to coat the entire pan. Add 1/3 cup of batter and roll the pan around until the batter completely covers the bottom of the pan. 4. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the pancake is cooked through. Using a large spatula, gently flip the crepe and continue cooking for 1 more minute. 5. Remove to a large plate and start the process again until all the batter has been used. Fill and fold crepes according to your preference and enjoy!
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POUR
MIX TIPS The recipe calls to finish melting the butter off the heat by whisking until fully melted. This prevents the butter from getting too hot and cooking your eggs while still in the bowl. Make ahead: The batter can be refrigerated up to four days without a problem. If the batter doesn’t easily roll around the pan, it is too thick. Add another splash of milk to the bowl and try again. If you roll the batter around the pan and are left with an empty spot, drop a little more batter in the holes. It will all cook together and be fine. We love to use a large flexible fish turner to flip crepes (available at Target), but if you don’t have that, you can use two smaller spatulas to get the job done. Crepes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge overnight. Just microwave covered for 10 - 30 seconds to rewarm, or place in a baking dish covered with foil and cook at 250 degrees for 10 minutes. Then fill and fold as desired.
FLIP
NEXT LEVEL STUFF Once you’ve tackled the basic crepe, you might be feeling a tad adventurous. Now try mastering the Mille Crepe, an epic French cake made of layers and layers of crepes held together with homemade custard and topped with whipped cream. “Mille” means a thousand, so get cooking.
Crepes can be stacked without fear they will stick together. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel to keep them warm.
FOLD
ROLL FILLING SUGGESTIONS Three of our favorite recipes appear on the following pages, but there is no need to over think it. Any flavor combo you love will work with our delicious fail-proof crepes. Experiment! TRY THESE EASY SWEET IDEAS: - strawberries and whipped cream - cinnamon, sugar and butter - bananas, peanut butter and honey
- chocolate hazelnut spread - lemon curd and powdered sugar - sliced fresh fruit and vanilla yogurt
A FEW SAVORY OPTIONS: - diced ham and melted Swiss - smoked salmon, creme fraiche - creamed crabmeat
- pesto, tomatoes and mozzarella - melted brie and raspberry jam - green peas, ricotta and mint
august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 59
SPINACH ARTICHOKE AND GOAT CHEESE CREPES MAKES 8 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 (8-ounce) bag fresh spinach 1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 (8-ounce) package goat cheese honey, Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes, for garnish
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add garlic. Add the salt, pepper and crushed red pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and artichokes, cooking for 5 - 6 minutes or until the spinach is fully wilted. Reduce heat to low and stir in the Parmesan cheese, then remove from heat. 2. Working with one pre-made crepe at a time, spread the goat cheese evenly across one half of the crepe. Top with a few tablespoons of the spinach mixture. Fold in half and then in half again. Transfer to a plate or serving platter. Keep warm. Repeat until all the crepes and filling are used. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with Parmesan and red pepper to taste and serve immediately.
WILD MUSHROOM AND GRUYERE CREPES MAKES 8 8 cups wild mushrooms (we used cremini, shitake and baby portobello) 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced leaves from 3 thyme sprigs 1/3 cup water salt and pepper, to taste 10 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1. Clean mushrooms and roughly chop the large ones, removing any woody stems as needed. 2. In a large saute pan combine the butter and olive oil over low heat. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Toss in the thyme and cook for a few seconds. Add the mushroom and 1/3 cup water. Season with salt and pepper and cook until liquid is evaporated and the mushrooms are cooked down and tender. Taste and add additional salt if needed. 3. Warm a large nonstick skillet and add a pre-made crepe. Sprinkle with 2 - 3 tablespoons of Gruyere cheese and heat until slightly melted. Immediately remove from heat and fold. Keep warm until all crepes are reheated. Top folded crepes with mushroom mixture and serve immediately.
LEMON, FIG AND RICOTTA CREPES MAKES 8 2 cups part-skim ricotta 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons fig preserves zest of 1 lemon lemon zest, honey and powdered sugar, for garnish
1. Place first 4 ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use. 2. Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of the ricotta filling in a line down one side of a pre-made crepe. Gently roll up and place on a plate or platter. Drizzle with honey, dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle with lemon zest before serving. Serve immediately. august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 61
Mobile Bay Magazine presents
HIGHER EDUCATION
As higher education becomes increasingly more valuable for those entering the workforce, these colleges and universities are continually growing to meet that need. Whether someone is looking for a public, private, community or online program, they don’t have to look far to find the perfect fit. Read on to see why the best and brightest in Mobile and Baldwin County often decide to stay close to home.
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SPECIAL SECTION | HIGHER EDUCATION
University of Mobile — Ignite Your Why
I
t’s not just “what” you do with your life that matters. It’s “why” you do it that makes the real difference. The University of Mobile is a Christcentered academic community committed to helping you Ignite Your Why. Through small classes with professors who know your name, a commitment to academic excellence, and a focus on spiritual development, we are intentional in equipping you to fulfill your purpose and prepare for your professional calling. It’s higher education with a difference, helping you discover the purpose God has for your life by challenging you academically and spiritually in a community where you are known.
That’s Higher Education for a Higher Purpose The University of Mobile offers over 76 academic programs with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees for traditional undergraduate, college transfer, adult and graduate students. Classes are offered online and on the conveniently located 880-acre campus off I-65 at Exit 13. Classes are offered Mondays through Thursdays. Through Prac-ademics, students have hands-on learning experiences that bridge the gap between knowing and doing, including a cadaver lab, Center for Excellence in Healthcare Practice, the Fisher-Brewer Recording Studio, the Good Work Agency student-run marketing firm, the Roger Breland Center for Performing Arts and more.
A Recognized Value The University of Mobile is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “Best Value” college, ranked No. 2 Best Regional Colleges in the South for Veterans, and No. 5 Best Regional Colleges in the South. UM has the No. 1 Best College Dorms in Alabama according to Niche.com, and is among 30 Best College Dorms in America by AffordableSchools.net. UM consistently ranks in America’s 100 Best College Buys and America’s Best Christian Colleges.
See for Yourself It’s easy to see if the University of Mobile is right for you. Fall Preview Days are Friday, Sept. 20; Monday, Oct. 14; and Friday, Nov. 22. Sign up for a Preview Day, or schedule a private tour, at umobile.edu/visit, or call Enrollment Services at 251.442.2222.
251- 442-2222 • umobile.edu august 2019 | mobilebaymag.com 63
SPECIAL SECTION | HIGHER EDUCATION
University of South Alabama
T
he University of South Alabama — South, for short — is Mobile’s only comprehensive research and teaching university. With an enrollment of approximately 15,000 students and a workforce of nearly 7,000 employees, USA’s leadership and innovation in education, research, service and health care makes it an economic driver and a catalyst for positive transformation throughout the state and along the Gulf Coast. South’s faculty promote an environment where curiosity and discovery are fostered through 10 academic divisions, including an Honors College, and more than 100 fields of study including the sciences, business, health care, education, engineering, computing and the liberal arts. Research
is conducted at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and students work alongside faculty experts on an array of research projects in varied disciplines. University of South Alabama students enjoy an outstanding living and learning environment on a beautiful, tree-shaded main campus of 1,224 acres that includes 33 unique residence options, a 116,000square-foot student recreation center, indoor and outdoor pools, walking paths, bike trails and a disc golf course. Outside the classroom, students build relationships and develop leadership skills in more than 200 clubs and organizations. In athletics, USA is a charter member of the Sun Belt Conference and the College Football Playoff. The Jaguars field 17 NCAA Division I teams, including
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baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. The Jaguars compete in outstanding facilities, including the 25,000-seat Hancock Whitney Stadium, which will open for the 2020 football season. Within South’s culture of learning and discovery, the University responds to local, regional and global issues with bold ideas infused with creative energy. USA is a place where students discover and strengthen their career passions and form connections that result in lifelong relationships. At South, we look at the world and see things that we have the power to change, affect and shape — together. So that’s exactly what we do, every single day. Visit us at SouthAlabama.edu.
SPECIAL SECTION | HIGHER EDUCATION
Coastal Alabama Community College
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nnually, Coastal Alabama Community College serves more than 10,000 students. With locations in six counties, Coastal Alabama provides accessible, quality educational opportunities.
Coastal Alabama has Alabama’s lowest tuition. And, thanks to state legislation, academic classes taken at Coastal Alabama are guaranteed to transfer to public universities across the state. Many private schools also have entered into agreements to accept transfer credits. Whether a student is seeking seated or online classes, Coastal Alabama’s flexible class schedule provides options for students. Students should feel confident in the education they are receiving. It is no surprise that the number of transfer agreements between Coastal Alabama and four-year universities is growing, as universities see the benefit of recruiting transfer students.
No. 6 in the state, and that ranking includes four-year universities. The culinary arts and pastry baking programs have continuously been recognized as exemplary programs by the American Culinary Federation.
Coastal Alabama’s technical programs also tout many achievements. The nursing program in Bay Minette/Fairhope ranked No. 2 and the Monroeville/Thomasville nursing program ranked
While these examples are just a few of the many successful programs at Coastal Alabama, they show the standard for excellence for which Coastal Alabama and its faculty strive.
CoastalAlabama.edu
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EXTRAS | CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Dog days of August! AUGUST 17 BUBBLE BONANZA 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Make your own bubble solution and wand. Experiment with glow in the dark bubbles, yarn bubbles and more. Other water activities will be available, so come in your swimwear. Included with general admission. Free for Gulf Coast Exploreum Members. GULF COAST EXPLOREUM SCIENCE CENTER EXPLOREUM.COM
AUGUST 20 “AMERICAN IDOL” AUDITIONS If you dream of becoming the next Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood, now’s your chance. SPECIFIC LOCATION TBA • ABC.GO.COM/ SHOWS/AMERICAN-IDOL/AUDITIONS
AUGUST 24 - 25 FORT MIMS REENACTMENT AND LIVING HISTORY 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Learn about the pivotal role Fort Mims played in the War of 1812. FORT MIMS FORTMIMS.ORG
AUGUST 3
AUGUST 3
COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Celebrate the historic Battle of Mobile Bay as Fort Morgan comes to life with reenactors.
THE 155TH COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Festivities include demonstrations of military drills and training, as well as firing of the cannons.
FORT MORGAN FORT-MORGAN.ORG
FORT GAINES • DAUPHINISLAND.ORG
AUGUST 3
AUGUST 6
BAYOU LA BATRE KAYAK CLASSIC 6 a.m. - 3 p.m. Weigh-in: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Compete for awards in the largest kayak fishing tournament in the state.
FOUNDER’S DAY, MR. BELLINGRATH’S BIRTHDAY 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission to the gardens and home is free to Mobile and Baldwin County residents.
14772 STATE DOCKS ROAD, BAYOU LA BATRE BAYOULABATREKAYAKCLASSIC.ORG
BELLINGRATH GARDENS AND HOME BELLINGRATH.ORG
AUGUST 24 DAUPHIN STREET BEER FESTIVAL Sample microbrews and imports from various local restaurants. DOWNTOWN MOBILE SPECIALEVENTSMOBILE.ORG
AUGUST 24 MILES FOR MEDICINE 5K AND FUN RUN 6 - 11 a.m. Lace up for this 5K and fun run that benefits the sight and vision programs of the University Lions Club. LANGAN MUNICIPAL PARK E-CLUBHOUSE.ORG/SITES/MOBILEUNIVERSITY
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PERFORMANCES AT THE WHARF AUGUST 17
LITTLE BIG TOWN 8 p.m. Sing along to “Pontoon,” “Day Drinking,” and more of the country band’s hits as they take to the stage. Tickets: $18 - $62.
AUGUST 20
PENTATONIX 7:30 p.m. The hit a cappella group brings their unique vocal stylings to the Gulf Coast. Tickets: $14 - $122.
AUGUST 22 BRAD PAISLEY 7:30 p.m. The star performs “Mud on the Tires,” “Whiskey Lullaby,” “Old Alabama,” and more. Tickets: $21 - $71.
AUGUST 31 CHRIS STAPLETON 7:30 p.m. One of the hottest singers heats up the stage. Tickets: $108 - $405.
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CITY STAGES Drama, musical, mysteries and movies, oh my!
ONGOING SUMMER CLASSIC MOVIE SERIES 3 p.m. Take a break from the summer heat with the Saenger’s signature film series. August 4, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone;” August 11, “Purple Rain;” August 18, “Singin’ in the Rain.” Tickets: adults, $6; children 12 and under and seniors, $3. MOBILE SAENGER THEATRE MOBILESAENGER.COM
THROUGH AUGUST 11 OLIVER! 7:30 p.m. F / Sa. 2:30 p.m. Su. In this adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel, 9-year-old orphan Oliver Twist falls in with a group of pickpockets. PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK PLAYHOUSEINTHEPARK.ORG
AUGUST 9 - 25 “A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER” 7:30 p.m. F / Sa. 2 p.m. Su. This Tony award-winning play centers around a distant heir to a family fortune. CHICKASAW CIVIC THEATRE CCTSHOWS.COM
AUGUST 16 - SEPTEMBER 1 “MATILDA” 7:30 p.m. F / Sa. 2 p.m. Su. Experience the classic children’s story from a new perspective. Tickets: $10, $15, $20. JOE JEFFERSON PLAYERS JOEJEFFERSONPLAYERS.COM
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[ONGOING EVENTS]
PROHIBITION TOURS 6 - 8 p.m. Learn about Mobile’s hidden “underbelly” during the Prohibition era. Drink up at various stops such as Alchemy Tavern, The Sidecar Lounge and The Haberdasher. DOWNTOWN MOBILE FACEBOOK.COM/SECRETHISTORYTOURS
SCIENCE FICTION, SCIENCE FUTURE 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. Innovate and create through a hands-on exhibit full of robots and virtual realities. Through September 2. Admission: $4 - $17. GULF COAST EXPLOREUM SCIENCE CENTER & IMAX THEATER EXPLOREUM.COM
URBAN WILD: STREET AND FOLK ART IN THE SOUTH Embrace the creativity of the South through exhibits at both the Mobile Museum of Art and Alabama Contemporary Art Center. Through October 26. MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART ALABAMA CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER MOBILEMUSEUMOFART.COM
ESPIONAGE AT MOBILE POINT ESCAPE ROOM 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Develop critical thinking, communication and team-building skills while learning about the Battle of Mobile Bay. Through October 30. FORT MORGAN • FORT-MORGAN.ORG
ICE HOUSE HAPPY NIGHT 4 - 9 p.m. Thursdays. Cheers to $2 off pints, free Chick-fil-A sandwiches, live music and more. HAINT BLUE BREWING COMPANY HAINTBLUEBREW.COM
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[SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS]
SEPTEMBER 13 THE BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY PRESENTS “HOTEL CALIFORNIA” 8 p.m. Listen to the greatest hits of one of the greatest rock bands of all time, the Eagles. Tickets: $30 - $35. MOBILE SAENGER THEATRE • MOBILESAENGER.COM
SEPTEMBER 14 - 15 THE PIRATES OF MASSACRE ISLAND 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Explore a unique part of the island’s history and search for buried goods. DAUPHIN ISLAND • DAUPHINISLAND.ORG
SEPTEMBER 21, 22 MOBILE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PRESENTS OLE! 7:30 p.m. Sa. 2:30 p.m. Su. Aldo LópezGavilán performs. Tickets: $15 - $80. MOBILE SAENGER THEATRE MOBILESYMPHONY.ORG
SEPTEMBER 21 ALABAMA COASTAL CLEANUP 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Help remove trash from our Gulf Coast waterways. VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES • ALABAMACOASTALCLEANUP.COM
SEPTEMBER 28 - 29 2019 JUBILEE FESTIVAL 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Enjoy live local entertainment, kids’ booths, food and more. DAPHNE • ESCHAMBER.COM
SEPTEMBER 28 LYNYRD SKYNYRD 6 p.m. The legendary Southern rock band comes to the beach. Tickets: $24 - $341. THE WHARF • ALWHARF.COM
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PEOPLE | SPOTLIGHT
Frazier Farm Legacy The only thing more prosperous than one man’s farm was the family he started there. text by NOAH HARRELSON
C
iby Herzfeld Kimbrough (1941-2012) was 24 years old and fivemonths pregnant when she crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965, accompanied by Martin Luther King Jr., Rev. Ralph Abernathy and 600 others. A Mobile native, she took part in boycotts, sit-ins and countless other demonstrations during the civil rights movement. Encouraging her activism was her brother, Dr. William L. Herzfeld, who later became the president of the Alabama Southern Leadership Conference and served as president of the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. Ciby obtained her doctorate at age 63. Together, these two embody the legacy and dream generated by their maternal grandfather, Gaines Frazier. By the time he died at age 99, Frazier had sired 24 children by two wives, operated a farm large enough to support each and every one of them and found success at a time when the odds were stacked against him. Though little is known about his youth, Frazier was born in Autauga County in 1848, likely into slavery. Prior to the Civil War, many runaway slaves headed south toward Mobile Bay, which may explain his family’s relocation from central Alabama to the Cedar Point Road community. In 1878,
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Frazier purchased a swath of uncleared land, an unusual occurrence for an African-American at that time. More unusual, however, was the farm’s success, which rapidly grew to include an 18-mule team and a 138-dairy-cow herd. He even laid a road, which is now called Doyle Avenue, from Cedar Point Road to Old Bay Front Road to shorten his trek to town. Part of the road was eventually closed off when the government bought it to build a runway at Brookley Air Force Base. Most of what is known about this fertile farmer, so to speak, comes from the family history of her grandfather written by Kimbrough. Of the chores on the farm, she wrote, “Before the sun rose each morning, the females would prepare a big breakfast for the family. After breakfast, the men and boys would leave to work in the fields, tend the milk cows and peddle milk and butter. The females spent the rest of the day cooking, cleaning, making clothes, canning, washing, ironing, tending the garden, picking fruit and tending the yard animals. The males hunted raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, deer, quail, duck and wild turkey to feed their large family. They also fished. With as many as twenty-five to thirty family members present for a meal, they needed a lot of food.” Frazier, with incredible foresight, saw how important an education would be for his children. To ensure this, he donated some of his land and helped build the only school for African-Americans in the area, Race Track Elementary. But Frazier didn’t just give his children an education, he passed down his work ethic, a determination necessary to operate a farm without modern technology. “Horses and wagons were used for the first fifty years of the farm. A pump was the only source of fresh water. There was no indoor plumbing,” Kimbrough wrote. “There was no electricity! Every day was filled with work, work, work!” Despite the prosperity of Kimbrough, Herzfeld and other descendants, the farm itself is long gone: sold, destroyed, burABOVE Gaines Frazier with three of his daughters, Addie, Juanita and Nettie, holding his grandson, William L. Herzfeld, about 1934. OPPOSITE Frazier holds grandson, Peter Dais Jr.
ied. Speaking to its legacy, Kimbrough wrote that “while time stood still on the farm, Mobile grew all around it. Our uncles got old, but the needs on the farm continued to be demanding. One by one they died. There was no one left to do the work because all of the grandchildren had made their lives away from the farm. The last time I saw the farm, it was under demolition. The house, store and barn were all gone. The shade trees had been uprooted. It was painful to see.” Gaillard Elementary School now occupies the space of the old Frazier farm, a fitting tribute for a man who valued hard work and education. MB
Excerpts borrowed from the book, “South Mobile, 1699 – 2018” by Susan Rouillier, available on Amazon, at the Haunted Book Shop, at GulfQuest Maritime Museum and through the author at susanrouillier@gmail.com. Susan is an avid bird photographer and painter who lives on the western shore of Mobile Bay in South Mobile.
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THE ARTS | LITERATURE
My Kingdom for a Dead Snake Local author Audrey Atkins talks Southern superstitions and the “Dawg Days” of summer. excerpt from the book THEY CALL ME OR ANGE JUICE by AUDREY MCDONALD ATKINS illustration by CARL CALDERONE
D
awg Days are upon us. Go on, draw that syllable out just like the heat and humidity that threatens to stretch clear to Halloween. It’s too hot to talk fast. Too hot to think fast. Too hot to do much besides indolently stand in the yard dribbling precious cool water on flowers as parched as you are. This annual late summer conflagration, and the contemplation thereof, is some serious and Sirius business dating all the way back to ancient Rome when it was believed that the appearance of the Dog Star was a precursor to the hottest, most sultry days of summer. Back then, a brown dog would be sacrificed to appease the god in hopes that his wrath would be assuaged and the crops would not wither and die in the fields. Now, I’d be hard-pressed to kill a dog no matter how hot it gets, but a snake is another matter entirely. According to Leroy, who helped Granny tend her vast gardens and hot-
house and who was a veritable font of valuable information regarding all manner of superstition, all it takes to break the dark spell of Dawg Days is a snake. A dead one. Hung carefully over a tree branch. Now I am unclear as to whether the species of snake matters, and there seems to be a debate about whether the snake should be hung belly up or belly down, in a tree or on a fence. But about one thing I am completely certain — this is some powerful mojo, and it works. Fast. Without fail. In fact, Leroy made it his common practice during the summer months to kill every snake he ran across and hang its carcass up in a tree. Consequently, we always had plenty of rain, but not too much, Granny’s flower beds thrived to her delight, and two little towheaded kids thought he was a mystical rainmaker capable of performing miracles. I warn you in advance, if you go hanging dead snakes in the far reaches of your yard
— in the far reaches because you don’t want company to come and there be a big, dead rattler right by the driveway scaring your guests, not because it works better if there is a distance — anyway, if you go hanging up dead snakes, forget where you put them, and go strolling about, you might be in for a nasty surprise. But should you decide you wish to pursue this line of defense against the most torrid, sweltering days of the year, you will be rewarded for your efforts. Leroy guarantees it. Born and raised in Citronelle, Audrey now lives with her husband in Birmingham where she is the Director of Community Engagement at WBHM Public Radio. A raconteur at heart, she shares her often funny and sometimes poignant stories about growing up and living in the South in her recent book, They Call Me Orange Juice, and at her blog audreyatkinswriter.com.
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HISTORY | ASK MCGEHEE
Who was the Catholic bishop credited with keeping hurricanes from striking Mobile? text by TOM MCGEHEE
On February 28, 1927, his 41st birthday, Thomas J. Toolen was appointed Mobile’s sixth Catholic bishop. The city was still making repairs from a September hurricane that had winds estimated at 110 miles per hour. Toolen’s archdiocese consisted of the entire state of Alabama, as well as a portion of northwest Florida. Unlike Mobile, with its French and Spanish colonial history, the remainder of Alabama was heavily Protestant. Over the next 40 years, he would oversee tremendous growth and implement numerous changes in his diocese. And during this entire period, Mobile would be happily spared from the destruction of a direct hit from a hurricane.
A New School and Maternity Hospital One of Toolen’s earliest accomplishments was to establish a girls’ Catholic high school in 1928. McGill Institute had opened its doors on Government Street in 1896, but its student body was entirely male. The girls’ school was built on land adjoining St. Mary’s Church on Lafayette Street in Midtown and was named Bishop Toolen High School to honor its creator. In 1929, he dedicated the new Allen Memorial Home on Lafayette Street, directly behind Providence Hospital. Designed as a maternity hospital, it was named for Toolen’s predecessor, Edward Allen. In time, it became a home for unwed mothers and cared for abandoned infants and children up to age 7. Toolen traveled around the state where his attire often drew the attention of the locals. On a train platform in rural Alabama, one of his associates got tired of the stares they were receiving and removed his hat, smiled, and said, “See, no horns!” Ultimately, Toolen would be credited with establishing 200 churches around Alabama.
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ABOVE Thomas J. Toolen served as bishop for Mobile’s Catholic diocese for more than 40 years, during which time, the area remained hurricane-free. PHOTO FROM ENCYCLOPEDIAOFALABAMA.ORG
An Unpopular Decree Things did not always go smoothly. In 1941, the Bishop decided that all Catholic children should attend parochial schools rather than public. Toolen decreed that any Catholic parents who sent their offspring to public schools would be denied communion. He announced, “Catholic parents must send their children to Catholic schools. Parents who do not obey are rebellious and should be treated as such.” If those parents had not thought of themselves as rebellious before, Toolen’s decree had them rebelling in full force. The economic depression was far from over, and the bishop ultimately reversed his unpopular ruling.
Martin de Porres Hospital In 1947, Toolen established the first African-American hospital in Alabama: Martin de Porres. It was also the first hospital that permitted black physicians to work alongside their white counterparts — a rarity in the South at the time. Toolen announced the end of racial segregation in all Catholic schools in his diocese in 1964. This was national news at the time, and he stated, “I ask all our people to accept this decision as best for God and country.” After more than 40 years as Mobile’s bishop, Toolen retired in 1969. It has been estimated that he traveled a staggering 1 million miles visiting churches and missions in his diocese, and he was the oldest active bishop in the country. He died seven years later at the age of 90 and is buried in the crypt beneath the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. During Toolen’s long tenure, Mobile had been spared the sort of hurricanes that had repeatedly struck the city earlier in the century. Barely three years after his death, things changed with the catastrophic arrival of Hurricane Frederic, followed by other storms. In the wake of these devastating storms, a half-joking, city-wide myth slowly formulated, connecting the Bishop’s 42year tenure to Mobile’s recently shattered stormless era. So, while Toolen accomplished many things during his time in Mobile, it may be the hurricane-free decades for which he is best remembered. MB
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END PIECE | IN LIVING COLOR
Shotgun Houses, 1937 Original photo by Arthur Rothstein, retrieved from the Library of Congress, Farm Security Administration, Office of War Information Photograph Collection • Colorization by Dynamichrome Limited
Photojournalist Arthur Rothstein captured this street scene during his April 1937 visit to Mobile. Shown lining the street is one of the most common types of houses during the late 19th and early 20th centuries — the shotgun house, so named because one could stand in the front door and shoot buckshot straight through the house and out the back door. According to John S. Sledge, architectural historian with the city of Mobile and MB contributor, “Surviving examples … are concentrated south of Canal Street along the river and north of Downtown.” Do you know where this photo was taken? Let us know! Email ahartin@pmtpublishing.com.
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