Mobile Bay Magazine - March 2017

Mobile Bay THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE FOR MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES

THE HOMES ISSUE

POSH SPACES pg. 48

TOUR TWO NEW HOMES DESIGNED WITH THE PERFECT BALANCE OF COLOR, PATTERN AND TEXTURE

+

-THUMB A GREEN LOCAL GUIDE TO ING GARDEN pg. 20

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHTS Up-and-coming pros share their best tips for creating a stylish home

Turkey Talk

Tag along for a one-of-a-kind gobbler hunting extravaganza

March 2017

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FEATURES MARCH 2017

VOLUME XXXIII / ISSUE 3

STYLIST CATHERINE ARENSBERG’S TEEPEE-STYLE FIREWOOD HUT AND ELEGANT OUTDOOR LAMP MAKE FOR A HOMEY YET FUNCTIONAL OUTDOOR SPACE. PHOTO BY TODD DOUGLAS.

48 Pattern and Panache A chance encounter led the Aeiker family to build their dream home, where they let loose with tasteful yet fun patterns and colors.

57 All in the Family When home builder Bernard Wood decided to build his own home, he enlisted the help of family to bring his vision to life.

65 Dynamite Designers Furniture, architecture and landscape — oh my! Meet upand-coming creatives who will make your home truly stand out.

ON OUR COVER

The design-wise couple Hill and Jonathan Aeiker planned their dream home for years and decked it out in lively, colorful decor they love.

65

PHOTO BY SUMMER ENNIS

 Are you looking for some quick tips to help you spruce up your humble abode? Flip to page 65 and take note of all the excellent home tips from professional decorators and designers.

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DEPARTMENTS MARCH 2017

VOLUME XXXIII / ISSUE 3

40

24 LEFT Turkey hunter Stuart Parnell indulges in some friendly competition on an early morning hunt at the Butterball Wild Turkey Invitational. PHOTO BY BRECK PAPPAS RIGHT Celebrate the state bicentennial with these revamped recipes from the days of our founding. PHOTO BY ELIZABETH GELINEAU

13 Editor’s Note 13 On the Web 14 Reaction 16 Odds & Ends 18 Elemental Gum Turpentine This month, MB shines a light on little-known facts about the oil.

20 Gardening A Guide to Spring Gardening

Planting season is a breeze with this handy primer.

24 Gumbo The Butterball Invitational Friendly competition during turkey season makes for the best stories.

30 Gallery A Study in Time and Place An Alabama artist’s photographs helped chronicle time itself.

36 Good Stuff Global Mod Deck out your home in fabulous furniture and one-of-a-kind decor.

38 Tastings Anchor Bar & Grill

This hidden beachside eatery won’t stay hidden for long.

40 Bay Tables From the Alabama Hearth

These 19th-century recipes got a 2017 makeover — ­ and they’re delish!

44 The Dish Hot Now Eats!

Five locals dish on the favorite dishes they ate this month.

78 History Stars Still Falling on Alabama The state will soon be 200, and the celebration is just getting started.

90 Bay Boy The Necklace A young Watt Key partakes in an interesting hunting tradition.

92 Ask McGehee Didn’t a building at ASMS used to be a church?

The high school was originally the home of Dauphin Way Baptist.

94 In Living Color Banana Docks, 1937 The well-known photo of a banana dock worker as never seen before

OUT & ABOUT 82 Highlights 84 On Stage & Exhibits 86 April Highlights 88 GulfQuest “Shipwreck”

 The Dish got a makeover! Mobilians share their fave eats from the past month on page 42.

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Mobile Bay o VOLUME XXXIII

N 3

MARCH 2017

PUBLISHER T. J. Potts

ASSISTANT PUBLISHER

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

ART DIRECTOR

WEB PRODUCER

MARKETING COORDINATOR

Stephen Potts Judy Culbreth Lawren Largue Breck Pappas Chelsea Adams Marie Katz Laurie Kilpatrick Abby Parrott Maggie Lacey

ADVERTISING

SALES MANAGER

Joseph A. Hyland

Adelaide Smith McAleer

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

ADMINISTRATION CIRCULATION Anita Miller ACCOUNTING Jody Chandler

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Mallory Boykin, Watt Key, Tom McGehee, Christy Reid CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

Patrick Michael Chin, William Christenberry, Matthew Coughlin, Todd Douglas, Mike Dumas, Summer Ennis, Sherry Stimpson Frost, Elizabeth Gelineau, Jeff and Meggan Haller, Chris Monaghan, Dean Mosher, Elise Poché ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL OFFICES

3729 Cottage Hill Road, Suite H Mobile, AL 36609-6500 251-473-6269 Subscription rate is $21.95 per year.

Subscription inquiries and all remittances should be sent to: Mobile Bay P.O. Box 923773 Norcross, GA 30010-3773 1-855-357-3137 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 © 2017 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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EDITOR’S NOTE BEHIND THE STORIES

Color Outside the Lines

A

s I pulled up the driveway at Hill Aeiker’s Spring Hill home, I knew I was in for plenty of colorful design surprises. Just seven years ago, Hill had graced the cover of our sister publication, Mobile Bay Bride. Around the PMT offices, we still consider her bold chartreuse and mustard watercolor print pumps to be our favorite wedding shoes ever. While Hill wore a breathtaking classic Alencon lace gown and veil, the shoes were the unexpected wow that made the ensemble that much more memorable. Similarly, when it came to creating their dream home, she and husband, contractor Jonathan Aeiker, along with a top-notch design team, came up with a luxe, timeless, neutral canvas of beautiful, upscale materials (brick, marble, reclaimed hardwood, zinc, brass and copper) accented with pops of color and pattern in fabrics, wallpaper and tile. See the results on this month’s cover and in the feature “Pattern and Panache,” beginning on page 48.

You’ll also get a glimpse inside another designing family’s abode. Bryant and Bernard Wood invite MB into their pristine new construction, which boasts plenty of rich, textural design ideas, beginning on page 57. Additionally, this month you’ll find plenty more home style tips from some of the best young professionals in the industry. Flip over to “Dynamite Designers,” page 65, and start taking notes. May this issue inspire you to make a few bold design choices in your own home. Then, be sure to share photos of your fresh new spaces with us!

WHAT’S ONLINE

Get even more local coverage this month on mobilebaymag.com.

Here’s what’s new!

Fix it Up On the blogs, two Mobile Bay staffers share the stories behind their recent home and lawn renovations and what they learned along the way.

Sweet Dreams A great night’s sleep starts with a beautiful bedroom, right? Browse our gallery for inspiring local designs and decorating ideas.

On Display Find more photos of artist William Christenberry’s work (page 30) that will be on display at the Mobile Museum of Art this spring.

Party Pics Let us know about your event.

Go online to fill out the Party Pics registration form and submit your event photos to be featured in a gallery on the Web.

Join Our List

ABOVE LEFT AND MIDDLE In 2010, bride Hill Aeiker appeared on the cover of Mobile Bay Bride in her classic, elegant lace gown and stylish, bold, watercolor print heels. Fast forward seven years later, she and her husband, Jonathan, and their two children are enjoying a beautiful, traditional new home with plenty of pops of color and pattern. PHOTO BY SUMMER ENNIS ABOVE RIGHT This month on mobilebaymag.com, copy editor Chelsea Adams shares her recent experience having “Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford” remodel her Cottage Hill kitchen.

PHOTO BY CHELSEA ADAMS

Lawren Largue, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, lawren@pmtpublishing.com

Get the latest in fashion, food, art and events delivered right to your inbox. Visit mobilebaymag.com to sign up for our email list.

Here Comes the Bride Recently engaged? Share your proposal story, some details about the big day and send a picture of the happy couple, and we’ll feature it online – for free! Also, pick up a copy of the 2017 Mobile Bay Bride on stands now.

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REGGIE WASHINGTON AND DUANE NUTTER. PHOTO BY MATTHEW COUGHLIN

REACTION

DISHIN’ IT OUT On January’s Bay Tables “You Gotta Get Cocky with It” A great article! I will definitely try Southern National in early spring.

- Dottie Hempfleng Very nice! One of the many things I loved about living in Mobile back in the ’90s was the many offerings for great food.

- Seán Patrick Nichols

THROWBACK On January’s “In Living Color” photo of the 1944 War Bond Rally This was my grandpa’s band from World War II, the ADDSCO band. Awesome that you’ve colorized it!

- Frank Schneider I’m so looking forward to seeing these old photos each month!

- Beverly Schilling Iturbe

A PICTURE OF HOME On February’s “Sense of Place” I enjoyed / loved the pictures and text for the Mobile senses article in February’s issue! Thank you for covering our little piece of heaven so nicely.

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SIZING UP On January’s “Small is the New Big” SeeCoast viewers are in places FAR beyond the Southeast! They are all over the U.S., and we’ve seen them in Canada and Europe. We try to get a photo with each one we find. Their website shows viewers in Norway, Australia, Guatemala, etc. and notes this product from Fairhope is in 80 countries around the world.

- Fran M. Editor’s Note: Our bad! You are correct.

SeeCoast viewers are in sites around the globe. We also inadvertently included an image of a viewer that was not the Fairhope brand. The image above showcases a SeeCoast product in Greenland.

MB apologizes for the boo-boo.

Your article makes it seem like [tiny houses] are only good for the very young or for camping, etc. You don’t need to make excuses for showing a tiny house. That’s a perfect way to live.

Rid yourself of all those possessions and find yourself. I’d love to live there.

Add solar power, and game on!

- Bonnie Prine

NOT SO FAST On February’s “Far From a Boar” Thanks for the article about feral hogs.

It’s an important issue, especially for landowners. However, you’re mistaken in saying “it’s now illegal to trap or possess a wild hog.” Nothing could be further from the truth. It is perfectly legal (and encouraged by the state) to trap or possess wild hogs in Alabama.

What IS illegal is transporting LIVE wild hogs. There are thousands of legal wild hog traps in Alabama and thousands of wild hogs legally eaten by hunters and trappers in Alabama annually.

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text by CHELSEA ADAMS

POP QUIZ

WORD UP

WHAT’S THE DEAL?

COLOR ME SURPRISED 1. THE BATTLE OF MOBILE BAY When was the infamous battle that led to the capture of Fort Morgan by Union soldiers in the Civil War? A. April 7, 1876 B. January 4, 1812 C. August 5, 1864 D. October 3, 1901

2. NATIVE AMERICANS Which tribe, based 57 miles north of Mobile, is the only federally recognized tribal group in the state of Alabama?

A. Cherokee B. Creek

Browsing through paint color samples means encountering some creative names. Though no two paint namers work the same way, a New York Times article from 2011, “We Call it Brown, They Call it ‘Weekend in the Country,’” revealed that paint names should reflect less on the actual hue and more on specific emotions companies hope the paint evokes. In times of housing stagnation, consumers are more likely to buy paint based on emotions.

Hence paint color names such as “Stolen Kiss” (blush pink), “Enchanted Evening” (purplish blue) and “Tropical Hideaway” (greenish blue).

zhush /zjoosh/ v.) To make more interesting or attractive; spelling can vary, and different versions include zhuzh and zhoosh; pronounced with a soft “j” sound, almost like a “sh” sound combined with a “z” sound If your home or yard needs a bit of “zhush,” these area designers have you covered. Meet a lively crop of young, up-and-coming craftsmen, decorators, artists and architects in “Dynamite Designers,” page 65.

With the help of home decor pros in the family, Bernard Wood built a designer’s dream home. His go-to paint color: Charleston White by Sherwin-Williams. Check out the unbelievable photos of this builder’s gorgeous home in “All in the Family,” page 57.

C. Chickasaw PICTURE THIS

D. Tuskegee

A. 21st B. 22nd C. 29th D. 31st How’d you do? Check answers at the bottom of the page to gauge your ‘Bama knowledge. (No cheating!)

If you paid close attention to question No. 3, then you know that Alabama is about to turn 200! Get the scoop on the state bicentennial celebration kicking off this year and follow the timeline of Alabama’s history, page 80.

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WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY (AMERICAN, 1936-2016), SPROTT CHURCH, SPROTT, ALABAMA, 1971, CHROMOGENIC PRINT, 3 ¼ X 4 7/8 INCHES, COLLECTION OF THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART; GIFT OF EDWARD LEE HENDRICKS, 1986.195. ©WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY

Alabama was named a territory in 1817 and gained statehood status in 1819, making it the — state.

CHURCH — SPROTT, ALABAMA, 1971

While driving through Alabama with his wife and infant child one winter, photographer William Christenberry happened upon this church. Intrigued and haunted “in a good way” by the “isolation and aloneness” of the structure, he took the photo of the modest building in Sprott, Alabama. Though he returned a decade later to take another photo of the little church, he said the building was never as beautiful as it was in 1971.

“WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY, ARTIST WHOSE MUSE WAS RURAL ALABAMA, DIES AT 80,” COLIN DWYER, NPR.ORG

Christenberry remains one of the most influential artists to ever come out of Alabama. Read up on the beloved photographer and painter in Gallery, page 30.

1. C — The battle began on August 5, 1864, and lasted three hours before Confederate warships surrendered.

2. B — In 1984, the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs recognized the Poarch Creek tribe, which had lived there for 200+ years.

3. B — Alabama would secede 41 years later in 1860 and was then reinstated in 1868, following the Civil War.

3. JOINING THE UNION

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ELEMENTAL

Gum Turpentine text by BRECK PAPPAS

E

ven if you are lucky enough to stumble upon a “catface” tree in the woods of Alabama, chances are you probably wouldn’t give it a second glance. With its disfigured and scarred trunk, the tree could easily be mistaken as the victim of a lightning

strike or some crippling disease.

But catface trees, or what remains of them, are traces of the endeavors of man in his search for pinesap — all in the name of the turpentine industry and the flammable oil it produced.

When a tree’s bark was cut away, the

freshly exposed wood was said to resemble the ears and face of a cat.

The turpentine industry belongs, for the most part, to a bygone era. But it’s a time period that’s left an indelible mark, not just on the trunks of our pine trees, but on Mobile County as a whole.

ON THE HUNT ORIGINS Turpentine is oil created by the distillation of tree resin. Although mostly derived from pine trees, the oil gets its name from the Greek word “terebinthine,” the name of a Mediterranean tree related to the pistachio that was an early source of turpentine.

AN ESSENTIAL OIL There are countless practical uses for turpentine. In industry, the oil is used as a solvent for thinning oil-based paints and producing varnishes.

In the early 1800s, it was also used in lamps as a cheap fuel alternative to whale oil. Medicinally, turpentine has been used since ancient times to heal wounds, treat lice, kill intestinal parasites, and soothe nasal and throat conditions. In fact, Vicks cold relief products still

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As expected, the early days of turpentine production were much more labor intensive than today’s process.

Workers began by cutting a box into the base of a pine tree in order to catch the tree’s sap. Then a “streak” was chipped into the bark to channel sap (or “gum”) into the box. The distillation process heated gum to a boil, after which operators would collect and condense the resulting vapor. Turpentine was then skimmed off the surface.

A NEW GENERATION In the early 1950s, the growing pulpwood industry introduced a new process of turpentine production that is the primary method used today. During this process, turpentine is created by stewing chipped pine trunks in sulfuric acid to separate the cellulose from the rest of the wood material, successfully producing turpentine spirits. This development, among other factors, contributed to the demise of turpentine production as a separate, viable industry.

OUR HISTORY IN TURPENTINE

◗ There’s evidence of turpentine harvesting in Mobile County as early as 1777, but it didn’t become a widespread practice until the technological advances of the 1840s. The southern part of the state, with its countless acres of pine forests, was particularly appealing to producers. Paired with Mobile’s port, the turpentine industry thrived locally, as its byproducts were vital to shipbuilding. ◗ The early years of the turpentine industry became synonymous with questionable labor practices. After the abolition of slavery, most laborers were unwilling to subject themselves to the grueling tasks of turpentine production. Eventually, operators began leasing convicts from Alabama prisons and luring immigrants with false promises of high working wages. It’s said that the infamous Alabama outlaw Railroad Bill escaped from a turpentine camp. ◗ Environmentally, early turpentine production threatened Alabama’s pine forests. The traditional sap gathering method, if performed carelessly, could kill the host trees, wiping out large stands of pine trees in the process. ◗ A 1901 story from the New York Times describes the burning of a Baldwin County turpentine camp as “the most horrible catastrophe in the history of Alabama.” It’s reported that 60 people perished in the fire, which started in the middle of the night while workers slept.

The tragedy’s lone survivor was said to have rowed naked across Mobile Bay the next day to recount his story. MB

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GARDENING

A Guide to Spring Gardening in Lower Alabama If you’re hoping to eat from the garden this summer, don’t delay.

It’s time to get to work. text by BRECK PAPPAS

Want to take advantage of the Gulf Coast growing season but don’t know squat about squash? Take a deep breath of that warm spring air — we’re here to help, month by month. First, let’s start out with the basics.

1 What gardening zone do I live in?

Congrats, you live in zone 8b! (Although a few of you in Gulf Shores and Dauphin Island are technically in 9a.) These zones are designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are determined by winter temperatures in each region. When buying seeds or bulbs, always keep your zone in mind.

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2 What does it actually mean to “sow” something?

No, not a needle pulling thread. To “sow” means to plant seeds, either directly into the ground or into a planter. Depending on how much garden space and sunlight you have, you’ll want to do a little research to decide which flowers and vegetables will grow best for you.

3 Why are you making me do this?

Because it’s fun, cheap and potentially delicious. Our Gulf Coast climate is a gift that should be seized and never taken for granted! Plus, World Naked Gardening Day is on May 6, and I know you’ll be disappointed if you miss out.

(To save you a Google search, yes, that’s a real thing.)

MARCH WHAT TO PLANT: Start out the month sowing corn, summer squash and cucumbers. Eggplant and bell pepper seedlings are ready to be put into the ground. Hold off on sowing the okra, field peas and beans until the end of the month.

ALL EYES ON ME: It’s tomato time.

If you’re just now realizing this, don’t bother with seeds. Go ahead and get yourself good seedlings, at least a foot tall, if you want summertime “T” to go with your “B” and “L.” There’s a lot that goes into successfully farming tomatoes, but you’d be smart to ensure your plants get full sun and composted soil. (See March Project, below.) And good news: If you fail this time, just wait until July and try again!

MARCH PROJECT: Creating your own compost bin will reduce your waste, improve the quality of your soil and won’t cost you more than a few bucks.

Start by drilling inch-wide holes all over the sides and bottom of a large plastic-lidded garbage can. Add two or three handfuls of leaves with every large deposit of raw vegetable scraps, and nature will quickly take its course.

A quick internet search will tell you what you can and can’t compost. The answers might surprise you.

march 16 - 19 Plantasia! Spring Plant Sale Stock up on flowers and other plants at this annual event benefiting Mobile Botanical Gardens.

MOBILE BOTANICAL GARDENS MOBILEBOTANICALGARDENS.ORG

march 23 - 26 Festival of Flowers Find horticultural inspiration at this year’s “Wildly Whimsical” show.

PROVIDENCE HOSPITAL FESTIVALOFFLOWERS.COM march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 21

APRIL WHAT TO PLANT: As temperatures continue to rise, your vegetable patch will want to get in touch with its more tropical side. Start out by transplanting hot pepper and eggplant seedlings into your garden. Continue to sow okra, squash and cucumbers, and add some heat-tolerant beans to the mix.

Lima beans are a local favorite.

ALL EYES ON ME: If you have enough sun, planting the right springtime flowers can add some bright color to your garden and support dwindling butterfly populations. Butterflies love plants such as salvia, milkweeds, lantana, asters and zinnias, among many other colorful blooms.

APRIL PROJECT: Prune azaleas right after they bloom so that you can avoid the pitfalls of accidentally removing next year’s flower buds. (A good rule is to never prune past the Fourth of July.) Luckily, the pruning process shouldn’t be all that difficult. Bypass the electric trimmers in favor of a hand-held lopper, and target those few self-righteous branches that have gotten a little too big for their britches.

Your azalea bush will regain a tidier shape in just a few seconds, while still retaining a hint of unruly charm.

april 15 - 30 Rose Bloom Out 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tour the Bellingrath rose garden, featuring more than 75 varieties and more than 2,000 roses.

For precise bloom times, check Rose Watch at bellingrath.org.

BELLINGRATH GARDENS AND HOME THEODORE • 973-2217 BELLINGRATH.ORG

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MAY WHAT TO PLANT: Things are heating up in the garden this month, and you’ll spend more time harvesting than planting. You can still get away with sowing the most heat-tolerant field peas and beans, but July is the next big month for sowing veggies.

ALL EYES ON ME: Enjoy the blooms of petunias and geraniums while you can because summer in all its humid glory is coming, and the flowers of spring will fall by the wayside. Keep this in mind when buying annuals this month, and anticipate the hot and soggy days ahead by planting coleus, impatiens, hibiscus and mandevillas.

MAY PROJECT: Although you won’t necessarily need it now, a rain barrel is a nifty way to store water during those wet summer months so that when drier days come, your water bill won’t know the difference. It works by directing the water from your rain gutters into a large barrel with a hose spigot at the bottom. For the conventional gardener looking for an easy and reliable option, there are several easy-to-install rain barrels on the market. For the handy and adventurous green-thumbers with a plastic drum, a drill and a dream, may the water source be with you. MB

may 12 National Public Gardens Day 10:30 a.m. Celebrate this national holiday with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bellingrath greenhouses and learn the secrets of their horticultural management team.

BELLINGRATH GARDENS AND HOME THEODORE • 973-2217 BELLINGRATH.ORG

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GUMBO

The Butterball Invitational In this first installment of MB’s two-part turkey saga, Mobile turkey hunters enjoy friendly competition, annual tradition and a few stretched truths. text and photos by BRECK PAPPAS

A

shotgun blast echoed through the woods, maybe a mile away. “Is there anything more frustrating than that?”

Stuart Parnell barked, abandoning his whisper. Unlike our group of three, someone seemed to be closing in on a turkey — and close by.

A second shot followed, and glee spread across Stuart’s face. “That’s always good to hear,” he said with a quiet laugh. “Means they missed.”

Make no mistake. Stuart wasn’t happy for the turkey’s sake. He was happy because the author of those gunshots was likely a friend of his, jockeying for a higher ranking in the 7th Annual Butterball Wild Turkey Invitational.

It was mid-morning and the woods of Hybart, Alabama, were bathed in sunshine. Stuart and his hunting partner, Ludger Lapeyrouse, knew that with each passing minute, their odds of finding a turkey were fading away.

So far, the only evidence that the birds woke up at all that day were those two gunshots, and Stuart wasn’t happy about it. Oh, friendly competition.

Hybart is situated two hours north of Mobile in the hilly woodlands of Monroe County. Since 2009, the Lapeyrouse family hunting camp in Hybart has served as the base of operations for this distinctly Alabama tradition, and the 2016 installment of the invitation-only hunt has attracted around 60 smiling, camo-clad young men. Most of this group were young professionals hailing from Mobile, 24 mobilebaymag.com | march 2017

OPPOSITE Ludger Lapeyrouse listens to the woods for turkeys.

TOP Stuart Parnell searches intently for a response to his turkey call.

BOTTOM Turkey hunters use a variety of tools, like this slate call, to mimic a range of turkey vocalizations.

and all of them were repeat Butterball Invitational participants.

I made the drive up to Hybart the day before with no intention to set foot in the woods. My assignment was to observe the competition, glean some basic information from its organizers, borrow a couple Bloody Marys and determine whether the event would make for an interesting article. That night, however, as the hunters trickled in for the weekend’s inaugural “Roost Party,” it was determined my plan was unacceptable.

“If you drove all this way to write an article, you’re going turkey hunting,” Ludger decided.

In 2009, friends John Allgood and Allen Garstecki organized the first Butterball Turkey Hunt as a spinoff of the older Turkey Jamboree, which Allen’s father regularly attends. Their reasoning was pretty straightforward: Turkey hunting is better with friends.

march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 25

“It’s a beautiful morning, though,” Ludger said. “If the hunt isn’t going well, that’s what we do. Talk about how pretty the morning is.”

The gathering is usually held at the start of April, within the six-week window of turkey season.

On the morning of the hunt, teams of two have from daylight until the prearranged check-in time to shoot a turkey and return to the Lapeyrouse camp. According to the official rules, “Mutilated turkeys will not be scored.

Dismembered or decapitated turkeys will not be scored. Turkeys with detached beards will not be scored.”

A turkey’s score is determined by the formula “weight + beard length (x2) + total spur length (x10).” The team with the highest score wins the tournament trophy — ironically, a frozen Butterball turkey. The same turkey has been used for seven years. Needless to say, the real prize for winning the Butterball Invitational is the bragging rights.

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ABOVE From an elevated position on Clay Mountain, Stuart Parnell calls and listens for turkeys as precious morning minutes slip away.

After a stiff cup of black coffee around 4:30 a.m., we set out into the frigid, dark morning. From an elevated position known as Clay Mountain, we stood in the predawn light and listened to the woods. Stuart scratched out a turkey yelp from his slate call and leaned forward, listening.

As Ludger had explained the night before, the idea is to use the call to elicit a response from a turkey roosting high up in a tree.

If successful, a hunter can then determine the general location of a turkey, quietly get underneath it and call it down to the ground. After that — BANG. But that morning, we were stuck on step one. After 15 minutes without success, Stuart switched to an owl call.

Thoroughly confused, I kept quiet and watched the world awaken below us.

Still, no turkey response.

When the time felt right, I asked Ludger, “Why use an owl call? Aren’t we looking for turkeys?”

“Turkeys hate owls, so they’ll often respond to an owl call,” he explained.

I thought about that for a second. “So it’s kind of like shouting ‘War Eagle’ in Tuscaloosa?”

march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 27

Ludger laughed. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

Our group of three trudged down into the trees as our window of opportunity evaporated with the morning mist.

Still, no turkeys.

“It’s a beautiful morning, though,” Ludger said. “If the hunt isn’t going well, that’s what we do. Talk about how pretty the morning is.”

For the next few hours, our luck never changed. Stuart and Ludger revisited a few successful spots from Butterballs past, but that morn, the turkeys just weren’t gobbling. The hunters grew dejected, and it was written all over their body language. I followed behind, trying to remain invisible.

As we rode back to camp, one question hung in the air so heavily that no one had to voice it: Did anyone else get a turkey?

Five birds in all were brought back that morning, initiating the scoring process and a few jealous looks. Stories from the day’s quest began to trickle in, but there was a sense that the best details were being saved for later.

As it does every year, the weekend culminated with Turkey Tales, during which the hunters take turns telling the juiciest (and often, exaggerated) details of the hunt.

“Turkey Tales is actually a good opportunity to learn a lot about turkey hunting,” Butterball organizer John Allgood said. “And Robert Clement usually has a 20-minute tale that

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OPPOSITE Five birds were killed in the 2016 edition of the Butterball Invitational.

TOP Mobilian and former Mardi Gras king Strickler Adams returns to camp with the spoils of his morning hunt.

BOTTOM Butterball team “Lyon Time,” made up of Christopher Lyons, left, and Maury Lyons, right, relates the story of the hunt during the much-anticipated Turkey Tales.

involves a brush with death. We always enjoy those.”

Over crawfish and barbecue, tales were told and truths were stretched, to the delight of all. Finally, a frozen Butterball turkey was hoisted for the seventh time by the winning team, only to be placed back into the freezer for another long year.

When it was all said and done, I found myself standing next to a hunter I had met at the party the night before.

“So no luck today?” he asked.

“No turkeys,” I responded. “Beautiful morning though, wasn’t it?” MB

march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 29

GALLERY

A Study in Time and Place The Mobile Museum of Art unveils its new exhibit honoring William Christenberry and his undying love for expression, family and the great state of Alabama.

WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY (AMERICAN, 1936-2016), CANNON’S GROCERY - NEAR GREENSBORO, ALABAMA, NEGATIVE 1972, PRINTED 1980, CHROMOGENIC PRINT ON PAPER, MONTGOMERY MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, ASSOCIATION PURCHASE, 1980.1.2.

text by BRECK PAPPAS

 Learn more about the history of the happenings on Alabama soil throughout the past 200 years of our statehood.

Flip over to page 80 to find a timeline of some of the most significant events in our past.

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ABOVE Alabama native William Christenberry in his studio in Washington D.C. The rusted signs and advertisements that once decorated his walls will be among the items on display at the Mobile Museum of Art exhibit. PHOTO BY DENNIS O’NEIL, COURTESY OF THE CHRISTENBERRY FAMILY

T

he corridor leading to the main exhibition hall at the Mobile Museum of Art smells of fresh paint. The hue of its walls, a burnt reddish orange, was carefully selected. “It was actually pretty difficult,” museum director Deborah Velders says about finding the perfect color to represent Alabama soil. “You could either go too far red or too far brown.”

Somewhere, William Christenberry is cracking a smile. The Alabama-born artist, whose life and work are the focus of the museum’s newest exhibit running from March 10 to June 4, was known to collect the distinctive dirt of his native state and, at times, even display it with his art. For a man who drew so much artistic inspiration from Alabama soil, a man whose ancestors worked that very land, the bleeding hallway is a fitting introduction to the gallery showcasing his life’s work.

Christenberry, arguably the most prominent artist in Alabama’s history, didn’t dwell on the technical aspects of his craft. His earliest photographs were taken with a simple Kodak Brownie camera gifted from his parents when he was a boy and developed at drugstores.

But Christenberry somehow managed to squeeze pieces of his soul into

march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 31

TOP WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY, MOUNDVILLE, 1959, OIL ON CANVAS, COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SARAH MOODY GALLERY OF ART, P1981.33.

BOTTOM RIGHT WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY, CHURCH ACROSS EARLY COTTON – PICKINSVILLE [SIC], ALABAMA, NEGATIVE 1964, PRINTED 1980, CHROMOGENIC PRINT ON PAPER, MONTGOMERY MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, ASSOCIATION PURCHASE, 1980.1.3.

BOTTOM LEFT WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY (AMERICAN, 1936-2016), THE SHACK, GREENSBORO, ALABAMA, 1979, CHROMOGENIC PRINT, 3 3/8 X 5 INCHES, COLLECTION OF THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART; GIFT OF MARIA AND LEE FRIEDLANDER, 2004.33. ©WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY

those modest 3-by-5-inch snapshots of Hale County, Alabama. Perhaps Walker Evans, a celebrated 20th century photographer, put it best when he told Christenberry, “Young man, you know exactly where to stand with that little camera.”

When the Alabama State Council on the Arts asked museums across the state to consider installing exhibits in honor of Alabama’s upcoming bicentennial, Velders didn’t have to search far. “It was really a no-brainer,” Velders says.

“Growing up, Christenberry was the only artist I had ever heard of from Alabama.”

Of course, when that idea was formulated a year and a half ago, no one anticipated Christenberry’s death, which came just four months ago as a result of complications with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 80 years old.

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“Bill was really a wonderful man,” his wife, Sandy, says during a phone call.

“He was very intelligent, very gentle, courtly and kind.”

Born in Tuscaloosa in 1936, Christenberry’s first love was painting, but as a 24-year-old, he came across the now classic book “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.” Written by James Agee and photographed by Walker Evans (who Christenberry would later befriend), the work captured the downtrodden lives of Alabama sharecroppers during the Depression. The images, stark and familiar, struck Christenberry; his grandparents knew many of the farmers photographed. The book would shape his artistic mission.

Over the next 56 years, Christenberry developed a career that, as the Washington Post eulogized, distinguished him as “one of the most respected and influential artists of the modern South.” He’s perhaps best known for his photography — honest,

march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 33

ABOVE WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY (AMERICAN, 1936-2016), THE KLUB, UNIONTOWN, ALABAMA, 1964, CHROMOGENIC PRINT, 3 1/8 X 4 INCHES, COLLECTION OF THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART; GIFT OF KELLY AND SCOTT MILLER IN HONOR OF DAVID MOOS, 2002.165. ©WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY

straightforward snapshots of kudzusmothered, rusted-out Alabama, dripping in vivid Kodachrome. And get this: Christenberry is credited with helping to legitimize color photography as an art form.

Although he made his home as an adult in Washington D.C., where he taught painting and drawing at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design, Christenberry routinely returned to photograph the same buildings in Hale County, capturing the slow crawl of time itself. “It’s a love affair,” he described in a 2005 interview. “A lifetime of involvement with a place. The place is my muse.”

When it comes to organizing an art exhibit, Velders has a theory. “My whole career, I’ve noticed, the work tells you how it should be presented,” she says.

“Every exhibit is telling a story. This is a story about collecting.” For that reason, the museum has decided to group Christenberry’s artwork according to the Alabama institutions from which they were borrowed. In doing so, Velders hopes to tell the story of a mutual admiration: Christenberry’s love of Alabama and the state’s reciprocal affection, evidenced by the extensive Christenberry collections stretching across the Heart of Dixie.

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Another story the exhibit longs to tell is that of Christenberry’s family and the creative environment in which he was raised. The artistic endeavors of his grandparents, parents, children and even grandchildren are staged in a sort of prologue to the main exhibit. His wife, Sandy, and their three children have played an indispensable role in the gallery’s planning and execution and will be present at the opening on March 10. What would her husband have thought about it all? “He would have been thrilled,” Sandy says. “Not so much for himself but because his family members have things in the exhibit as well. That would have tickled him.”

“Christenberry did so much for the state of Alabama,” Velders says. “And who knows? This exhibit just might convince a kid that they too could grab a camera and start taking pictures. It will be an important show for Mobile.” MB

march 10 - june 4 Christenberry: In Alabama 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tu - Su. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Th. Explore William Christenberry’s depiction of his home state of Alabama.

MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART MOBILEMUSEUMOFART.COM

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GOOD STUFF

Global Mod This collection of worldly, avant-garde furnishings and accessories is sure to make a statement in any home. text and styling by MAGGIE LACEY

SIDESHOW This side table adds sleek glamour to any space. A gold metal base and marble top can pair with anything. LUSH: HOME, GARDEN, EVENT • DIAMOND-BASE SIDE TABLE • $550

BRASS FUNKY Shine up a tablescape or top off a stack of coffee table books with artistic statement sculptures. ATCHISON HOME • BRASS TABLETOP “OBJET” • $30 FOR THE SET

MODERN WATERFALL A cascading chandelier (Larabee Vertical Pendant from Visual Comfort) is perfect for an updated entryway.

As an alternative, hang it low in the corner of the living room for an unexpected pop of interest. ATCHISON HOME • MODERN BRASS CHANDELIER • $1,260

COLOR AND FORM Bold and modern companion paintings by artist Emily Ryan Smith will command a room. LIVING WELL ABSTRACT OIL ON CANVAS $1,700 EACH (OR $3,000 FOR PAIR)

A CLEAR WINNER Lucite is sensationally surprising in a traditional space. This comfy stool (The Elk Group) is easy to incorporate into any home, but reupholster it in chartreuse velvet and you’ll have some serious punch! M.A. SIMONS • LUCITE AND NATURAL LINEN FOOTSTOOL • $375

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ANIMAL INSTINCTS Faux leathers and skins made by Novel give high-traffic spaces a sense of chic. The fabrics feature exquisite detail but are completely wipeable. Try this print (Valkenburg Print in Porcelain) on an upholstered coffee table in the living room or a tufted bench with slim brass legs in an entryway. LULU AND ME HOME • FAUX SNAKESKIN FABRIC • $94 PER YARD

FEATHER YOUR NEST This soft, textural work of art, known as an African Juju hat, or Bamiléké headdress, is a symbol of prosperity believed to combine the positive qualities of birds and the fragility of life. It is a costume piece worn by royal dancers during important tribal ceremonies, but it also looks fabulous mounted over a mantle or sofa. LIVING WELL, FAIRHOPE • JUJU HAT • $300

AGAINST THE GRAIN Burl wood lacquer chest (Worlds Away) with slim, modern legs and gold accents is a showstopper.

MALOUF FURNITURE CO • HUDSON GOLD CHEST • $2,549

BIG GAME HUNTING Luxurious wallcovering (Scalamandre) with a dashing zebra print lends a bit of glam safari to your home.

RESOURCES

LULU & ME HOME • ZEBRA WALLPAPER IN “SAFARI BROWN” $238 FOR A 5-YARD ROLL

ATCHISON HOME • 921 DAUPHIN ST. 438-4800. ATCHISONHOME.COM LIVING WELL • 25 S. SECTION ST., FAIRHOPE. 929-3255. FACEBOOK.COM/LIVINGWELLFHOPE/ LULU AND ME HOME • 404 FAIRHOPE AVE., FAIRHOPE. 928-5508. SHOPLULUHOME.COM LUSH: HOME, GARDEN, EVENT • 1910 GOVERNMENT ST. 473-6121. LUSHHOMEGARDENEVENT.COM M.A. SIMONS • 2151 OLD SHELL ROAD, 479-4350.

MALOUF FURNITURE CO. • 7745 STATE HIGHWAY 59, FOLEY. 955-5151. MALOUFFURNITURE.COM

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TASTINGS

ANCHOR BAR & GRILL

text by MAGGIE LACEY • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU

A

refreshing wind has blown into Terry Cove in Orange Beach, bringing local ingredients and complex flavors to beachgoers at the quaint Anchor Bar & Grill.

The initial concept was to create a cafe to satisfy the groups of hungry tourists coming to Hudson Marina for the parasailing, pirate ship and dolphin cruises that leave the dock daily during the warmer months. But the little eatery became so much more than that and is, for now anyway, a hidden gem with a laid-back vibe and stellar eats.

In an area where fried shrimp reigns supreme, Chef Jonathan Kastner offers garden-fresh options on his small but outstanding menu. Kastner speaks enthusiastically about the farmers he works with, the high-quality meats he sources and the layers of flavors he creates with his sauces and marinades. The burger (their tribute to the In-N-Out Burger) is a double-stacked patty with caramelized onions, bacon jam and more; it will surely leave you licking your fingers with delight. But the Local Bounty salad, opposite, is equally inventive and delicious; the ingredients change every few months as the seasonal produce shifts. Sandwiches are layered on locally baked bread, and each meal is served with house-made chips or “Beech” slaw. Named after co-owner Eric Beech, the slaw is equal parts creamy and bright, and they swear it’s the best of its kind in Lower Baldwin. The cocktails won’t disappoint either. Loads of fresh fruit, infused syrups, bitters and creative combinations make for fun waterfront libations. For example, the Alabama Pimm’s Cup, right, is a refreshing cocktail with Pimm’s No. 1, Opelika-made John Emerald Gin, diced muddled cucumbers, fresh lemon and a splash of ginger beer. They pour a number of cool craft beers as well, including the newly tapped Big Beach Brewing Company from Gulf Shores.

Built to look like a wooden ship with nautical decor, a mast and a large deck, Anchor has plenty of ambiance.

But its view to the south, looking past Robinson’s Island to the Perdido Pass Bridge and the Gulf of Mexico beyond, is what makes this place spectacular. It’s hard to have worries on your mind as you relax at the weathered wooden tables on the covered deck of the “ship” and sip high-quality cocktails over truly delicious fare.

ABOVE The cocktails at Anchor are as fresh as the food. The popular Blonde Bushwacker, top, is made with vanilla vodka, Frangelico and ice cream. The Alabama Pimm’s Cup, right, is light and refreshing with muddled cucumbers and local gin. The Blue Mule, bottom, features Tito’s Vodka, ginger beer, fresh local blueberries and fresh squeezed lime juice.

No tacky cocktail umbrellas needed.

Come for lunch, but stay the whole afternoon. Locals arrive by boat and beach their vessels on the shore or tie up at one of the marina docks. Kids toss Frisbees and play with ducks on the beach while adults linger upstairs at the bar over their Blonde Bushwackers (a vodka-based spin on the coastal favorite, complete with a vanilla-infused topper).

With their fresh menu options, amazing waterfront views and live music all summer, Anchor may not stay a local secret for long. MB

 Anchor Bar & Grill • 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. T – Su • 4575 S. Wilson Blvd., Orange Beach • 200-0250 • anchorob.com • Average entrée price: $11 38 mobilebaymag.com | march 2017

ON THE MENU LOCAL BOUNTY SALAD Although the salad changes seasonally, this version features creamy goat cheese, roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli, crisp local hydroponic greens and tangy house-pickled golden beets. The colorful work of art is topped with sliced local citrus, crunchy pomegranate arils, shaved radish and dried mulberries.

CUBAN SANDWICH Inspired by a send-off party hosted for a boat captain as he sailed to Cuba last year, this sandwich is made with pulled pork, Nueske’s ham, Havarti cheese, Dijonnaise and a locally made pressed bun. Sweet bread and butter pickles are added to balance the spiciness of the white oak and tobaccosmoked pork. Taking nine hours start to finish, the pork is melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the cigar touch is a subtle nod to Havana.

MORE IN THAN OUT BURGER

LOCAL BOUNTY SALAD

This burger is served “double double animal style” (just Google it) with two mustardseared patties of natural Wagyu beef. The delicate meat is topped with a list of delicious tasty treats: homemade Anchor Steam Beer mustard, tomato jam, caramelized onion jam, American cheese, shredded hydroponic iceberg lettuce and a Thousand Island-style sauce made with Wickle’s Pickles, Duke’s Mayonnaise and ketchup. Add a buttery grilled challah bun, locally made of course, and you have a serious winner.

BAY TABLES

From the Alabama Hearth Mobile Bay looks back at dishes that once graced early Southern tables to create a meal that is still current. text by MAGGIE LACEY • photos by ELIZABETH GELINEAU• vintage cooking tools courtesy of DOWNTOWN ANTIQUES, FAIRHOPE

I

n honor of the bicentennial celebration of Alabama’s statehood, which kicks off this May and lasts for the next three years, MB decided to reflect on the cuisine of our forebears. Mobile’s own birthday predates our state’s by 117 years, but for such an old city, it was still incredibly unrefined in 1819 when Alabama became the 22nd state. Men outnumbered women two to one, and meals lasted an average of five or six minutes and were described as being “swallowed mostly unchewed.” In just a few decades, however, our dear hometown grew from a tiny port with only a few hundred residents to a metropolitan city that was sometimes referred to as the “Paris of the South.” Naturally, with population growth and cultural refinement, the cuisine improved as well.

Still, most early Alabamians were subsistence farmers who primarily lived on what they could produce from “Indian corn.” At the time, the word corn referred to most any kind of grain (such as wheat, rice or oats).

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Wheat was scarce in this part of the country and usually exported to Europe when available, so corn became the mainstay of a Southerner’s diet. Gardening, hunting, fishing and gathering local items such as herbs, greens, wild fruits, nuts and shellfish supplemented their fare.

At this time of year, Southerners would be pining for that fresh summer crop of corn and other backyard veggies.

However, they would still have had a good supply of dried cornmeal stored from the year before. Johnny cakes, corn dumplings, porridges and possibly even the occasional cake would sustain the early Alabamians in late winter and early spring, along with those vegetables and meats they had preserved, pickled and otherwise “put up.”

Southerners hold tight to tradition, and it is remarkable how many flavors and ingredients would be familiar to Alabamians who lived centuries apart. The following recipes are inspired by those we encountered in our research of the era but updated for modern cooks (and tastebuds).

Gumbo Filé Pork Tenderloin

Sweet Potato Cornbread

SERVES 4

Early Alabamians’ diet mostly consisted of the many dishes that can be made from dried corn. The addition of sweet potatoes makes this cornbread unique and exceptionally moist. The cornbread is already fairly sweet, but the addition of a drizzle of warm Sorghum Butter Sauce makes it over-the-top delicious.

Most good Gulf Coast cooks keep filé on hand for sprinkling over a bowl of gumbo, but very few cooks have ever used the sassafras spice in any other way. As a marinade, it imparts a light, herbaceous flavor to pork that blends perfectly with the garlic.

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons white vinegar 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 1/2 teaspoons ground gumbo filé 1 pork tenderloin (roughly 1 1/2 pounds)

1. Combine the oil, vinegar, water and spices in a mason jar with a lid. Shake to combine for marinade.

2. Trim the pork tenderloin of silver skin and any unwanted fat.

3. Put the pork in a large zip-top bag or glass baking pan and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate for several hours.

4. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove pork from marinade and place in a clean baking pan. Sprinkle with more kosher salt and black pepper to taste.

5. Roast for 20 - 25 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Marinade adapted from The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook, University of Georgia Press, 2010

SERVES 8

1/4 pound sweet potatoes 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature 2 cups brown sugar 4 eggs, room temperature 1/2 cup whole milk 2 cups cornmeal Sorghum Butter Sauce (see right)

Sorghum Butter Sauce 3 tablespoons sorghum molasses 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until butter melts, then stir occasionally until syrup comes to a gentle boil. Allow to simmer 10 minutes, until thickened. Turn off heat and pour into a heat-proof pitcher.

1. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes.

Boil in an inch of water, covered, until fork tender. Drain the water and mash with a fork. Allow to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until mixture is light and creamy.

4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the sweet potatoes.

5. Gently whisk the eggs in a small bowl and then add eggs to the sugarbutter mixture.

6. Add the milk and then the cornmeal and stir to combine. Pour into a greased casserole or cast-iron skillet and bake for 50 - 60 minutes, until set and light golden brown on top. Serve warm from the oven with warm Sorghum Butter Sauce drizzled over top.

Adapted from the Gulf City Cookbook, United Brethren Publishing House, 1878

GUMBO FILÉ It is said that in the early days of Alabama, Choctaw women would walk the streets of Downtown Mobile selling hand-ground sassafras leaves, which today we call gumbo filé (pronounced fee-lay). It is a thickening agent most often used in gumbo, and recipes for other uses are hard to find. Tradition says that cooks should thicken gumbo with okra in summer when its fresh, and filé should be used to thicken it all winter when no fresh okra is available. The filé you find in grocery stores today is sometimes a mix of herbs and does not have the thickening properties of the freshly ground leaves. If you ever encounter a sassafras tree in the wild, pick a branch and hang it upside down indoors to dry. Remove the leaves and grind with a mortar and pestle or blender. Store in an air-tight container.

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Citrus Upside Down Cornmeal Cake SERVES 8 - 10

A cornmeal cake would have been right at home on an 1819 table as early Alabamians had little access to wheat flour. Use whatever fresh citrus you have on hand. While Meyer lemons weren’t introduced to Alabama until later, they are the perfect citrus for this cake.

Satsumas and grapefruits also work well.

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 5 Meyer lemons, or other citrus, divided 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup flour 3/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Strawberry Compote (see right)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a piece of parchment roughly the size of a 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Press into the bottom of the skillet.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring 1/4 cup butter and the brown sugar to a boil , stirring constantly. Pour into the lined skillet and spread evenly.

3. Thinly slice 2 - 3 citrus fruits cross-

wise, removing seeds. Discard the ends of the citrus. Set a small slice in center of butter mixture in pan. Arrange more slices in overlapping circles to fill pan (each slice should overlap the previous one by half). Pleat the parchment paper sides to fit, and trim excess paper from top edges.

4. Beat remaining 1/2 cup butter, the granulated sugar and zest of the two remaining citrus in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed to blend, then on high until pale and fluffy, 3 - 4 minutes. Add 1 egg at a time, scraping inside of bowl and beating well on high speed, about 1 minute per egg.

5. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine milk and vanilla.

6. Add 1/3 of flour mixture to butter mixture and blend on low speed, scraping inside of bowl. Blend in half of milk mixture. Repeat to incorporate remaining ingredients, ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into pan.

Spread evenly.

7. Bake 50 minutes. Cake will be well browned. Let cool in pan on a rack for 1 hour. Invert cake onto a plate. Remove parchment and cut cake with a serrated knife. Serve topped with strawberry compote and fresh whipped cream.

Note: Serve same day for best results.

Strawberry Compote MAKES 2 CUPS

Strawberries are often the first fruit to come in season after a long and hard winter, making them especially exciting!

Early settlers would have foraged for wild strawberries as well as grown them in their kitchen gardens. This strawberry compote can be canned, preserving the fresh flavor of spring for later seasons.

3 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and diced 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 20 minutes until liquid is reduced by half. Skim any foam if necessary. Pour into an airtight container. Allow to cool.

Keep in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Quick Pickled Vegetables MAKES 1 QUART 1 pound sliced vegetables (yellow and green beans, rainbow carrots, radishes, squash, cauliflower) 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 2 cups white vinegar 2 cups water 1/4 cup kosher salt 2 bay leaves 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds zest and juice of 1 lemon

1. Blanch all vegetables, except radishes and red onion, in boiling water 2 minutes. Cool in ice water bath, then put in a large glass mason jar with radish and red onion. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, spices and lemon to a boil.

Pour over the vegetables in the jar, then let cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Mason’s Leeds china, circa 1932, was provided by Maggie Lacey and passed down from her great-grandmother, Hilda McPhillips.

 Flip over to page 78 to learn more about the state’s bicentennial celebration, Alabama 200.

march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 43

THE DISH interviews by MAGGIE LACEY • photo by ELISE POCHÉ

Hot Now Eats!

MB asked a few local folks to tell us about the dish they ate this month that left them swooning, fascinated, licking their lips or otherwise just hungry for more.

BURGER NUMBER 3 LOCALS

CHANDRA BROWN STEWART, Executive Director, Lifelines Counseling Services

BRIAN KANE, Managing Partner, Fairhope Brewing Company

FRIED PORK CHOPS AT KAZOOLA “These pork chops are crispy and crunchy on the outside, and the meat is moist and delicious. They are served two to a plate, no gravy or anything, just how my mom made them. When I tasted them, I thought ‘This is it!’ I got a real sense of home and comfort.

You can get them with a side mac and cheese or fries (my guilty pleasure).

Together with a kazoola punch (the house specialty drink), it’s a great way to end a stressful day.”

THE SCREAMING O ROLL AT CHUCK’S “This was absolutely some of the best sushi I’ve ever had. A friend told me to ask for it as it is not on the menu, and I am so glad I did. The roll is filled with crunchy shrimp, green onion and a zingy sauce to add just the right amount of heat. Then it’s baked, topped with beautiful, fresh salmon and drizzled with eel sauce. This dish at Chuck’s was as splendidly unique as the atmosphere in the restaurant.”

KAZOOLA EATERY • 558 DAUPHIN ST. • 308-2261

CHUCKSFISH.COM

BURGER NUMBER 3 AT LOCALS “The burger is topped with Leyden cheese from Sweet Home Farm in Elberta, sautéed onions, garlic aioli and a fried egg. When you bite in, the egg yolk provides an extra sauce to the rest of your burger. The onions are slightly sweet and the Leyden is tangy. It’s a great burger all the way around, and best washed down with a hoppy Take The Causeway IPA!”

GINGER DONUT AT NOJA “I don’t normally eat a lot of gluten, but these donuts are worth cheating for: warm, ginger sugar on the outside of a good, cakey donut. They are served up with homemade ice cream (caramel is the best flavor!) and caramel sauce drizzled on top.

When we head Downtown, I simply have to detour to indulge in these amazing donuts.”

LOCALS • 410 FAIRHOPE AVE. • 517-9043

NOJA • 6 N. JACKSON ST. • 433-0377

LOCALSBURGER.COM

NOJAMOBILE.COM

JASON MCKENZIE, Executive Director, The Joe Jefferson Players

CHUCK’S FISH • 551 DAUPHIN ST. • 219-7051

HELENE HASSELL, Executive Director, Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation

 This month, MB debuts a fresh new spin on “The Dish.” Share your favorite dishes around the Bay on our Facebook page.

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P A T T E R N

A young couple with a bold and chic design sensibility thoughtfully creates their dream home with plenty of wow factor. text by CHRISTY REID • photos by SUMMER ENNIS

W

hen Hill and Jonathan Aeiker were planning their dream home, they knew three things for sure. First, they preferred for it to be located in the Mary B. Austin Elementary School zone.

Hill had attended the school as a child and wanted the same experience for their future children. Second, they would need a custom design with a thoughtfully planned layout. “As a contractor, I knew I would never find an existing house that I was 100 percent pleased with,” Jonathan says. And finally, the decor would have to pack a punch, with interesting materials and plenty of color and pattern, to reflect their whimsical yet refined personal taste. The tall order took a bit longer than they had expected — six years, in fact — but the home was well worth the wait.

Fortuitously, on a typical Mobile day in 2010, Jonathan Aeiker made a turn that would set them on their path. He pulled off a main thoroughfare onto a side street to take a phone call and saw a “for sale” sign tacked on a tree. The previous home there had burned, leaving an empty lot and blank canvas for the artistic couple. Both agreed that the location was what they had hoped for. “We bought the lot and then took our time seriously thinking about how and what we wanted to build,” says Hill.

EXTERIOR BRICK

FRONT DOOR

Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore

Swiss Coffee

Woodlawn Blue

OPPOSITE Hill and Jonathan Aeiker worked for years on a new home with the look and features they wanted for their family, which includes 4-yearold Lila and 1-year-old Garner. Jonathan, the owner of Aeiker Construction Corporation, and Hill, a stay-at-home mom, both have an eye for design, and their home is chock-full of custom features and plenty of pops of color and pattern.

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Two years after buying the lot, their focus shifted. Jonathan felt the time had come to start his own general contracting company, Aeiker Construction Corporation, with an emphasis on municipal and commercial projects.

“The house building process took longer than we anticipated because income-producing jobs always came first,” Jonathan says. Around the same time, Hill gave birth to daughter Lila, now 4.

For two more years, the couple painstakingly worked through the home plans when time allowed. They began by finding an initial floor plan they both liked. Then they met with designer Jean Savell, who helped them make thoughtful choices that would make the space work for their exact wants and needs.

OPPOSITE AND TOP Hill’s cousin, interior decorator Chenault James, conceptualized the dining room walls. Hill had seen her use wainscot pattern and gold wallpaper in a client’s home and asked her if she could recreate the style.

The window is framed with burnt orange linen curtains hung from lucite and brass rods. Hill purchased the chandelier at Colonial Designs in Louisville years ago. A fiddle leaf fig tree from Zimlich adds life to the space.

LEFT Hill saved a photo from a magazine, and it later became the inspiration for the study.

Jonathan created the ceiling with stained paneling and built the shelves as well. Mustard crushed velvet curtains bring rich texture to the space. The couple was married in Point Clear, and Hill gave her bridesmaids prints of the Kathy Whitinger painting hanging above the loveseat.

Jonathan came up with the idea to hang brass lights above the seating. He also found the antique heart pine floors and purchased them without even knowing how much he had. They covered most of the downstairs.

DINING ROOM WALLS Schumacher Bamboo

STUDY WALLS AND BOOKCASE

Benjamin Moore

Millstone Grey

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GUEST BATHROOM FLOORS Mirth Studio

Flower Folk Tile POWDER ROOM WALLS Leah Duncan for Spoonflower

Summer Grove in Day

OPPOSITE TOP For the family room, Hill envisioned a large antelope rug, and the room was decorated around the piece. Natalie Roe helped find fabric for the pillows that brought more pattern and color to the room while complementing the rug. Jonathan built the custom shelves and zinc fireplace surround himself.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM LEFT In the guest bathroom, a peel-and-stick floor adds a punch of color and pattern. A sideboard from Charles Phillips Antiques and Architectures was repurposed as a vanity with a mirror from Colonial Designs in Louisville. Hill found the sconces on Spring Hill Trading, and simply painted them coral and added new shades.

OPPOSITE BOTTOM RIGHT The sink in the powder room was salvaged from a project at Woodcock Elementary School and painted with a yellow lacquer. Keeping with the home’s bold colors and pattern, a floral print wallpaper from Spoonflower hangs above whitewashed wood paneling.

INTERIOR WALLS

KITCHEN CABINETS

Benjamin Moore

Martha Stewart

White Dove

Bedford Grey

ABOVE For the open kitchen, Jonathan handmade the focal piece, a zinc hood with brass accents. Copper lights from Charleston Lighting hang above an oversized island.

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BEDROOM WALLS LAUNDRY ROOM FLOOR Mirth Studio

Benjamin Moore

Titanium

Chime Tile TOP For the master bedroom, green and blue floral patterned fabric was the focal point. Campaign dressers are the nightstands. A luxe blue velvet bench with clean lines is the finishing touch.

RIGHT Natalie Roe found twin mirrors to go above his and her sinks in the master bath. Hill requested dark floors, and Jonathan built the cabinets himself.

FAR RIGHT Even the laundry room is full of style with gray geometric tile.

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“Thankfully, being in construction, I knew what materials and methods were available and who I would use to implement them,” says Jonathan.

Once ground broke, it would take another 18 months for construction to be completed. During that time, son Garner, now 1, also joined the family.

Throughout the planning, Hill kept a file of images she liked for the interior spaces and shopped for their home while on trips to visit family in Louisville, Kentucky. “I found a lot of ideas from magazines, Pinterest and Houzz,” says Hill. A craftsman hobbyist, Jonathan actually fabricated much of the built-in shelving and even the zinc fireplace surround and vent-a-hood over the stove. While they designed about half the project themselves, the Aeikers also relied on professionals, such as designer Jean Savell, residential designer Robert McCown, interior decorator Natalie Roe and interior decorator Chenault James.

The overall style of the finished home is a perfect juxtaposition of old and new, traditional and modern.

That aesthetic is evident from the first stroll up the front walkway, which is made from vintage brick salvaged from the old Battle House Hotel and laid in a trendy herringbone pattern.

Inside, the team pulled together a whimsical combination of modern furnishings, statement wallpaper and luxe, patterned fabrics coupled with rustic antiques, elegant wainscoting and timeless architecture. The wow factor is a bold accent palette of orange, turquoise and green that truly pops against crisp white walls and gray cabinetry. The Aeikers couldn’t be happier with the results.

“Often I get bogged down in thinking I can make things perfect,” says Jonathan. “But, I have learned that everything and everyone involved in the building process is imperfect.

If you keep your head high, trust and have faith, it all comes together in the end.” Now that the project is finally complete, the family of four is happily living life in their new, traditional home, full of contemporary designer flare and lots of dreams. MB

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ALL IN THE FAMILY Two first cousins gather a team to design a modern family home with European inspirations. text by MAGGIE LACEY • photos by PATRICK MICHAEL CHIN and SUMMER ENNIS

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ousins Bernard Wood and Robert McCown come by their trades honestly.

In fact, you might say building is in their blood. Their grandfather, Tommy McCown, was a longtime designer, builder and developer in the Port City. Robert followed in his footsteps as he established his own business, McCown Design, and likewise, Bernard launched BW Construction, a company that specializes in fine custom homes and renovations.

So in 2012, when Bernard and his wife, Bryant, purchased a lot on the Spring Hill street where Bernard lived as a young child, there was no hesitation about who would draw up plans for their new abode. Ironically, Robert had already begun sketches for the lot’s previous owner, and the Woods immediately enlisted him to complete the work. So the two cousins set out to collaborate on the project that would surely make their family proud. While Robert had a vision for the layout and elevation, Bernard had specific ideas for materials — stones, pavers and wood.

ABOVE The Woods’ charming brick house is painted Charleston White by Sherwin-Williams. Designer Robert McCown included his signature exposed rafter tails on all elevations.

RIGHT Homeowners Bryant, seated, and Bernard Wood, far right, are pictured with designer Robert McCown in front of the cast-stone fireplace in their living room.

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Early on in the process, the Woods also enlisted Ann Luce with HawkinsIsrael III Interiors, and she was able to bring ideas for the smallest details that in the end gave a cohesive look indoors and outside. BW craftsmen were able to create many of Ann and Bryant’s ideas for furniture, doors and decor. (Naturally, Ann also happens to be related to both Bernard and Robert by marriage.) Continuing the family connections, the cousins’ uncle, Robin Luce with JubileeScape, planned and installed the landscaping.

Besides beautiful lines and soothing decor, the house also features green design and smart technology. Robert oriented the house east to west to maximize low winter sun exposure, but added deep overhangs to protect from intense summer heat. Geothermal Solutions installed a geothermal HVAC that the Woods can control with smart technology from their phones.

Bryant says she wanted a pristine space, but was realistic about life with three young children. All the furnishings are upholstered in stain resistant or wipeable fabrics and the floor coverings are indoor/outdoor rugs from Dash and Albert.

The result of the group effort is a clean and modern home for a young family with a natural eye for design.

Tommy McCown would be one proud grandfather.

OPPOSITE The cypress front door opens directly onto a landing of Fire Rock pavers.

Elegant copper gutters trim the roofline. Robert tempered the modern feel of the house with old world details, such as gas lanterns, dormer windows and working shutters.

TOP The home features a large side yard and outdoor space perfect for family living.

MIDDLE The outdoor kitchen features a built-in Big Green Egg, sink and storage for firewood, all topped by Black Pearl granite countertops finished with a raw edge for a masculine look.

The large windows above face into the lightfilled kitchen so everyone stays connected, whether dinner is being prepared indoors or out.

LEFT The unique house is perfectly situated on its long narrow lot. The floorplans drawn by McCown Design follow the shape of a Z, bathing most every room in natural light from windows on multiple walls. A covered porch with fireplace adjacent to the kitchen turns the narrow side yard into an outdoor living room.

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LEFT AND BELOW The front entryway features a cypress ceiling stained to match the custom cypress doors of the dining room china cabinets and hidden bar.

Interior designer Ann Luce had the idea for the mirrored inset doors with decorative X motif, and Bernard’s craftsmen produced them. The deep, vaulted doorway jams add a European touch.

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THIS PAGE The “great room’s” fireplace is more than vertical accent. Here, art and comfort are one.

THIS PAGE The “great room’s” fireplace is more than vertical accent. Here, art and comfort are one.

THIS PAGE The “great room’s” fireplace is more than vertical accent. Here, art and comfort are one.

THIS PAGE The “great room’s” fireplace is more than vertical accent. Here, art and comfort are one.

TOP A custom-built cypress hood is stained to match the other accent wood throughout the house. An airy chandelier floats over the kitchen island, which is clad in marble from Stone Interiors. The extra sink in the island makes prepwork and cleanup a breeze.

ABOVE The master bath is an oasis of calm, finished inside and out in Alabama White marble. The hand-hewn wood beams and gold accents keep it cohesive with the rest of the house.

RIGHT The dining room features a custom table designed by Robert and finished by Ann. OPPOSITE The living room mantle is cast stone with a decidedly European look. Hand-hewn beams from Deas Millwork finish the space. Bryant and Ann chose kid-friendly, stain-resistant fabrics for the room.

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DYNAMITE DESIGNERS Keep an eye on these up-and-coming creators — craftsmen, architects, interior decorators and more — whose explosive talent, ingenuity and skills have resulted in some amazing local spaces. text by CHELSEA ADAMS • photos by TODD DOUGLAS

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THE STYLIST Catherine Arensberg

Catherine Arensberg likes to tell people that her business was born during naptime. After graduating from LSU with a degree in landscape architecture and working locally for a few years, she decided in 2008 to stay home with her first child, Addie. Around 2013, once her children were a bit older, Arensberg realized the potential of her design expertise and began searching for clients again.

Her exterior design business has been steadily growing ever since.

“When it comes to home improvement, it’s one thing to physically know how to do a project — how to saw the wood or build the deck — but there’s always that question of, ‘How do you put it all together as a cohesive space?’”

Arensberg explains. “That’s what an exterior designer is for.”

We’re sitting outside her backyard studio, a quaint cottage with a pale pink front door, with mugs of coffee and morning sunshine that’s not yet warm. With a rustic teepee-style firewood hut and a cozy loveseat with navy and pink accents surrounding us, left, this is precisely Arensberg’s specialty: styling homey, chic outdoor living spaces that are simple yet comfortable and affordable. “I believe that exterior and interior spaces are most beautiful when they’re simple,” she says, cupping her mug with both hands.

“Everything in the space has a purpose. That’s where my aesthetic comes from.”

Exterior design often evokes images of trowels and flower pots, gardening gloves and watering cans.

But Arensberg rarely gardens! “Plants are the very last thing I worry about,” she explains. “Once you decide where the patio and play areas will go, then you look and say, ‘Where is there room for plants?’”

When she’s not consulting with clients or out gathering materials for projects, she can be found hopping all around the Azalea City filming tutorials of her projects for Simple.Honest.Design, her web series that she began in 2015. “The show is largely so that I can reach out and help people who couldn’t afford to hire me.

Having a designer is important, but through the web series, people are able to learn what to look for themselves.”

On an episode a few months ago, she transformed an Oakleigh front porch from a cluttered, unfocused space to a relaxing and colorful bohemian retreat that encapsulated the homeowner’s favorite travel experiences. This challenging refurb is one of her favorite projects to date. “Bohemian isn’t necessarily my style, and I had a few doubts in my mind as to whether I could do it, but it actually came together so well!” she says with a laugh.

“It was almost as if I was on a design challenge TV show, where you get a box with mystery items and have to make it all work. I felt like I won the challenge!”

DESIGN TIP: “Start thinking about your outside spaces as interior spaces – just choose more durable materials. Pretend it’s an extension of your inside space, and the design process will become a whole lot easier.”

THE ARTIST Bonnie Fuchs When it comes to displaying Bonnie Fuchs’ art, you have two options: Hang it on a wall, or, well, hang it on a wall.

Her elegantly minimalistic canvas paintings, now available through the retailer Ballard Designs, are prominently displayed in dining rooms and living spaces around the country. If collectors simply can’t get enough of her work, they may now browse through her collection of one-of-a-kind wallpaper patterns based on those paintings. The designs are sure to add a wow factor to any room.

Despite the colorful elegance of her artwork, a career in painting wasn’t Plan A for Fuchs. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, and raised in Dallas, she went to college at the University of South Alabama and obtained her degree in education. She has always had an appreciation for art and an eye for good design, but she didn’t set up her easel until she was well into adulthood. “I started painting because I couldn’t find what I really liked for my own home,” Fuchs shares, sitting on a pristine white sofa in her friend’s home, where Fuchs’ wallpaper adorns an accent wall in the kitchen. She sits comfortably with a kind smile always waiting to make an appearance. “I’ve actually never taken a real art course, other than classes at McGill!” she adds with a congenial chuckle.

Fuchs’ minimalistic, sophisticated paintings have become quite trendy. Her popular aesthetic comes from her mantra, “Simple, refined, unexpected.”

She elaborates, “I try not to overthink a piece, and

I always want the finished product to look elegant. It also has to be a little different, not look like everyone else’s work.”

Fuchs’ paintings often incorporate various media into a single piece. She counts down on her fingers each medium she uses, from watercolor and acrylic to oils and ink. “I’ll really work with anything under the sun!” Whichever media she chooses, her favorite color to incorporate may be a shocker. “This sounds so boring, but I’ve always incorporated white!” That preference makes perfect sense, though, considering how the varying shades of ivory give power to the rest of the colors on the canvas.

In what Fuchs calls a serendipitous experience, her artwork and business expanded to include wallpaper design. Friends had often commented that her paintings would translate well into upscale wall coverings. Finally, a designer approached Fuchs to create a line of wallpaper, transferring her handmade artwork into digital design that could be reproduced on a grand scale. Now, 10 patterns of her bold, modern designs are available through her website, as well as custom patterns. Prices start at $135 per roll.

Even though quality art often comes with a hefty price tag, Fuchs believes that feeling an emotion with a painting or wallpaper means more than anything. “Pay once, cry once,” she says bluntly. “If you spend a little more on a piece that you really love, you’ll be happier with it a whole lot longer.”

DESIGN TIP: “You don’t have to buy art with a certain spot in mind.

It all comes back to having a connection with it.”

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THE CRAFTSMAN Luke Phillips The expansive property of Charles Phillips Antiques and Luke Phillips Furniture is a photographer’s dream. Weathered shutters or rusted ironwork, salvaged barn doors and sawdust-covered pieces in progress await around every corner. MB’s photographer was so taken with the bounty that he stopped every three feet or so to capture an image. Likewise, Luke Phillips sees the beauty in the worn materials. As he sees it, his job is not making it look new, but making it look beautiful. “We’re not engineering a product to look like something else,” he says. “We’re using wood and iron to look like wood and iron.”

As we tour the property and the various workshops, I cannot imagine a toddler scooting around the place.

Yet that’s precisely how Phillips got his beginnings in the family business. “I started moving stuff around for my dad when I was 2, and I’ve helped him my whole life,” he reveals. “My first work assignment was loading books into the back of the pickup truck.” When I express my disbelief, he adds, “Well, I was an older 2.”

Phillips worked for his father’s business for years but branched off in 2010 when a particular trend took hold. While assisting in his father’s business for an hourly wage, he got an assignment to build a hanging swing bed from old shutter doors. When he finished, the unique piece sat in the shop until the owner could come and pick it up; that may have been the best advertising he could have hoped for. “Before we could get it to the customer, we got four or five more orders, and it just snowballed. Every time I’d have one

in the shop, we’d sell three or four more. So I thought, ‘Why don’t I just make it my own business?’” Phillips says with a shrug.

While his shop regularly takes on other custom orders, his biggest seller continues to be the swing beds. From rustic wooden swings built from old doors or shutters to classic white painted swings, no two projects look alike, and that’s the whole idea. “We’re not confined in our look, but my defining style features are clean lines and an affinity for the materials themselves.”

Phillips visits sawmills across Alabama, Mississippi and Florida, sourcing as much reclaimed wood as he can. And all of his wrought iron comes from his father’s business.

Phillips and his three team members usually produce about 250 pieces each year (about 120 swings and another 100 or so custom projects).

The workload still gives them plenty of time to focus on each and every piece. They recently completed a project for Woody’s Roadside Grill in Biloxi, providing 57 tables and the hostess station. This spring, his shop will be full of reclaimed beams and flooring from north Alabama; he plans to use some of them in his own works, but some will be sold for others to use in their own building projects.

“I do what I do because it’s enjoyable. It’s good to work with your hands and support a family with it,” Phillips shares. With a laugh, he concludes, “I never set out to make hanging swings for a living, but that’s the way it happened!”

DESIGN TIP: “Wooden furniture in covered areas needs almost no maintenance, but for furniture in direct weather, you can use oils, paints or sealers. Sealer is the best option and must be sanded and resealed every two to 15 years, depending on the product.”

THE DECORATOR Rae McConville If your home feels a bit stale, perhaps it simply needs a “zhush.” (Yes, it is a real word. See page 16.) As Rae McConville explains it, “Just moving furniture and art around a room can give you as much of a new look with what you already have as buying all new furniture.”

The interior decorator loves zhushing and rejuvenating clients’ homes — and not just because it’s fun to say. “It gives a good refresh without a whole lot of money.”

McConville’s bold, upbeat personality shines through, apparent in her vibrant orange blouse and vivacious curls, before we ever say “hello.”

The Spring Hill College grad has an impressive resume that includes stints working at New York-based magazines Harper’s Bazaar and InStyle. But it was when she joined the team behind HGTV Magazine that she fell into her love for decorating.

She says the experience really gave her an “editor’s eye” for design.

“People look at magazines for inspiration, and that was my job — to come up with those ideas,” she says.

“A friend of mine asked me to help out with her apartment. Then her friend saw the apartment, and it just kind of sprang from there,” McConville shares.

Her home decorating business, Rae McConville Interiors, turns three this year.

McConville designed two rooms in the Bayfront home where we meet today: the formal sitting room and the casual family room. The first, opposite, features

a large fireplace surrounded by built-in bookshelves styled with frames, vases and other elements for a classy look. Behind the shelves, McConville added seagrass for subtle pattern and color, two components that happen to be her design calling card. She says, “I have two clients who are twin sisters, and their houses couldn’t look any more different. From a removed perspective, though, you can tell I did both of them because of how I play with patterns and fabric. I always start with fabric — it’s my favorite part! I design houses for real people with real lives,” she explains. “I am the queen of performance fabrics!”

Bold colors and cleverly combined patterns are McConville’s bread and butter. She’s never afraid to grab a patterned pillow (or three) for the couch or an eye-catching rug that perfectly accentuates the textured mirror on the wall. “I’m always going to mix tone-on-tone patterns,” she explains. “I pay attention to scale, too. You don’t want a lot of smaller patterns together, but when you put them next to something that’s oversized, they almost become like best friends that play really well together.”

Of course she would liken her design aesthetic and friendship, considering she sees “all my clients as good friends.” After all, life is a lot more colorful with fun and friends, and McConville wouldn’t have it any other way.

DESIGN TIP: “If you don’t like a lot of color in home design, aqua with enough gray can be a neutral. Especially being on the coast, that’s a great way to get some color in. Plus, mixing in a lot of whites makes everything, even brown, look like a color.”

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THE ARCHITECT Abby Davis

For most people, planning a dream home involves browsing Pinterest and saving photos of luxe houses and chic design to various boards. But for Abby Davis, architect at Walcott Adams Verneuille Architects, dream homes are her dream job. Her career is to see the “big picture” of a residence or building coming together and advise her client on how all the pieces unify. Hundreds or even thousands of tiny details combine into one beautiful, functional space. And for Davis, it’s a thrill.

“It’s a challenging job,” she shares.

“You start with big ideas. Then, you start whittling them down and hone in on what the client is really looking for, the essence of each project.”

Afternoon sunlight streams into the Interiors Room at the architect firm, where Davis surrounds herself with hundreds of materials samples, from backsplash tiles and countertops, to flooring and lighting to paint colors and fabric swatches. The room is like a real-life Pinterest board. “All the magic and fun happens in here,” Davis says, looking at the binders of materials reaching up toward the ceiling, “because these are the finishing touches.”

Amid the textures and colors of the Interiors Room, Davis shares her story. The licensed architect and interior designer graduated from Auburn in 2004.

Since then, she’s filled her portfolio with beautiful, high-end residential projects around the Gulf Coast.

Since joining the esteemed team of Walcott Adams

Verneuille last year, she’s been able to expand her expertise to include commercial designs. Davis is lending her interior design skills to M&M Bank to revitalize their decor, and she is also currently working on designs for a dental clinic in Mobile, as well as a few projects that are still in the works.

Building homes usually means building relationships. A residential renovation in Fairhope stands out as one of Davis’ favorites for several reasons, including the fact that, as she says, “Residential is my first love.” While working on the second of a twophase renovation, Davis collaborated closely with the homeowner on the addition and interior changes. “It helps her life run smoothly,” Davis explains earnestly. “Those projects that mean so much to the clients are always special. I now consider her a good friend.”

Whether she’s working on a home or consulting on a commercial job, Davis says that it’s essential that an architect not only has good design ideas, but also knows how to parlay them into a high-quality product that will function well. She takes that responsibility seriously: “You are also the person who is quality control for everything.”

Indeed, architects play many roles, and Davis easily embodies each of them with grace: coordinator, advisor, designer and friend. Now that’s something you simply won’t find on a Pinterest board.

DESIGN TIP: “If you’re starting any project, get a good team going. Find a licensed architect at a top-quality firm. They can help assemble a great team for your project.”

THE LANDSCAPER Andrew Robinson When choosing his career, Andrew Robinson knew he wanted to work outdoors so he could enjoy Mother Nature’s beauty. That’s why he became Father Nature (well, why he opened a landscape design company of that name). “I’m drawn to very natural, wild styles of landscaping presented in a manicured way,” Robinson explains, laughing at the contradiction. “I like to keep things loose, but not scraggly.” In short, he puts a lot of himself into his landscaping.

When we arrive, Robinson mentions that he hasn’t yet clued the homeowners in to today’s task.

He knocks on the door, and owner Steve Ewell emerges, greeting Robinson like an old friend before giving us free reign to traipse around his yard. So later, when Robinson says, “My favorite part of the job, out of everything, is getting to be friends with the people we work with,” I totally believe him.

Despite our visit coming at the tail end of January, the Ewells’ lawn is shockingly green, as though the calendar read April instead.

Flower beds look surprisingly neat, and smaller shrubs and trees give the tame yet natural vibe that Robinson describes. Grand oak limbs stretch over the entire property (though a grin stretches across Robinson’s face as he admits that he can’t take credit for those).

Growing up in New Zealand, Robinson watched his parents tend to their various gardens with love and patience, vowing to make his living in the great outdoors. He graduated from Auburn University with a degree in horticulture and landscape design. Now, he ventures out to people’s properties and designs their greenery and outdoor spaces to be inviting, peaceful sanctuaries that beckon families and guests to appreciate nature.

“We’ll meet at their place, and I’ll just listen to them for a while,” Robinson shares as we stroll around the yard. “I get a better feel for who they are, what they want, how they live their life. Based on that, I come up with a plan.”

By request, Robinson can also help plan and set up a vegetable garden to make the yard utilitarian as well as beautiful. “One passion of mine is edible gardens,” he explains. “We try to bring people outside as much as possible and have them interact with their property, and this is a great way of doing that.”

The sun sets quickly over the yard as we finish our conversation. “The number one request we get is low maintenance. People like going out into the yard, but they don’t want to be slaves to it.” Looking around at the seemingly effortless vibrancy of the yard, I’d say mission accomplished. MB

DESIGN TIP: “Really look at the foundation — the soil. That’s the most important part.

Using compost can help loosen up the soil and provide nutrients, help enliven soil.”

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HISTORY

Stars Still Falling on Alabama Hip, hip, hip — hooray! With three big cheers, Alabama ushers in three years of celebration for the state’s 200th birthday. text by CHELSEA ADAMS

S

“

tudy the past if you would define the future.” Confucius’ words of wisdom reach beyond the two and a half millennia that separate his world from ours and hold special meaning for Alabamians right now. This year, Alabama begins a three-year celebration of our statehood’s bicentennial to be called Alabama 200.

“We have a lot of big ideas for the bicentennial, but there are certainly some that haven’t even been born yet. They’ll be coming out over the next three years, so we encourage communities and individuals to come up with ways to help us celebrate, commemorate and even investigate our state’s history,” Alabama 200 president Jay Lamar explains.

The phrase “three-year bicentennial” sounds a bit odd. But that’s how long the process took from the time Alabama was recognized as a territory in 1817 to the time it became the 22nd state of the U.S. in 1819.

Lamar especially wants Alabama’s children to benefit from the bicentennial. She excitedly details the master summer classes that will be available in Montgomery for Alabama teachers. She explains, “These teacher workshops will be a real investment in the youth of Ala-

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bama because one teacher reaches so many children. That will have an impact far into the future.” Alabama 200 also serves as a reminder to residents that “the people of Alabama are our greatest resource.”

The formal launch party will be held on May 5 in Mobile; however, Alabama 200 is more than simply a birth-

day party for our state. “The things that have happened here in the past are not just contributions to Alabama history or American history, but to global history,” Lamar extols. “Throughout the bicentennial, we want to acknowledge where we’ve been and what we’ve done, what we’ve survived and what we have accomplished.”

DOY LEALE MCCALL RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY

Dust Off Your Treasures Do you have old family photos hiding in the attic? Scrapbooks crumbling from age? Now is the time to save your artifacts for posterity.

There are many local and statewide archival organizations, see below, that offer services to have your images evaluated and preserved.

Genealogical societies, such as the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Sons of the American Revolution, National Society United States Daughters of 1812 and Alabama Genealogical Society First Families of Alabama, are especially interested this year in ancestors that settled in the state before 1800. The DAR, which has 12 chapters in Mobile and Baldwin counties, is also on a quest to collect World War I photos and memorabilia. Your personal history may be more interesting and valuable than you realize.

MOBILE PUBLIC LIBRARY / LOCAL HISTORY & GENEALOGY • 208-7093 DOY LEALE MCCALL RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA • 341-3900 ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY • (334) 242-4435

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Alabama 200: How We Got to Now 1810 - 1820

Successful lobbying leads to a deepening of the Mobile Bay ship channel to further boost local port economy.

Spring Hill College is founded as the third Jesuit college in the country and the first Catholic college in the South.

COURTESY OF DAPHNE MUSEUM

Mardi Gras Park unveils in Downtown Mobile.

Indian Removal Act is passed, which forced removal of the Creek, Seminole, Cherokee, Choctaw and Chickasaw Native Americans and continues through the mid-1830s.

2015 Airbus launches a manufacturing facility in Mobile, the company’s first assembly line in the country

The last Confederate army east of the Mississippi River surrenders at Citronelle.

Mayor R.H. Slough surrenders the city to Union forces.

1847 The Grand Hotel first built in Point Clear.The landmark resort gets its newest renovation in 2011.

Mitchell Cancer Institute officially opens its doors after nearly eight years of planning and fundraising.

November 2016

May 4, 1865

April 12, 1865

Alabama secedes from the Union.

September 2008

April 9, 1865 Union forces capture Fort Blakeley.

1998

1999

Mobile Symphony celebrates 20 years of developing and showcasing local musical talent.

Austal USA announces its founding headquarters in Mobile.

2007

Carnival Cruise Lines returns to Mobile after a five-year absence.

RSA tower, tallest skyscraper in the state, graces iconic Mobile skyline.

This year, the historic, revamped Battle House also reopens.

JEFF AND MEGGAN HALLER

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January 11, 1861

1830

First steamboat arrives in Montgomery from Mobile, transforming transportation and marking Mobile’s ascent as the Cotton City.

2017

DEAN MOSHER

1825

October 22, 1821

GulfQuest Maritime Museum reopens for business.

August 5, 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay ­— Damn those torpedoes.

1989

JEFF AND MEGGAN HALLER

Alabama becomes the 22nd state.

DOY LEALE MCCALL RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY

December 14, 1819

Alabama Fever sets in. The Industrial Revolution, invention of cotton gin, availability of virgin land and the high price of cotton fire up settlement. White population grows in Alabama by more than 1,300 percent.

Mayor Mike Dow institutes “String of Pearls” initiative to help revitalize downtown Mobile and modernize the city’s technology.

Explore our state’s and city’s histories through the events that shaped their paths.

1916 1871 Mobile Cotton Exchange is founded.

September 11, 1941

Creation of the Alabama Dry Docks and Shipbuilding Company (ADDSCO). By 1927, the Alabama State Docks begin operation, which encourages industrial growth and benefits farmers.

The 99th Pursuit Squadron, or “Tuskegee Airmen,” is activated, spurring desegregation of military in later years.

1945 Mobile politician Joseph Langan and Mobile NAACP activist John LeFlore work together to oppose the Boswell Amendment in Alabama, a state attempt to suppress African American voters.

1938

Fairhope is established as a “single tax” colony on the Eastern Shore.

DOY LEALE MCCALL RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY

November 1894

The Army Air Corps establishes Brookley Air Field. During World War II, it became a major supply base and Mobile’s largest employer.

1956 Malcolm McLean introduces container shipping, revolutionizing the shipping industry.

February 20, 1941

Mobile Ballet opens in Mobile.

1973 Construction of the George Wallace tunnel is completed.

January 1967 Lurleen Wallace becomes first (and to date, only) female governor of Alabama.

1964

SHERRY STIMPSON FROST

USS Alabama arrives in Mobile.

1984 U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs formally recognizes the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, the only federally recognized tribal group in Alabama.

The Mobile Junior Chamber of Commerce makes the heretofore local Junior Miss program a national program for high school junior girls and renames it America’s Junior Miss Scholarship Program.

In 2010, it becomes Distinguished Young Women.

1963 Mobile College opens in north Mobile. In 1994, it was renamed the University of Mobile.

Classes begin at University of South Alabama.

COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF MOBILE

1987

1957

DOY LEALE MCCALL RARE BOOK AND MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY

DEAN MOSHER

The Bankhead Tunnel opens to the public.

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MARCH / APRIL ON STAGE & EXHIBITS PG. 84 • APRIL HIGHLIGHTS PG. 86

CALLAGHAN’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY STREET PARTY / PHOTO BY MIKE DUMAS

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

HIGHLIGHTS

through april 30

march 11

march 17 - 19

Spring Bird Migration

American Cancer Society Chili Cook-off

Fairhope Arts and Crafts Festival

Watch rare birds head back to the United States from their winter vacation down south.

VARIOUS LOCATIONS • DAUPHIN ISLAND

march 10 - 11 Tee Off Fore a Cure Join Children’s of Alabama for their 12th annual golf tournament. Friday’s pre-party will include music, an auction and hors d’oeuvres.

11 a.m. Taste some of the best chili in the Port City at this spicy competition for the American Cancer Society.

THE GROUNDS • 344-9858 FACEBOOK.COM/ACSCHILICOOKOFFMOBILE/

march 17

Enjoy food and arts and crafts from more than 230 vendors.

DOWNTOWN FAIRHOPE THEFAIRHOPEARTSANDCRAFTSFESTIVAL.COM

march 18 Touch a Truck

11:15 a.m. The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick present their annual parade.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Explore vehicles from large trucks to ambulances at this event benefiting Adoption Rocks and pediatric cancer research at USA MCI.

DOWNTOWN MOBILE

HANK AARON STADIUM

march 10 - 11

march 17 - 18

march 18

Mobile Historic Homes Tour

St. Patrick’s Day Street Party

Downtown Cajun Cook-off

Take a peek inside some of Mobile’s oldest and most elaborate old homes.

Start sipping green beer on Friday, and let it flow on to Saturday at the annual bash.

HISTORIC MOBILE PRESERVATION SOCIETY 432-6161 • HISTORICMOBILE.ORG

CALLAGHAN’S IRISH SOCIAL CLUB CALLAGHANSIRISHSOCIALCLUB.COM

Cajun cuisine from more than 22 local restaurants will be dished up for this Child Advocacy Center benefit.

LAKEWOOD GOLF CLUB • 610-4969 FACEBOOK.COM/TEEOFFFOREACURE

St. Patrick’s Day Parade

CATHEDRAL SQUARE • CACMOBILE.ORG

 To have your event included in the online or print edition of Mobile Bay Magazine, email calendar@pmtpublishing.com.

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march 18 O’Daly’s Green Dress Run 4 p.m. Don your best green tutu for this 5-K benefiting the Child Advocacy Center.

DOWNTOWN MOBILE • CACMOBILE.ORG

march 22 Lyon Newell Charity Throws Meet Watch the southeast’s best high school athletes toss the shot put, javelin and discus in this benefit for Wilmer Hall Children’s Home and the Lyon Newell Scholarship.

UMS-WRIGHT PREPARATORY SCHOOL UMS-WRIGHT.COM/DONATE

march 25 Elberta German Sausage Festival 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Pick up arts and crafts, take a spin on carnival rides, dance to live music, and nosh on German sausage at this Baldwin County tradition.

THE TOWN PARK • THE INTERSECTION OF MAIN AND STATE STREETS • ELBERTAFIRE.COM

march 25 Azalea Trail Run Lace up for 40th anniversary of this classic Mobile 10-K, 5-K and 2-K race through some of the city’s historic streets.

DOWNTOWN MOBILE • PCPACERS.ORG

march 25 - 26 St. Mary Parish 150th Anniversary Celebration Dinner Dance, March 25, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Adults 21 and over invited. Tickets: $30 per person. Mass and Jazz Brunch, March 26, 10 a.m. Featuring the voices of Musica Sacra followed by brunch on the church plaza with music by The Blow House Brass Band.

ST. MARY PARISH • 432-8678 • STMARYMOBILE.ORG

march 31 - april 1 Mobile Challenge of Champions Track and Field Meet Turn out to support top athletes at this regional meet.

UMS-WRIGHT PREPARATORY SCHOOL AND ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL • 639-0303 MOBILECHALLENGEOFCHAMPIONS.NET

april 22 8th Annual Bald Eagle Bash 4 p.m. Top restaurants serve up their best dishes at this event benefiting the Weeks Bay Foundation and their mission to preserve and protect coastal wetlands.

TONSMEIRE WEEKS BAY RESOURCE CENTER FAIRHOPE • 990-5004 • BALDEAGLEBASH.COM

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WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY, PALMIST SIGN, HAVANA JUNCTION, ALABAMA, 1964, COLLECTION OF THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART; GIFT OF MARIA AND LEE FRIEDLANDER, 2004.19. ©WILLIAM CHRISTENBERRY

ON STAGE AND EXHIBITS

march 3 - 12 “Mobile Home, Sweet Home” 7:30 p.m. F / Sa. 2 p.m. Su. Pat Cook, one of Chickasaw’s favorite playwrights, brings another comedic tale to the stage.

CHICKASAW CIVIC THEATRE • 801 IROQUOIS ST. 457-8887 • CCTSHOWS.COM

march 4 Black Jacket Symphony: Queen’s “A Night at the Opera” 7 p.m. Doors open. 8 p.m. Show starts.

The Black Jacket Symphony puts its unique spin on the tunes from the classic rock album. Tickets: $22 - $27.

MOBILE SAENGER • MOBILESAENGER.COM BLACKJACKETSYMPHONY.COM

march 10 - august 27 Contemporary Alabama Photography 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tu - Su. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Th. Celebrate Alabama artists at a memorable show of work selected by guest curator Richard McCabe.

MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART MOBILEMUSEUMOFART.COM

march 10 - june 4 Christenberry: In Alabama 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tu - Su. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Th. Explore William Christenberry’s depiction of his home state of Alabama. See page 30 for more about this exciting exhibit.

MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART MOBILEMUSEUMOFART.COM

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march 10 - 11 The Mobile Delta: Glass & Light 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tu - Su. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Th. Rene Culler’s mural in glass celebrates all of the species of the Delta and its atmospheric characteristics.

MOBILE MUSEUM OF ART MOBILEMUSEUMOFART.COM

march 11 - 12 “Sleeping Beauty” 7:30 p.m. Sa. 2:30 p.m. Su. Aurora’s enchanting story comes to the stage at the Mobile Ballet’s spring performance.

Tickets: $20 - $60.

MOBILE CIVIC CENTER MOBILEBALLET.ORG

march 11 - 12 “American Masters of Film” 6:30 p.m. Doors open. 7:30 p.m. Show starts. Sa. 1:30 p.m. Doors open. 2:30 p.m. Show starts. Su. The Mobile Symphony Orchestra presents some of the most celebrated silverscreen scores.

Tickets: $15 - $75.

MOBILE SAENGER • 432-2010 MOBILESYMPHONY.ORG

march 16 The Price is Right Live 7:30 p.m. One of America’s favorite game shows comes to the stage in the Port City. Tickets: $29 - $50.

MOBILE SAENGER • MOBILESAENGER.COM

march 17 - april 2 “Much Ado About Nothing” 8 p.m. F / Sa. 2 p.m. Su. See Shakespeare’s romantic comedy featuring witty banter between Benedick and Beatrice. Tickets: $10 - $20.

JOE JEFFERSON PLAYERS • 11 S. CARLEN ST. 471-1534 • JOEJEFFERSONPLAYERS.COM

march 24 - april 9 “A Southern Belle Primer” 8 p.m. F / Sa. 2 p.m. Su. A hilarious tribute to all things Southern. Tickets: $15 - $20.

MOBILE THEATRE GUILD • 14 N. LAFAYETTE ST. 433-7513 • MOBILETHEATREGUILD.ORG

march 24 & 26 “Suor Angelica” 8 p.m. F. 2:30 p.m. Su. Puccini’s work comes to life. Tickets: $45.

MOBILE OPERA • THE TEMPLE DOWNTOWN 432-6772 • MOBILEOPERA.ORG

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APRIL HIGHLIGHTS

april 4 Hope for Healing New York Times best-selling author Stephen Mansfield will address guests at the annual banquet benefiting Victory Health Partners, a faith-based clinic for uninsured adults.

RENAISSANCE RIVERVIEW PLAZA HOTEL 460-0999 • VICTORYHEALTH.ORG

april 7 85th Anniversary of Bellingrath Gardens 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Celebrate one of the South’s most beloved horticultural landmarks.

BELLINGRATH GARDENS • BELLINGRATH.ORG

april 7 - 9 SouthSounds Music and Arts Festival Explore Southern artists at this festival taking place at various venues downtown. This year’s lineup includes Big Freedia, JoJo’s Slim Wednesday and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, among others.

DOWNTOWN MOBILE • SOUTHSOUNDSFEST.COM

april 8 Egg Hunt and Breakfast with the Easter Bunny 9 a.m. - Noon. Pictures with the Easter Bunny and arts and crafts are included in this day of fun.

BELLINGRATH GARDENS • BELLINGRATH.ORG

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DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND / PHOTO BY CHRIS MONAGHAN

april 8 Discovery Day at the Estuarium 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Learn about the research team’s current studies.

ESTUARIUM AT DAUPHIN ISLAND SEA LAB DISL.ORG

april 8 - 9 “Beethoven Symphony 9” 6:30 p.m. Doors open. 7:30 p.m. Show starts. Sa. 1:30 p.m. Doors open. 2:30 p.m. Show starts. Su. Celebrate the Easter season with Beethoven’s Ode to Joy. Tickets: $15 - $75.

MOBILE SAENGER • 432-2010 MOBILESYMPHONY.ORG

april 13 “A Chorus Line” Students from the University of Alabama’s Department of Theatre and Dance present the classic Broadway show for one night only in the Port City.

Tickets: $25 adults, $10 students.

MOBILE SAENGER THEATRE

april 27 Serve It Up With Love Turn out for this tennis tournament benefiting the Child Advocacy Center.

COPELAND-COX TENNIS CENTER SERVEITUPWITHLOVE.COM

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GULFQUEST BACK TO PORT Mobilians were shocked when, after only a year in operation, GulfQuest Maritime Museum raised anchor. Fortunately, the closure was short-lived. The multimilliondollar National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico reopened in February with some major changes, including discounted ticket prices, free parking and shorter hours. The Galley Restaurant is also once again serving lunch. One of the museum’s major attractions for the next few months will be the addition of a top-notch traveling exhibit. Odyssey Marine Exploration’s “SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure” features more than 500 artifacts that the archaeologists have found inside these sunken time capsules around the globe. It is a portrayal of marine archaeological expeditions at its finest, unearthing the true tales behind legendary swashbucklers and some of the most notable shipwrecks in the world. A cannon, bottle collection, menagerie of personal items, and, of 88 mobilebaymag.com | march 2017

course, the golden bounty are just a few of the items that guests will encounter.

Additionally, hands-on interactive exhibits and computer games are sure to wow viewers. Guests can experience the hurricane simulator, a simulated artifact discovery and excavation, and a close encounter with the wreckage of the 1800s steamship, SS Republic, at the bottom of the Atlantic. It is a show surely not to be missed. “I encourage all of our citizens to take advantage of [GulfQuest’s] new discounts and experience the new SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure exhibit,” says Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. Aye, aye, Captain!

SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. W - F and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sa. The Galley Restaurant: 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. W - Sa. GULFQUEST • 155 S WATER ST. • 436-8901 GULFQUEST.ORG march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 89

BAY BOY

The Necklace Boys partake in a number of traditions after killing their first deer, but only one young man participated in this one. text by WATT KEY

H

ere in the South, many boys consider killing their first deer a necessary step toward manhood.

And, oftentimes, the celebration that follows is as memorable as the hunt itself.

Sunday afternoons at the deer camp always left the woods feeling empty and lonely. It was the last hunt of the weekend, and many of the club members had gone home that morning. But some of my friends had already killed their first deer, and I was determined to take advantage of any opportunity to join their ranks.

Dad led me to a tree stand in a hardwood bottom alongside the Alabama River. He left me there with his .30-30 rifle and assurances that he would be back just after dark.

As the sun slipped low in the trees, I saw nothing but a few squirrels bouncing over the forest floor and some robins pecking in the leaves. An armadillo snuffled past and an opossum climbed down a far-off oak. Then dusk was upon me, and the squirrels and robins disappeared and grew still. Three deer appeared like ghosts slipping through the hardwoods. I shifted the rifle in my lap and began to tremble.

It wasn’t until they were nearly beneath me that I heard the faint sound of their footfalls in the leaves. At first, I thought they were all does, then, straining my eyes, I saw small yellow spikes on the head of the second one. I raised the rifle and tried to find it through the scope. Working against the grainy darkness and my shaking arms, I found what I thought was its shoulder, held my breath and squeezed the trigger.

The rifle shot echoed for miles, shattering the silent river bottom and leaving me breathing hard and worried that I’d missed. Then I saw the white of the deer’s belly lying not far from me. And I figured I’d just become a real man.

It wasn’t long before Dad returned and stood over the deer, sharing my own mixed feelings of pride and disbelief.

Then we drug it out of the woods and waited for the rest of the hunters to arrive. A few minutes later, all of the men stood about on the dirt road admiring my small buck in the headlights while I swelled with pride.

“I guess it’s time we bloody him up,” Mr. Walter said. I’d witnessed this ritual for years and long prepared for the 90 mobilebaymag.com | march 2017

moment. Mr. Walter cut open the buck’s stomach, stuck his arms inside and came away with bloody hands. He wiped them over my face. All the men laughed, and I was proud.

“We have to make him the necklace,” Mr. John said.

I looked at Dad with question. I hadn’t heard of the necklace. He shrugged and grinned like he too was enjoying it all for the first time.

Mr. John knelt beside the buck with his knife and cut off its testicles. “Now take off one of your bootlaces,” he told me.

I did as he said and gave him the string. In a moment he had the testicles strung around my neck.

“Now,” he said, “everybody’ll know. Gotta wear the necklace.”

I didn’t question it. They could have told me I had to climb

inside the deer, and I would have. I wanted to participate in whatever they suggested to the fullest extent.

Typically, everyone is anxious to get home Sunday evening. However, Dad said we needed to stop at Delchamps to get a few groceries. And Mr. John and Mr. Walter said they needed to purchase a few things, too. I thought this was unusual, but I was eager for any opportunity to make a public appearance following my victory.

As I strolled the aisles, I saw other men and mothers and their children staring at my necklace. I figured they all knew exactly what it meant. And I imagined the looks on their faces couldn’t have betrayed more envy.

After the grocery store, the men decided to stop at Wal-Mart and take care of some early Christmas shopping.

It was still November, and I’d never known Dad to holiday shop more than a few days ahead of time. Nonetheless, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. I followed them about the store, walking tall, meeting the stares of the patrons with a steely confidence. The men didn’t seem to find what they were looking for, but I found plenty of what I wanted.

That night I washed the dried blood from my face and climbed into bed still wearing the necklace. It wasn’t long before Dad came to check on me. He studied my trophy and chuckled.

“I’m proud of you, son,” he said.

“Do I wear it to school tomorrow?”

“Well, I think it was just for today,” he replied.

“Can I wear it to school tomorrow?”

He leaned over and took it off me.

“I better put it someplace safe,” he said.

I didn’t know where he put it, but I assumed it was the same secret stash where my best art projects and other memorabilia went. ­­ A few years later, I had a younger friend in another deer club who killed his first deer. To my surprise, when I asked him about his necklace, he had never heard of such a tradition.

It occurred to me that a deer testicle necklace was part of a bygone era. That perhaps I had been the last kid to wear one. It later occurred to me that I might have been the first as well. MB march 2017 | mobilebaymag.com 91

ASK MCGEHEE text by TOM MCGEHEE

I understand that the buildings housing the Alabama School of Math and Science started out as a church.

What is the history of the place? new growth and drew many a Baptist to the Port City. Dauphin Way’s central location made it a popular choice for many of the new arrivals. Property to the east became available, and in 1942, a far larger church was constructed.

Educational wings were added to both the east and west in 1948.

Alabama’s Largest Congregation

ABOVE What was once Dauphin Way Baptist Church sanctuary, pictured here in 1948, now serves as the auditorium for the public residential high school, Alabama School of Math and Science. PHOTO COURTESY OF DAUPHIN WAY BAPTIST

In 1904, a frame house on the southeastern corner of Dauphin and Ann streets was purchased by a group of 24 members of Mobile’s St. Francis Street Baptist Church in an effort to establish and support a mission church. By 1909, both groups had contracted with Tennessee architect Reuben Harrison Hunt to build their new church homes.

Because the St. Francis Street church had been damaged in the hurricane of 1906, St. Francis Street Baptist members opted for new construction on Government Street and changed their name to First

Baptist Church. Their impressive Greek Revival building, made of Indiana limestone, cost $125,000.

The more recently formed mission church, Dauphin Way Baptist, built a far more modest brick structure at the Dauphin and Ann streets location with construction costs estimated at just under $26,000. That edifice lasted until Christmas 1935 when it was lost to fire. The building was underinsured, leaving the congregation in a hazardous position in the midst of the Great Depression.

As the decade progressed, Mobile’s shipbuilding industries exploded with

Postwar America saw mainline churches continue to grow at an enviable rate.

By the late 1960s, Dauphin Way Baptist Church was bursting at the seams with some 6,000 members. It was the largest Baptist congregation in the state.

In 1969, an activities building was completed, containing a gymnasium, bowling alley, skating rink and meeting rooms. According to a newspaper account, members could opt to participate in Bible study or classes in “photography, sewing, interior decoration, home-making, health, music and crafts.”

An outdoor pool was also added.

Since the main building only held 1,500 for Sunday worship, it was soon decided to add a new one. In 1979, plans called for a 3,200-seat auditorium to be constructed on the southeast corner of the property where the 1910 church had once stood. By the late 1970s, Mobile’s historic districts were being developed, and neighbors in what was being designated Old Dauphin Way protested

 Want to learn more about historic local church buildings? Visit mobilebaymag.com this month to get the details from one Mobile historian.

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the new construction. The church members also voted down the plans for the additional building.

In reaction, the congregation, which had by then ballooned to nearly 8,000, decided to move westward; in 1988, a new Dauphin Way Baptist Church was completed on Dauphin Street west of I-65. The cost was a whopping $17 million.

A New School

Their former home, comprising more than 132,000 square feet of space and a city block of real estate, appeared to many to be the city’s largest white elephant. Luckily, plans were underway at the time to establish a statewide residential high school with a focus on math and science. In 1989, the state legislature established the Alabama School of Math and Science, and fundraising began in earnest.

A private foundation was formed in 1990 with a goal to raise $12 million to buy and remodel the former Baptist church, with the state of Alabama providing operating funds. Just one year later, the facility remodel began, and 140 students arrived that fall amidst the construction.

What was once the Christian Life Center was converted to a student center, and the main church building became the school’s auditorium. Sunday school wings were converted into dormitories, classrooms and science labs. The property already held a full-size gymnasium complete with bleachers.

In 2007, a $5.5 million library was completed and dedicated to Ann Smith Bedsole who had tirelessly worked to make the school a reality.

According to its website, the Alabama School of Math and Science is the state’s only fully public residential high school offering advanced studies in math, sciences and the humanities. Students from across the state make up the more than 2,000 graduates with the majority having matriculated to college. MB

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IN LIVING COLOR

Banana Docks, 1937 Original photo by Arthur Rothstein, courtesy Library of Congress • Colorization by Dynamichrome Limited

This photograph, taken by Arthur Rothstein in 1937, captures a moment in the life of a laborer on the Mobile banana docks. Rothstein, considered one of America’s best photojournalists, took this photo while on assignment to Alabama by the Farm Security Administration. At the time this image was taken, Rothstein had yet to celebrate his 22nd birthday.

In 1937, Mobile was the third largest banana importer in the United States. The fruit’s booming popularity in the early 20th century had drastic political, economic and environmental effects on the Central American countries from whence it came. The man pictured is likely a ship crew member from Central America. He wears a cushion over his left shoulder to ease the process of moving the great bundles of bananas from a ship to a refrigerated boxcar.

The remnants of the old banana docks were cleared away in the early 1990s to make way for the Mobile Convention Center.

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