No'Ala Huntsville, May/June 2013

Farming’s Fresh Face | Howard Weeden’s Life Drawing | Reviving a Greek Revival | What’s Your Style?

MAY/JUNE 2013 $3.95

noalapress.com

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May/June 2013

© PATRICK HOOD

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A new generation of farmers is cropping up in Mooresville.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

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Nooks, crannies, corners.

We’ve uncovered some of North Alabama’s most charming small spaces,

BY DAVID SIMS PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD, JAMES KLOTZ PHOTOGRAPHY, AND DANNY MITCHELL

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A growing Huntsville family builds a house to last a lifetime.

BY ALLEN TOMLINSON PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD AND DAVIS GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

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Maria Howard Weeden brought honor to the lives of freed slaves with her paintbrush and pen.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY URBAN LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

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REVIVING A GREEK REVIVAL A Scottsboro man comes home to renovate a villa.

BY ALLEN TOMLINSON PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

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SWITCH HIT The Littrell family swaps living spaces to suit their love of entertaining.

BY ALLEN TOMLINSON PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

© D. YURMAN 2013

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contents HUN TSVILLE •••••

May/June 2013 Volume 2: Issue 3 ••• C. Allen Tomlinson Editor-In-Chief David Sims Creative Director Contributing Writers Jeffrey Bibbee, Amy Collins, Sarah Gaede, Laura Anders Lee, Claire Stewart, Allen Tomlinson Contributing Photographers Davis Griffin Photography, Patrick Hood, James Klotz Photography, Danny Mitchell, Urban Lens Photography Marketing Coordinator/Advertising Sales Heidi King Features Manager Claire Stewart Business Manager Roy Hall Graphic Designer Rowan Finnegan

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Interns Mack Cornwell, Ryan Paine, Will Whaley •••

N O ’A L A H U N T S V I L L E ADV IS ORY B OAR D Jennifer Doss Huntsville Symphony Orchestra

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Calendar Events for May-June 2013

48

Market What’s Your Style?

BY CLAIRE STEWART

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Bless Their Hearts Southern Nation

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Jeff Johnson Terramé Day Spa & Salon Elizabeth Jones Burritt on the Mountain Ginger Penney Liles

Food for Thought

Matthew Liles AIDS Action Coalition

BY SARAH GAEDE

The Vine Oregon Pinot Noir

BY AMY COLLINS

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Dan Halcomb Huntsville Symphony Orchestra

BY JEFFREY BIBBEE

Cocktail Hour

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Leslie Ecklund Burritt on the Mountain

Parting Shot

BY PATRICK HOOD

Patrick Robbins Alabama Pain Center Charles Vaughn Vaughn Lumber Company Anna Baker Warren Anna Baker Warren Interiors

No’Ala is published six times annually by No’Ala Press PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 800-779-4222 | Fax: 256-766-4106 Web: www.noalapress.com Standard postage paid at Huntsville, AL. A one-year subscription is $19.95 for delivery in the United States.

Signed articles reflect only the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors.

Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of their advertisements. © 2008-2013 No’Ala Press, All rights reserved.

Send all correspondence to Allen Tomlinson, Editor, at the postal address above, or by e-mail to atomlinson@atsa-usa.com.

Letters may be edited for space and style.

To advertise, contact us at: 256-766-4222, or sales@noalapress.com.

The editor will provide writer’s guidelines upon request. Prospective authors should not submit unsolicited manuscripts; please query the editor first.

No’Ala is printed with vegetable-based inks on 100% recycled paper.

Join us on Facebook: No’Ala Huntsville

editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson « 7

There’s no place like home…even if it’s not yours.

We’ve observed something very interesting about human nature: we tend to have a fascination with the way other people live. Maybe it’s because we want inspiration for our own surroundings, or maybe we just want to marvel at what others have done to their homes, but one thing is for sure: our annual Home & Garden issue is one of our more popular publications. And this year, we certainly won’t disappoint! From the beautiful houses we’re featuring to the special nooks that others have created—and much more in between—there will be lots to look at this month. We hope you enjoy!

Last issue, we featured 32 people we considered to be the Heart and Soul of the Tennessee Valley. Your response to the people we featured was overwhelming and reinforced to us that these are indeed the people who are making good things happen in North Alabama. We were delighted that our talented photographers captured the essence of each and every one of these leaders, and we will definitely do more of these features in the future. So, will you do us a favor? If you know of someone who is quietly working to make this an even better place to live, will you let us know about them? Who knows, maybe they will get a photo session someday, too!

Spring and summer are full of activities, many of them outdoors. Check out the Farm to Table Dinners at 1818 Farms in Mooresville, and be a part of them if you can.

There’s something fascinating about being able to eat food that was grown within sight of your table. Schedule a tour of the Weeden home, or get inspired by some of the small spaces and nooks we’re showing you this issue. Late spring and early summer in North Alabama are among the very best days anywhere in the world, and it seems every time we look outside we’re reminded of why we live here. Now, grab a tall glass of iced tea, find a sunny spot in the yard, and enjoy this issue!

LOVE US? If you like No’Ala, be sure to check out our Facebook page. We’d love to hear from you!

No’Ala Huntsville

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calendar

Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

Now through June 30 Heritage Quilters of Huntsville Members’ Exhibition Tues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm; Sun 1:00pm-4:00pm; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org Now through June 30 Alabama Inventors Tues-Sat 9:00am-5:00pm; Sun noon-5:00pm; $8 adults, $7 seniors and military, $5 students, $4 children; Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com Now through August The Whimsical Woods Tues-Sat 9:00am-5:00pm; Sun noon-5:00pm; $8 adults, $7 seniors and military, $5 students, $4 children; Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; thewhimsicalwoods.com Now through August 31 Special Exhibit: Black Holes: Space Warps & Time Twists Daily from 9:00am-5:00pm; U.S. Space and Rocket Center; One Tranquility Base; $25 adults, $20 children, and free under 5 years old; (256) 837-3400; rocketcenter.com May 2 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com

Sci-Quest Parents’ Night Out 6:00pm-10:00pm; $20 for first child, $15 for additional children ages 4-12; 102 D Wynn Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org Black Maria Film Festival 7:00pm-10:30pm; $7; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 479-7863; lowemill.net May 5 Spring Burst Guided Hike Series: Fanning Trail 2:00pm; Free; Trailhead at Southeast Church of the Nazarene; 2275 Cecil Ashburn Dr.; (256) 534-5263; landtrustal.org May 6 Huntsville Community Chorus Children/Youth Concert 7:00pm; Donations accepted; Randolph Elementary School; (256) 533-6606; thechorus.org

May 25-26 Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic

May 3 Alabama A&M Graduation 6:00pm; Free; Von Braun Center Arena, 700 Monroe St.; aamu.edu Concert on the Docks with Ian Thomas and the Band of Drifters 6:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series 6:30pm; From $25; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; jimparkermusic.com Monkey Speak Open Mic Night 8:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; flyingmonkeyarts.org May 3-5 Whistle Stop BBQ Festival and Rocket City BBQ Cook Off Fri 4:00pm-11:00pm and Sat 10:00am-11:00pm; $5 children/$35 weekend pass; Historic Huntsville Depot; 320 Church St.; (256) 564-8100; thewhistlestopfestival.com Broadway Theatre League Presents The Addams Family Fri 8:00pm, Sat 2:00pm and 8:00pm, Sun 2:00pm and 7:30pm; from $37; Mark C. Smith Concert Hall; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 518-6155; broadwaytheatreleague.org May 4 Run through the Roses 10K and 5K 7:00am; From $15; Bob Jones High School; 650 Hughes Rd. Madison; (256) 682-5117; runthroughtheroses.com UAH Graduation 10:00am; Free; Von Braun Center Arena, 700 Monroe St.; uah.edu

May 7 Crimson Caravan 6:00pm; $50; Von Braun Center North Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (205) 348-2262; rolltide.com Love Lies: An Urban Theater Play 7:30pm; From $45.50; Von Braun Center Arena, 700 Monroe St.; ticketmaster.com May 8 Huntsville Museum of Art, Art Safari to New Orleans Call for pricing; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org May 8-July 6 Cigar Box Guitar Festival Competition Various times; Free; Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

May 9 Dine and Dash Trolley Tour 6:00pm; $30; Various locations; (256) 683-0966; homegrownhuntsville.com Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Beloved Book Club 7:30pm; Free; Beloved Books and Gallery at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Huntsville Hospital Presents the Commodores 8:30pm; $20; Von Braun Center Arena, 700 Monroe St.; (800) 745-3000; ticketmaster.com May 10 Concert on the Docks with Megan Jean and the KFB 6:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

City Lights Concert Series at Burritt Mountain: The Watters Felts Project 7:30pm; $10/members; $12/in advance or $15/non-members; 3101 Burritt Drive; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com The Bear & Blaine Duncan and the Lookers 8:00pm-11:00pm; Admission charged; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 479-7863; lowemill.net Black Jacket Symphony: The Beatles’ Abbey Road 8:00pm; From $26; Von Braun Center Concert Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (800) 745-3000; ticketmaster.com May 10-11 Rocket City Brewfest Fri 6:00pm-11:00pm and Sat 3:00pm-8:00pm; $60; Historic Huntsville Depot; 320 Church St.; (256) 520-2350; rocketcitybrewfest.com May 10-12 Theatre Huntsville Presents Five Women Wearing the Same Dress Fri and Sat 7:30pm and Sun 2:00pm; $15-$17; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org May 11 Mother-Son Special Train Excursion 10:00am and 1:00pm; $8 children and $12 adults; North Alabama Railroad Museum; 694 Chase Rd.; (256) 683-7953; northalabamarailroadmuseum.com

Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Dream Big Recital 4:00pm; $20; Merrimack Hall; 3320 Triana Blvd.; (256) 534-6455, merrimackhall.com May 11-12 Mother-Daughter Princess Tea Party 1:00pm and 4:00pm; $12; Fantasy Arts Center; 3312 Long Ave.; (256) 539-6829; www.letthemagicbegin.org May 12 Anthony Hamilton Rhythm & Soul Tour 7:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; ticketmaster.com May 13 Violins!

7:30pm; Admission charged; Princess Theatre; 112 Second Ave., Decatur; (256) 350-1745; princesstheatre.org May 15-19 Disney on Ice Wed, Thurs, Fri 7:00pm; Sat 11:00am, 3:00pm, and 7:00pm; Sun 1:00pm and 5:00pm; From $14; Von Braun Center Arena; 700 Monroe St.; (800) 745-3000; ticketmaster.com Continued

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calendar

Huntsville Museum of Art Family Program 11:00am-1:00pm; Free; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org

May 16-18 Theatre Huntsville Presents Five Women Wearing the Same Dress Thurs and Fri 7:30pm and Sat 2:00pm and 7:30pm; $15-$17; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org May 16 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Spank: The Fifty Shades Parody 7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953 May 17 Third Friday: Dog Parade and National BBQ Month 4:30pm; Free; Bank St. and 2nd Ave.; (256) 350-2028; decaturcvb.org Sidewalk Arts Stroll: A Downtown Marketplace 4:30pm; Free; Courthouse Square, Huntsville; (256) 534-8376; sidewalkartsstroll.com

Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Military Vehicle Rally 4:00pm; Admission charged; Veterans Memorial Museum; 2060 Airport Rd.; (256) 882-3737 May 22 Art Critique 6:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Crosby, Stills & Nash in Concert 7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; ticketmaster.com May 22-23 Youth Ballet Theatre Presents School Showcase 7:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 881-5930; alabamayouthballet.org May 23 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com

Botanical Gardens Presents Camp Out in the Garden 6:00pm-8:00am; Admission charged; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org Sci-Quest Parents’ Night Out 6:00pm-10:00pm; $20 for first child, $15 for additional children ages 4-12; 102 D Wynn Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org

Concerts on the Dock Lowe Mill

Concert on the Docks with Ian Mandolin Orange 6:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

May 17-18 Soul Stock Contemporary Christian Music Worship Festival Daily; Free; Point Mallard Park, Decatur; (256) 777-4882; soulstock.com May 18 Annual Hosta Sale and Juried Show 8:00am-2:00pm; Free; Huntsville Botanical Garden; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 582-5259; facebook.com/hostasocietyofnorthalabama

City Lights Concert Series at Burritt on the Mountain: Mary Gauthier 7:30pm; $10/members; $12/nonmembers in advance or $15 at the gate; 3101 Burritt Drive; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com Richard Smith and Julie Adams 8:00pm-10:00pm; Admission charged; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 479-7863; lowemill.net

Watters/Felt Project 8:00pm-10:00pm; Admission charged; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 479-7863; lowemill.net May 17-June 29 Carnegie Visual Arts Center Presents The HELMET Project by Gary Chapman Tues-Fri 10:00am-5:00pm and Sat 10:00am-2pm; Free admission; Carnegie Visual Arts Center; 207 Church St., Decatur; (256) 341-0562; carnegiearts.org

May 24 Concert on the Docks with Christabel and the Jons 6:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

May 25 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net May 25-26 Old School and Blues Festival Sat 11:00am and Sun noon; Admission charged; Jaycee’s Building at John Hunt Park; 2180 Airport Rd.; (256) 679-3272 Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic 6:00am-10:00pm; Free; Point Mallard Park, Decatur; alabamajubilee.net May 27 Memorial Day

Cotton Row Run 7:00am; Free; Big Spring Park; 200 Church St.; (256) 650-7063; huntsvilletrackclub.org May 30 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com May 31 Concerts on the Dock: Hymn for Her 6:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net May 31-June 1 Ars Nova Presents The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley 10:00am and 2:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 883-1105; arsnovahsv.com June 1 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Sci-Quest Parents’ Night Out 6:00pm-10:00pm; $20 for first child, $15 for additional children ages 4-12; 102 D Wynn Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org June 3 Huntsville Council of the Arts Concerts in the Park 4:30pm-8:30pm; Free; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 519-2787; artshuntsville.org June 6 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com June 7 Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series 6:30pm; From $25; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; jimparkermusic.com Monkey Speak Open Mic Night 8:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; flyingmonkeyarts.org June 7 Red Cross “Touch of Red” Gala 6:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center North Hall, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 536-0084; redcross.org June 8 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net June 10 Huntsville Council of the Arts Concerts in the Park 4:30pm-8:30pm; Free; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 519-2787; artshuntsville.org June 13 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Dine and Dash Trolley Tour 6:00pm; $30; Various locations; (256) 683-0966; homegrownhuntsville.com Continued M AY /J UNE 2013 | NOALAPRESS . COM | 11

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Beloved Book Club 7:30pm; Free; Beloved Books and Gallery at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net June 14 City Lights Concert Series at Burritt on the Mountain: Phil Weaver and Friends 7:30pm; $10/members and $12/nonmembers in advance or $15 at the door; Burritt on the Mountain, 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com June 14-16 Independent Musical Productions Presents Cats Fri and Sat 7:30pm and Sun 2:30pm; $25 adults and $15 children; Lee High School; 2500 Meridian St.; (256) 415-7469; imphunstville.org June 15 Father’s Day Arrow 10:00am, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, and 3:00pm; $12 adults and $8 children; North Alabama Railroad Museum; 694 Chase Rd.; (256) 683-7953; northalabamarailroadmuseum.com Huntsville Museum of Art Family Program 11:00am-1:00pm; Free; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net June 16 Father’s Day June 17 Huntsville Council of the Arts Concerts in the Park 4:30pm-8:30pm; Free; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 519-2787; artshuntsville.org June 20 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com June 20-22 Independent Musical Productions Presents Cats Fri and Sat 7:30pm and Sun 2:30pm; $25 adults and $15 children; Lee High School; 2500 Meridian St.; (256) 415-7469; imphunstville.org June 21 Sidewalk Arts Stroll: A Downtown Marketplace 4:30pm; Free; Courthouse Square, Huntsville; (256) 534-8376; sidewalkartsstroll.com Third Friday: Welcome to Summer 4:30pm; Free; Bank St. and 2nd Ave., Decatur; (256) 350-2028; decaturcvb.org

Sci-Quest Parents’ Night Out 6:00pm-10:00pm; $20 for first child, $15 for additional children ages 4-12; 102 D Wynn Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org June 22 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net June 23 Little Miss Alabama Pageant Times TBA; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953 June 24 Huntsville Council of the Arts Concerts in the Park 4:30pm-8:30pm; Free; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 519-2787; artshuntsville.org June 26 Art Critique 6:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net June 27 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com June 28 Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series 6:30pm; From $25; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; jimparkermusic.com June 29 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; 2211 Seminole Dr.; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

Featured Summer Camps Ars Nova School of the Arts, 256) 883-1105, arsnovahsv.com Botanical Gardens (256) 830-4447, hsvbg.org Bricks 4 Kidz (256) 722-9183, bricks4kidz.com Burritt on the Mountain (256) 512-0145, burrittonthemountain.com Huntsville Museum of Art (256) 535-4350, hsvmuseum.org Princess Theatre (256) 350-1745, princesstheatre.org Space Camp (800) 63-SPACE, spacecamp.com The Randolph School (256) 799-6161, randolphschool.net

Your BizHub Watchdog If you’re interested in controlling costs with office equipment solutions for almost any business challenge, call me. We’re the specialists, because we’re the watchdogs.

—J.T. Ray

(256) 464-0010 450 Production Avenue, Madison, AL 35758

A Benefit For Riverhill School Five of the most spectacular homes in the Shoals, open for two days only.

May 18 & 19, 2013 www.riverhilltour.com Presented by

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scene Tiffany Rogers, LeJuan George, Nicole Simmons, and Lou Sams

Kristi Sherrard

Jennifer Sherman with Dinner by Design

Pammie Jimmar

Nesin Therapy employees with Tiffany Rogers, LeJuan George, and Sang Lee

Mike Brazier and Alexandra Gonzalez

DeeDee Morgan with Rocket City Broadcasting

Chamber members

Above: March 2013 Business After Hours

Below: 2013 Night in Bloom

M ARCH 14, 2013  NESIN THERAPY SERVICES

APRIL 4, 2013  HUNTSVILLE MUSEUM OF ART Tish Hammer and friend

Doug and Carly Bryant

Carolyn Taylor Dot Ward Cindy Kamelchuk, Julie Andrzejewski, and Teri Jetton

Vicky Cerniglia and Carole Anne Ellers

Event speaker Margot Shaw editor of Flower magazine and author of Not So Prim Rose

* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

Peter and Martha Wilson

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© PATRICK HOOD

It’s a nook or a cranny.

© PATRICK HOOD

A corner, a hallway, or featured wall. We’ve asked our readers and designer friends to pick some little spaces and tiny places that pack a lot of punch for their paltry parcel. Maybe some of these gems will inspire you to take a small space and turn it into something special!

Facing page: A special spot in the corner of Linda and Darryl Goldman’s kitchen became a breakfast nook, designed by contractor Charles Vaughn. This is where the family starts— and ends—the day.

TEXT BY DAVID SIMS PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD,

Above: Designer Susan Trousdale’s entry is the perfect welcome to her Florence home. The diminutive desk provides a place to stow car keys, and a space-saving upholstered stool creates the perfect spot to tie your shoes before a morning run.

JAMES KLOTZ PHOTOGRAPHY, AND DANNY MITCHELL

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© PATRICK HOOD

SPECIAL LITTLE SPACES

Facing page: Tucked between the den and the kitchen, Marilyn and Dick Hull’s dining nook is more relaxed than the formal dining room, and takes advantage of beautiful light streaming through the windows. Design

by Charles Vaughn, Vaughn Lumber Company.

ON THE COVER: As they were renovating their home in the historic section of Huntsville, the Hulls asked Charles Vaughn to build a special space for their grandchildren to play. With the addition of a window under the eaves, some bookshelves and lighting, the Hulls have converted a spot in the attic into a play space, a favorite spot for grandson Drew Dodgen.

Contractor: ARC Design-Build

© JAMES KLOTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

Right: Jason Dean and his wife Julie Dziedzic chose a large, “fisheye” window (actually, a converted skylight) for this smaller, peaceful, upstairs space, right in the center of their active household. The round window allows more light to fill the small space and provides a gorgeous view of trees and sky.

Julie completed the room with a couple of pieces from her mid-Century modern collection.

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SPECIAL LITTLE SPACES

Just off the main living space, and tucked away between Shirley and Charlie Feaux’s home offices is this small scale/big concept guest bath.

The contemporary bath includes an elegant sculpted tub and matching sinks set atop a customdesigned, high-gloss wood countertop.

Contractor: ARC Design-Build Facing page: When Bobby Marlar purchased this antique sideboard at auction, he and partner Gene Bouie thought it would make the perfect bar for the hallway of their Victorian Florence home. Shortly thereafter, Gene purchased an antique portrait of a Catholic cardinal. “We decided that he could bless the bar,” said Gene. That began a lifetime of collecting religious statuary, artifacts, and paintings, many of former popes and cardinals.

The result is a hallway that is both playful and pious.

© JAMES KLOTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

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© DANNY MITCHELL

SPECIAL LITTLE SPACES

Left: University of North Alabama geography professor Michael Pretes knows a thing or two about special spaces.

It’s evident from the hundreds of special mementos he’s collected from his many trips around the world. In the cozy office of his Florence home near the college, the space may be limiting, but the objects found within seem to transport one across the globe.

Facing page: Designer Amy Darby took the corner of her kitchen and created the perfect space for relaxing with a cup of coffee or glass of wine or just waiting while the cakes are baking. She has filled the space with cookbooks, extra serving pieces, and framed artwork by her two boys.

© DANNY MITCHELL

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© PATRICK HOOD

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THE FRESH FACE OF FARMING TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

T

aking a trip to Mooresville is like stepping back in time. An old clapboard church, antebellum homes, and white picket fences seem to belong more in a Norman Rockwell painting than in a town neighboring the Rocket City. And in the heart of this historic village are residents Natasha and Laurence McCrary, practicing an age-old way of life with the future in mind.

Natasha and Laurence both had careers in the corporate world, but 18 months ago, Natasha was ready for a change. “I had done computer programming, pharmaceutical sales, worked for a nonprofit, and been a stay-at-home mom, but with my kids in school I wanted to do something that I could take ownership in and enjoy,” she says.

The McCrarys were already living in Laurence’s family home a short walk from an old horse pasture, and Natasha decided it was time to make it an active farm. So the couple cultivated the land, built a barn and some fencing, and a farm was born. They named it 1818 Farms for the year Mooresville was founded. “We really wanted to teach our kids about preservation,” says Natasha, whose children are the seventh generation to grow up in the family’s 1826, Federal-style house. “There’s definitely been a generation gap in farming. In the 1970s, people said they didn’t want to do it anymore, and they started going to the grocery store for their food, but you forget where it all comes from. Each morning when we’re eating eggs, I tell my kids ‘look how hard this hen worked for us.’”

Facing page: Natasha and Laurence McCrary pose “American Gothic” style at 1818 Farms, their working farm in Mooresville, Alabama. The Federal-style house, above, was built in 1826.

The family of five is now a family of six dozen. The McCrary household includes a pot-bellied pig named Cupcake, barn cats Trouble and Hazel, two Great Pyrenees, a handful of goats and baby doll sheep, 28 baby chicks, and a few dozen hens, each affectionately named. (One of the hens is called Elton John because of her flamboyant feathers).

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The Fresh Face of Farming 1818 Farms produces everything from Asparagus to Zinnias. “I’ve always been into gardening so now it’s on a larger scale,” says Natasha.

Depending upon the season, the McCrarys grow carrots, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, peppers, radishes, beets, lettuces, okra, and a dozen varieties of heirloom tomatoes like Cherokee Purple and Arkansas Traveler.

They grow herbs like oregano, chives, and cinnamon basil, and cut flowers like dahlias and sunflowers. This fall, they’ll have pumpkins and gourds—and even corn for popping over the outdoor firepit. Natasha also grows several varieties of lavender, including Provence, English, and Spanish, that she uses to make her own products like bath truffles, lip balm, and soaking salts.

The McCrary’s exotic variety of hens lays around a dozen eggs daily in a soft color palette from blues to browns, all yielding a rich, buttery flavor.

Natasha has become passionate about farming and raising animals, and she loves sharing everything she’s learned with others in the community, whether hosting weddings, birthday parties, or story hours, learning to spin wool with her “fiber friends,” or teaching workshops on raising your own chicken, growing your own food, and building a raised garden.

This spring, Natasha will host her first Farm to Table Dinner, partnering with LeeLee Wiginton and Becca Donovan of Lyn’s Gracious Goodness.

WANT TO GO?

Visit 1818 Farms at 24889 Lauderdale Street in Mooresville, off Exit 2 on I-565. Farm to Table Dinners are scheduled for May 10, June 7, and July 13.

Call (256) 714-3220 for reservations.

Right: Natasha (center) with her Farm to Table Dinner partners, Becca Donovan (left) and LeeLee Wiginton

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“I’m basically handing over my food to them and letting them go from there,” Natasha laughs.

While the menu has not yet been set, guests can expect an elegant, five-course meal featuring only the freshest ingredients selected literally feet away from their plates.

“We’ll set up a long table in the middle of the lavender with no more than 50 people,” says Natasha. “It will be intimate and

FARM TO TABLE DINNERS “We’ll set up a long table in the middle of the lavender with no more than 50 people.

It will be intimate and relaxed, where people can wear their cowboy boots while we talk about the process.”

—Natasha McCrary

The Fresh Face of Farming

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relaxed, where people can wear their cowboy boots while we talk about the process.”

Besides entertaining, it’s the process that excites the hostesses the most.

“People don’t understand the beauty of it,” says LeeLee, who has recently begun gardening herself. “I can go outside and pick a head of lettuce, bring it inside, and know there are no pests. And it’s so easy.”

For Becca, using local ingredients means getting to play with food and experiment, and it means cooking something new every day. “I think it’s really important that you keep it local for the sake of your town and your community,” she adds. “Plus, we’re teaching children to eat healthy foods and not all that processed stuff. Healthy food is literally at their fingertips.”

Natasha agrees that just one of the many benefits of farming is getting her children to eat more vegetables and understand where their food comes from. “People want to know what they’re eating now,” she says. “Everything on the farm is heirloom; we don’t use GMOs. There are so many hybrids.”

She’s referring to a genetically modified organism, used widely today to make crops more resistant to certain environmental conditions. Natasha is actually preparing a lesson for a group of nine-year-old cub scouts on GMOs. “I’m going to tell them that if it worked for farmers from a seed a thousand years ago, then it should work today.”

While she’s constantly researching new methods and sharing ideas with new-found friends, sometimes Natasha needs a moment for herself.

“I like to just come here and enjoy the quietness, the fresh air,” she says. “I can be thinking ‘this is a long day,’ but then the animals are so happy to see me.”

And just like that, she’s busy again, tending to her animals, gathering eggs with her kids, and figuring out new ways to share what she’s discovered.

“As a society, we’ve gotten away from the land, and we’ve gotten too into commercialism,” she says. “We’re finally realizing we need to take care of ourselves again. It’s coming full circle.”

Sometimes in order to be progressive, you have to go back in time.

Facing page: The property includes a variety of animals: hens, goats, sheep—even a pot-bellied pig. Natasha’s stash of wool yarn (center). The Mooresville post office.

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HOWARD WEEDEN

A LIFE DRAWING TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS BY URBAN LENS PHOTOGRAPHY

A LIFE DRAWING

you’ve read the book or seen the movie The Help you’ll recall how the main character Skeeter interviews Aibileen, Minnie, and other Jackson, Mississippi maids in the 1960s, compiling their stories into a book. Well, as inspiring as those fictional characters are, there’s an even better, much more real story that took place half a century before…in Huntsville. The heroine’s name is Maria “Howard” Weeden, and she brought to life the stories of hundreds of freed slaves living in Huntsville at the turn of the century through her poetry and watercolor portraits.

Visitors can get a glimpse into the life of this remarkable woman by visiting her home in downtown Huntsville which just reopened last month after several months of renovations.

“We’ve been trying to keep the historic integrity of the home and make it like it would have been for her growing up,” says Megan Scallan Melvin, museum director of the Weeden House and UAH graduate student. “It’s a glimpse into the past and one of the only homes like this open to the public in North Alabama.”

Changes to the 1819 Federal-style home included installing drapery and painting the entire house from floor to ceiling with authentic colors, but the highlight was creating a room entirely devoted to her work.

“Howard Weeden was so talented, and now we’re showing her works like they should be shown,” says Gay Money, chairwoman of the Weeden House committee of the Twickenham Historic Preservation District Association. “We never had her work on display. There is new life here.”

Facing page: The Weeden House, located in the heart of Huntsville’s Twickenham Historic District. Opposite: A portrait of Howard Weeden. Above: Two of Weeden’s portraits.

A visit to the museum allows visitors to see the world through Howard’s eyes. Howard was born and died in the same

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A LIFE DRAWING

Pictured below and on the facing page are examples of Howard Weeden’s intricate and exquisite art.

upstairs room of the Gates Avenue home. Her father, Dr. William Weeden, a wealthy plantation owner, purchased the house in 1845 as his family’s city home. They had previously lived on Weeden Mountain on what is now Redstone Arsenal.

Born the following year, Howard was the last of six children; her father died six months before she was born. She was raised by her mother, her “Mammy,” and a dozen slaves who became like family to her.

“Many assume Howard was her pen name, but she was called that as a child,” says Megan.

Howard was frail, and she was also very nearsighted. But these handicaps forced her to focus on art.

“The myth was that she painted with a brush with only three hairs on it, and she had to paint really close up because of her nearsightedness,” says Megan. “But that allowed for tremendous detail.”

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“To see a female artist in the South who was able to make a living in the literary and visual arts world at the turn of the century was really unheard of.” —Megan Scallan Melvin

A LIFE DRAWING

Facing page: A view of the entry framed by the home’s main staircase. Two examples of Howard Weeden’s poetry, inspired by the stories she heard as she painted freed slaves’ portraits. Above: The dining room of the home, seen from the central hall.

Howard’s mother recognized her talent and hired renowned Alabama artist William Frye to train her at the age of 10. During the war, Howard’s three brothers fought for the Confederacy, and the females took shelter with a relative in Tuskegee. While there, Howard attended a Methodist college and fine-tuned her talent of writing and drawing. After the war, Howard’s brothers tended the family’s plantations while Howard, her sister Kate, and their mother returned to their Huntsville home, poverty-stricken. Realizing she needed to make a living to support her family, Howard began selling stationery, teaching art classes, and illustrating books and religious newspapers.

In 1892, after Howard and Kate’s mother had died, Howard attended the World’s Fair in Chicago. It was there she noticed all the artwork of African Americans was derogatory and mocking. “She was unsatisfied with the depictions because they lacked individuality and character,” says Megan. Deter-

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A Banjo Song I plays de banjo better now Dan him dat taught me do, Becase he plays for all de worl’ An’ I jes’ plays—for You. He learns his chunes—I jes’ lets down A banjo string or two Into de deepest of my heart, An’ draws up chunes for You. Slowly dey comes swingin’ up A-quiverin’ through and through, Till wid a rush of tinglin’ notes Dey reaches light—an’ You. I never knows if dey will shine Wet wid tears or dew; I only knows dat, dew or tears, Dey shine becase of You.

Mother and Mammy Among the ranks of shining saints Disguised in heavenly splendor, Two Mother-faces wait for me, Familiar still, and tender.

One face shines whiter than the dawn, And steadfast as a star; None but my Mother’s face could shine So bright – and be so far!

The other dark one leans from Heaven, Brooding still to calm me; Black as if ebon Rest had found Its image in my Mammy!

A LIFE DRAWING

“Howard tried to capture the heart and soul of her sitters through her watercolors and her poetry. She wanted to be able to present them in an honorable way, trying to lend a voice to those who didn’t have it.” —Megan Scallan Melvin

The living room of the Weeden home.

mined to show the world the true nature of the African Americans who had raised her and continued to serve her family, Howard went home to Huntsville and began painting their portraits.

So while her subjects sat, Howard interviewed them, encouraging them to tell their stories. Those stories inspired poems, many she wrote from her own perspective as well as theirs, in which she used their native dialect.

Howard contracted tuberculosis and was bed-ridden for much of the time, but she persevered, seeking even more subjects to paint. She captured hundreds of stories and portraits from the black community, compiling them into four books Old Voices, Songs of the Old South, Shadows on the Wall, and Bandanna Ballads, which were printed by Charles Dickens’ publisher M. Stolz & Company in Boston. Howard gained international acclaim, exhibiting pieces in New York, London, and Germany.

And later, renowned composer Sydney Homer set her poems to music, which became popular on a national scale.

“To see a female artist in the South who was able to make a living in the literary and visual arts world at the turn of the century was really unheard of,” says Megan.

Howard passed away in 1905 at the age of 58. Her sister Kate continued to live in the home until 1917, and then a nephew lived there until 1956. In the 1970s, the Twickenham Historic Preservation District purchased the home before turning it over to the City of Huntsville to renovate it and recreate what it would have looked like in Howard’s day. Today, the home is managed by the Twickenham Historic Preservation District and funded through grants, public tours, and special events.

Megan and her staff are currently working with locals to read Howard’s collection of poems in their dialect and record them so that guests of the museum can access them with QR codes to listen to how they would have sounded.

“Howard tried to capture the heart and soul of her sitters through her watercolors and her poetry,” says Megan. “She wanted to be able to present them in an honorable way, trying to lend a voice to those who didn’t have it. She wanted to capture the images of the freed people whom she loved and respected so they could be documented for future generations.”

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© PATRICK HOOD

“WE TRIED TO DESIGN THIS HOUSE AS A PLACE WHERE THEY REALLY COULD LIVE THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.” —ARCHITECT PAUL MATHENY

© DAVIS GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

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A HUNTSVILLE FAMILY BUILDS THEIR “FOREVER HOME” TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON » PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD AND

DAVIS GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY © PATRICK HOOD

© DAVIS GRIFFIN PHOTOGRAPHY

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW CHILD AND YOU’VE OUT GROWN YOUR CURRENT HOUSE? In the case of this young Huntsville couple, they approached architect Paul Matheny, who had designed a family farmhouse in Tennessee. The couple had found a place in a neighborhood they liked, but the lot presented some challenges. There were steep spots, and the ground was full of large boulders; there was a creek that ran across the front of the lot, “which is probably why the lot was available,” said Paul. A daunting task, for sure, but no problem for the architect and the brave couple that trusted him.

“As a child, I grew up on a dead-end street in the woods,” said the homeowner. “I wanted a place like that for our daughter to grow up, and we wanted to build a house we could live in forever. But I wanted a house that was comfortable like a home, not like a museum.” The result is a huge house with an open feel, perfect for entertaining, but large enough to grow with the family’s changing needs.

The exterior is wrapped in stone, and a bridge for the driveway solves the problem of the water at the front of the house. The backyard faces woods, and there is a lot of privacy; the breakfast area, nestled between the kitchen and a den, is bumped out

Facing page: The living and dining rooms are separated by a fireplace.

The back of the house shows the bumpedout breakfast nook. Above, top: The builtin wet bar. The front elevation shows how the house sits on the steep lot and the bridge over the creek that runs at the front of the property.

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Above: The den, off the kitchen, contains one of the house’s three fireplaces. Facing page: an antique wardrobe purchased from Scott Antique Market in Atlanta, has a special place in the entry hall, which was designed to accommodate it.

and looks out toward the back, a detail Matheny added. Rooms flow easily; a fireplace between the formal dining room and the living room, one of three in the house, provides a gathering spot and also gives room to display art, especially glass vases collected by the owners on their travels. At the end of one hall, stained-glass doors look like an antique piece of furniture, but open to reveal a beautiful and working wet bar. The entry hall has tall ceilings to accommodate a massive wardrobe found at Scott Antique Market in Atlanta, where several other pieces were found. (The homeowner and her mother love to travel to Atlanta to browse the antiques there.)

There are several elements in the house that were brought from the family farm in Tennessee. The back door and some of the stonework came from there, because it worked with the new house, but also because the family loves their farm and the memories they have made there and wanted to be surrounded by those familiar pieces.

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His-and-hers bathrooms in the master suite—full bathrooms, completely separate—and a fireplace make this wing of the house an oasis of its own. Upstairs, a guest suite could be adapted into a separate apartment, if the day should come when an aging parent might need to move in, and large closets upstairs and downstairs were built specifically for the addition of an elevator, if needed. “From the garage to the master suite, there are no steps,” said Paul. “We tried to design this house as a place where they really could live their entire lives.”

© PATRICK HOOD

Designer Janna Collins, from Nashville, provided interior design direction and chose the soothing pallete of colors. It’s a comfortable home that feels more intimate than its vast square footage, with interesting details at every turn. “It feels ageless,” said the homeowner. “We hate going into a neighborhood and being able to say ‘that house was built in the 1970s, that one in the 1990s’—Paul designed a house for us that is timeless.”

© PATRICK HOOD

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News, classical music and more 88.7 FM Muscle Shoals • 100.7 FM Huntsville www.apr.org 46 | NOALAPRESS . COM | M AY /J UNE 2013

© ARMOSA STUDIOS

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48 »

market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Danny Mitchell Handmade Serving Bowl ($217.35) Harrison Brothers Hardware (256) 536-3631

Repurposed Key Hooks ($27.95 each) Harrison Brothers Hardware (256) 536-3631

What’s your style?

Driftwood Mirror ($189) In Bloom (256) 533-3050

Seedling Planters ($32 each) In Bloom (256) 533-3050

These seedling planters have both a rustic and modern feel.

“Apollo” by Laurie Popp ($150) Harrison Brothers Hardware (256) 536-3631

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Reclaimed Bottle Glasses ($14.80 each) Harrison Brothers Hardware (256) 536-3631

Quartz Stone ($189) Miranda Alexander Interiors (256) 355-6941

Antique Pigment Jars ($42.95 each) Portobello (256) 489-9286

Hourglasses ($29, $32, $39) Miranda Alexander Interiors (256) 355-6941

Buddha Head ($89) Miranda Alexander Interiors (256) 355-6941

“Silverlining”

by Gaynor Reynolds ($140) The Little Green Store (256) 539-9699

Glass Globe Lamp ($210) Portobello (256) 489-9286

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50 Âť

market

Blossom Tile by Xenia Taylor Designs, Inc. ($120) The Little Green Store (256) 539-9699 Table Lamp ($45) Bank Street Antique Mall (256) 351-1070

Colored Pitcher ($95) Bank Street Antique Mall (256) 351-1070

Green Teapot ($65) Bank Street Antique Mall (256) 351-1070

Square Desk Clock ($10) Bank Street Antique Mall (256) 351-1070 Folding Chair ($35) Bank Street Antique Mall (256) 351-1070

“On the Way to Kirby’s” 15”x20”

by Conor O’Brien ($1,500) The Little Green Store (256) 539-9699 Classic Silver Clock ($60) In Bloom (256) 533-3050

Magnolia Printed Box ($52) In Bloom (256) 533-3050

Ornate Frame ($33.95) Portobello (256) 489-9286 Iron Lantern ($143.95) Portobello (256) 489-9286

Gold Bookends ($22.50) Bank Street Antique Mall (256) 351-1070

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TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON » PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

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“LIVING IN THIS HOUSE IS INSPIRATIONAL. I’M SURROUNDED

BY THE SUBJECTS FOR MY PAINTINGS, AND THIS IS A CALM AND SERENE SPOT.” —L R EWIS OBINSON

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LEWIS ROBINSON’S GRANDMOTHER LIVED IN SCOTTSBORO, AND SHE BROKE HER HIP. As a part of her recovery, she had to go to rehab, and Lewis, a residential designer with a keen interest in history, would take her to her appointments and then spend time in the car, riding the back roads around Scottsboro and looking at old houses. “I was living in New Orleans at the time,” he said, “and in the lower Garden District there are a lot of Greek Revival homes. One day, as I was riding around, I came upon this Greek Revival villa, and I was amazed. The house captured my attention on the spot.”

Fast forward a few years, post-Hurricane Katrina, and Lewis was ready to leave New Orleans and come back to North Alabama. He heard the house he had stumbled upon might be on the market, “and I made an offer, sight unseen,” he said. “The house was livable, but not pretty,” he said. “It was renovated, but not restored."

The offer was accepted, and Lewis had a new home. The house, which was built right before the Civil War in 1853, is away from the hustle and bustle of town and is situated in the middle of beautiful rolling farmland. Originally, the house sat on a

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plantation that was about 500 acres in size, and because the roof is flat in the middle, Lewis speculates that the house was built to accommodate a captain’s walk, although one was never installed.

(A captain’s walk is a spot on the roof, usually surrounded by a bannister, where the landowner could go and survey his property to make sure everything was working properly; in the northeast, these are called “widow’s walks” because women whose husbands were at sea would go to the roof to try to spot the ships coming in.)

As Lewis began his restoration, he learned more and more about the house and its unique history. It also has features that are common of finer homes of that era; for example, when he took up a layer of pine flooring, he discovered the original wide-plank poplar flooring. “In the 1850s, poplar would have been more available, and it’s an excellent wood for building,” he said. “The siding on the house is also poplar, except for an addition at the rear, which is made of oak.” A wide central hall is flanked by four rooms, one on either side, and the kitchen is at the rear; the original kitchen would have been in an outbuilding, and the bathrooms, now a part of an older addition, would have been contained in outhouses when the home was originally constructed. Rooms are large with high ceilings, which would help keep the residents cooler in the summer; there are fireplaces in every one of the four rooms, for winter warmth.

Contrary to popular belief that older homes have no insulation, the walls in this house are insulated with cotton.

The house was built for Winfield Scott Mason of Pulaski, Tennessee, who moved to the area when the railroad was built.

Mason died in 1861, the first year of the Civil War, and during the war the house was used as a Union hospital. “There was a skirmish in the front yard,” said Lewis, “and the house has a ghost that probably came from that confrontation. The ghost has always been very protective of children and pregnant women, keeping them from falling into the fireplaces when there is a wood fire burning.”

Facing page and above: Lewis Robinson’s oil paintings are inspired by his surroundings.

Right: In the front hall, portraits of Lewis’s greatgreat-great-greatgreat-great grandparents, the Nances.

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The house stayed in the Mason family until the 1890s. The new owners changed the roof over the front porch and added a metal shingle roof. There was a series of other owners, and then the house sat vacant from 1976 until 2000, when the family Lewis purchased from took over and began a renovation process.

As a residential designer, Lewis is fascinated by Federal and Greek Revival architecture, and with designer Beverly Farrington and Accents of the South, he has done a number of design projects for North Alabama homeowners. Lewis is also a painter, and “living in this house is inspirational,” he said. He has been painting for years but moved to oil painting last December; one of the rooms off the central hall serves as his studio, where he can look out the windows at the rolling fields and the hills beyond. He also spends a lot of time in the yard, where he discovered the basis for the original garden, and he is slowly bringing the garden back to life. “I’m surrounded by the subjects for my paintings,” he said, “and this is a calm and serene spot.”

Lewis is quick to say that his ultimate goal for this villa is not a restoration, but instead a historic renovation. There are, after all, many modern conveniences that would not belong in a true restoration that make life today more comfortable. Lewis plans to reconstruct the kitchen at the back of the house, building an

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Your Appointment Awaits 256.429.3429 www.fineryboutique.com

“ONE DAY, AS I WAS RIDING AROUND, I CAME UPON THIS GREEK REVIVAL VILLA, AND I WAS AMAZED. THE HOUSE CAPTURED MY ATTENTION ON THE SPOT.” —L R EWIS OBINSON

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outbuilding on the location of the original structure (which probably burned, common in those days) and tying it to the house with a glassed-in porch; it will be an upscale and up-to-date gathering place instead of containing the wood burning stoves and rustic cooking spaces from the 19th century. Other touches, such as the molding in the house, add interest but would not have been found originally; “houses of this style would have had paper borders with some sort of pattern,” he said.

For now, the house is comfortable and beautiful to look at. There are antique pieces, many from New Orleans, and art (some of it Lewis’s) on the walls; in the hall, near the front door, there are portraits of Lewis’s sixth great grandparents, the Nances. Walls are painted in soothing colors, and there is a relaxed and comfortable air about the entire place.

Maybe it’s the location, far enough out in the country where you can actually see the stars at night; maybe it’s the garden, where the house is surrounded by thousands of daffodils and acre upon acre of cotton land; maybe it’s the smell of linseed oil, used to finish the floors but also used in the creation of another oil painting. Whatever it is, this stately home has a fascinating history—and the promise of a gracious future.

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SWITCH HIT.

TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON » PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

If you saw the Littrell house in 1982 when it was built, and you saw it today, you might not believe it was the same place. Originally constructed with two separate living areas, one on either side of the house, the family gravitated to the den, with its massive fireplace, and the other space became unused.

So when Connie Littrell decided to make some changes, designer Miranda Alexander suggested a total change in purpose.

“The original dining room was right off the entry hall, between the entrance and the kitchen,” said Miranda. “It was tiny, especially for a growing family, so we decided to make it into a sitting room. The second living area, which also sits off the kitchen, became a large dining area, and it’s become one of the family’s favorite spots.”

The original dining room was too formal, according to Connie, “and that’s not the way we live. Who wants to go in to a stuffy dining room and eat a pizza? We found we only used it on special occasions, when the family gathered—and then it was too small.” Instead, that room is now a sitting area with design elements that are inspired by nature. A neutral color pallete for the walls became a backdrop for a collection of framed leaves and leaf art, and Miranda recovered existing chairs and sofas, added a rug and accessories, and made the room warm and inviting.

The new dining room is breathtaking for its size and for its design elements. A nook at the end of the room became a wet bar with an ice maker; much of the furniture in the room was repurposed from other rooms or came from the original small dining room. “The family already had the table and the china cabinet, and we recovered the chairs and added a wool and sisal rug. We wanted to make the room dressy but casual; we wanted the room to be usable and not just a showplace,” said Miranda. The iron rods and linen drapes tie the room together without making it unapproachable, and Miranda believes that fabric and color can set the mood for an entire room.

Above: The sitting room contains interesting visuals in every direction. Here, Connie’s framed botanicals are combined with a collection of mounted antlers.

Facing page: A gold mirror adds just the right touch of sparkle to the dining room.

The playful shape keeps it entirely casual.

Connie loves nature, and it’s evident in her yard. The house sits far away from the street, and the shady, terraced front yard is full of beautiful blooms. Connie began collecting some of the more unusual leaves she found on walks or when she was doing yardwork, and she began experimenting with a method for casting concrete to capture the intricate details of the leaf. Much of the art in the den and the new dining room is her creation, and Miranda liked the look of the pieces so much she began carrying them in her home decor shop on Bank Street in Decatur. A gathering of Connie’s leaf art on one wall of the dining room is complemented by a huge real plant, sitting on a repurposed plant stand that Miranda painted.

After graduation from the University of Alabama, Miranda honed her design sensibility while working for Richard Tubb in Birmingham, one of the foremost designers

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SWITCH HIT.

Left and below: The old dining room—much too small for the growing Littrell family—is now a cozy sitting area, right off the kitchen, where Connie and her family can read a book or just relax while a batch of cookies bake. Both rooms contain a variety of Connie’s botanical art—concrete leaf castings and framed and preserved pressings.

Above, and right: The former living space is now home to a generously sized dining room—perfect for large family gatherings. The formality of its scale and layout is cleverly offset by the use of casual fabrics and a neutral color palette. Comfortable upholstery encourages second helpings and long evenings of conversation.

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in the Southeast. After moving back to Decatur a year ago, she opened Miranda Alexander Interiors, a home decor store she uses as her design studio as well as a resource for home accessories. “For Connie—and for most of my clients—I encourage us to be resourceful and creative,” she said. “You don’t have to start over—you really can work with what you have, especially the things you love. The rest is just adding color, fabric, and a little bit of style—and you have a room you’re drawn to.”

Connie agrees. “Miranda helped us make a 30-year-old house into a place we love to be,” she said. “I’m already thinking about which room we might tackle next!”

Above: Miranda artfully combined both new and existing pieces into her design—the china cabinet, dining table, and chairs were paired with new upholstered arm chairs. Old paneling and cabinetry (facing page) were given an update with a new coat of paint, and windows were framed with a new striped fabric, which adds both height and interest to the room.

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scene

World Conspiracy's 18th Anniversary Bash—Zombie Prom M ARCH 9, 2013  LOWE MILL ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT PHOTOS BY ERIC SCHULTZ

* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

NOW OPEN 1801 Beltline Road SW

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Chance and Chelsea Wedding Date: May 19, 2013

Chance and Chelsea get married in May! Look for complete wedding coverage in the July/August issue!

Š ARMOSA STUDIOS

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Chelsea Turner & Chance Mitchell

All Needz Rentals will provide linens, chairs, and tables for the day of the wedding.

Awaken Productions will provide a photo booth for the wedding reception.

Burritt On the Mountain will provide the beautiful location, set atop Monte Sano Mountain.

Their newest addition, Baron Bluff, will be the site of the reception.

Decorous Dishes is giving the couple 200 sets of vintage china to use during the reception.

Armosa Studios is giving our lucky couple engagement photos, bridal photos, and complete wedding day coverage.

Artz Studios will be hosting a complimentary wine and painting class for Chelsea and her bridesmaids.

Belle Fleur and Chef Bruce Roy will provide a selection of delicious food for the reception; their specialty is bridal catering.

Betty Lankford Catering Events is known for delicious wedding catering, and will also provide food for the bridal reception.

Chefs To Go’s private chefs will also contribute to the food at the reception; their specialty is gourmet cuisine.

Grogan Jewelers will provide beautiful wedding bands for the couple.

Finery will provide $500 off the bridal gown, $25 off any bridal trim/veil/headpiece, and 15% off any lingerie. They will also give the groom one complimentary Forage bow tie.

Jerry Damson is furnishing a getaway car for the couple after the ceremony.

Huntsville Symphony Orchestra will furnish a professional quartet for the ceremony.

Natalie Faggioni will design the bride’s and bridesmaid’s makeup the day of the wedding.

In Bloom will supply all flowers and floral design for the wedding day.

Jordyn Dean is our wedding stylist and planner.

She will help guide the couple during all of their appointments and decisions, and style their engagement shots and wedding day details.

Maggie Crisler will design and print the save-the-date cards and will design the invitations.

Signature Smile will supply the KöR Whitening System for the bride and groom as well as Sheer White kits for every bridesmaid and groomsman.

No’Ala is publicizing the event and the wonderful partners who have made it all possible.

Look for complete details of the wedding in the July/August 2013 issue of No’Ala. Tastebuds is providing a custom-designed cake for the groom.

What’s for Supper? is providing a selection of fresh, home made items for the reception; they specialize in good Southern cuisine.

Terramé Salon will provide hairstyling for the bride and her bridesmaids.

LOOKING FOR IDEAS FOR YOUR PERFECT WEDDING? Our winning couple will be blogging about their experience as they plan the perfect wedding. Follow them at alabamaperfectwedding.com and get ideas for your wedding, too!

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bless their hearts » Jeffrey R. Bibbee “I WAS NOT BORN IN THE SOUTH, BUT I WAS RAISED IN THE SOUTH. I CONSIDER MYSELF A SOUTHERNER FROM MY EFFORTLESS ‘Y’ALL’ TO MY UNAPOLOGETIC ‘WAR EAGLE!’ THE SOUTH WILL ALWAYS BE HOME.”

Southern Nation WHEN YOU LIVE ABROAD, YOU QUICKLY LEARN SOME TRICKS ABOUT TRAVELING BACK HOME . NEVER FLY HOME ON A SUNDAY. Chick-fil-A is closed.

Regardless of the time of year, it will always feel more humid than any place you just left. The very first “Welcome home, y’all!” will bring the biggest smile to your face even if it is from the grumpiest customs agent. The elation of being back amongst your people is overwhelming—hugs and kisses, pieces of pie, and the familiar sights and smells of home. Then the questions begin.

“Have you put on weight?”

“Did you get to meet the Queen?” (This question seems only appropriate if you have been to a country with a monarchy but really can be asked if you have been in the rough direction of Europe.)

“Where did you ever buy those pants? They are so European.”

While in no particular order, these are the typical questions. But there is one question that always comes towards the end of the first interrogation. “Why do you sound different?”

This last one is always the most difficult to understand, as you never sound strange to yourself. More than any other question though, it seems to cut as it strikes right at the heart of your own cultural identity.

Jeffrey Bibbee at Oxford (not Mississippi—the other one)

I was not born in the South, but I was raised in the South. I consider myself a Southerner from my effortless “y’all” to my unapologetic “War Eagle!” The South will always be home. But…what happens when you leave home? Good barbecue is not to be found anywhere; you learn to do without Golden Flake potato chips, and even to call them crisps without thinking. You miss a number of birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Fourth of July celebrations, and family events. Missing such occasions is difficult but made special by the apple pie or green bean casserole you make in your small efficiency kitchen for a few expats who will appreciate them. But the most disturbing thing about leaving the South was that I lost some of my Southern accent and my Southern expressions. They would quickly return after a week back in the South or after watching Steel Magnolias, a gag gift DVD from a fellow expat who wanted to know if people really talked like that down there, but they were harder to locate each and every time I was away. Was I losing my “Southernness?”

John Shelton Reed, the renowned sociologist, historian, and essayist on Southern culture, presented a lecture series at the Rothemere Institute at the University of Oxford titled “What’s Southern about the American South?” Reed’s thesis was that the South is more a nation today than in 1860 when we experimented unsuccessfully

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with that notion. We have a national capital in Atlanta, a national airline with Delta, financial institutions, pastimes, and even a national media source in Southern Living.

Listening to Professor Reed wax eloquently about the intricacies of Southern culture, its development and future, I was left to ponder the hallmarks of such estimable institutions as NASCAR, the hazards of wearing white after Labor Day, and the perennial debates about white sauce versus red sauce. I was struck also by this idea of the loss of Southernness. The rather academic crowd (it was, after all, Oxford) peppered Reed with questions about the complexities of racial tensions in 1960s Birmingham vis-à-vis Atlanta, the rise of the Republican Party in the South, and the anomaly of Condoleeza Rice, and the South’s increasing dominance in the non-unionized auto industry. I finally got up the nerve to raise my hand.

“Professor, can you lose your Southern identity after moving away from the Southern U.S.?” I said in my more national newscaster-esque than Southern accent.

From the back of the room a sweet, soft Southern voice asked, “Where were you born?” I responded, “Ma’am? Oklahoma (Army brat), but I was raised in Decatur, Alabama.”

With a big smile she asked, “Do you know Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ?” “Of course,” I responded.

In Decatur you are either Big Bob’s or Whitt’s people.

“Do you know the McLemore’s?”

“Yes, I do…my sister went to school with their daughters.”

She then exclaimed, “They have the best sauce, I would do anything to get a bottle of their white sauce.”

“I have an extra bottle at my flat, I will happily share it.”

From the front of the lecture hall, now no longer being watched by the crowd who had craned their necks to watch the near family reunion unfold in the back row, Professor Reed pronounced, “No you can’t; you are still definitely a Southerner. Next question.”

Jeffrey R. Bibbee, while not a native of Alabama, is a self-proclaimed Southerner, an associate professor of history at UNA and the director of the UNA Centre for British Studies. Bibbee also leads study abroad trips to London along with fellow UNA colleague, Lesley Peterson, Ph.D.

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scene

Joyce Griffin, Carole Jones and Catherine Scholl Susan Todd, Stacey Gardner and Carole Hamm Dianne Reynolds and Linda Akenhead

Suzanne O’Conner, Patti Thornton and Susan Fredrickson

Dorcas Harris, Donna Shergy and Dick Reeves

Lady and Scott Smith

Beth Wise and Samantha Bentley

Linda Smith and Dan Halcomb

Above: Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Guild’s Crescen Dough Auction

Below: Huntsville Museum of Art Gala Dinner, Live Auction, Cocktail Party, and Silent Auction

APRIL 5, 2013  SOUTH HALL , VON BRAUN CENTER

FEBRUARY 28 AND M ARCH 2, 2013  HUNTSVILLE MUSEUM

Dabsey and Dan Maxwell Mayor Tommy Battle and wife Eula Battle and Carolyn and Jim Rountree

Brad and Nancy Bradford

Candy and John Burnett and Patricia and Barney Heyward

Samantha Thompson, Cathy Scholl, Featured Artist Kevin LePrince, Ginney McDonald, and Carole Jones

Joe Walter and Anne Pollard

* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

Samantha Thompson, Cathy Scholl, Speaker Haskell Harris, Michele Hunter, Jean Warren, and Sara Ahearn

PHOTOS: Darla Hall, Authentic Photography, 256-651-8479; Liss Sterling, Liss Sterling Photography, 256-520-2167

Baron Bluff at Burritt on the Mountain is the perfect spot for a corporate meeting, business retreat...or a romantic wedding. But Baron Bluff is no ordinary event center: in addition to being the newest and best facility in the region, the views from the mountain are simply spectacular. Come look us over and let us show you how we can help you have an event of a lifetime with a fabulous view—at Burritt.

Now booking for weddings and special events!

www.burrittonthemountain.com 256-536-2882

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food for thought » Sarah Gaede

The Cocktail Hour MY GRANNY, BORN IN THE 1880S, WAS OF A GENERATION THAT MEMORIZED VOLUMES OF VERSE. During our annual summer visit, she would recite bygone stanzas for our entertainment. One of our favorites was “Little Orphan Annie” by James Whitcomb Riley, a cautionary tale for naughty children which introduced us to the blood-chilling phrase “The goblins will get ya if ya don’t watch out!” Granny also favored “The Children’s Hour” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (did all poets go by all three names back then?) which was more sappy than spine-tingling. The first verse emerged from the depths of my brain as I was thinking about what to write this month: Between the dark and the daylight, When the night is beginning to lower, Comes a pause in the day’s occupations, That is known as the Children’s Hour.

Simply substitute “the Cocktail Hour” for “the Children’s Hour,” and you have the theme of this column.

There is something pleasantly ritualistic about marking the end of the day with a celebratory drink, before transitioning into dinner preparations and evening activities. Long summer evenings in particular provide a perfect opportunity to sit on the porch and catch up with family or friends over a refreshing beverage.

I first succumbed to the lure of the cocktail hour when I was living in historic downtown Savannah. My friend Brenda and I would come home from Jazzercise, grab a beer and a bag of Cheetos, plop down in our sweaty exercise togs on the wide front steps of our vaguely Romanesque apartment building, and chat with the neighbors. We especially enjoyed waving at the tour buses driving by—local color, don’t you know?

A summer libation, especially if drunk outside, should be light and refreshing, and not too heavy on the hooch, if any.

It can be as simple as a frosty glass of iced tea or sparkling water and lime, served in a pretty glass. A left-over half bottle of white wine can be rescued with club soda and lime. My new favorite, which I think might be the most sublime aperitif I have

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ever imbibed, is the Lillet Rosé reverse martini. I’m also enjoying drinks made with St-Germain, an elderflower liqueur. A splash in a glass of white wine, still or sparkling, makes a lovely white Kir or Kir Royale.

Along with drinks, it’s nice to serve a little nosh—something that’s always on hand, easy to prepare, and of some nutritional value. You can’t go wrong with a wedge of brie or Saint André with a warm baguette or crackers and some green grapes or sweet cherries on the side. A three-ounce log of our own Alabama goat cheese, Belle Chevre, can be spread with pepper jelly or fig preserves and served on crackers. Publix sells yummy pâtés and terrines that keep for weeks in the refrigerator unopened. When melon is in season, wrap chunks with thinly-sliced prosciutto. And don’t forget the simple allure of well-roasted and seasoned nuts, especially Marcona almonds, which are addictively delicious and good for you. You can order them from nuts.com.

Lillet Rosé Reverse Martini • 4 parts Lillet rosé • 1 part Hendrix gin • 2 shakes orange bitters—order Fee brand from amazon.com Shake with ice and strain, or pour over ice, and garnish with a twist of grapefruit peel or a wedge of lime.

For one drink, I use 2 ounces of Lillet and 1/2 ounce Hendrix. For a crowd, pour 250 ml of Lillet from a 750 ml bottle into another container, and add 250 ml Hendrix gin to the bottle. Refrigerate and pour as needed.

Add bitters to each glass before serving. I have visions of taking a swig from a bottle of this elixir every time I pass the refrigerator, but that would be so wrong.

St-Germain Sangria Flora • 3/4 cup St-Germain • 3 cups Sauvignon Blanc • Fresh fruit in season—diced peaches, sliced strawberries, white grapes, raspberries Place ingredients in a carafe; let sit for at least 15 minutes. Can be made in advance and refrigerated.

Serve over ice.

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back talk » Claire Stewart

What is your favorite space in your home?

“The tree in front of my house with a 20-foot rope swing. I will never get tired of it.”

“I love to be in my family room, with my feet kicked up and a sketchpad in my hand.”

—Kenny Jaudon

—Paula Dickerhoff

“The kitchen.

Cooking is therapeutic to me.

It is a great way to relax at the end of the day.”

—Judson Portzer

Paula

Kenny

“Laying in bed with my three dogs is probably my favorite place in my home” —Judy Defiore

Judson

“My bed because I get to sleep with it every night!”

—John Savage

Judy

John

“My front porch.

I could sit for hours and let the sunshine fall on my feet and watch my dog run around our yard.”

“In my room, it is the only place my little brother can’t go, and I can draw there.”

—Katherine Purves

—Clayton Omwere

Clayton

“That’s hard— we’ve poured our heart into fixing each room perfectly. I love my whole house— it has definitely been a labor of love.”

Katherine

—Ashley Vaughn

“In my movie room with the whole family sitting around in bean bag chairs and theater seats, ready to watch a favorite movie.”

—Jessica Locke

Ashley

“My bedroom.

It is my personal space where I can relax and recharge.”

—Jay Coffler

Jessica

Jay

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back talk » What is your favorite space in your home?

“My kitchen.

Because it is the only place in the house where I can paint on the floor!”

“My favorite place is my kitchen—I just love to eat.”

—Bethany Dean

“I consider my studio at Lowe Mill to be my home. I am always here. My home is only for sleeping!”

—Denise Omwere

—Erin Michael

Bethany Denise

Erin

“I call it my dungeon but my wife calls it my man cave. It is really our basement where I develop photos.”

—Scot Birchfield

“My 14-year-old daughter’s room.

It can be hard to find time to talk to your teenage children but I love sitting on her bed, leaning against the wall, and catching up with her.”

—Kim Dauser

Scot All respondents were interviewed at Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment.

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Kim

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the vine » Amy Collins “Oregon is on the same latitude as Burgundy, the French region famous for making the world’s best Pinot Noir.”

Oregon Pinot Noir I RECENTLY ATTENDED THE ANNUAL BIRMINGHAM PINOT CAMP, a collaboration of Alabama distributors to bring together all represented Oregon producers in our state for a single trade and consumer wine tasting and to celebrate the noble Pinot Noir grape. Oregon’s wine growing history is relatively young, and from the start, the industry has worked together to promote the region as one brand: Oregon Wine.

Oregon wine made its first impression on me in exactly that vein. I was selling wine for Daniel Johnnes in New York a few years ago when the five Oregon producers we represented came to town for “work withs”—an industry term for taking a winemaker or winery representative around to meet your customers, in effort to sell their respective wines. Winemakers do not typically travel in packs, but this group flew together from Oregon, and we dragged them up and down Manhattan, introducing them as the Oregon Guys, while each took his turn with the customer’s attention.

The crew included some of the most accomplished winemakers from the Willamette Valley, including Eric Lemelson, Josh Bergström, Eric Hamacher, and Adam Campbell of Elk Cove, which made it that much easier to fall in love with Oregon. The guys were shy, outgoing, loud, and soft spoken. They were fun to be with and passionate about their wines. And the wines were well crafted, impressive, and intoxicating (on several levels). Individuals and independent thinkers, their collective effort and their willingness to share the spotlight spoke volumes about the Oregon wine business. After that week, Oregon wine has forever been near the top of my drinking list.

From a purely humanistic stance, it’s hard not to like a region-wide movement to support one another in business. Oregon is the smallest wine-growing region in the Pacific Northwest, shadowed by both Washington and Northern California.

Willamette Valley producers host an annual Pinot Camp of their own—the original, actually—entertaining, educating, and indoctrinating a slew of wine trade people for a long, spirited weekend every July. It’s the sort of camaraderie many of us in the Shoals talk about achieving, bridging the four towns to promote and celebrate the life we love here.

Below: The Willamette Valley— the heart of Oregon’s winemaking industry

And then there’s the dedication to environmental protection. Many Oregon vineyards and wines are LIVE certified. LIVE is an acronym for Low Input Viticulture and Enology (grape growing and winemaking). Of course not everyone obtains the certification, and not everyone places such concerns as a priority, but there’s enough

of a presence to promise everyone is at least conscious of steps that can be taken to treat their vineyards kindly.

Finally, there are the wines. Oregon is on the same latitude as Burgundy, the French region famous for making the world’s best Pinot Noir. Summers are generally cooler and wetter than in Washington and California, making it an ideal area to grow the thin skinned, rot-prone grape.

Pinot Noir is king here. You can find the oaky, extracted— though rarely as extracted as you’ll find in California—Pinot Noir, to the completely Natural, meaning nothing was added, nothing taken away, with a dedication to producing wine that expresses purity and place (terroir).

Willamette Valley (pronounced with a hard “a”) is the largest area with several sub-regions, like the Dundee Hills, known for its rich red soil, McMinnville, known for its sedimentary, dry soil that produces more powerful wines, and the Chehalem Mountains with less soil that produce Pinots with brighter fruit and earthy qualities. South of Portland is another handful of grape-growing areas with unique soil and climate combinations, each producing wines that reflect, in the best examples, the place from which they come.

Oregon produces great whites as well. Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer are good varietals for the region, some dry, some a little sweet, so you have to ask or be willing to find out for yourself. Excellent dry Rosé wine made from Pinot Noir is easy to find, a good value and highly recommended for patio sipping.

The beauty of Oregon Pinot Noir, if I haven’t made a case for it already, is the versatility of the wines. Pinot Noir generally produces lighter wines with elegance and soft, bright fruit. Even the most powerful cuvées will likely not overpower your palate.

The grape lends itself to easy paring, from salmon to roast chicken and pork to burgers, pizza and a variety of pasta. Pinot Noir may just be the perfect grape, and it’s certainly a safe bet for dinner parties where you don’t know what will be served.

Beginner’s Sipper (under $20) Elk Cove Rosé 2012—100% Pinot Noir grape, totally dry, with ripe, bright strawberry fruit and excellent acidity.

Knows Just Enough to Make Trouble ($20-$35) Mouton Noir O.P.P.—New York based winemaker André Mack travels to Oregon to make his garage wines. Other People’s Pinot embodies his easy persona and sense of humor. Goes with everything, always fun.

Music Director and Conductor Gregory Vajda

Music has personality. So do the composers and musicians that create it. For 2013-2014, the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra presents its 59th season, and it promises to be full of surprises— and personality. Season tickets are now on sale.

Won’t you join us this season?

High Roller’s Cuveé ($50+) Chehalem Estate ‘Stoller Vineyard’ 2010—elegant and subtly nuanced with excellent acidity, hints of dark chocolate, cherry, and pure Pinot expression from a single vineyard harvest.

Follow Amy at www.pigandvine.com for more stories and wine suggestions.

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256-539-4818 hso.org

82 Âť

parting shot Âť Patrick Hood

Casper, at home on his front porch outside Scottsboro, Alabama.

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