No'Ala Huntsville, September/October 2013 by No’Ala Studios

EAT LIKE A MAN/LIVE LIKE A MAN | GAME DAY GEAR | MASON DIXON BAKERY: FEEL GOOD FOOD

A NEWKINDOF FAMILYFARM SEPT/OCT 2013 $3.95

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CALLINGTHESHOTS WITHRECEDAVIS

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September/October 2013

BE A MAN (OR AT LEAST EAT LIKE ONE) We’ve grilled up some of the best tailgating recipes any carnivore would be proud to sink their teeth into. © ESPN IMAGES

PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

CALLING THE SHOTS WITH RECE DAVIS From North Alabama to ESPN, Rece Davis gives us the play-by-play of his journey as one of America’s favorite sports commentators.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE

EVOLUTION OF THE MAN CAVE Four unique spaces any man would love to call home.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD AND DANNY MITCHELL

AMANDA IN WONDERLAND Amanda Chapman is a girl who loves Halloween—and it shows.

FEEL GOOD FOOD The Ramirez family wants you to know that gluten-free doesn’t have to be taste-free.

FASHION TO DIE FOR Chillingly beautiful fashion in some of the Huntsville’s most haunted locations.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL AND BRIGETTE CHRISTOPHER

PHOTOS BY WHITE RABBIT STUDIOS PRODUCED BY CLAIRE STEWART White Rabbit Studios

A NEW KIND OF FAMILY FARM Tate Farms grows up a crop of fun year-round.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY IAN MCCALISTER

BY ALLEN TOMLINSON PHOTOS BY AMANDA CHAPMAN AND EVAN TIDWELL

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contents September/October 2013 Volume 2: Issue 5 ••• C. Allen Tomlinson Editor-In-Chief David Sims Creative Director Contributing Writers Amy Collins, Sarah Gaede, Laura Anders Lee, Claire Stewart, Allen Tomlinson, Molly Tomlinson, Will Whaley Contributing Photographers Amanda Chapman, Brigette Christopher, Patrick Hood, Ian McCalister, Danny Mitchell, Evan Tidwell, White Rabbit Studios Marketing Coordinators/Advertising Sales Myra Sawyer, Heidi King Features Manager Claire Stewart Ian McCalister

Business Manager Roy Hall Graphic Designer Rowan Finnegan Interns Will Whaley •••

N O ’A L A H U N T S V I L L E ADV IS ORY B OAR D

Calendar Events for September-October 2013

Market Game Day Gear BY CLAIRE STEWART

The Vine Argentine Wines BY AMY COLLINS

Bless Their Hearts “You Can Go Home Again” BY MOLLY TOMLINSON

Food for Thought “Trick or Treat—Old-School Style” Baking up some meringue ghosts BY SARAH GAEDE

LoweDown “Do You Have Any Superstitions?” BY CLAIRE STEWART

Jennifer Doss Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Leslie Ecklund Burritt on the Mountain Dan Halcomb Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Jeff Johnson Terramé Day Spa & Salon Elizabeth Jones Burritt on the Mountain Ginger Penney Liles Matthew Liles AIDS Action Coalition Patrick Robbins Alabama Pain Center Charles Vaughn Vaughn Lumber Company Anna Baker Warren Anna Baker Warren Interiors

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

Parting Shot BY IAN MCCALISTER Join us on Facebook: No’Ala Huntsville

editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson « 7

Autumn in North Alabama is marked by a kick-oﬀ at one end and holidays at the other, and is pretty much about three things: football, outdoor activities in cooler weather, and football. Wait, have I mentioned that one already? Whether you like football or not—or even understand it—you can’t help but notice that it is sort of an obsession in Alabama. For those of you who can’t wait to see how your college team will do, there’s a lot for you in this issue: you’ll meet Rece Davis, from North Alabama, a man you probably already think you know because you see him on ESPN. We’ll show you some “Man Caves,” where other lucky men gather their friends to watch the games, and we’ve put together some recipes that will give you something to chew on while you’re cheering on your team. (With a borrowed Primo Grill, we personally prepared everything you’ll see in this issue, and then ate it to make sure it was good. I can’t tell you it was healthy, but it was insanely delicious.) For those of you who are football-challenged, there are plenty of other things to read about—and do—this fall. We’ll tell you a few ghost stories and show you some beautiful fashion. We’ll introduce you to Amanda Chapman, who loves Halloween so much she transforms herself (and others). You’ll even learn about a bakery that specializes in gluten-free goodies. There’s a lot of variety this time! If you look at the calendar in this issue, you’ll see that there are a lot of activities planned for September and October, traditionally cooler and beautiful months (although this summer was unusually mild. And wet.) Tate Farms, in Meridianville, is a spot where many families head for an autumn tradition—it’s a place to pick the perfect pumpkin and spend a beautiful fall day. The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra kicks oﬀ their 59th season in October, and is bringing 2CELLOS, a remarkable pair of musicians who play pop music on not-very-pop instruments, later that month. It’s a great time to visit Burritt on the Mountain or the Botanical Gardens to see the changing colors, or take in an exhibit at the Museum. If you like music, Huntsville’s AAC is presenting a concert and fashion show in Florence called Red Rhythm Runway to celebrate local music and local fashion designers. The Monte Sano Art Festival returns in September, too. And, in case you have forgotten that you live in Alabama, there’s football. A general rule of thumb in this part of the world is to check the football schedules before you plan a weekend party—that is, if you want anyone to come to your event! Enjoy the shorter days, the beautiful colors of fall, and War Tide. Or however that goes. I hope your team wins!

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calendar

Microwave Dave and the Nukes 6:00pm; Admission charged; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

Now Through Fall Little Garden Little Me Mon-Sat 9:00am-5:00pm; Sun noon-5:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 582-5259; hsvbg.org Now-September 21 Carnegie Visual Arts Center Presents Embracing Art: A Coming Together of Area Amateur and Professional Artists Tues-Fri 10:00am-5:00pm and Sat 10:00am-2:00pm; Free; Carnegie Visual Arts Center; 207 Church St., Decatur; (256) 341-0562; carnegiearts.org Now-September 29 Memories of World War II/Photography from the Archives of the Associated Press Tues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun1:00pm-4:00pm; $10 admission for adults, $8 for military, students, and teachers, and $5 for children 6-11; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org Now Through October 31 Scarecrow Trail and Enchanted Forest Mon-Sat 9:00am-5:00pm; Sun noon-5:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 582-5259; hsvbg.org Now-January Museum Academy Instructors Exhibit Tues-Sat 11:00am-4:00pm and until 8:00pm on Thurs, and Sun1:00pm-4:00pm; Free; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org Sunday, September 1 - Monday, September 2 Northeast Alabama State Fair Sun 2:00pm-11:00pm; Mon 2:00pm9:00pm; Admission charged; John Hunt Park; (256) 883-5252; huntsville.org

End of Summer Celebration: Four-Star Jazz Orchestra and Rocket City Jazz Orchestra 6:00pm; Free; Atrium of main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library; 915 Monroe St.; (256) 532-5975; hmcpl.org Madison County Medical Society Presents: On-Call! New Physician Welcome 6:00pm-midnight; Free for new physician and guest and $50 for non-members; the Ledges; 35 Castle Downs Dr.; (256) 881-7321; madisoncountydoctors.org Black Jacket Symphony Performs The Rolling Stones’ Some Girls 8:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; hso.org Monkey Speak Open Mic Night 8:00pm; $5; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; flyingmonkeyarts.org Saturday, September 7 Madison City Farmers Market 8:00am-noon; Free; 1282 Hughes Rd.; (256) 656-7841; madisoncityfarmersmarket.com Tennessee Valley Arabian Horse Show 8:00am; Free; Agribition Center; 4592 Moores Mill Rd.; (256) 859-5896 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Huntsville Ghost Walk 6:00pm; From $5 for children and $10 for adults; 124 South Side Sq.; (256) 509-3940; huntsvilleghostwalk.com

HSO Presents 2Cellos October 25

Sci-Quest Parents’ Night Out: Earth Moves 6:00-9:00pm; $20 for first child; $15 for additional children ages 4-12; 102 D Wynn Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org

Wednesday, September 4 Jimmie Vaughan and the Tilt-a-Whirl Band 7:30pm; From $33; Merrimack Hall; 3320 Triana Blvd., Huntsville; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com

Planetarium Program: Ice Giants-Uranus and Neptune 7:30pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park and Lodge Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground; (256) 539-0316

Thursday, September 5

Cocktails and Dogtails 5:00pm-8:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Friday, September 6 Friday Night Artist Market 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

Dean Bertoncelj

Meet the Artist Luncheon with Andy Winn Noon-2:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

Sunday, September 8 North Alabama Spay Neuter Clinic Open House 2:00pm-4:00pm; Free; 3303 N. Memorial Pkwy; (256) 489-0418

Monday, September 9 Black Jacket Symphony Performs The Rolling Stones’ Some Girls 8:00pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; hso.org

Thursday, September 12

4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org

Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com

Concerts on the Docks: Vagabond Swing 6:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

Cocktails and Dogtails 5:00pm-8:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org

Homegrown Comedy Show 8:00pm-10:00pm; $7; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net

Dine and Dash Trolley Tour 6:00pm; $30; Various locations in downtown Huntsville; (256) 683-0966; homegrownhuntsville.com

Friday, September 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday, September 15 Theatre Huntsville Presents Southern Hospitality Fri-Sat 7:30pm; Sun 2:00pm; $18 adults and $15 for students; military and seniors; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org

Vive le Livre: Rick Bragg 6:00pm; From $75; Thurber Auditorium at Randolph School; 4915 Garth Rd.; (256) 532-5954; huntsvillelibraryfoundation.org

Saturday, September 14

Beloved Book Club 6:30pm-7:30pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards Celebration Dinner 5:00pm cocktails and 6:00pm dinner; $85; Von Braun Center North Hall; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 535-2000; hsvchamber.org Friday, September 13 Friday Night Artist Market 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Camp Out in the Garden 5:30pm-8:00am; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden;

Madison City Farmers Market 8:00am-noon; Free; 1282 Hughes Rd.; (256) 656-7841; madisoncityfarmersmarket.com Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Huntsville Ghost Walk 6:00pm; From $5 for children and $10 for adults; 124 South Side Sq.; (256) 509-3940; huntsvilleghostwalk.com Planetarium Program: Ice Giants-Uranus and Neptune 7:30pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park and Lodge Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground; (256) 539-0316

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Sunday, September 15 Drop in and Create 1:30pm-2:30pm; $10 admission for adults, $8 for military, teachers, and students, and $5 for children 6-11; Huntsville Museum of Art; 300 Church St.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org Tuesday, September 17 Art with a Twist 5:30-8:00pm; $35-$45; 32 Castle Down Dr.; (256) 535-4350; hsvmuseum.org Tuesday, September 17 – Wednesday, September 18 Sesame Street Live! Tues at 6:30pm and Wed at 10:30am; From $17; Von Braun Center; 700 Monroe St.; ticketmaster.com Thursday, September 19 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Cocktails and Dogtails 5:00pm-8:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org Beloved Story Slam 7:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Friday, September 20 Friday Night Artist Market 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Third Friday Decatur 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Bank St. and Second Ave. in Decatur; (256) 350-2028 Concerts on the Docks: The Bear and the Pyles 6:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Sci-Quest Parents’ Night Out: Earth Moves 6:00-9:00pm; $20 for first child; $15 for additional children ages 4-12; 102 D Wynn Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org Fine Arts Quartet 7:30pm; Admission charged; Trinity United Methodist Church; 607 Airport Rd; (256) 489-7415; hcmg.us Thursday, September 19 – Saturday, September 21 Theatre Huntsville Presents Southern Hospitality Thurs-Fri 7:30pm; Sat 2:00pm; $18 adults and $15 for students; military and seniors; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 536-0807; yourseatiswaiting.org Friday, September 20 – Sunday, September 22 NEACA Fall Craft Show Fri and Sat 9:00am-7:00pm and Sun noon-5:00pm; Free; Von Braun Center South Hall; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953

Monte Sano Art Show 9:00am-5:00pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park; (205) 657-0876 Train Excursion North Alabamian 10:00am and 1:00pm; Admission charged; North Alabama Railroad Museum; 694 Chase Rd.; (256) 683-7953 National Children’s Advocacy Center Presents Blush and Brunch 10:00am; $25 for children and $10 for adults; pancake brunch followed by makeover and meet and greet with Miss America; Huntsville High School; (256) 327-3783 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Huntsville Ghost Walk 6:00pm; From $5 for children and $10 for adults; 124 South Side Sq.; (256) 509-3940; huntsvilleghostwalk.com The Dean Martinis 7:00pm-11:00pm; $7 students and $10 general public; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Planetarium Program: Fall Skies 7:30pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park and Lodge Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground; (256) 539-0316 Moon over Three Caves Dance 7:00pm-11:00pm; $65; Three Caves, Huntsville with shuttle from Huntsville Hospital; (256) 534-5263; landtrustnal.org Monday, September 23 – Thursday, October 31 Tate Farms Pumpkin Patch Mon-Fri 2:00pm-6:00pm; Sat 9:00am-6:00pm; Admission charged; 8414 Moores Mill Rd.; Meridianville; (256) 828-8288; tatefarmsal.com Tuesday, September 24 Concert: Black Crowes 7:30pm; From $45; Von Braun Center; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953 Wednesday, September 25 Art Critique 6:00pm-7:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Wayne Flynt and Kate Campbell “Live at the Library” 6:30pm; Free; Auditorium of main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library; 915 Monroe St.; (256) 532-5975; hmcpl.org Thursday, September 26 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Cocktails and Dogtails 5:00pm-8:00pm; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447; hsvbg.org

Saturday, September 21

Friday, September 27

Madison City Farmers Market 8:00am-noon; Free; 1282 Hughes Rd.; (256) 656-7841; madisoncityfarmersmarket.com

9th Annual EarlyWorks Family of Museums Golf Invitational 8:00am; From $150; the Links Golf Course at Redstone Arsenal; (256) 564-8100; earlyworks.com

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Friday Night Artist Market 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Author Event: Jefferson Bass 6:30pm; Admission charged; Atrium of main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library; 915 Monroe St.; (256) 532-5954; hmcpl.org Epic Comedy Hour 8:00pm-10:00pm; $7; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Friday, September 27 – Sunday, September 29 Play: Chicago Fri 8:00pm; Sat 2:00pm and 8:00pm; Sun 2:00pm and 7:30pm; Von Braun Center Concert Hall; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 518-6155; broadwaytheatreleague.org Saturday, September 28 Madison City Farmers Market 8:00am-noon; Free; 1282 Hughes Rd.; (256) 656-7841; madisoncityfarmersmarket.com Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Huntsville Ghost Walk 6:00pm; From $5 for children and $10 for adults; 124 South Side Sq.; (256) 509-3940; huntsvilleghostwalk.com Planetarium Program: Ice Giants-Uranus and Neptune 7:30pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park and Lodge Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground; (256) 539-0316 Tuesday, October 1 – Saturday, November 9 Carnegie Visual Arts Center Presents Earth Vessels: Works of Clay Tues-Fri 10:00am-5:00pm and Sat 10:00am-2:00pm; Free admission; Carnegie Visual Arts Center; 207 Church St., Decatur; (256) 341-0562; carnegiearts.org Thursday, October 3 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Friday, October 4 Friday Night Artist Market 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Camp Out in the Garden 5:30pm-8:00am; Admission charged; Huntsville Botanical Garden; 4747 Bob Wallace Ave.; (256) 830-4447 Paul Barrère and Fred Tackett 7:30pm; From $33; Merrimack Hall; 3320 Triana Blvd.; Huntsville; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Presents McDuffie Plays Bernstein 7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall, (256) 539-4818; hso.org

Friday, October 4 – Saturday, October 5 Huntsville Ghost Walk 6:00pm; From $5 for children and $10 for adults; 124 South Side Sq.; (256) 509-3940; huntsvilleghostwalk.com Friday, October 4 – Sunday, October 6 Independent Musical Productions presents Les Miserables Fri and Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2:30pm; $15-$25; Lee High School; (256) 415-7469; imphuntsville.org Saturday, October 5 Madison City Farmers Market 8:00am-noon; Free; 1282 Hughes Rd.; (256) 656-7841; madisoncityfarmersmarket.com Madison Street Festival 8:30am-4:00pm; Free; Main St., Madison; (888) 228-5845 North Alabama Scottish Festival 9:00am-4:30pm; $10 adults and $5 children 6-12; Sharon Johnston Park; (256) 483-6589; tennesseevalleyscottishsociety.org Five Points Historic District Walking Tour 10:00am; Free; 500 Church St; (256) 551-2230; huntsville.org Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Sci-Quest Parents’ Night Out: Can You Hear Me Now? 6:00-9:00pm; $20 for first child; $15 for additional children ages 4-12; 102 D Wynn Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org Planetarium Program: Ice Comets 7:30pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park and Lodge Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground; (256) 539-0316 Thursday, October 10 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Beloved Book Club 6:30pm-7:30pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Author Event: An Evening with Robert Inman 7:00pm; Free; Auditorium of main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library; 915 Monroe St.; (256) 532-5975; hmcpl.org Concert: Don Williams 7:30pm; From $39.50; Von Braun Center; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; ticketmaster.com Friday, October 11 Friday Night Artist Market 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Concert: Rascal Flatts and The Band Perry 7:00pm; From $39.50; Von Braun Center; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; ticketmaster.com Friday, October 11 – Saturday, October 12 Huntsville Ghost Walk 6:00pm; From $5 for children and $10 for adults; 124 South Side Sq.; (256) 509-3940; huntsvilleghostwalk.com

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Friday, October 18 Friday Night Artist Market 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 5330399; lowemill.net

Friday, October 11 – Sunday, October 13

Third Friday Decatur 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Bank St. and Second Ave. in Decatur; (256) 350-2028

Fanfare 2013 Quilt Show Admission charged; Fri and Sat 10:00am-6:00pm; Sun noon-4:00pm; Von Braun Center; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 683-8832 Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater presents Peter Pan Fri 7:30pm, Sat and Sun 1:30 and 5:00; From $14; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 400 Monroe St.; (256) 539-6829; letthemagicbegin.org Independent Musical Productions presents Les Miserabless Fri and Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2:30pm; $15$25; Lee High School; (256) 415-7469; imphuntsville.org

Sci-Quest Parents’ Night Out: Can You Hear Me Now? 6:00-9:00pm; $20 for first child; $15 for additional children ages 4-12; 102 D Wynn Dr.; (256) 837-0606; sci-quest.org

Monte Sano Art Show September 21

Saturday, October 12 Madison City Farmers Market 8:00am-noon; Free; 1282 Hughes Rd.; (256) 656-7841; madisoncityfarmersmarket.com Punkin’ Pickin’ Run 9:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm; Admission charged; North Alabama Railroad Museum, 694 Chase Rd.; (256) 683-7953 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Planetarium Program: Ice Comets 7:30pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park and Lodge Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground; (256) 539-0316 The Rick Taylor Band with Special Guest Claire Lynch 7:30pm; $20; Merrimack Hall; 3320 Triana Blvd., Huntsville; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com Brian Regan Live Comedy Tour 8:00pm; From $39.50; Von Braun Center; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; ticketmaster.com Thursday, October 17 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Thursday Evenings Concerts at the Library: Celtic Folk Band SlipJig 6:00pm; Free; Atrium of main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library; 915 Monroe St.; (256) 532-5975; hmcpl.org Beloved Story Slam 7:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Thursday, October 17 – Saturday, October 19 Independent Musical Productions presents Les Miserables 7:30pm; $15-$25; Lee High School; (256) 415-7469; imphuntsville.org

Friday, October 18 – Saturday, October 19 International Heritage Festival at Burritt on the Mountain 9:00am to 4:00pm; Admission charged; 3101 Burritt Dr.; (256) 536-2882; burrittonthemountain.com

Huntsville Ghost Walk 6:00pm; From $5 for children and $10 for adults; 124 South Side Sq.; (256) 509-3940; huntsvilleghostwalk.com Friday, October 18 – Sunday, October 20 Fantasy Playhouse Children’s Theater presents Peter Pan Fri 7:30pm, Sat and Sun 1:30 and 5:00; From $14; Von Braun Center Playhouse; 400 Monroe St.; (256) 539-6829; letthemagicbegin.org Saturday, October 19 Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Annual Liz Hurley Ribbon Run 7:30am men 5K, 9:00am women 5K and 10am survivors; 817 Adams St.; Huntsville; (256) 265-8077 Madison City Farmers Market 8:00am-noon; Free; 1282 Hughes Rd.; (256) 656-7841; madisoncityfarmersmarket.com Mill Village Woolery Hook-In Workshop 9:00am-5:00pm; $40; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Huntsville Chamber Music Guild: Van Cliburn 2013 Medalists 2:00pm and 7:30pm; $25 adults, $20 seniors and $15 students; Trinity United Methodist Church; 607 Airport Rd.; (256) 489-7415; hcmg.us Rocket City Short Film Festival 7:00pm-11:00pm; $7; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Planetarium Program: Exploring the Solar System 7:30pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park and Lodge Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground; (256) 539-0316 Sunday, October 20 Johnny Stallings Arts Program Fall Fashion Show 4:00pm; $20; Merrimack Hall; 3320 Triana Blvd.; Huntsville; (256) 534-6455; merrimackhall.com

Wednesday, October 23 Art Critique 6:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Concert: John Fogerty 7:30pm; From $58; Von Braun Center; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 533-1953; johnfogerty.com Thursday, October 24 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Friday, October 25 Friday Night Artist Market 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Huntsville Symphony Orchestra Presents 2Cellos 7:30pm; Admission charged; Von Braun Center Concert Hall; 700 Monroe St.; (256) 539-4818; hso.org Huntsville Chamber Music Guild: Van Cliburn 2013 Medalists 7:30pm; $25 adults, $20 seniors and $15 students; Trinity United Methodist Church; 607 Airport Rd.; (256) 489-7415; hcmg.us Friday, October 25 – Saturday, October 26 Huntsville Ghost Walk 6:00pm; From $5 for children and $10 for adults; 124 South Side Sq.; (256) 509-3940; huntsvilleghostwalk.com Friday, October 25 – Sunday, October 27 Huntsville Ballet Unplugged Fri and Sat 7:30pm, Sat and Sun 2:30pm; from $20; Von Braun Center Playhouse, 700 Monroe St., (256) 539-0961, huntsvilleballetcompany.org Saturday, October 26 Madison City Farmers Market 8:00am-noon; Free; 1282 Hughes Rd.; (256) 656-7841; madisoncityfarmersmarket.com Fall Color Special Train Ride 10:00am and 1:00pm; North Alabama Railroad Museum; 694 Chase Rd.; (256) 683-7953 Artist Market Noon-4:00pm; Free; Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Planetarium Program: Exploring the Solar System 7:30pm; Admission charged; Monte Sano State Park and Lodge Planetarium, beside the Country Grocery Store & Campground; (256) 539-0316 Brotha Ric sponsored by the Huntsville Swing Society 7:00pm-11:00pm; $7 students and $10 general public; Flying Monkey at Lowe Mill; (256) 533-0399; lowemill.net Thursday, October 31 Greene Street Market 4:00pm-8:00pm; Free; 208 Eustis Ave. at Greene St.; greenestreetmarket.com Thursday, November 21 Nativity’s Annual Bazaar 10:30am bake sale and craft show and 11:15am and 12:30pm luncheon seatings; Admission charged; Church of the Nativity; 208 Eustis Ave. SE; (256) 509-9962 S EPTEMBER /O CTOBER 2013 | NOALAPRESS . COM | 15

Dean Bertoncelj

2CELLOS Friday, October 25, 2013 • 7:30 p.m. From Vegas with Elton John . . . 2CELLOS!

• Friday, October 25, 2013, at 7:30 p.m. • Mark C. Smith Concert Hall, VBC • Tickets only $25 - $50 These classically-trained musicians really rock, performing the greatest hits of U2, Coldplay, The Police, Muse, Michael Jackson, Sting, Nirvana, Guns N’ Roses, Rihanna, AC/DC, Kings of Leon and more! Get a sample of their energetic talent at www.2cellos.com. On sale Monday, July 22, 9:00 a.m.

An HSO Special Presentation

Tickets: 256-539-4818 or www.hso.org

Performed without orchestra

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scene Bill Propst and Julie Kastanakis

Silent Auction

Team Bella and Lyndsay Coats; Mark and Cindy Russell

Emily and Jack Moody

Silent Auction

Mike Reiney, Mousse and Deanna Bayless, and Emily Reiney

Anne Sentell

Silent Auction

Above: Therapy Partners’ ‘Dog Days of Summer’ Fundraiser

Below: Save the Date–Eight Eight! AUGUST 8, 2013  THE R AILROAD BUILDING

JULY 26, 2013  DOWNTOWN HUNTSVILLE

Kenny Anderson and Troy Trulock Army Materiel Command Band Krista Campbell and Barbara Zietler Eula Battle and Nicole Jones

Josie Wachi and Nicole Kanyanduga

Suzanne Conway and Foster Shrout

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

LaKetta Montague Tamara Watts, and Ken Smith

Nicole Jones and Tommy Battle

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 S EPTEMBER /O CTOBER 2013 | NOALAPRESS . COM | 19

PHOTOS BY WHITE R ABBIT STUDIOS » TEXT BY JACQUELYN PROCTER REEVES » PRODUCED BY CLAIRE STEWART HAIR AND MAKEUP BY NANCY FINNEGAN

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Huntsville Depot The Historic Huntsville Depot was built in 1860â&#x20AC;&#x201D;just in time for the beginning of the Civil War, in which the Depot played a key role as the point of departure for many north Alabama soldiers who boarded trains there on their way to battle. But the Depot played another role: as a prison for 159 or so Confederate soldiers who were held as POWs after the April 1862 takeover of Huntsville. Some of the spirits still residing in the depot are soldiers who show guests where they were held hostage. Red Skinny Jeans ($43.50) J Whitener Tassle Tank ($29.90) J Whitener Necklace and Earrings (set for $24) J Whitener Hobo Purse ($188) Market House Coconut Wedges ($46.19) J Whitener

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Walker Street A century ago, young families with active, healthy children resided in the homes of Walker Street. The houses, among the prettiest in town, date as far back as the 1820s. By the summer of 1918, the war was ending but Spanish Flu was running rampant through cities across the country. Children and the elderly were said to be hit the worst by the illness. The child victims of the flu seemed to have never left their homes in downtown Huntsville. Many visitors to Walker Street report the sound of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s laughter, and some have felt a phantom dog brush up against their leg. Some have heard the names of the children as they are called out by their playmates. Lace Dress ($54) Uptown Girl Black Peep Toed Pumps ($44.95) Austinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shoes Pewter Cuff Bracelet ($11) Shoefly Charcoal Earrings ($11.50) Market House Hobo Clutch ($100) Market House

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Big Spring Park In 1805, John Hunt arrived in Huntsville and decided to settle in the Twickenham neighborhoods around Big Spring. During this time, the native Muscogee people were being slowly and forcefully pushed off the land. It is said that those first inhabitants still haunt the spring and hold feelings of betrayal towards Huntsvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founders. YA Dress ($44) Cotton Cottage Headpiece, commissioned by Carson Richey Abell Black Stone Earrings ($28) Cotton Cottage Gold Chain Bracelet ($24) Cotton Cottage

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Old Bank Building The old bank building on the downtown square was built in 1835. During the Civil War, the vault was ransacked for gold, valuables, and papers to find out who the important townspeople were. The building would have been burned down by the soldiers if it were not made of solid stone. Many of the ghosts in the bank building are bank employees who do not realize the building has not been used as a bank in years. The most noted spirit is a bookkeeper named Lilly. She has been known for scolding visitors for bothering her and the staff at the bank. Coconuts Wedges ($46.19) J Whitener Allison Parris Skirt ($325) Finery Earrings ($15) J Whitener Vintage Feather Headpiece ($200) Finery

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Pope’s Mansion LeRoy Pope is known locally as the Father of Huntsville. Pope boasted that from the front porch of his home, on today’s Echols Hill, he had the finest view of all of downtown Huntsville. Many of Pope’s slaves are said to haunt the grounds today. Visitors on the ghost walk have seen the ghost of a black man with gloves and a tuxedo step out from behind a tree, then disappear back into the darkness. Allison Parris Ostrich Feather Dress ($650) Finery Pearl Necklace ($22.50) Uptown Girl Black Peep Toe Pumps ($44.95) Austin’s Shoes

About Jacquelyn Procter Reeves Jacquelyn Procter Reeves is a native New Mexican although her maternal ancestors were earliest settlers of Madison and Limestone County. She has written 12 books on local history and true crime, including her latest, Murder Untenured: Amy Bishop’s Rampage. She is president of the Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society, curator of the Donnell House in Athens, Associate Editor of Old Tennessee Valley Magazine, and past editor of Tennessee Valley Leaves and the Historical Review. Jacquelyn is the founder of Avalon Tours and co-founder of the Huntsville Ghost Walk, the new Madison Ghost Walk, and Mischief and Mayhem Tours. She is even related to some of the ghosts on her ghost walks!

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PORSCHE OF HUNTSVILLE AND GROGAN JEWELERS PRESENT

red rhythm runway SHOALS FASHION & MUSIC: TOGETHER AT LAST

SEPTEMBER 28, 2013 路 6:30PM MARRIOTT SHOALS CONFERENCE CENTER $65 RESERVED SEATS $50 GENERAL ADMISSION

PORSCHE OF HUNTSVILLE

The AAC is a nonprofit organization that depends largely on monetary donations from individuals and businesses in the community. All proceeds will help our neighbors here in the Shoals.

aidsactioncoalition.org

Music funded by a grant from

IT’S A LITTLE BIT COUTURE. IT’S A LITTLE BIT ROCK AND ROLL. F E AT U R I N G A N A L L - S TA R B A N D : Jimmy Hall Lead Vocals Shawna P Lead Vocals David Hood Bass Will McFarlane Guitar Kelvin Holly Guitar Gary Nichols Guitar Mike Dillon Drums N.C. Thurman Keyboards Brad Guin Saxophone Ken Watters Trumpet Chad Fisher Trombone

W I T H FA S H I O N S B Y : Alabama Chanin Billy Reid Marianna Barksdale

A F T E R PA R T Y POP-UP SHOPS AND MORE!

···T I C K E T S ··· VISIT RRRUNWAY.COM, OR CALL 256-536-4700, X125

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(or just eat like one) PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD » TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON AND WILL WHALEY

Fall in Alabama is a social time. We tailgate, we grill, we picnic; we invite friends over to share. No’Ala gathered recipes for easy-to-prepare items that can be easily grilled and can feed a crowd. No claims are made about health beneﬁts (for example, just about everything here requires a healthy dose of bacon), but we can personally attest to the taste. These are delicious!

(or just eat like one)

CHEW ON THIS The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most expensive drink is the Henri IV Dudognon Heritage Cognac Grande Champagne, costing about $1.9 million a bottle.

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STUFFED JALAPEÑO PEPPERS BY SHANE TERRY

Ingredients • 15-20 jalapeño peppers • 1 lb sausage • 1 block cream cheese • 1 package of thick cut bacon • Honey BBQ sauce (optional) • Toothpicks Instructions Brown sausage & drain. While sausage is still warm, mix with cream cheese. Place mixture in 1 gallon Ziploc bag. Wash jalapeño peppers & cut in half (top to bottom), remove membrane and seed. Cut a bottom corner out of Ziploc bag and squeeze sausage/cream cheese mixture into pepper halves. Wrap each pepper with half a slice of bacon secured with toothpick. Cook on grill at 350 degrees, indirect heat (Shane prefers apple or cherry wood for smoke). Poppers are done when bacon is crisp. You can finish these with a sweet or honey BBQ sauce the last 5-10 minutes of cooking.

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(or just eat like one)

GRILLED FLANK STEAK AND BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH QUESO FRESCO, PICKLED ONIONS, AND JALAPEﾃ前S BY CHEF JEFF EUBANKS

Cuban-Style Black Beans • 3 cans black beans, strained • 1/2 yellow onion, quartered • 2 cloves garlic • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped • 1 tomato, quartered • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce Spice Mix (for Black Beans) • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar • 3 tbsp chili powder • 2 tbsp ground cumin • 1 tbsp black pepper • 1tsp white pepper • 2 tsp onion powder • 2 tsp granulated garlic • 1 tbsp oregano • 2 tbsp paprika • 4 cups chicken stock In a food processor or blender, puree yellow onion, garlic cloves, cilantro, tomato, chipotle pepper, and red wine vinegar. Add puree, black beans and spice mix to a 2 quart sauce pan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and reduce liquid by 1/3. Pickled Onions and Jalapeños • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced • 1/2 cup orange juice • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar • Juice of 1 lime • Juice of 1 lemon • 2 tbsp sugar • 1 tbsp kosher salt Put the sliced jalapeño and a red onion in a 1 pt jar with the jalapeños on the bottom. In a sauce pan, bring the remaining ingredients to a rolling boil then remove from heat. Pour boiling pickling liquid over onions and jalapeños to fill the jar. Let it cool to room temperature, then put the lid on and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight. Flank Steak Marinade • 1.5-2 lbs flank steak • 1 cup lime juice • 1/2 cup olive oil • 1/2 cup chopped fresh garlic Add all ingredients to a Ziploc bag and refrigerate/marinate for 3 hours. After 3 hours, remove from Ziploc bag and pat dry. Flank Steak Seasoning • 2 tbsp kosher salt • 1 tbsp granulated garlic • 2 tbsp chili powder Season flank steaks with seasoning and grill on each side 2 minutes on a hot grill for medium rare. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice thinly on an angle, against the grain. While steak is grilling, heat up corn tortillas on top rack of grill until warm and pliable. To assemble tacos: Spoon on black beans, lay strips of flank steak over beans, crumble queso fresco, pickled onions, and jalapeños and top with fresh cilantro and sour cream. S EPTEMBER /O CTOBER 2013 | NOALAPRESS . COM | 39

(or just eat like one)

CHEW ON THIS At this year’s annual 4th of July hotdog eating contest in San Jose, California, Joey Chestnut beat his own record by eating 69 hotdogs, consuming more than 20,000 calories in just 10 minutes.

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Ingredients • 2 lbs sausage • 2 lbs thick cut bacon • 1 lb cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese • 1 bottle BBQ sauce • 1 jar BBQ rub Instructions Make a 5x5 or 6x6 bacon weave, season with BBQ rub. Fry remainder of bacon and crumble. Pat out two pounds of sausage over bacon weave, cover with cheese and crumbled bacon. Top with BBQ sauce. Roll the piece into a log and secure roll with toothpicks. Smoke on indirect grill or smoker at 225 degrees until internal temp reaches 165 degrees. Baste log with BBQ sauce the last 10-15 minutes of cooking. Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

BACON EXPLOSION OR “THE FATTY” BY SHANE TERRY

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(or just eat like one)

TEXAS TACO DIP BY JT AND ALYSON RAY

CHEW ON THIS Denny McNurlen holds the record for eating the world’s biggest steak—or at least most it. He finished 155 ounces out of the 205-ounce “Big Kahuna,” served at AJ’s Steakhouse in Grinnell, Iowa.

Assemble, Bottom to Top Layer 1: 2 cans of refried beans. Layer 2: 1 cup of mayo, one cup of sour cream, and one package of taco soup mix Layer 3: 1 jar of guacamole dip (or fresh avocados, mashed) Layer 4: 2 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese Layer 5: 1 can of chopped tomatoes Layer 6: A layer of green onions Layer 7: A layer of black olives, sliced Serve with dipping chips or tortilla chips. Garnish with cilantro (optional).

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Huntsville Chamber Music Guild 2013-2014 Season Tickets and Info www.hcmg.us info@hcmg.us 256 489 7415 The Huntsville Chamber Music Guild ŝƐ ^ƵƉƉŽƌƚĞĚ ďǇ DĞŵďĞƌ 'ŝŌƐ͕ Concert Sponsorships and by grants from dŚĞ :ĂŶĞ <͘ >ŽǁĞ ŚĂƌŝƚĂďůĞ &ŽƵŶĚĂƟŽŶ and the Alabama State Council on the Arts

2013

2014

Fine Arts Quartet Sep 20, 7:30 pm

<ĞŶ ŽǁĂŶ͕ ŽƌŐĂŶ ǁŝƚŚ ,ƵŶƚƐǀŝůůĞ ŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ ŚŽƌƵƐ ŚĂŵďĞƌ ŚŽƌĂůĞ Jan 24, 7:30 pm

2013 Van Cliburn WŝĂŶŽ ŽŵƉĞƟƟŽŶ DĞĚĂůŝƐƚƐ Oct 19, 2:00 & 7:30 pm Oct 25, 7:30 pm Ying Quartet Nov 08, 7:30 pm ZŽďĞƌƚ DĐ ƵĸĞ͕ ǀŝŽůŝŶ͕ ǁŝƚŚ dŚĞ D ^ ŶƐĞŵďůĞ͕ ƐƚƌŝŶŐ ŽƌĐŚĞƐƚƌĂ ĂŶĚ DĂƌŐĞƌǇ DĐ ƵĨĨŝĞ tŚĂƚůĞǇ͕ ƉŝĂŶŽ Dec 14, 5:00 pm

ŵĂŶƵĞů ǆ͕ ƉŝĂŶŽ Mar 07, 7:30 pm ĞŶƚĞƌ ŝƚǇ Brass Quintet Apr 11, 7:30 pm

, D' ǀĞŶƚƐ Ăƚ dƌŝŶŝƚǇ DĞƚŚŽĚŝƐƚ ŚƵƌĐŚ ͻ ϲϬϳ ŝƌƉŽƌƚ ZĚ ^t͕ ,ƵŶƚƐǀŝůůĞ

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(or just eat like one)

GOUDA AND BACON STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN BY SHANE TERRY Ingredients • 1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1-1/4 lbs) • 5-6 pieces thick cut bacon (cooked and chopped) • 3 oz. of smoked Gouda (grated) • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley • 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper • 1 tsp olive oil • 1/4 tsp salt Instructions Set up grill for direct/indirect heat, 350 degrees (you can do this by putting charcoal on only one side or using one side of gas grill). Butterfly the pork tenderloin and pound it slightly to thin it out. Top with the gouda, bacon, parsley, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Roll the pork tenderloin up and tie with twine or toothpicks. Rub tenderloin with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place over direct heat 2-3 minutes each side until brown, move tenderloin to indirect side of grill and cook until internal temp reaches 145-150 degrees (about 35-45 minutes). Remove tenderloin and let it rest 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.

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market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Ian McCalister

The South Plate ($38.50) In Bloom (256) 533-3050

Crazy Creek Camping Chair ($48.50) Alabama Outdoors (256) 885-3561

Perfect Rim Recycled Goblets ($32) H. Raines Registry & Gifts (256) 270-9611

A-Line Dress ($63) A-Line Dress and Legging Set ($63) The Purple Peanut (256) 534-5767

Game Day Gear! The Big Bobber Floating Cooler ($41.99) The Famous Man Cave (256) 886-4362

Championship Package Salt Rubs ($7.10) Harrison Brothers Hardware (256) 536-3631

Food, Drinks, Beer, Dinnerware for 20, Tent, Two 52â&#x20AC;? TVs, Seating for 20, Bounce Center for Kids ($2000)

Gameday Tailgate Package Food, Drinks, Beer, and Dinnerware for 10 people (Starting at $200) Premier Unlimited (256) 701-2955

The South Bucket ($31.50) In Bloom (256) 533-3050

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market » Claire Stewart » Photos by Ian McCalister

Mini Gruet Champagne ($10.99) Mini Bellini ($7.99) The Wine Cellar (256) 489-9463

Sterling Silver Bracelet and 5 Beads ($425) Jamie Hood (256) 686-2852

Peter Millar Collegiate Shirts ($106.50 each) Needlepoint Coasters ($75/Set of Four) Pelican Joes (256) 882-1433

Jetboil Cooking System ($79.95/Propane Refills-$5) OR Papyrus Brim Hat ($30) Alabama Outdoors (256) 885-3561

Alabama Cheese Board ($53) Tilted Pitcher ($59.95) H. Raines Registry & Gifts (256) 270-9611

Iron Chopper and Base ($35.65) Pizza Slicer ($39.95) Harrison Brothers Hardware (256) 536-3631

Alabama Pail with Popcorn (Starting at $22.80) Auburn Tin with Popcorn (Starting at $18.20) What’s Popp’n (256) 489-9812

Big Green Egg Grills (Starting at $450) Johnson Pools and Spas (256) 533-3118

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EVOLUTION OF THE MAN CAVE PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD AND DANNY MITCHELL TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE AND WILL WHALEY

Guys used to sneak away to a basement or garage with a comfy recliner and remote control for voluntary solitary confinement. But today’s man cave has evolved into a multi-purpose room for a guy to share with his friends and family and express what he loves in life. Whether it’s hunting, rolling the dice, reliving a vacation, or just watching some good old-fashioned football, today’s man cave is the ultimate way to escape. We peeked inside some of the area’s coolest spaces to share a few ideas with you—just in time for kick off. (Continued)

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PHARMACY OWNER KEVIN ARNOLD’S MAN CAVE IN SPRING VALLEY is old-fashioned, Southern, and classic—”it never goes out of style,” he says. When Kevin and his wife Leah were building their Southern Living Idea House in 2007, they wanted a home for entertaining their family and friends. Set in the countryside among rolling hills and pastures, the grand home features a man cave that reflects the Arnold’s lifestyle of entertaining, hunting, and watching Alabama football. Kevin and his wife Leah, who are originally from Cullman, have a love for history and family heritage. Honoring his late grandmother Bernice Bailey, Kevin displays an antique piano and pew from Evergreen Methodist Church in Danville, where his grandmother attended as a child. Kevin brings more historic flair with a pressed tin ceiling and an antique bar from Reclaimed Wood in Hartselle, which they had to lower into the basement with a crane before the rest of the house was built. “You could say the house was literally built around the bar,” Kevin laughs. He also proudly showcases Nick Saban-signed Sports Illustrated covers and old pharmaceutical bottles, which his customers have shared with him from Village Discount Drugs and West Point Pharmacy. The Arnold’s man cave includes a pool table, guest bedroom, and bathroom, which come in handy during storms, and there’s even a separate shower for their two-year-old lab Moses. But perhaps the best of all are the trophies from each of the Arnold’s hunting trips, which include an African deer, Yukon elk, and a Canadian caribou. But don’t give Kevin all the credit. His wife Leah is a sharp-shooter, too.

A HUNTER’S DEN KEVIN ARNOLD, SPRING VALLEY

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CHANGES IN LATITUDE DENNY WINTERS, FLORENCE

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IT’S ALWAYS SUMMER INSIDE DENNY WINTERS’ MAN CAVE. Denny and his wife Mercy love entertaining, whether it’s hosting a carefully-planned fund-raiser or an impromptu neighborhood gathering. When the couple isn’t at their Indian River home, they love vacationing at the beach. So that’s why they’ve recreated a little tropical vacation in Denny’s man cave, and they’ve extended an open invitation to friends and family who are known to drop by almost every night of the week. “You know, they come over, rehash the day, have a drink, and try to solve the world’s problems,” Mercy says. Their guests also like to participate in Triathlons, which consist of pool, foosball, and darts. Do-It-Yourselfers, Denny and Mercy transformed the basement themselves. Walls are as bright and warm as the couple’s personality. Mercy painted most of the art, and Denny is responsible for all the handiwork, and for discovering some unique pieces like an old RC Cola sign. While Denny tiled the floors himself and installed the ceiling, his most impressive work is perhaps the bar, which he made himself with wood and old tin and then topped with 2,800 bottle caps, collected from various parties and brought back from friends during their world travels. Of course every good host also provides cold beer and great food, so there is always beer on tap in the kegerator and oftentimes a friendly competition like a rib cook-off. Denny’s next project is building a kitchen. “He makes gumbo and makes the biggest mess so I want him out of the upstairs,” Mercy laughs.

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FOR RUSTY ALEXANDER’S MAN CAVE, IT IS VIVA LAS VEGAS! As a builder and owner of Alexander Modern Homes, Rusty loves thinking outside of the box and says his “lakemodern” house on Wilson Lake in Muscle Shoals was his most challenging project to date. The property is special to Rusty because it’s where he grew up. “I’ve lived here my whole life, literally on this spot,” he says. Rusty and his wife Lisa bulldozed two older homes to build their dream home—built with three containers of stone—which has since won a BALA award, a national recognition from the homebuilders association. With five grown kids, Rusty and Lisa love taking semi-annual trips to Vegas, but when they’re home, they still want plenty of quality family time. That’s why the couple is recreating a casino, complete with gaming tables, contemporary furniture, and modern art like a Murano glass sculpture that seems to drip from the ceiling. To further set the mood, the couple has installed chic lighting like George Nelson saucer lamps and a sophisticated sound system that plays the Wynn Las Vegas’s soundtrack. The Alexander house is divided when it comes to college football (Lisa is an Auburn fan, and Rusty pulls for Alabama), but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying the Iron Bowl on their 144-inch projector screen TV. Perfect for watching multiple games, three more televisions are mounted above their bar. 56 | NOALAPRESS . COM | S EPTEMBER /O CTOBER 2013

HIGH ROLLIN’ ON THE RIVER RUSTY ALEXANDER, MUSCLE SHOALS

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THE BIG PICTURE KEN NOLAND, HUNTSVILLE

KEN AND LORAINE NOLAND LOVE MOVIES. In fact, their first date more than 30 years ago was to see Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. So when Ken designed his man cave in their new house at the Preserve at Clayton Pond, he wanted a state-of-the-art theater room. “We enjoy it so much more than going to the movies,” Ken says. Ken, who does marketing for Yulista, and Loraine, who is a sales executive for Mary Kay, talk to people all day long. “By the time we get home, we just need to veg,” Loraine says. “Having that space to unwind is just wonderful.” Ken has an 82-inch 3D DLP Mitsubishi home cinema along with four leather chairs, each with its own 5.1 Dolby Digital sound system. “It works out well because I can turn the sound up, while my wife likes it down.” On the walls are posters of the couple’s favorite movies, including Temple of Doom, Tombstone, and Pirates of the Caribbean, which is a new favorite of their grandchildren. Ken installed onyx sconces with dimmers to set the mood, and a nearby bar with kegerator allows him to pour a cold one before settling in for a movie, a fight, or an Alabama game with his friends and family. But the highlight of the theater room is the star-studded ceiling, which Ken created himself by installing fiber optic cables through 256 ceiling tiles. “I’m a technical person, so I didn’t just want twinkle lights, I wanted the Northern hemisphere,” he says. Ken used 256 charts of the night’s sky, one for each ceiling tile, to create the Milky Way, complete with Orion, the big dipper, and all. While the Nolands love entertaining their friends and family, there’s nothing quite like a romantic evening under the stars.

Photos on these pages by Danny Mitchell

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everybody’s business

TEXT BY CLAIRE STEWART » PHOTOS BY DANNY MITCHELL AND BRIGETTE

CHRISTOPHER

Most bakers dream of opening a business all of their life, but not Ashley and Taylor Ramirez. Instead, this couple founded the Mason Dixon Bakery out of necessity. Taylor and Ashley met when they were living in North Carolina. Ashley was getting her Ph.D. in chemistry at Duke, and Taylor was getting his MBA at the University of North Carolina. Soon after their meeting, Ashley discovered she had a severe sensitivity to gluten. Gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, and rye, is a major staple in American diets, and trying to adhere to a strict gluten-free diet is very challenging. For a while, Ashley and Taylor would eat separate dinners, hers gluten-free and his “gluten-full,” as Ashley says. “It worked for a while, but washing double the amount of pans and making two kinds of dishes each night began to be tiring and costly,” she says. Limiting the amount of cross-contamination of the gluten was difficult also. Even the sponges you use to clean dishes or the silverware used in cooking could share trace amounts of gluten that could upset the stomach of someone with a gluten intolerance. Just 10 milligrams (essentially one crumb) of gluten can upset their stomach. “Taylor finally told me he would eat gluten-free with me, but it would have to be good food. So I started baking,” she says. “The first few batches of gluten-free foods were awful,” Ashley admits. But soon, she decided to put her chemistry background to use and began perfecting the art of gluten-free baking. The couple had refined their recipes by the time they moved to Huntsville this past year. To their dismay, they found there were hardly any restaurants or markets that specifically catered to gluten-free clients. Ashley thought something needed to be done. “I know when I started eating gluten-free, I always felt like a burden,” Ashley says. “My friends had to choose where we went to eat depending on my needs, and I always felt that it annoyed people. I felt like the difficult one of the group. That is why I wanted to open Mason Dixon—so people can walk in our doors and know they can choose from everything we have.” With Ashley’s chemistry experience put toward the baking and Taylor’s business experience put toward the commercial aspects, the two decided to make the first exclusively gluten-free bakery in the Huntsville area. Ashley and Taylor began selling their products first out of the local farmer’s markets. You may have seen them at Greene Street Market on Thursdays, Madison City Farmers Market on Saturdays, or Decatur Farmers Market on Tuesdays, but as of this month, they will be serving baked goodness out of their storefront on Memorial Drive South in Huntsville. “We had huge success when we started out at the local markets. I think word traveled in the community that we had substantial, locally made gluten-free products, and people came in droves.”

GLUTENFREE DIET Excludes all food that contain the gluten protein, which is usually most breads, cookies, cereals, and beers. Some of those who use this diet for medical needs are those diagnosed with Celiac disease or wheat allergies. PALEOLITHIC DIET Also called “paleo” or “the caveman diet,” this diet consists of foods that can be hunted and fished, such as meat, offal, and seafood, and foods that can be gathered, such as eggs, fruit, nuts, seeds, vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, and spices—nothing processed or additionally refined by humans can be eaten. VEGAN DIET Rejects all animal products. This ranges from meat, eggs, and dairy, to fur, leather, and wool. Consumption of honey is debatable in the world of vegan diets. From surveys done by Taylor and Ashley in the area, Huntsville vegans seem to be okay eating honey in their diet.

Brigette Christopher

We have made some children their first birthday cake! And the bread that we make has been some of the bread on a child’s first sandwich. Being able to make a difference to someone like that is what motivates us to keep going.” —Taylor Ramirez

You may have heard the words “gluten-free,” “paleolithic,” and “vegan” tossed around in dietary talk. They are all different and can be hard to distinguish between for outsiders.

A soy-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free chocolate chip donut

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I know when I started eating gluten-free, I always felt like a burden. My friends had to choose where we went to eat depending on my needs.” —Ashley Ramirez

This also got the attention of professionals in the area. Ashley has begun talking to local doctors who work with those who have gluten sensitivities to discuss dietary needs and options. The Ramirez’s have also been providing their goods and knowledge to restaurants in the area who are interested in providing options for their customers. You can find some of their foods in Commerce Kitchen, Below the Radar, Sady’s Bistro in Madison, Happy Heart Market in Hartselle, and Earth and Stone Wood Fired Pizzas. Brigette Christopher

Along with making foods that cater to gluten-free diets, paleo diets, and vegan diets (see sidebar), Taylor and Ashley also make some foods without soy, dairy, or eggs to accommodate other food allergies. There really is something for everyone in this bakery. Even those that have no dietary restrictions sample their products and are amazed by the taste and depth of flavor these items have, without any gluten. And if you think these foods are too light and won’t give you some of the dietary benefits you need, you are mistaken. Their muffins have eight grams of protein, their breakfast bars have six grams of protein, and their paleo sandwich bread has seven grams of protein!

Brigette Christopher

Mason Dixon creates a variety of gluten-free treats. Clockwise, from top: Paleo German chocolate cake, sandwich bread, blackberry tarts, cheddar biscuits, a slice of the German chocolate cake, cupcakes, and cake pops.

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When you walk in the door of the Mason Dixon bakery, the smell is mouthwatering. If that doesn’t make you hungry, walking around and seeing their food products will. In the fridge you will see flourless chocolate tortes, chocolate walnut bread, triple-layer carrot cakes, and mascarpone cheesecakes. In the display case in the front, you will see strawberry cupcakes, peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes, and carrot cake cupcakes with goat cheese icing and well as muffins and brownies. Stacked on tall racks along the walls, you will find savory treats like cheddar biscuits, focaccia bread, hamburger buns, and flavored breads—and you will have to remind yourself it is all gluten-free. Right now, you can special order any of their products from their space on Memorial Parkway—including birthday cakes. In the upcoming year, the couple hopes to have a full menu in their space. They also want to have a sort of minimarket for people to buy baking items. “We want people to be able to buy a pound of coconut flour or a large case of almond butter to bake their own foods and not have to buy it online. We want them to buy it all locally,” she says. No matter how many people come through the door or how many late hours are spent making the perfect gluten-free treat, Ashley and Taylor Ramirez work for the people who need them, not for their own gain. “We work for the people who feel like they have no options. We are here to satisfy the missing link between children who can’t eat gluten and the good food they sometimes miss,” Taylor says. “We have made some children their first birthday cake! And the bread that we make has been some of the bread on a child’s first sandwich. Being able to make a difference to someone like that is what motivates us to keep going.”

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TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS BY IAN MCCALISTER

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A New Kind of Family Farm

“This is how I was raised. There’s a sense of freedom. Every day you get up with a purpose. I want [my children] to develop a work ethic that will carry them through life.” —Stewart McGill

IN 1948, HOMER TATE WAS A LOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. He ran his family’s farm, plowing his land with a mule and picking cotton by hand. But today the Tate family is part of just two percent of Alabamians still engaged in farming, according to a study by Auburn University. With technological and economical changes, many traditional farmers like Homer have had to think outside the box to remain competitive so they’re not forced to sell the farm. Nearly 20 years ago, Homer, who was growing cotton, corn, wheat, and soybeans on his 5,000-acre property, was faced with a business decision that threatened the family’s long-standing farming heritage, dating back to 1810. “Back in the late 90s with the housing boom, real estate developers were calling wanting to buy up farm land,” says Stewart McGill, husband of Homer’s granddaughter Kasey who also works on the family farm. “We got offered millions of dollars. We had to decide to farm or sell out. We wanted to stay in farming but we had to have supplemental income. We thought we could teach people about agriculture.” So the family, including Homer’s three sons and nephew, along with their wives and children, decided to devote five acres of Tate Farms to growing pumpkins, and then they invited school children to come visit. The first year, they had 20 schools. Stewart and Kasey McGill with their daughter Allie

“Today we have 28 schools a day,” says Stewart, whose primary responsibility is running the pumpkin patch and the farm’s agri-

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A New Kind of Family Farm

tourism business. “My goal this year is to grow 22 tons of pumpkins per acre on 60 acres, and we’ll offer 90 different varieties of pumpkins.” The pumpkins have proven to be a cash crop. The pumpkin patch, open from September 23-October 31, has become a popular fall attraction for families who want an authentic farm experience. Over the years, Stewart and his family have added a barnyard playground, hayrides, a petting zoo, and a country store for fall items and goodies like pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. Stewart converted an old John Deere cotton picker into a kids slide and made two 40-foot tube slides out of water pipes. A tire tower and 2,100 square foot jumping pillow are also a big hit with the kids, along with finding the perfect pumpkin, of course.

Above, top right: Cristall Brown, Michele Tate, Stewart McGill, and Sherri Tate

Tate Farms has also become a retreat location for area companies and a wedding site for couples who want something beyond the typical boardroom and reception hall.

Right: The hay bale maze is a great place for small kids to explore.

“We have the capability to feed 6,000 people a day,” says Stewart. “We can put picnic tables out in the grass and serve pulled pork, potato salad, slaw—the whole nine yards. And because of Pinterest, everyone wants an outdoor wedding on a farm.” Stewart says they host about two dozen weddings a year, and they just completed the construction of a new party barn to host large crowds inside in case of rain.

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A New Kind of Family Farm

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In addition to being a working farm (growing corn, wheat, soybeans, pumpkins, and cotton) Tate Farms is also available for events of all types and sizes. Above: The barnyard playground oﬀers lots of activities for kids, including farm animals to pet; Facing page: The corn crib provides a great spot to unwind after an afternoon of play.

As a result of the Tate family’s hard work and creativity, their destination is getting noticed. In July, Gov. Robert Bentley visited Tate Farms to learn more about agriculture as part of the Madison County Farmers Federation. “Anytime you can have the governor come, it’s really an honor to be in that class,” Stewart says. “He’s not going to the Space and Rocket Center or the civic center, he’s coming to us. It’s a huge compliment.” While Stewart and Kasey love sharing her grandfather’s farm with others, they are especially proud to share it with their own family as they raise another generation of farmers to continue the 200-year Tate tradition. They have a two-year-old daughter Allie and another girl on the way, a “pumpkin baby” Stewart calls her since she’s due in October during the peak season. “This is how I was raised,” Stewart says, gesturing out to the fields beyond. “There’s a sense of freedom. Every day you get up with a purpose. I want them to develop a work ethic that will carry them through life.” For a few weeks this fall, all North Alabama families can get a little taste of what life is like on the farm.

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TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS COURTESY OF ESPN

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Rece Davis is the envy of every sports fan.

He gets paid to watch football and basketball and then talk about it for hours on end. And what’s more enviable about Rece is that he’s just a good ol’ regular guy. He’s a loyal son and husband, and he’s a dedicated father of two, attending his daughter’s dance recitals and his son’s baseball games. (In fact, he took a break from his son’s tournament in Peachtree City, Georgia to give No’Ala a call for this interview.) Above: Davis on set at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut

While Rece has climbed the ranks at ESPN to become one of America’s favorite sports commentators, he remains grounded by his Southern roots. He grew up with what many might consider to be Alabama’s holy trinity: church, family, and college football. “I was the kid who not only played every season, I was the kid who loved watching everything,” Rece recalls. “When I was a kid in elementary school, a college athlete would be on TV maybe five times over the course of two years. Fans now would think that was unthinkable. I would hit the radio dial just right so I could listen to the Braves each summer. It created a romanticized version of sports. You have to listen to the broadcast and paint the picture. You have to imagine what the field looks like. I had such a passion for it. It clicked something within me.” Rece played basketball and football for Muscle Shoals High School, where he graduated in 1984, and he even tried walking on to the University of Alabama’s basketball team, but when that didn’t pan out, he decided to go into sports broadcasting.

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“I loved college football and college basketball and wanted to be part of it,” says Rece. “While I might not have been good enough to be on the field, it’s great I found another avenue where I could be there.” In college, when Rece spoke of being a broadcaster on ESPN or another big network to peers and professors, many reacted with skepticism, and as Rece says, “they were trying to save me from what they thought was an unrealistic dream.” But his parents were different.

As a senior at Muscle Shoals High School in 1984, Rece Davis was a school reporter and varsity basketball player.

“He (my father) and my mother always supported me and told me to dream big, to not let people tell me I can’t do things,” he says. “That was instrumental in my career.” Rece’s mother Janice passed away 11 years ago, but his father, Jerry, still lives in Tuscumbia and is retired from TVA.

After college, Rece landed a job as a sportscaster for WRBL in Columbus, Georgia, where his soon-to-be wife Leigh was working in sales. A Georgia native, she had attended Auburn and then Troy, so the two bet on the Iron Bowl game in 1990. Alabama beat Auburn 16-7 in Gene Stallings’ debut season for the Crimson Tide.

“The loser had to buy or provide the other with a steak dinner,” Rece recalls. “I was very grateful to Gene Stallings that the hot shot ad exec picked up the tab for the poor broadcaster.” The pair later married and moved to Connecticut, by way of Detroit, to ESPN’s headquarters, where Rece is a college basketball and football studio host and SportsCenter anchor. But fame hasn’t gotten to Rece. The couple has instilled their Southern values, their faith, and their sense of family in their children. “My kids have Connecticut on their birth certificate but they’re Southern by blood,” Rece says. “Our kids were sort of greeted with raised eyebrows because of the ‘yes sir, no sir’ thing.” Besides their Southern manners, Rece’s children have inherited a love for sweet tea, Dreamland Bar-B-Que, and Chick-fil-A, which Rece says they hit as soon as they land in Atlanta. And like their parents, the Davis children have grown

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up loving sports. Rece’s son has followed his mother’s allegiance to Auburn, while his daughter remains a loyal Alabama fan. “My wife and son went with me to the Auburn/Oregon national championship; my daughter is an Alabama fan and wanted no part of the trip. I’ve taken my daughter to watch Alabama play in the NIT in basketball.” But these days, Rece is rarely allowed to be a fan. You probably won’t find him in a No. 15 cap cheering “Roll Tide.” As a sports broadcaster for ESPN, he must put his job above his allegiance to his alma mater, something that many diehard fans—whether Alabama or Auburn—cannot fathom. “A fan never has to look at it through a prism of objectivity, but we are asked to look through a prism of fairness,” says Rece. “I don’t think it’s as hard as people think because you do it for a living. You develop relationships and friendships with people from other schools. I learned this when I worked in Columbus. It’s not a bunch of guys in orange and blue…they are good people. Stan White is a good guy. You develop relationships with them. You humanize them.”

Above: Davis covering the 2010 Rose Bowl, BCS Championship Game—The University of Texas vs Alabama.

“Will Friend, the offensive line coach at Georgia, played at Alabama, but his job at the SEC championship last year was to beat them. You have a great affinity for Alabama, but you have a job to do. There is no person alive who does this job and doesn’t care about their team, but you want to do the job first.”

Of course being married to an Auburn fan has probably helped prepare Rece to be fair on game days (if he wants a place to sleep at night), and Rece also credits his father for always being a level-headed, practical fan. “Dad enjoys the games for what they are—he keeps it in really good perspective,” says Rece. “If all of the sports fans were like my dad, there would not be any message boards, and there would just be games. But of course, having a deep-rooted passion keeps it fun, as long as fans don’t go overboard. That’s why we can put 100,000 people in stadiums across the country.” As Rece was growing up in the 70s and 80s, watching a game on television was a rare treat, while today’s sports fans have 24/7 access through dozens of sports channels and social media outlets. Rece, who has almost 150,000 followers on Twitter, finds this challenging.

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I loved college football and college basketball and wanted to be part of it. While I might not have been good enough to be on the field, it’s great I found another avenue where I could be there. —Rece Davis

“It’s always nice when people tweet, especially when it’s complimentary,” he says. “But anonymity comes with that keyboard, and it’s not always nice. When those moments come, it’s challenging not to fire back. I pause before I hit send, good or bad.” “One tweet I found wildly amusing was after the Olympics when Bolt won the gold medal for the 100 meter,” he adds. “I tweeted, ‘but could he really get behind an SEC defensive back?’ You would not believe the avalanche of people who thought I was serious. My son and I really got a kick out of that.”

“My son’s an aspiring baseball player—he’s a high school player, and he’s really good,” Rece says. “I’ve told him ‘I don’t know if you can play in college or in the major leagues, but if you don’t believe you can do it, then you definitely can’t do it.’” It is this drive, this confidence that has set Rece Davis apart from other regular guys…well, that and his pocket squares. “I will say this about pocket squares,” Rece laughs. “My friend’s grandfather had a quote that I like to say. ‘Nine out of 10 men don’t wear pocket squares, and you don’t want to dress like nine out of 10.’”

Rece and his son may joke around together, but they are serious when it comes to his future.

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We’re having a cake contest. Send us your very best cake recipe - for a layer cake, pound cake or Bundt cake - and the best three will be printed in the 2013 Holiday issue of No’Ala Huntsville. The overall winner will get dinner on us, and the fame that comes from

We’re looking for “Bless Your Heart” writers. The “Bless Your Heart” column appears in every issue, and can be a gentle rant, a humorous story, or an essay about something you are passionate about. We can’t promise we’ll print them all, but if you have a

being acknowledged as the best cake maker anywhere! Share your favorite cake recipe with our readers, and give other families something delicious to bake for the holidays. It will be fun! DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS October 1.

topic you feel strongly about and would like to submit, you have an open invitation. Essays should be between 800 and 1,000 words, and inclusion is subject to review. (There’s also no fortune it in - only fame.) If you want a forum for a great story, this might just be a piece of cake!

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Amanda Chapman (left) transforms Brandi McGuyer into the Queen of Hearts.

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OR HOW A NORTH ALABAMA PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTIVATED A COMMUNITY WITH HER MAKEUP MAGIC

TEXT BY ALLEN TOMLINSON » PHOTOS BY EVAN TIDWELL AND AMANDA CHAPMAN

Photo by Evan Tidwell

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Amanda Chapman is modest. “I’m not a professional makeup artist,” she says. “I’m just a girl who loves Halloween. A lot.” A photographer and stylist, Amanda has a keen eye for detail, so when she designs her Halloween costume, it becomes a labor of love—and it is exquisite. Sometimes, it’s hard to decide what to be. Last year, Amanda decided to create a different look every day in October, and she photographed herself after each makeup session and posted the results on Facebook. The results varied between fantasy—characters from Alice in Wonderland or other works of fiction—and macabre. The most amazing part was her total transformation; she seemed to melt away and become her subject. Amanda’s 1,600+ Facebook followers were delighted. Every day, Amanda disappeared and what took her place was delightful, creative—and sometimes scary. “I had more than one person tell me they decided on their Halloween costume based on something they saw me do,” she says. Because of her skill, No’Ala Huntsville asked Amanda to take a family of three and transform them for the holiday. The McGuyer family, Carter, Brandi, and daughter Zoie, were willing volunteers. Amanda decided to transform them into characters from Alice in Wonderland, using costumes and found objects from her own closet and from the wardrobe rooms of several local theater groups. It took a lot of basic white pancake foundation to provide the backdrop for the painted faces, but “all three McGuyers were patient and willing subjects,” says Amanda. The McGuyer family disappeared, and what reappeared was a cast of characters directly from a Tim Burton movie, complete in every detail from Brandi’s heart-shaped lips, Carter’s tall top hat, to Zoie’s mouse. If this family appears at your door this Halloween, you might be too fascinated to offer them treats; instead, you might decide to invite them inside for a tea party. Amanda owns Amanda Chapman Photography and has a growing wedding photo business. It’s obvious that she has an artist’s eye for detail, and it’s very clear that she’s a girl that just loves Halloween. A lot.

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AMANDA CHAPMAN’S “31 DAYS OF HALLOWEEN” In October of 2012 Amanda created one makeup look each day and photographed the results. She posted these portraits on her Facebook page. Here are a few of her favorites. Above, clockwise from top left: An interpretation of a “Sugar Skull” (Calaveras de Azúcar) from the Mexican celebration, “Day of the Dead,” or All Souls Day; a classic zombie; the Mad Hatter from Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland; a Na'vi character from the ﬁlm Avatar. The real Amanda Chapman is pictured at left.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not too early to begin planning for your wedding at Baron Bluff at Burritt on the Mountain. Come look us over and let us show you how we can help you have an event of a lifetime with a fabulous viewâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;at Burritt.

Now booking for weddings and special events! www.burrittonthemountain.com

256-536-2882

Memorable Weddings Deserve Memorable Locations

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THE MCGUYER FAMILY GETS THE CHAPMAN TOUCH

Right: The McGuyer family, after their transformation into the characters from Tim Burtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alice in Wonderland. Above: The McGuyers: Carter, Zoie, and Brandi.

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“I'M NOT A PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST. I'M JUST A GIRL WHO LOVES HALLOWEEN. A LOT.” —AMANDA CHAPMAN

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scene

Yvette Sparks, Martha Howard, and Melody Battle

Chris Klaus, Keri Klaus, Bob Haynes, Donna Haynes, Sylvia Haynes, Steven Haynes, and Sarah Haynes Priscilla Underwood and Donna Haynes Erin Johnson and Jake Barrow

David Sims, Chuck Vaughn, Allen Tomlinson, Jeﬀ Johnson, and Donna Joﬀrion

Rebekah Bynum and Laura Tovar

Kelly Smith, Rebecca Haynes, and Lea Downey

Above: The Big Easy Speakeasy— Dining With Friends Dessert Reception

Below: Give It Back Track 5K

JUNE 15, 2013  BARON BLUFF AT BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN

AUGUST 10, 2013  BUTLER TERRACE COMMUNITY

Zabriya Caudle

Walton Harless and Ignacio Carrera

Janella Griggs, London Crutcher, and De Ashton Johnson * Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

Russell Mann, Austin White, Miles Johnson, and LeCedrious Brown

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the vine » Amy Collins

Asados and Argentina ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT LIVING ABROAD IN A WINE-PRODUCING COUNTRY is the opportunity to taste great bottles at a fraction of the imported cost. When I first moved to Buenos Aires, where most of the wines sold are made in Argentina (imports are few and very expensive), shopping the supermarket aisles provided a sound education. I recognized many labels from the Manhattan stores I had left behind, though I’d never tried any of them. For three or four dollars you could get a bottle of Malbec that easily cost 14 or 15 stateside. It didn’t take long to find a few bottles I loved (though I desperately missed the high acid, earthy, rustic French wines that course through my veins). The next great thing about living abroad in a wine-producing country is pairing the native wines with the nation’s celebrated foods. In Argentina, this combination means Malbec and asados. Asado basically translates as “grilled meat,” primarily Argentine grass-fed beef, though lamb and pork are also common. Sundays are family days, the streets of Buenos Aires eerily quiet while citizens travel to the countryside for an estancia asado—a backyard grill fest at a ranch estate, often with horses and a pool. The less affluent gather on their high-rise apartment terraces or rooftops or backyards to grill an array of cuts, often starting with chori-pan—sandwiches of grilled pork sausage on a hoagie-style roll. One doesn’t have to wait until Sunday, or an invitation from a local, to experience the essence of the asado. Restaurants called parillas occupy every corner of the city, serving up lomo (tenderloin), entraña (skirt steak), bife de chorizo (sirloin, or New York strip steak), and delicacies like morcilla. Morcilla is Spanish for blood sausage, which is exactly as it sounds: cooked until coagulated porcine blood stuffed into a sausage casing, with a rich, feral taste, and not for the faint of heart. My favorite parillas always had terrible atmospheres, with high ceilings, bright, unflattering overhead lights, and sparse artwork on the walls. The servers were always men, dressed in black pants and white button-down shirts. Raw meat hung above the open grill while a cloud of cigarette smoke hovered over the heads of patrons. It was not the ideal setting for a hangover, but the Malbec always helped, and the lomo was always superb. Malbec is a red wine grape traditionally cultivated in Bordeaux, France, where it is blended with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has fallen out of favor there, though still plays the primary role in Cahors, and smaller roles in some red wines from the Loire Valley (Anjou, Coteaux de Loire) where it’s known as Cot. Malbec produces a wine deep in color, almost black, and is capable of producing high alcohol, fruity wines in Mendoza, Argentina, which

A vineyard at the foot of the Andes, in Mendoza, Argentina

has become the premier region for quality Malbec. Some Malbecs have enough structure for aging, especially when blended with the Bordeaux varieties. The wines are a perfect accompaniment to grilled red meat. Argentina has several wine producing regions. Mendoza is by far the most recognizable and the largest. The land here lies at the base of the Andes Mountains and provides optimum growing conditions for vines. Malbec is king, though plantings of Bonarda, a red wine grape originating in Italy, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are also common. Torrontés, the country’s predominate white wine grape, makes some delicious and very distinctly aromatic wines. La Rioja and San Juan are less famous regions abutting Mendoza to the north. Both are considerably hotter than Mendoza, and winemaking is a marginal pursuit, though a few quality producers are worth checking out. Patagonia, in the south, where ski enthusiasts flock in winter, produces elegant Malbecs and Pinot Noir wines (look for producers Nemesio and Fin del Mundo). Salta, in the north, might be the most interesting region. Almost desert like, the land is wide and dusty and the wineries remote. The best Torrontés comes from here, with cooler nights allowing for brighter acidity and more refreshing wines. Salta boasts the highest elevation vineyards in the world (the Hess Family’s Bodega Colomé vineyards sit at 10,200 feet above sea level). Some visitors suffer from altitude sickness, for which locals recommend chewing a coca leaf. Of course, the ideal is to visit a country in order to fully envelop oneself in the culture and the wines. But, fortunately, there are several Argentine wines available in Alabama, and though the asado experience is unmatched, we Americans are quite adept at grilling up our own. A few recommendations for grilling out below.

Beginner’s Sipper (under $15) Parados Cabernet Sauvignon 2012—a beautiful, easy drinking Cabernet indicative of Mendoza.

Knows Just Enough to Make Trouble ($15-$35) Lamadrid Bonarda 2008—From famed winemaker Hector Durigutti, the Bonarda is neither fined nor filtered, showing rich aromatics and soft tannins.

High Roller’s Cuveé ($50+) Don Manuel Villafane Gran Reserva 2007—A Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Mendoza, with incredible structure and quality. This is your pastureraised, hormone-free ribeye wine.

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

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bless their hearts » Molly Tomlinson

“Like D.C., the South also lives up to a lot of its stereotypes. Everything moves a little bit slower there, lasts a bit longer—syllables and humid summers included.”

You Can Go Home Again YEARS AGO, MY BROTHER AND I WERE WITH MY DAD AT THE GROCERY STORE where we, not surprisingly, ran into somebody we knew. Much to my dad’s horror, my wise-cracking brother began humming “It’s a Small World After All.” It’s not an uncommon scene around the South, whether you’ve grown up there or not—everybody seems to know everybody. They speak to you in the grocery store and at restaurants; they wave when they pass in the car. The plan was to get away as fast as possible, to make it to a big city—any big city, really—miles up the East Coast. I wanted to walk around with general anonymity. I wanted to form my own identity, separate from my “momma and them.”

Photo by Ron Kelly

And I did. For almost five years now, I have lived in Washington, D.C. This city is a fascinating place—a melting pot that pales only in comparison to New York City. It’s a young city, home to some of the most ambitious and interesting people you’ll ever meet, and full of endless things to do, see, and learn. In a lot of ways, D.C. lives up to its stereotype. It has more than its fair share of people looking to advance their own agenda, on the Hill and off it. You learn how to network quickly, and you actually use the business cards your first job gives you. The city is also more transient than I think anybody realizes. People come and go through here pretty quickly. But like any city where you make a home, you find a niche that suits you and the rest falls by the wayside. I have loved my time here. I’ve gone home plenty of times since I moved and been to plenty of other Southern cities, but a trip last year to North Carolina put a dream in my head that would make

my high school self cringe, and laugh: I want to move back to the South. In a stationery store in Durham that I wandered into with friends, we were promptly greeted by the owner. We began chatting, and she answered every silly question we had about her business and the bright and airy building she had renovated to house it. She reciprocated; she was equally curious about us. It sounds insignificant, but it was the longest, and most genuine, conversation I’d had with a stranger in a long time. And it wasn’t the only one; the entire weekend lived up to that experience. It dawned on me as we left the store that I would’ve found her questions suspicious or annoying—the whole conversation taxing or unpleasant—back in D.C. That’s a tough realization— that the city might have hardened you in a way, or that you may have unconsciously fallen in line with a pace that often keeps people from extending much beyond basic common courtesy. I felt simultaneously guilty and nostalgic. I’ve been shown in the most obvious and painful ways in the last few years that life is short. I struggle, as we all do, to remember the day you are blessed to wake up to is not just something to get through. These are precious hours of your life, not to be hurried. It’s hard to remember that when you are crammed in a metro car for 30 minutes to go a mere two miles to work, or when you lower your head and hasten your step to avoid the homeless person on the corner or the young man with a clipboard who wants your money for the cause de jour. Like D.C., the South also lives up to a lot of its stereotypes. Everything moves a little bit slower there, lasts a bit longer—syllables and humid summers included. I never feel hurried there—something I took for granted when I was growing up, and something I’m willing to bet a lot of you take for granted now. The South still lives up to a lot of bad stereotypes, too, but I have never felt more optimistic about its future. When I read this magazine, when I talk to friends who are starting businesses, or politickin’ there, I realize there are just as many ambitious people there as there are in D.C. My grandfather used to talk about what a great and vast network the South was, and my, was he right. We’re not even close to six degrees of separation from a stranger, and I don’t have to give away my business cards to find that out. Maybe it was the bowl of grits resting comfortably in my stomach, or maybe it was that the nice shop owner was a fluke. Or maybe it was that I felt at home in Durham. Whatever it was, I want more of it. I’ll be back real soon now, ya hear?

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food for thought » Sarah Gaede

MY CHILDHOOD WAS A QUINTESSENTIALLY BABY BOOMER ONE. When I was five, in 1956, my family moved to a brand-new house that cost $14,900, and was maybe 1,200 square feet with the finished basement. It was located in a subdivision where all the houses were exactly alike, except some were turned a different way on the lot. Kids of every age were everywhere, so there was always someone to play with. Our mothers would not have even entertained the thought of driving us somewhere for a “play date.” They shooed us out of the house after breakfast. We were allowed in for a quick lunch before being sent out again until suppertime. We rode bikes and skated and played hopscotch on the sidewalk. We rambled along the creek that ran behind my house. In the winter, we sledded in the icy streets—even at night, when we were older. We walked to school, or rode the bus, without any parental supervision. With all that freedom, you can imagine what Halloween was like.

Trick or Treat—Old-School Style Trick or Treat was one of the highlights of our year. We began the celebration at school in our decorated classroom with songs, stories, and cupcakes supplied by our room mother. This was back in the days before the evil expansion of daylight saving time, so it was always dark when we ventured out with our brown paper bags, without our parents. That’s what older siblings were for, although they were not always enthusiastic about their supervisory roles. The parents’ job was to sit on the porch, hand out candy, and admire costumes. Sometimes we could wheedle our mothers into buying a costume from Woolworths (probably not flameproof, and with a mask with tiny eyeholes, which no one worried about), but most of them were homemade. I can’t remember any of my costumes, but I’ll never forget my sister Susan’s triumph when she was ten. “Little Old Lady from Pasadena” by Jan and Dean was big that year, and Susan and her friend decided to go as little old ladies, with gray hair, canes, lips stretched over teeth to simulate toothlessness, and old lady voices. They had a whole routine put together and were invited into many homes to perform. It took them forever to make their rounds. The neighbors talked about their triumph for weeks after. After covering the entire subdivision, which seemed to take hours, we would dump all our candy out on the newspaper-covered floor to inspect our loot, not for needles or poison, which no one worried about, but for quantity and quality. There were homemade popcorn balls and cookies, Tootsie Rolls, lots of lollipops (my favorite were cherry Saf-T Pops, with the looped handles), and rare and precious candy bars. In honor of those simpler times, I’m offering a homemade treat for Halloween that’s inexpensive, easy to make, and wildly impressive. Hang your ghosts from a dead branch as a centerpiece, line them up along the table, or pop them on top of cupcakes. (I’d go with the chocolate ones from Mason Dixon Bakery.)

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Meringue Ghosts • 4 large egg whites at room temperature (save the yolks for custard) • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar • 1 cup superfine or granulated sugar whirred in food processor • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, if you don’t mind a slight tan-ish tinge) • Candy eyes (Hobby Lobby) or mini chocolate chips • String licorice or Twizzlers (optional) Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed in an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves. Beat in the almond extract. Preheat oven to 200°. Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment, glued down on each corner with a dab of meringue. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1/4-inch tip with meringue. Proceed with desired ghost formation. Flat ghosts—Pipe 4 to 5-inch long ghostly shapes. Flatten out any bubbles or unwanted curls with a finger dipped in cold water. Carefully place candy eyes or chocolate chips on ghosts. If desired, cut licorice into 2-inch pieces. Firmly pinch ends together, and insert in top of each ghost as a hanger. Puffy ghosts—Hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet and pipe 2-inch-high mounds of meringue, leaving curls on top if desired. Carefully place candy eyes or chocolate chips on ghosts. Bake for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until ghosts are dry and crisp to the touch. Turn oven off and leave in oven to finish drying several hours or overnight. Store in an airtight container. Will keep for 3 or 4 days. Note: Unbaked meringue doesn’t hold up, so bake two sheets at once if needed, on racks close to the middle of the oven. Rotate top to bottom and bottom to top after 1 hour. Once you master these, it will be a snap to make meringue mushrooms to decorate your Bûche de Noël at Christmas time. There are lots of recipes online.

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lowedown » Claire Stewart

Do you have any superstitions? “If you are trying to conceive, you can’t let anyone vacuum under your feet.” —Lori King-Taylor

“Don’t walk under a ladder.”

“Red lighters are bad luck.”

—Kristy McCann

—Rob Loblaw

Lori

Rob

“My grandmother always threw salt over her shoulder if she spilt some salt when she was cooking.” —Claire Schultz

“My grandmother always said that if you walk out one door of your house, you will have to return through the same door.” —Regina Garson

Claire

Regina

Kristy

“For our Ultimate Frisbee team, we believe in play-off beards. You can’t shave your face when your team is on a winning streak.” —Colby Robinson

“You can’t make divinity when it is raining.” —Linda Worley

“Never eat milk with fish.” —Eugene Worley

Colby Linda

Eugene

“I have to do the same tasks in the same order every morning or my whole day is thrown off.”

“My mother-in-law always puts a red piece of fabric on my daughters forehead to make her hiccups stop.” —Tim Laurence

—Adam Landingham

Adam

Tim

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lowedown » Do you have any superstitions?

“Step on a crack, break your mothers back.” —Dottie Distelheim

“Break a mirror and it is bad luck for seven years.”

“My mom told me that if a pregnant woman’s behind gets larger, she is going to have a girl.” —Terri French

—Diane Strickland Dottie

Diane

“If a cat crosses my path when I am driving, I have to draw an ‘X’ with my finger on my windshield.”

Terri

“A stitch in time saves nine.” —Becky Quinn

—Jaime Adkins

Becky

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All respondents were interviewed at Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment

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parting shot » Ian McCalister

Pup music fan

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