No'Ala Shoals September/October 2013

Eat Like a Man/Live Like a Man | Game Day Gear | Soles4Souls: Changing Lives from the Ground Up

SEPT/OCT 2013 $3.95

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September/October 2013

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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.

YOU LOOK LIKE YOU JUST SAW A GHOST

PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

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

BY ALLEN TOMLINSON PHOTOS BY AMANDA CHAPMAN AND EVAN TIDWELL

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

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD

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© ESPN IMAGES

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PHOTOS BY AMANDA CHAPMAN PRODUCED BY CLAIRE STEWART

Amanda Chapman

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

CALLING THE SHOTS WITH RECE DAVIS From Muscle Shoals 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

MAKING A DIFFERENCE, FROM THE GROUND UP Abraham and Susan Rowe traveled to Guatemala with Melissa Bain and Soles4Souls and came back with some inspirational photographs and a new perspective.

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE PHOTOS BY ABRAHAM AND SUSAN ROWE

ON THE COVER The Bernauer farm (and truck) in St. Florian provided the idyllic setting for our fall picnic. Accessories were furnished by The French Basket.

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contents SHOALS •••••

September/October 2013 Volume 6: Issue 5 ••• C. Allen Tomlinson Editor-In-Chief David Sims Creative Director Contributing Writers Amy Collins, Sarah Gaede, Debra Glass, Laura Anders Lee, Claire Stewart, Allen Tomlinson, Molly Tomlinson, Will Whaley Contributing Photographers Amanda Chapman, Patrick Hood, Ian McCalister, Danny Mitchell, Abraham Rowe, Susan Rowe, Evan Tidwell Marketing Coordinators/Advertising Sales Heidi King, Myra Sawyer Features Manager Claire Stewart Business Manager Roy Hall Graphic Designer Rowan Finnegan Intern Will Whaley •••

Evan Tidwell

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No’Ala is published six times annually by No’Ala Press PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630 Phone: 256-766-4222 | Fax: 256-766-4106 Toll-free: 800-779-4222 Web: www.noalapress.com Standard postage paid at Florence, 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 ATSA, All rights reserved.

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Calendar

104

Events for September-October 2013

54

BY FLORENCE-LAUDERDALE LIBRARY

72

BY CLAIRE STEWART

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108

The Vine Argentine Wines

BY AMY COLLINS

Back Talk “Do You Have Any Superstitions?”

BY CLAIRE STEWART

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Bless Their Hearts

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.

“You Can Go Home Again”

Kudos

BY LAURA ANDERS LEE

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.

BY SARAH GAEDE

Market Game Day Gear

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“Trick or Treat—Old-School Style” Baking up some meringue ghosts

Check It Out Book Reviews

Food for Thought

BY MOLLY TOMLINSON

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Parting Shot

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

BY DANNY MITCHELL Join us on Facebook: No’Ala Mag

editor’s letter « Allen Tomlinson « 11

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 Muscle Shoals, 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 from The Grilling Room, 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 take a trip with Abraham and Susan Rowe as they work with Soles4Souls, a wonderful organization that’s making a lot of difference. There’s a lot of variety this time!

Muscle Shoals has long been known as the “Hit Recording Capital of the World.”

We are also becoming known as the fashion design center of the world, as more and more attention is brought to our community because of the work of designers such as Billy Reid and Natalie Chanin. On September 28, music and fashion will merge in a special presentation called “Red Rhythm Runway,” at the Marriott Conference Center in Florence. It’s a fundraiser, but it’s so much more than that—an evening of celebration of the talent here in our area, a fusion of fashion runway and a concert of Muscle Shoals hits, sung by Muscle Shoals musicians. Yeah, yeah, Alabama plays Ole Miss that night, but if you want an alternative to the gridiron, cook up that bacon-wrapped sausage thing and leave it for the guys in the man cave. Join us at the Runway for an evening you won’t forget.

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

Now Through September 13 Art Works 2013 Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun 1:00pm-3:00pm; $5 adults, $3 students, and free on Sundays; Tennessee Valley Museum of Art; 511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0533; ttvaa.org Now Through September 20 Nancy Bartmess: A Journey Mon-Fri 9:00am-4:00pm; Free; Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts, (256) 760-6379; florenceal.org September 2 Labor Day Coon Dog Cemetery 10:00am-4:00pm; Free; (256) 383-0783; facebook.com/coondogcemetery or colbertcountytourism.org Labor Day Celebration 9:00am-5:00pm; Free; Spring Park; (256) 383-2758; colbertcountytourism.org September 6 First Friday 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Florence at Court St.; (877) 290-8880; firstfridaysflorence.com September 7 First Saturday 3:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Rogersville; (256) 247-9449; visitflorenceal.com September 6-8 Mars Hill Celebration Show Choir 7:00pm Friday and Saturday; 2:00pm Sunday; $10 available at the Mars Hill Bookstore or at the door; Norton Auditorium at UNA; (256) 762-1785 September 8 Miss Tennessee Valley 4:00pm; Admission charged; Guillot University Center at UNA; (256) 381-6143; misstennesseevalley.org September 13-14 Oka Kapassa Native American Indian Festival Fri 9:00am-2:00pm; Sat 10:00am-9:00pm; Free; Spring Park; (256) 383-0783; okakapassa.org September 14 Second Saturday at Jack-o-Lantern Farm 9:00am-2:00pm; Free; Garage Road at TVA in Muscle Shoals; (256) 386-2335; jackolanternfarm.com September 17-22 North Alabama State Fair Tues-Fri 5:00pm-midnight; Sat-Sun noon-midnight; Admission charged; (256) 383-3247; northalabamastatefair.org September 20 CASA Golf Tournament 1:00pm; Admission charged; Twin Pines Golf Course, Russellville; (256) 765-0041; lauderdalecasa.org

September 26-October 4 The Ritz Presents Fox Fire 7:35pm; Admission charged or season tickets for $60; 11 W. 3rd St.; Sheffield; (256) 381-8370; ttvaa.org September 28 Red Rhythm Runway 6:30pm; $65 reserved/$50 general admission; All-star band featuring Jimmy Hall and Shawna P, with fashions by Alabama Chanin, Billy Reid, and Marianna Barksdale; Marriott Shoals Conference Center; (256) 536-4700; rrrunway.com September 29 Through October Susan Weil & Jose Betancourt: Blueprints Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun 1:00pm-3:00pm; $5 adults, $3 students, and free on Sundays; Tennessee Valley Museum of Art; 511 N. Water St., Tuscumbia; (256) 383-0533; ttvaa.org October 2-31 Art Expressions: Shoals Artists Guild Exhibition Mon-Fri 9:00am-4:00pm; Free; Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts; (256) 760-6379 October 3-6 Shoals Theatre Presents Night of the Living Dead Thurs-Sat 7:00pm; Sun 2:00pm; Admission charged; Shoals Theatre; 123 N. Seminary St.; (256) 764-1700; shoalstheatre.org October 3-19 Arx Mortis Haunted Attraction Thurs-Sat 7:00pm; Admission charged; Old Graystone Manor Site at 4051 Hwy 72, Killen; arxmortis.com October 4 First Friday 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Florence at Court St.; (877) 290-8880; firstfridaysflorence.com October 5 Deadwood Hollow Zombie 5K and Undeadly Dash 10:00am; From $35; Mobile St and Wilson Park in Downtown Florence; deadwoodhollow.com October 5 First Saturday 3:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Rogersville; (256) 247-9449; visitflorenceal.com October 12 Littleville Fun Fest 8:00am; Free; Bluegrass music, fireworks, and arts-n-crafts; Littleville City Hall, 1810 George Wallace Hwy; (256) 332-3567 October 11-13 UNA Homecoming Weekend October 11 UNA’s Jack Karnes Memorial Golf Tournament 8:00am and 1:00pm; Admission charged; Blackberry Trail Golf Course; 112 Club House Dr; (256) 765-4201; una.edu UNA Homecoming Pep Rally 9:00am; Free; Athletic Field by Flowers Hall at UNA; (256) 765-4201; una.edu

September 21-22 Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride Throughout the weekend; Free; Florence and Waterloo; (256) 740-4141; visitflorenceal.com

October 12 UNA Homecoming Parade 11:00am; Free; Downtown Florence at Court St.; (256) 765-4201; una.edu

September 25 UNA Writers’ Series with Sherri Graves Smith 11:00am; Free; Guillot University Center at UNA; (256) 765-4238; una.edu

October 12 UNA Homecoming Game 6:00pm; Admission charged; Braly Stadium; N. Royal Ave in Florence; (256) 765-4201; una.edu Continued page 16

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UNA’s Old Skool Homecoming Bash 10:00pm; $10 in advance and $15 at the door; the Mane Room at 310 N. Pine St.; (256) 765-4201; una.edu Second Saturday at Jack-o-Lantern Farm 9:00am-2:00pm; Free; Garage Road at TVA in Muscle Shoals; (256) 386-2335; jackolanternfarm.com October 13 Reflections of Time and Place 2:00pm; Admission charged; von Suppe’s Light Cavalry Overture, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 1, with guest artist Scott Holshouser; Norton Auditorium at UNA; (256) 765-5122; una.edu An Afternoon with Author Skip Tucker 2:00pm; Free; Discuss Civil War espionage thriller Pale Blue Light; Florence-Lauderdale Public Library; 350 N. Wood Ave.; (256) 764-6564; flpl.org October 15 Connect with the Past: Exploring Family Genealogy in the Civil War 2:00pm-4:00pm; Free; Florence-Lauderdale Public Library; 350 N. Wood Ave.; (256) 764-6564; flpl.org October 19 Downtown Rogersville Fall Festival 10:00am; Free; Heritage Park; Chili cook-off, antique cars, live music, and children’s activities; (256) 247-9449; rogersvillealabama.com Alabama Renaissance Feast 7:00pm; Admission charged; Florence/Lauderdale Coliseum; (256) 740-4141; alarenfaire.org October 20 Spies, Scouts, Partisans, and Guerillas with Joel Mize 2:00pm; Free; Florence Lauderdale Public Library; 350 N. Wood Ave.; (256) 764-6564; flpl.org October 21-31 Arx Mortis Haunted Attraction Daily at 7:00pm; Admission charged; Old Graystone Manor Site at 4051 Hwy 72, Killen; arxmortis.com October 22 UNA STEP Show 7:00pm; $9 in advance and $10 at the door; Norton Auditorium at UNA; (256) 765-4948; una.edu October 24 Downtown Tuscumbia’s Fall Festival 5:00pm-9:00pm; Free; Main and Sixth streets; (256) 383-0783; colbertcountytourism.org October 26 History and Haunts Trolley Tour Sat 4:00pm and 6:30pm; Admission charged; Cold Water Books; (256) 383-0783; colbertcountytourism.org October 26-27 Alabama Renaissance Faire Sat 10:00am-6:00pm; Sun 1:00pm-5:00pm; Free; Wilson Park, Downtown Florence; (256) 740-4141; visitflorenceal.com

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scene

Evan Woods and Carson Richey Ann Marie Russ, Tim Russ, and Jack Johnson Brandi and Billy Hammock Chip and Teresa Rasch

Billy Darby and Charles Young Will Calhoun, Acker Rogers, and Jim Bishop

Jason Simmons, Anna Simmons, and Doris Montgomery

Doris Montgomery and Joseph Niedergeses

First Southern Bank W.C. Handy Festival Kick-Off Party JULY 19, 2013  FLORENCE Heather Hammond, Robin Lomenick, and Martha Aldridge

Susan Attencio and Dewanna Grace

MaryJustice Lucas

Judy Rogers and Debbie Rogers

Nikki Snipes, Kristy Clopton, James Noland, and James Snipes

Liza Beadle and Henri Hill

Sydney Templet and Ava Grace Jones

Jane and Roger Haddock Photos by Claire Stewart * Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

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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!

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(or just eat like one)

CHEW ON THIS The world’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, CITY HARDWARE, FLORENCE

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.

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(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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(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.

GRILL TO THE RESCUE THE PRIMO KAMADO GRILL just might be the perfect outdoor kitchen appliance. Its dual chambers allow precise control and make even the outdoor novice look like a chef. ($795) The Grilling Room, Florence

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—J.T. Ray

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

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EVOLUTION OF THE MAN CAVE PHOTOS BY PATRICK HOOD » 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.

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HIGH ROLLIN’ ON THE RIVER RUSTY ALEXANDER, MUSCLE SHOALS

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TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS COURTESY OF ESPN

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© ESPN Images

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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.

© ESPN Images

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.”

© ESPN Images

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

© ESPN Images

“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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check it out » Florence-Lauderdale Public Library

Witch Child

by Celia Rees Juvenile Fiction Call Number: JF-REE (In Juvenile Fiction Section) This time of year calls for at least one good scare, and Celia Rees delivers a new twist on the old witch hunt tales, with a stark realism that’s sure to chill readers to the bone. In 1659, 14-year-old Mary is forced to flee from her home in England to the promising but unfamiliar land of America.

After the public execution of her grandmother, Mary takes an agonizing trip across the Atlantic Ocean in the company of Puritans seeking religious refuge. The book follows Mary’s voyage, as she attempts to survive in this unfamiliar world that always seems to misunderstand her intentions. Despite the fact that the new colonists have abandoned their former homes in England in search of religious freedom, religious intolerance and paranoia are still rampant in the New World.

Mary’s secret diary entries lend this haunting tale a feeling of authenticity that will give readers a fresh look at this particularly haunting time in the colonial history of America. With only scant mention of the supernatural, Witch Child employs the very real fear and widespread paranoia that began the practice of witch hunting, and it examines the shocking effects of religious intolerance. (Hali Black)

The Lady and Her Monsters: A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley’s Masterpiece

by Roseanne Montillo Adult Nonfiction Call Number: 823.7 MON (In New Arrivals Section) In the introduction to the 1831 edition of Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley references conversations between her husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron: “various philosophical doctrines were discussed, and among others, the nature of the principle of life, and whether there was any probability of its ever being discovered and communicated…Perhaps a corpse could be re-animated…perhaps the component parts of a creature might be manufactured, brought together, and imbued with vital warmth.”

In The Lady and Her Monsters, Roseanne Montillo provides sketches of Shelley’s life and European travels with Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and Byron’s physician John Polidori. She brings to life the macabre and bizarre world of late 18th and early 19th century galvanism, resurrection men (body-snatchers), and the attempts by scientists of the day to reanimate corpses. All of this stands as the backdrop to the 1817 writing competition in Switzer-

Fall Picks

land that resulted in Shelley’s anonymously published Frankenstein.

Along the way, this well-written, fascinating book treats us to a delightfully ghoulish examination of real-life “mad” scientists such as Alessandro Volta, Luigi Galvani, and Giovanni Aldini, and body-snatchers such as William Burke and William Hare.

A fun read! (Lee Freeman) A House Divided

by Kimberla Lawson Roby Adult Fiction Call Number: F-ROB (In New Arrivals Section) BCD-ROB (In Books on CD Section) Fans of the Reverend Curtis Black Series won’t be disappointed in this latest installment. Curtis and his wife Charlotte’s happy lives are turned upside down when their son Matthew’s longtime girlfriend, Racquel, becomes pregnant. Now, Matthew must focus on fatherhood instead of his studies at Harvard. While Charlotte is excited about becoming a grandmother, tension builds between her and Racquel’s mother, Vanessa.

Charlotte pretends to put these differences with Vanessa aside for Matthew. In actuality, she engages in deceitful tactics to play a more vital role in her grandson’s life. For instance, she manipulates Vanessa’s husband, who has fallen in love with

Ian McCalister

Charlotte. Meanwhile, Pastor Curtis Black receives anonymous messages vowing to punish Curtis for his secular past. He is left to ponder who could want to undo everything he’s worked for and what part of his past has finally caught up with him.

This power-packed book has all the elements of a murder-mystery and includes most of the seven deadly sins. Just when you think the Black family has gone too far, they continue to push the envelope. They truly find themselves in a house divided, but will faith be enough to see them through? (Debra Gore) The Ocean at the End of the Lane

by Neil Gaiman Adult Fiction F-GAI (In New Arrivals Section) The best kind of magic is the kind that doesn’t seem like magic at all—more like something you almost believe you could do, too, if you knew how, or like something you used to know how to do a long time ago before you found out it wasn’t possible. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is about that kind of magic. It’s also about cats, the powerlessness of being seven years old, monsters, and the things monsters are scared of, days that can be snipped apart and sewn back together differently, memories you never completely forgot, and an ocean the size of a pond that can also fit in a bucket.

In the simplest terms, it’s about a man who remembers being a boy and defeating the thing pretending to be his nanny with the help of a girl named Lettie Hempstock from the farm at the end of the lane; but like Lettie’s ocean, it’s much bigger beneath the surface. (Falon Yates) Superman: Birthright

by Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, and Gerry Alanguilan Adult Fiction F-WAI (In Adult Fiction Section) Superman: Birthright tells the well-known origin story of how a Kryptonian is sent to Earth, develops powers, and becomes a superhero. We all know the basics of the story, but Birthright provides fresh outlooks on these familiar characters. For instance, the book’s funniest surprise is that Martha Kent has become an alien conspiracy theorist (her chat username is “Area 52”). This detail deviates from tradition, but it makes perfect sense for a woman who pulled her baby out of a spaceship.

Birthright’s Clark Kent is a young man you can both identify with and admire. He enjoys his powers but also feels their burden, and he has a core of decency that leads him to help people however he can—whether it’s through his powers or his role as a journalist.

His conflicts with Lex Luthor, whose intellect makes him feel as alien as Clark, highlighting the idea that goodness is a choice. Similarly, Lois serves as the moral center for the story’s journalistic ethical conflicts.

This modern, character-driven take on Superman’s origin was a major influence for the film Man of Steel. Keep an eye out for lines and images that were directly lifted from Birthright.

(Jennifer Butler Keeton)

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Pickett Place “One of Florence’s oldest houses, now known as Pickett Place, on Seminary Street, was built in 1833,

by Thomas J. Crow as a wedding present for his new bride. Rumors abounded that one of the Crow slaves was beaten to death on the stairs.

The Pickett family purchased the home in 1886. Of their nine children, only three daughters survived until maturity. One married Charles Patton, son of Alabama Governor Patton. A February 22, 1907 article in The Leighton News titled “FLORENCE HAS SPOOKS” told of witnesses who saw three spirits in the house, including a soldier in gray, a well-dressed man, and a slave. Others described seeing a woman dressed in black gliding through the rooms. The L. D. Buchanan family, who owned Pickett Place at the time, was so troubled by the spirits, they sold the house and moved out. The Pickett Place ghosts are much quieter now.

Perhaps they enjoy the activity from the many elegant receptions which are now held in the historic home.”

—Debra Glass

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Winston Home “The Winston home, on the campus of Deshler High School in Tuscumbia, was built by Judith and William Winston in 1824. On November 22, 1874, Judith Winston climbed up onto the widow’s walk atop the house to discover a violent tornado headed for Tuscumbia and her beloved home. The tornado struck before she was able to escape to safety, and she died hours later in the front bedroom. In 1948, the house was converted to be used as the campus for Deshler School, and since that time, students and staff alike have experienced encounters with the spirit of Mrs. Winston. She seems friendly for the most part, but is very particular whenever the house is booked for a wedding and is known to be quite active until she receives a personal invitation.”

—Debra Glass

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Wesleyan Hall “Mr. Noel Glasscock asserts that Sherman occupied Wesleyan Hall during a period of time in 1863. Florence natives offered Sherman the use of Wesleyan in return for no damage to the city. While Sherman was here, the weather was hot, so the Union drummer boy, young Jeremiah Wilson, decided to take a swim in Cypress Creek near where the Wildwood Park Road bridge is now, about one mile west of the city. He dove into the shallow water and either broke his neck or drowned. When his body was found, it was brought back to Wesleyan Hall where it lay in state until it could be shipped back to Ohio by train. Dr. Gary Green claimed that on some nights, the stairs would creak and moan as if unseen footsteps were ascending them. Sometimes, wet footprints could be seen leading from the door to the stairs. Others have seen the ghostly image of a young boy clad in wet clothes, wandering the darkened halls of Wesleyan at night.”

—Debra Glass

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Trowbridge’s “The Trowbridge’s restaurant has been a downtown Florence institution for nearly a century, but the ghost story stems from the house that was there long before the 1918 restaurant was established. An antebellum home stood on the site which belonged to the Stewart family. After suffering a wound at the Battle of Bull Run, young Charles Daniel Stewart, who’d served as color bearer for the Lauderdale Volunteers, was brought home where he soon passed away. He was buried in the Stewart plot at the Florence Cemetery, but no stone was laid to mark his grave.

Employees at Trowbridge’s began seeing the spirit of a young man in the restaurant, so in 2001, the Daughters of the Confederacy acquired a grave stone for Stewart, and a full military honors funeral was held for him in the Florence Cemetery. It seems everyone attended the funeral except Charles, for his spirit is still very active at Trowbridge’s.

Perhaps he enjoys the orange pineapple ice cream far too much to leave the historic café.”

—Debra Glass

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Wakefield “Wakefield, a historic house in downtown Florence, was built for Parthenia McVay Samples by her new husband James. Parthenia was the daughter of Alabama Governor Hugh McVay and her brother owned the adjoining property to the north on Court Street. In 1828, Parthenia died in childbirth with the Samples’ second child and was buried in the McVay cemetery located in what is now the Florence Industrial Park.

Within a few months, James Sample remarried Susan McVay, Parthenia’s younger sister.

From that time on odd things began to happen at Wakefield that were generally attributed to Parthenia. James and Susan Samples left Florence for Verona, Mississippi in the 1830s, and every subsequent owner of the house has reported the presence of Parthenia. A previous owner, Mrs. Billie Glenn, said she enjoyed tea with Parthenia often. The descendants of Parthenia and James Samples, Margaret Robbins and Dorothy Shawn, confirm the facts surrounding this story and have visited Wakefield.

Both women claim to have felt the presence of their relative while there.”

—Wakefield Owner

About Debra Glass Debra Glass is the author of more than thirty-five books of historical and paranormal romance, non-fiction, young adult romance, and folklore. She holds a M.A.Ed. with emphasis in history from the University of North Alabama.

She lives in Alabama with her real-life hero, a couple of smart-aleck ghosts, and a diabolical black cat.

For information about the Skeletons in the Closet series or Debra’s Haunted History of the Shoals Ghost Walk tour, visit www.DiscoverTheShoals.com

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Emily Thompson and Arron Hannah

I’m Dr. Lee Nichols. As an orthopedic surgeon, total hip and knee replacements are a primary focus of my practice. Having completed my residency at the world-renowned Campbell Clinic, I have the training and expertise to perform state-of-the-art joint replacement surgery locally. Many people are under the impression that they have to go to Huntsville or Birmingham for these surgeries. That is not the case! In addition, joint replacement surgery requires multiple doctor visits, which require travel time which is not always convenient.

This is a great place to live - that’s why you, your primary care physician, and I all chose to live here. This is also a great place for your total joint replacement surgery. If you are a candidate for a total hip or knee replacement, you have a choice. Make it local — make it Shoals Orthopedics. Our quality care is available to you, night and day, right here at home!

Dr. Lee Nichols, Shoals Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Two convenient Shoals locations to serve you: • 426 West College Street, Florence • 203 West Avalon Avenue, Suite 230, Muscle Shoals

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

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OR HOW A SHOALS 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.

Amanda’s 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

Because of her skill, No’Ala magazine 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 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.

Because You’ve Always Cared...

...and Still Do.

Since 1992, families in the Shoals have turned to Hospice of the Shoals when a loved one requires hospice care. We were the first hospice in the area, and remain the only not-for-profit.

Turn to us because you care...and so do we.

256-767-6699 www.hospiceoftheshoals.org

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THE MCGUYER FAMILY GETS THE CHAPMAN TOUCH

Right: The McGuyer family, after their transformation into the characters from Tim Burton’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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ers Lee Laura And

If you want to share some good news about a friend, neighbor, or colleague—or even toot your own horn—send your kudos to allen@noalapress.com.

BEARER OF GOOD NEWS

Nucor Steel team members presenting a gift card to victims of the Oklahoma tornadoes in Moore. (Left to right) James Swindle, Kristy Riggs, Caster Green, Greg Greene, Cheryl Hicks, Michael Kassay, Tamara Lunsford, Deborah Vess

PAYING IT FORWARD Bank Independent’s 27 North Alabama branches and Nucor Steel Decatur teamed to create the Oklahoma Tornado Relief Fund, raising more than $23,000 in gift cards for victims of the Moore, Oklahoma tornado. Nucor Steel employees personally delivered the gift cards to Moore’s city hall. Bank Independent President Macke Mauldin said, “two of our own employees recently shared their personal stories of loss and rebuilding from the April 2011 tornadoes here in our area, so we understand that both the tragedy of losing your home and the generosity of folks who pitched in to help are things not easily forgotten.”

TEACHER OF THE YEAR Marsha Carter of Florence High School was named the 2013 National Teacher of the Year by the American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences at its 104th annual conference in Houston. Carter was recognized for her family and consumer sciences program at FHS, which includes the senior pathways project, culinary classes, and travel and tourism classes. In just five years, she has grown the program from 13 students to more than 100, helping to expand their career options and develop their job-ready skills. Joann Wissinger, president of Alabama’s AAFCS affiliate said Carter was deserving of the award because of her creative teaching methods, handsMarsha Carter (center) on activities, enthusiasm, and motivating personality.

Marie Waxel of WAFF-TV Channel 48 received a 2013 Alabama APME Journalism Excellence Award. The Alabama Associated Press Managing Editors awards honor superior journalism and innovation among newspapers, radio, television, and online media. Waxel was honored for Best Hard-News Feature for Marie Waxel “Kyle Camp Kept Warm By Puppies.” Her October broadcast told the compelling story of a 10-year-old boy with Down Syndrome from Hackleburg, Alabama who had been lost in the woods for more than 18 hours and survived from the body heat of four puppies. The heart-warming story received national attention.

ACCOUNTABLE PARTNERS Abroms & Associates has elected Heather Kilpatrick and Kayla Hoofman as shareholders of the Florence-based accounting firm. Kilpatrick, who joined the firm in 2002, earned her CPA certification in 2007 and specializes in multi-state corporate, partnership, and individual Heather Kilpatrick taxation as well as accounting and taxation of investment partnerships. She holds an associate’s degree from Kilgore College in Texas and a bachelor’s degree from UNA. Kayla Hoofman joined the firm in 2006 and passed the CPA exam in 2007. Her areas of expertise include individual taxation and governmental audits, sub-chapter S corporation and partnership taxaKayla Hoofman tion, multi-state corporate and individual taxation, and compilations.

She holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Murray State University in Kentucky.

Florence High School graduate Rohit Borah received $2,500 from the National Merit Scholarship Program, the highest of any of the 32 scholars from Alabama this year. A pianist, community volunteer, class favorite, and AP student, Rohit was ranked 8th in his class with a 4.31 GPA and an SAT score of 1450. Other national merit finalists from the Shoals were Zachary Foust, Maria Oswalt, Adam Schoenbachler, Roman Sherrod, and Thomas Swinea, who all received $1,000.

Rohit Borah

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Making a diямАerence, 92 | NOALAPRESS . COM | S EPTEMBER /O CTOBER 2013

from the ground up TEXT BY L AURA ANDERS LEE » PHOTOS BY ABRAHAM AND SUSAN ROWE

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Making a difference, from the ground up

Chiquimula, Guatemala, a group of villagers lives in a dump. They have nothing, except for what they can find in the garbage. Children go without shoes, through the horrible filth, the broken glass, and jagged concrete, searching for bits of food and clothing to help them survive.

Florence resident Melissa Bain (pictured above, at far left) has made it her career to better the lives of kids like these—starting with a pair of shoes. Melissa is the Travel4Souls coordinator for Nashville-based nonprofit Soles4Souls, which provides 3 million shoes each year to impoverished people in developing nations. So far this year Melissa has taken volunteer teams to Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, and Africa, where she spent her 30th birthday.

“One thing I will say is poverty looks different in each country,” says Melissa. “Some come in with malformed feet. For others, hook worms and parasites are a problem. In Guatemala we saw a lot of barefoot children, especially at the dump. If you do see shoes, they are completely worn out. The little boys will be wearing their mother’s shoes, and she will be barefoot. And others have had the ends of their shoes cut off so they can continue to wear them with their toes sticking out.”

For the Guatemala trip, Melissa partnered with Shoals natives Josh and Jessica Byrd, who now live there as missionaries. During the five-day visit, more than two dozen volunteers, including Florence photographers Abraham and Susan Rowe, met the villagers, washed their feet, and then individually fit 600 people with a pair of shoes.

“Our participants are so willing,” says Melissa. “Nobody has even asked for gloves. When you’re looking down at a four year old who’s looking back at you, there’s no way you’re not going to touch his feet.”

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Serving women of every generation...from two different locations.

541 W. College Street, Suite 2400 Florence AL 35630 523-D Gandy Street Russellville AL 35653

For more information and to make an appointment, please call Dr. Daphne Jones

Angela Eady, CRNP

Dr. Mary Robbins

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“One thing I will say is poverty looks different in each country.”

—Melissa Bain

Besides shoes, Soles4Souls has provided people with everything from clothing and medicine to even a roof for a dilapidated house. In the future, Melissa hopes to organize groups of doctors and nurses to accompany her on trips.

“There’s a medical component, but there’s also an educational component as well,” says Melissa. “The children have to have shoes to go to school, which is ironic, because they can’t better themselves if they can’t even afford the uniforms. But once they get accepted into the schools, the families are so excited.”

While it might start with a pair of shoes, Soles4Souls doesn’t lose sight of the big picture. One of their missions is to end poverty by setting up micro-enterprises run by locals. Micro-enterprises provide sustainable jobs to indigent people, allowing them to be successful. So far, Soles4Souls has supplied shoes to 127 countries.

“We have partners in Haiti, for instance, who find women who want to run a small business by selling shoes on the streets at markets,” Melissa explains. “Our partners teach them basic finance and business principles, then we supply them with the product—in this case, shoes—for them to run their own business.”

Marieange from Haiti was one of the women selected for a micro-enterprise. Before the Soles4Souls program, she didn’t have a house, her husband had left, and she was raising a teenage daughter on her own. She had no steady job and no reliable income.

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The On Stage Season, 2013-2014 Alabama Symphony Orchestra 'SJEBZ 4FQUFNCFS Å” /PSUPO "VEJUPSJVN Å” QN

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Visit shoalsonstage.com for more information

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“It’s very humbling. You leave feeling blessed by the ones whose feet you have washed.” —Melissa Bain

“Thanks to the program, she has developed a life for herself,” says Melissa. “The micro-enterprise program is something I definitely believe in. That’s where change happens.”

For those wanting to help propel this change, there are many ways to get involved. Locals who want to support Melissa and Soles4Souls can host shoe drives to gather gently used and new shoes for the micro-enterprise program. You can donate or raise money to cover operational and shipping costs (it costs about $1 per shoe for an overseas shipment, but one thousand shoes adds up quickly.). You can join Melissa on one of her next trips, or you can simply buy a pair of BOBS this fall, and SKETCHERS will donate one pair of shoes to Soles4Souls.

Melissa says something as little as a pair of shoes makes a tremendous impact in the life of a child—for their health, their education, and their future.

“Obviously there is a Biblical component, at least for me,” says Melissa, when asked about the act of washing feet and providing shoes. “There is something so cool about kneeling down at a kid’s feet. You are so different from one another. Many times you don’t speak the same language. But you smile at each other. It’s very humbling. You are a blessing to them, but you leave feeling blessed by the ones whose feet you have washed.”

That’s what Soles4Souls is all about.

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scene

Barb and Dan Hendricks, Ann and John Battcher Katherine Anderson, Stephanie Mullins, Kaitlin Chappell, and Martha Truitt Bill and B.J. Cale Hunter Fielder and Noelle Ingle

Danita Lune, Dan Hendricks, and Andrew Luna

Derby Hat Contest Contestants

Col Mike and Marianthe Snyder Dixie Carter and Bob Hill

Above: Derby Day at the University of North Alabama M AY 4, 2013  GUILLOT UNIVERSITY CENTER

Below: Opening Night After Party for Hank Williams: Lost Highway JUNE 12, 2013  FLOBAMA

Carole and Chris Maynard Dean Baughmann and Denise James Spencer Cantrell and Abby Lee Hood

Peter Oyloe and Haley Prestridge

Shiloh Shelton and Summer Akers

Payton Ayers and Adam St. John

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

Mississippi Charles Bevel and Drew Perkins

Charlton James and Myk Watford

Riverhill School provides a Blue Ribbon Experience

Congratulations to Rohit Borah, Riverhill graduate and the only recipient of a $2,500 National Merit Scholarship Award in the Shoals this year!

Riverhill School has been named an ASA Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

Our overall SAT average is 84, and our low student to teacher ratio, our emphasis on arts education, and even our National Elementary Honor Society Chapter set us apart. If academic excellence means something to you, rest assured it means something to us, too.

Come visit and see what we mean!

We’re registering now for our Pre-K2 through sixth grade classes.

Call 256-764-8200 or visit riverhillschool.org for more information.

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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

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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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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 Dish.)

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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WHO INSPIRES YOU?

Make your nominations for the 2014 No’Ala Renaissance Awards Every two years, we ask our readers to tell us about the people in our area who quietly work behind the scenes to make this an even better place to live. We’re interested in the unsung heroes, the role models, and the inspirational figures who make a difference in your life and the life of our community. It’s time once again to begin gathering our nominees for the 2014 award.

Our categories are: Science, Education, Service & Spirituality, Business & Leadership, and Arts & Culture.

We will convene a panel of prior award winners and nominees to help us choose the five category winners, and from that group we’ll select a Renaissance Person of the Year. These special people will be featured in our 2014 March/April issue.

Let us know by writing us and mailing your nominations to No’Ala Press, P.O. Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630; or email your nominations to claire@noalapress.com. Help us bring recognition to the unsung people who make a difference in our lives.

No’Ala needs your help.

But it’s a piece of cake.

We’re having a cake contest. Send us your very best cake recipe—for a layer cake, pound cake, sheet cake, or Bundt cake—and the best three will be featured in the 2013 Holiday issue of No’Ala. The overall winner will get dinner on us, and the fame that comes from being acknowledged as the best cake-baker 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, 2013, 5:00pm.

Submit recipes to claire@noalapress.com.

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back talk » Claire Stewart

Do you have any superstitions?

“I knock on wood after I say something I don’t want to jinx!”

—Lori Mitchell

“My dad always told me that when it is raining and the sun is shining, the devil is beating his wife.”

“You can’t say Macbeth in a theater or the show will be compromised.”

—Cole Bryant

—Christopher Ray Lori

Christopher

“Before every show, I have to drink three Red Bulls. Two are definitely not enough.”

—Kevin Jones

“At the fire station, we all think the song ‘I’ve Got a Feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas is a bad omen. Whenever it plays we get a call.”

—Austin Knox

Kevin

Austin

Cole

“My family is full of superstitions: My sister has to wear Auburn game day socks for every football game, and my brother refuses to talk about anything he is excited about until it happens.”

—Holly Dunlap

“Before every Alabama game, my brother and I have to text each other our predictions.”

—Justin Crisler

“You can’t eat ice cream and seafood in the same meal” —Linda Bryant Justin

Holly

Linda

“Though I am not a superstitious person, I know my dad will always knock on wood.”

—Michael Haymer

“I have a part in a traveling act called the ‘Alabama Blues Brothers.’

For 15 years, I have worn the same suit, and I refuse to get a new one.”

—Jamie Crisler

Michael

Jamie

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back talk » Do you have any superstitions?

“Before a big track meet, I could only eat two biscuits and an orange juice. It was a good luck ritual.”

—Ivra Warren

“Since I was a little girl, I was told that you should never let people sweep under your feet or you will live to be an old maid.”

Ivra

—Laura Delfino

“When my family eats poultry, two of us hold either side of the wishbone and make a wish. Whoever gets the larger piece supposedly has their wish come true.”

—Karen Claunch

Laura

“Every day I carry around a bandana that was given to me by a child in Iraq as a good luck charm.”

—Tim Greer

Karen

“I don’t ever walk under a ladder— a paint can could fall on your head!”

—David Dison

David

Tim

All respondents were interviewed at Rivertown Coffee Co. in Florence.

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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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114 Âť

parting shot Âť Danny Mitchell

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