September 18, 2014 by Over the Mountain Journal

The Suburban Newspaper for Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County

OVER THE MOUNTAIN

inside

JOU RNAL otmj.com

ursd ay, September 18, 2014

V ol . 23 #17

A Taste for Antiques Botanical Gardens Show Offers Sale, Style Tips and Special Events

Day to Remember: OTM ceremonies salute 9/11 heroes, victims

news page 13

By Keysha Drexel Journal editor

Not only will the ninth annual Antiques at The Gardens offer plenty of chances to shop for antiques, furniture, porcelain, fine art, silver, garden accessories and jewelry, it will also give those attending a chance to be inspired by and get advice from the most creative minds in architecture, interior design and landscape design. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens event, set for Oct. 2-5 this year, will bring together more than 14 tastemakers to curate themed areas with goods selected from Birmingham and other regions as dealers from across the country present their wares. New to Antiques at The Gardens this year, the Tastebuds: Define Your Style event will kick off the weekend’s festivities on Oct. 2. During the 10 a.m. event, young style enthusiasts will have the opportu-

Starry Night: Tiki Barber among guests at KultureCity Gala

social page 16

See antiques & gardens, page 30

Interior designer Pat Hiden and architect Hank Long teamed up to add a comfortable, elegant den to Hiden’s Mountain Brook house. The creative pair will also join forces as tastemakers at this year’s Antiques at The Gardens Oct. 2-5. Read about Hiden, Long and fellow tastemakers Libby Greene and Susan Kidd in this issue’s Home section, page 22. Journal photo by Lee Walls Jr.

Kayla Perry, left, and her oncologist, Dr. Joseph Pressey, look at her bone marrow under the microscopes.

‘No Such Thing as False Hope’

Rising to the Occasion: Carole Griffin isn’t one to shy away from a challenge

food page 34

Cancer Doesn’t Stop Hoover Teen from Pursuing Her Dreams By Keysha Drexel

Photo special to the Journal

Journal editor

Kayla Perry has an outlook on life that belies her young age and her uncertain future. Although the Hoover native is fighting for her life against an aggressive form of cancer, she said she is determined to live each day just as she did before her diagnosis a year ago at age 18. “The fact that we are never promised tomorrow is not a new concept for me,” said Perry, who is now in her freshman year at

See kayla, page 4

Buddy Breaks the Record: Anderson gets 310th career victory

sports page 40

magic city miracle p. 6 • sunday in the park—with chefs p. 8 • Mountain brook students gear up P. 31 • sips of bourbon, sides of bacon p. 35

2 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

Opinion/Contents

miracle makers The third annual Magic City Miracle will be Sept. 28 at Linn Park in Birmingham. Starting at 1 p.m., volunteers can come together in a day of service with the help of city government, nonprofits, businesses, local churches and other volunteers. There will be some 200 projects to work on and complete that day. Projects include painting, picking up trash, bagging vegetables and visiting with the elderly. For the full story, see page 6.

On otmj.com

There’s so much happening in the Over the Mountain area, we can’t fit it all in the paper! Visit www.otmj.com for more stories and photos.

Coming Oct. 2

Up next, we’ll take a look at the well-being of women in our annual Women’s Health issue.

in this issue people 6 about town 8 news 13 Social 16 Home 22

murphy’s law

Corrections: In a Sept. 4 story on the Studio By the Tracks fundraiser, we misidentified Haley Miller in one of the photo captions. In our Sept. 4 business section, the contact information for JJ Eyes should have been listed as jjeyesoptical.com. The Journal is happy to set the record straight.

Weddings 30 Schools 31 food 34 Sports 40

OVER THE MOUNTAIN

J O U R N A L September 18, 2014

Publisher: Maury Wald Editor: Keysha Drexel Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Office Manager: Christy Wald Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Lee Davis Contributors: Susan Murphy, June Mathews, William C. Singleton III, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls Jr., Bryan Bunch Advertising Sales: Suzanne Wald, Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald Interns: Jacob Fuqua, Mary Varnell, Emily Williams Vol. 23, No. 17

Over The Mountain Journal is a suburban bi-weekly newspaper delivered to Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County areas. Subscriptions for The Journal are available for $24 yearly. Mail to: Over the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. Phone: (205) 823-9646. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our advertising department at ads@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com. Copyright 2014 Over The Mountain Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Journal is not responsible for return of photos, copy and other unsolicited materials submitted. To have materials returned, please specify when submitting and provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All materials submitted are subject to editorial review and may be edited or declined without notification.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

2BD, 1B, 2CUTE

I expected a big-smiles big reveal, have a new listing for you. It’s a two story, two bedroom, one but when I removed the plastic I realfull bath in a nice neighborized that I have a long remodel ahead hood, close to schools and shopof me. To Harold’s credit, his glue held ping. Right now, it’s a fixer-upper, beautifully. It was my personal conbut I’m working on the necessary tribution that faded, although I don’t upgrades to make the place turnthink it was all that good to begin with. key ready…even though there’s no After Harold finished construction, I key that I know of. was in charge of the decorating, and I The current tenants have been in the don’t know if I was sleep-deprived or home for some 20-odd years, and while working through some kind of passivethey haven’t outgrown the property, aggressive feelings toward my children, it’s time for a change. Frankly, they’re but the paint looks like it was applied looking a little tired. Their hair is fallduring TV commercial breaks after a ing out in places. One of them has teeth long day of child wrestling…which marks on her leg from when our dog maybe it was. Sue Murphy Buster Joe was in his chewing phase. The linens were cropped with pinkWait…did I mention that I was ing shears. The floors are tiles of The house doesn’t have cast-off linoleum. No wonder the talking about a dollhouse? It’s an adorable 3-foot-tall residence my walk-in closets, but original tenants lost heart. husband Harold assembled from a time things will be different. then the family who TheThis kit back when I could still guilt him remodel will be fun. I’ll pick into such nonsense. In my defense, lived there before had out paint chips and matching drapery it looked like a fun project. The box material, maybe add a few decoraonly one change of showed a dolly mansion surrounded tive updates. Nothing fancy, you by artificial shrubs, but the house clothes. understand. No crown molding, no came unassembled, and when I say tiny granite countertops, no stainless unassembled, I mean that there were steel appliances. The house doesn’t have walk-in closets, no standing walls, no pre-fab windows and 200 roofing but then the family who lived there before had only one tiles that had to be attached one at a time with a hot glue change of clothes. gun. I found websites that offer furnishings for dollhouses The directions did not mention the amount of sweatand you can buy just about anything--canopy beds, droping and swearing required to complete the project, but leaf tables, crystal chandeliers--but that may be going a for weeks on end, tools flew across the concrete and little too far. I’d hate for the dollhouse to be better decoHarold would emerge red-faced from the basement with rated than the house its owner is living in. Tiny Queen blisters on his hot-glued hands. The house turned out Anne chairs next to a well-loved corduroy recliner? Why beautifully, though, and Harold’s fingerprints grew back torture myself? a short time later, so I wrote the house off as a success. Anyway, time to get to work. I figure I have at least Once our girls moved from baby dolls to boy bands, five years before my granddaughters will be ready to use the dollhouse was retired to the attic, where it remained draped in plastic until last week when I came up with the the dollhouse, which should work out just right, even if I brilliant idea of resurrecting it for my granddaughters. just work during TV commercials. Which I might.❖

over the Mountain Views

What’s your favorite fall food?

“Turkey and mashed potatoes.”

“A salted caramel mocha Frappuccino.”

Michael Coop Hoover

Tripp Burson Homewood

“I love chili.” Sylvia Marshall Vestavia Hills

“Baked potato soup is my favorite.” Savannah Avant Homewood

Thursday, September 18, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ 3

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

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4 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

It's tIme to

Grill!

people

Kayla,

From page one

Auburn University. “I believe that there’s no such thing as false hope, because when you are hoping for something, you are showing faith. Hoping and having faith means being able to enjoy your life, no matter what.” And in the 17 months since she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, Perry has set out to enjoy her life and make sure others fighting pediatric cancer also have hope. With the help of family and friends, Perry earlier this month launched a nonprofit organization and website called Open Hands Overflowing Hearts to raise money for pediatric cancer research. She raised $15,000 with her first fundraiser and has a goal to raise $400,000 with an event being planned for December. Open Hands Overflowing Hearts was the name of a blog Perry started several years ago and is now the

THE REVOLUTION OF 2014 e are 1 col by 4UKRAINIAN inches AND PUTIN'S RUSSIA nd as mentioned before ld be happy to Presented run the by UAB's Dr. George Liber version nextMonday, week at September 22 at 6:30 pm that price.

ONE: 205-823-9646

the OvEr THE MOuNTAiN JOurNAl for the ase fax approval or changes to 824-1246.

re all information is correct, ress and phone number!

and fax back within 24 hours.

ou by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, n as is. We print the paper Monday.

or your prompt attention.

name of her nonprofit and website. “I’ve always felt like if I live my life with open hands–willing to receive things and willing to give up things–that I will give what I need to give and receive what I need to receive, and that’s when your heart is overflowing,” she said. “That’s translated well to my aim to help increase awareness and funding for pediatric cancer. Since September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, it made sense to launch everything now.” Perry said her battle with cancer has opened her eyes to just how much is not known about pediatric cancer. “Throughout my entire treatment, for 15 months, I heard my doctor say so many times, ‘We just don’t know because the research is not there yet,’ and when I realized how little federal funding goes to pediatric cancer research, I knew I had to do anything I could to help find a cure,” she said. Perry is working now to organize a fundraiser in December to benefit the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama. The Answer to Cancer fundraiser is slated for Dec. 7 at Regions Field. The event will run from 4-8 p.m. and will include live music, a silent auction, food and drinks, and trip giveaways. Details can be found at openhandsoverflowinghearts.org. Perry grew up in Hoover with her parents, Rob, who works for Northwestern Mutual of Alabama, and Christen, who owns Classic Travel Connection in Hoover, and her younger sister Morgan and brother Andrew, who are both students at Spain Park High School. She was homeschooled through Excelsior School and finished her high school courses a year early, in May 2012. “I knew that the ‘typical path’ of a recent high school grad was not for me,” Perry said. “I moved to Hawaii the next January to study with a Christian organization called Youth With a Mission. I lived there for three months, studying photography, videography and journalism, preparing to go to Kenya and Uganda with a team of nine other girls.” While she was in Hawaii, Perry started having nosebleeds and unexplained dizzy spells, but she didn’t let it slow her down or distract her from her mission. “We (Perry and the other girls on the mission team) had a goal of using our creative gifts to bring light into dark situations and be a voice for the voiceless,” she said. “Not only did we want to show the precious people we were working with that there is hope in Christ, but we also wanted to bring home stories of the evils that go on and compel those who are able to do something about it.” Perry and her mission team traveled from Hawaii to Kenya for what was supposed to be a three-month stay. “After about two and half weeks of ministry, my nosebleeds started happening more frequently. We were about to leave the city and be without access to medical care, so I decided to get checked out by a doctor before leaving,” she said. “I was hoping he could provide me with a quick fix so I could go to Uganda as planned, but God had other ideas.”

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Left: Kayla Perry’s Open Hands Overflowing Hearts organization will host a fundraiser in December to benefit the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama. above: Kayla, Rob, Andrew, Morgan and Christen Perry of Hoover.

For the next week, Perry traveled back and forth to the hospital in Kenya while the doctors there communicated with her family back in the U.S. “Eventually, the doctors told me that they were unable to figure out why I was having these odd symptoms, but whatever the cause, it was bad and I needed to go back home,” Perry said. “I was completely devastated–and even stubborn, at first–but I knew it was absolutely necessary to take care of my health.” Perry packed her bags and returned home to Hoover, thinking she might get to return later to finish up her mission work with the team in Uganda. Back home, Perry’s doctors ran a battery of tests and told her they should have news for her by the end of the week. “The doctor did a biopsy on Thursday and told us that if we didn’t hear back from him by 5 p.m. the next day, Friday, then it was good news and there was nothing to worry about,” Perry said. “So, 5 o’clock on Friday rolls around and we haven’t heard from the doctor, so my family decided to go out to dinner to celebrate.” The Perry family was enjoying their night on the town and had stopped for ice cream when Christen Perry received a phone call from the doctor.

“It was the absolute worst timing. We were all dressed up, celebrating what we thought was a no-news-isgood-news situation, and then the doctor calls at 7:30 on a Friday night and asks us to come to his office,” Perry said. Perry and her family got the news that night that she had high-risk stage 4 neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer that typically strikes very young children and infants. The rare diagnosis seemed unreal to Perry at first, she said. “I heard the words coming out of the doctor’s mouth, I heard him say that they had found cancerous cells in my bone marrow, but it seemed like it was all distant and happening far away, like it wasn’t real,” she said. “My second thought was, ‘Well, they can fix it, right?’” But Perry said the answer to that question made her realize she was in for the fight of her life. “I was already enrolled at Auburn for the fall semester, but the doctor told me I would have to leave school and start treatment,” she said. “That was the moment when it really hit me. I remember thinking that my world was about to be turned upside down.” And for the next 15 months, Perry’s world was vastly different than it had been before the diagnosis. “I received the standard protocol therapy for my disease–weeks of See kayla, facing page

Shirey Will be Inducted into Nursing League A North Shelby resident was recently selected for induction as a fellow into the National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education. Shirey, who lives in Highland Lakes, is a professor and assistant dean for Clinical Affairs and Partnerships in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing. Shirey is nationally recognized for her innovative integration of teaching and learning strategies using research,

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 5

people

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

evidence-based practice and real-world consultation to build nursing leadership capacity. At UAB, she teaches in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, focusing on leadership, Marie Shirey management and health

policy. “Getting to join this group is a distinct honor and fuels my desire to continue to make a difference in the lives of those students I coach and mentor to become tomorrow’s leaders,” Shirey said. Shirey will be inducted as a new fellow at a ceremony in Phoenix, Ariz. in September.

Healthcare Hall of Fame Honors Local Residents Several Over the Mountain residents were honored recently by the Alabama

Healthcare Hall of Fame. The honorees were recognized at the organization’s Awards Luncheon Aug. 23 in Montgomery. Those recognized for their outstanding contributions to healthcare in the state included Dr. Rowell Ashford of Indian Springs, who was on staff at Cooper Green Hospital; the late Dr. Buris Boshell, the founder of the UAB Diabetes Hospital and former Over the Mountain resident; Dr. Ben Branscomb of Vestavia Hills, a longtime member of the UAB faculty; Harriet Cloud of Homewood, a dietitian; the late Dr.

James M. Mason II, former chief of surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital; the late Dr. James Mason III, a highlydecorated World War II veteran and chief of surgery at St. Vincent’s Hospital; Dr. Michael Saag of Mountain Brook, a member of the UAB faculty, founder of the HIV/AIDS program at UAB and author; Anita Smith Lunsford of Crestline Village, a longtime reporter for the Birmingham News who has written several health history books; and Michael Stephens of Homewood, a developer of rehab programs at Lakeshore.

Kayla,

From previous page

inpatient chemotherapy, radiation, a bone marrow transplant and immunotherapy–along with several other treatments along the way,” she said. After her last treatment, Perry moved into a dorm at Auburn and got ready to tackle life as a college student. “But the day after I moved into my dorm room, I had to come back to the hospital to get the results of some scans,” she said. “That’s when the doctor told my parents that the cancer had grown, even though I’d received all the therapy I was supposed to receive.” The doctor told Perry that his strategy had shifted from trying to cure her cancer to trying to maintain it, she said. “He explained that the chances of me ever being cured are very low and the goal is to keep the cancer from harming me anymore for as long as possible,” Perry said. “The doctor told me that anything I want to experience or do before I pass away, that I should go ahead and try to do it because they don’t know how long they can maintain the disease.” But instead of making plans to go skydiving or travel the world in the time she has left, Perry said she went right back to pursuing her dreams of being a nurse practitioner in pediatric oncology. “I don’t know how much time I have left, and the things I want to do aren’t things like visiting the Eiffel Tower and going on some crazy adventure,” she said. “I just want to continuing living my life and going after the things I want to accomplish.” After she got the news from her doctor that her cancer is incurable, Perry said, she went shopping for the things she would need for her dorm room at Auburn. “You just have to keep putting one foot in front of another and deal with life as it happens, and that’s what I did,” she said. Perry said she’s now taking experimental therapy and travels every third week to Atlanta for five days of treatment. She listens to lectures she misses while she’s in the car and does homework while she’s in the hospital in Atlanta. In between her treatments and schoolwork, Perry is also working to raise money for cancer research through her nonprofit organization and website. “It can wear me out, but I know it is all worth it,” she said. “I’m not giving up on my dreams.” ❖

IS YOUR HEART STRONG ENOUGH FOR FOOTBALL SEASON?

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Don’t let the big game be your first stress test. Ladies and gentlemen, please join the UAB Heart & Vascular Clinic team for our Heart Healthy Tailgate Party. We’re offering free blood pressure, EKG, blood sugar, oxygen saturation, waist circumference, and body mass index screenings, along with smoking cessation and risk assessment consultations. Meet UAB Cardiologist, Alan Gertler, MD and Nurse Practitioner, Jody Gilchrist. We’ll have door prizes, giveaways, and lots of heart healthy snacks. Pre-register online to be entered for a chance to win a tailgate grill! Keep your heart in winning condition—register today!

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6 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

people

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

A Day to Give Back

Announcing our

Magic City Miracle Offers Community Service Opportunities By Mary Varnell Journal intern

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Larry, 879-3388 High Holiday Service Times Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., 205-824-1246, fax Feast of Trumpets Services Sept. 2014

Erev Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year

Organizers of this year’s Magic City Miracle said they are hoping the annual community service event will show Over the Mountain and Birmingham metro area residents, governmental officials and nonprofit organizations the strength in numbers. The third annual Magic City Miracle event is slated for Sept. 28 and aims to bring 4,000 volunteers together for a day of service. “This is a unique event in that it is the only day of service in the entire state of Alabama that is put together with the combined efforts of faith communities, nonprofits, governments and businesses,” said Nathan Carden, associate pastor of Trinity United Methodist in Homewood, one of the churches involved in Magic City Miracle. Trinity UMC got involved with Magic City Miracle shortly after it was created three years ago by a group of community leaders who wanted to unify every aspect of the Birmingham community in a day of service to benefit those in need. Wade Griffith, pastor of Liberty Crossings United Methodist Church, was instrumental in getting the project started and perpetuating it over the past few years, Carden said. Carden said he and Griffith are ministerial colleagues and that when Griffith pitched the idea to join in on the day of service, he was immediately on board. “We knew if we had around

1,200 to 1,500 people in worship on Sundays, even if we got one-third of the congregation to help, it’d still make a huge difference,” Carden said. The first year, about 950 volunteers showed up for the day of service, Carden said. The event “was really energizing for our congregations because nothing unites people like common service,” he said. About 2,000 volunteers participated in last year’s event. Marie Pasco, membership assistant at Trinity UMC, said she believes the Magic City Miracle event is a perfect way to get involved and do something for a great cause. Brian Erickson, senior pastor designate at Trinity UMC, calls the event “user-friendly” because Magic City Miracle makes it easy for businesses to serve. Event officials recruit busi-

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Last year, about 2,000 volunteers participated in Magic City Miracle service projects. Staff members from Trinity United Methodist Church are hoping even more participate this year. From left: Brian Erickson, Lisa Elliot, Marie Pasco and Nathan Carden. Photo special to the Journal

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nesses and allow their volunteers to do the work in which they specialize, he said. “There is always some way to give back using your skills, passions and interests,” Erickson said. Lisa Elliot, assistant to the senior pastor at Trinity UMC, said she thinks the event is user-friendly because it offers volunteer opportunities for all ages. “My favorite part is that there is something for all ages to do. From ages 3-100, everyone can find some way to participate,” she said. Carden said hundreds of projects are lined up for this year’s Magic City Miracle day of service, including construction and landscaping projects, organizing and painting jobs, picking up trash and bagging vegetables. Volunteers are also needed to visit with the elderly. Event organizers said they are hoping to double the number of volunteers at Magic City Miracle this year. “We’re expecting twice as many volunteers than last year,” said Scott Comas, this year’s event coordinator. “This is a perfect opportunity to do something good for the community and for the people here who need a helping hand.” Magic City Miracle is funded in part by a special grant from the United Methodist Church and its Rethink Church initiative as a way to give citizens a chance to serve in their communities. However, volunteers do not have to be affiliated with the United Methodist Church–or any church–to participate. Locally, the event is organized by the Liberty Crossings, Trinity and Vestavia Hills United Methodist churches. Volunteers are asked to gather at Linn Park at 710 20th St. N. in downtown Birmingham at 1 p.m. Sept. 28. From there, volunteers will fan out around the Birmingham metro area to complete the community service projects. Volunteers are asked to bring nonperishable food items to benefit Birmingham metro area food banks. More information is available on Facebook (Magic City Miracle) and Twitter (@mcmbham). Twitter users can use the hashtag #2014MCM. ❖

O’Kelley, Education Foundation. Rotary District 6860 Assistant Gov. Bonnie H. Richards installed the new leaders at a July meeting. Longstanding Homewood Rotary projects include a bake sale at I Love Homewood Day each May, providing dictionaries to area third-grade students, financial contributions to the Homewood Library, awarding scholarships to deserving Homewood High School graduates and supporting many community service projects. The 47-member club meets each

Anna Lee Marlow, a Hoover Girl Scout, feeds a giraffe at Girl Scout Day at the Birmingham Zoo as her sisters Rose, left, and Marie look on. More than 1,800 Girl Scouts attended the event on Sept. 6. Photo special to the Journal

Girl Scouts Seeking New Members, Volunteers The Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is making its fall push for girls and adult volunteers to join Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama has a busy fall program schedule, including Girl Scout Day at the Birmingham Zoo, fall festivals and outdoor samplers at all six of the council’s camps, and partnerships with University of Alabama Athletics and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. “There has never been a better time to be a Girl Scout,” said Melva Tate, interim chief executive officer with the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. “We make sure that girls are given the tools they need to be leaders in their communities and have fun while they’re at it.” Girl Scouts is open to all girls from kindergarten through grade 12. Girl Scouts has provided “a safe, fun, and engaging place for girls and adult volunteers to lead and thrive for over 100 years,” said Anna Maria Chávez, chief executive officer of GSUSA.

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 7

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

For more information on how to join Girl Scouts or how to volunteer, call 800734-4541 or visit girlscoutsnca.org.

Roberson Named New Rotary President Debbie Roberson recently took office as the new president of the Homewood Rotary Club. Roberson, a branch manager/vice president at IberiaBank, succeeds last year’s president, Josh Carnes. Other newlyinstalled officers are James “Bo” Duke, Debbie Roberson president-elect; Carol Chesnutt, president-nominee; John Palieschesky, secretary; and Janice Scholl, treasurer. Board members are Damon Holditch, membership; Mike Hawthorne, service; Al Murray, fundraising; and Mike

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Lego Champions Crowned in North Shelby The Mehta family of North Shelby recently won awards in the North Shelby Public Library’s annual Summer Lego Competition. Harshil Mehta was named the Lego Champion at the summer event. His sister, Labdhi Mehta, won first place, and their mother, Tejal Mehta, also won

first place in her division. Harshil won a first-place trophy, ribbon and Lego gift card for his project that included a Coast Guard ship and two airplanes designed to depict the recently-lost Malaysian plane. Labdhi won first place for her “Lighthouse on the Island” creation. Tejal won first place for her “Pyramid Carousel” Lego creation. This was the fourth year the North Shelby Public Library has held the Lego competition. Morgan Higgins coordinated the contest.

8 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Sunday in the Park—with Chefs Birmingham Originals Will Cook up Flavorful Festival

By Donna Cornelius

Journal features writer

2014

October 3-5, 10-12, 19, 26, 29-30 & November 1 • 5–9pm October 17-18, 24-25 & 31 • 5–10pm Members $6* • Non-Members $8* • Ride Tickets $3.50* Unlimited Attraction Wristband $12* – Best Value!

n event that’s become a favorite for Birmingham area food lovers has juiced up its menu. The Birmingham Originals’ Breakin’ Bread 2014, The Local Flavor Festival annually tempts taste buds by offering signature dishes from some of Birmingham’s most creative restaurants. The 11th annual festival is set for Oct. 5 from 1-5 p.m. at Birmingham’s Railroad Park. Last year, the event was one of the top 10 attractions in the Alabama Tourism Department’s Year of Alabama food campaign. But organizers of the 2014 festival are hoping to make the event even more appetizing by cooking up some fresh features. New this year are an Alabama beer garden featuring local breweries, a farmers market with produce to purchase and a chefs’ competition. Based on Food Network’s “Iron Chef” show—with a bit of “Chopped” thrown in—the contest will pit four Birmingham Originals chefs against each other as they cook on the spot with surprise ingredients. A panel of judges will taste the dishes and choose a winner. The festival helps the Birmingham Originals, a group of local, independently owned and operated restaurants, showcase the food and drinks offered by its members. But the event also raises money for good causes, said Jerry Hartley, the organization’s president. “This year, we’re supporting Camp Smile-A-Mile and Make-AWish Alabama,” Hartley said. “Over 10 years, we’ve given $85,000 to charity.” Those who attend Breakin’ Bread can try food samples from more than 40 Birmingham independently-owned restaurants and take part in wine and craft beer tastings.

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“You can try food you may not have had before without having to buy a $20 plate,” Hartley said. Festival-goers look for favorite dishes, such as gumbo from the Bright Star in Bessemer, and for unexpected concoctions, he said. “You might see things like pork belly over gouda grits,” Hartley said. “Last year, Ocean had a line of about 50 people for its scallops. (Chef) George Reis always puts on a show.” Hartley’s restaurant, The J. Clyde on Cobb Lane on Birmingham’s Southside, will serve one of its staple sweet treats. “We bring our Fatso Pudding,” he said. “People like it, so we can’t not do it. It’s a banana pudding recipe with chocolate.” The Breakin’ Bread festival started out at Pepper Place in Birmingham but is now held at Railroad Park. “We have the festival on Sunday because most businesses are closed then and we can devote all our resources to the event,” Hartley said. “On Saturdays, people are going to football games or watching them at home. Also, Sunday is a nice day for people to get together with families

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Organizers are getting ready for the annual Breakin’ Bread festival on Oct. 5. From left: Tasos Touloupis, Connie Blalock and Antony Osborne.

and friends.” Breakin’ Bread is kid-friendly as well as foodie-friendly. A children’s area will include encounters with animals from the Birmingham Zoo, pumpkin carving, face painting and clowns from Children’s of Alabama. Kids—and maybe their parents, too— can operate remote-controlled boats on the park’s lake. General admission tickets include food and drink samples, wine seminars by Scott Jones of Jones Is Thirsty, the Alabama Brewers Guild beer garden and the Urban Food Project’s farmers market. General admission tickets for ages 21 and older are $50. Young adult tickets for ages 12-20 are $20. Children under 12 get in free. There’s also a VIP area, which will feature the “Iron Chef”-style competition sponsored by the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. VIP ticket holders will get to sample the contestants’ dishes. VIP tickets also include access to the general admission area, parking passes and transportation to and from Railroad Park, covered seating, servers, specialty cocktails from Cathead Vodka, a Jones Is Thirsty wine seminar and more. VIP tickets are $100 and usually sell out quickly, Hartley said. For ticket information, visit www. birminghamoriginals.org. With every ticket purchased in advance on the website, guests will receive a Birmingham Originals gift card valid at select restaurants. Buyers get a $10 gift card with general admission tickets and a $20 gift card with VIP tickets. Breakin’ Bread is a natural fit for food-happy Birmingham, Hartley said. “The festival showcases what Birmingham is all about,” he said. “I just came back from Portland, Maine, which is supposed to have more restaurants per capita than any other city in the United States. But I’d put Birmingham up against it any day.” ❖

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Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 9

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

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Mountain Brook

Merchants are ready to welcome shoppers to the fifth annual Cahaba Village Shop for a Cure event to raise money for breast cancer research on Sept. 18. From left: Suzan Doidge, Ginger Pegues, Ashley Ashwander, Chris Milazzo, Paige Gilliland, Allie Bates, Emily Fields, Amanda Church, Joey Graham, Margaret Franks, Hannon Davidson and Arnold Soni.

Photo special to the Journal Cahaba Village for the Cure Sept. 18, 6-9 p.m. Cahaba Village Cahaba Village merchants and the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce will present the fifth annual Cahaba Village for the Cure to help raise money for North Central Alabama Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The after-hours event will run from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 18. Village merchants will be hosting a scavenger hunt with door prizes. The event will also include a family-friendly performance by Early Americans and a jazz ensemble band will also perform. For ore information, visit www.welcometomountianbrook.com or call 871-3779.❖

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Glue Gun Gang Supplies Swap Sept. 18, 10:30 a.m. Hoover Public Library The Glue Gun Gang will hold a supply swap and show-and-tell program Sept. 18 at the Hoover Public Library. The free event is for adults only. Reservations are not required. Bring your extra arts and crafts supplies for a casual swap. The swap starts at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call 4447940. Vestavia Hills

OLLI Presents Sept. 18, 1:30-3 p.m. Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute will present “The Human Body through the Eyes of a Medical Illustrator” at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest Sept. 18. Illustrator Floyd Hosmer will share his images and talk about the mysterious world beneath the skin. The free program runs from 1:30-3 p.m. For more information, visit vestavialibrary. org or call 978-3684. Homewood

“Saving Africa’s Giants” Sept. 19, 2:30 p.m. Samford University Samford University’s Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences will host the special presentation “Saving Africa’s Giants” Sept. 19 at 2:30 p.m. in Christenberry Planetarium. The free public event will feature African Wildlife Trust founder and chairman Pratik Patel speaking about “blood ivory” and how to save Africa’s elephants from extinction. Patel is a third generation Tanzanian whose family has been involved in the safari photo and ecotourism business for more than 40 years. For more information, visit howard.samford.edu. Homewood

Biology of Depression Sept. 18, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Homewood Public Library Dr. Richard Shelton and Dr. Sarah Clinton will explore the biology of depression at the Neuroscience Café program at the Homewood Public

Library from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 18. The free event will be held in the library’s round auditorium. For more information, visit homewoodpubliclibrary. org or call 332-6620. Homewood

Forum on Bullying Sept. 18, 6-7:30 p.m. Samford University A community forum on bullying and cyber-bullying will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at Samford University. Parents, educators and community members can hear from experts and learn how to reduce and prevent bullying. This is a free event, but seating is limited. The forum will be held in Room 223 in the Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Education building. For more information, contact Amy Sedlis at ajsedlis@gmail.com or call 910-7801.

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Wes Anderson Double Feature Sunroofs Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m. Emmet O’Neal Library Leather Interiors The Sept. 19 Standing Room Only To: LibraryKen Rosenberger event at the Emmet O’Neal From:free Over The Mountain Journal, 205-823-9646 ph., in Mountain Brook will feature facebook.com/AlabamaAutoTop entertainment, food and prizes for young 205-824-1246, fax . 1201 3RD AVENUE SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35233 adults. The event will also include aSeptember look Date: PHONE: 205-251-0684 . WWW.ALABAMAAUTOTOP.COM at the work of filmmaker Wes Anderson, and his two most requested films will This is your aD pROOF from the OveR The MOunTain JOuRnal for the be shown. This event is for ages 21 September 4th, 2014 issue. please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. and up and will be held on select Friday nights every other month. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with the first film beginning at 7 p.m. For more information, call the library at 445-1121.

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Birmingham

Orchid Society Show and Sale Sept. 19-21 Birmingham Botanical Gardens The Alabama Orchid Society will hold its 30th annual show and sale at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Sept. 19-21. The sale is from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 19 and 20 and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 21. The show is from noon-6 p.m. Sept. 20 and 11-4 p.m. Sept. 21. This is a free event. For more information, visit

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An Evening with Joshilyn Jackson Sept. 19, 6:30 p.m. Rosewood Hall 1923 Hoover Crt The Friends of the Homewood Hoover Al 35226 Public Library will host an evening with bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at Rosewood Hall in Homewood. The fundraiser will include a presentation by Jackson, refreshments and a book signing. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in advance. For more information, call 332-6625.

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10 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

About Town

Paws for a cause

be held in Grace Hall on the church’s campus at 1124 Montgomery Highway in Vestavia Hills. Guests are encouraged to wear clothes in support of their favorite school, college or professional teams. For more information, visit www. friendshipforce.org. Hoover

Hoover

The Animal League of Birmingham is preparing to host the sixth annual Paws for the Cause 5K in Hoover Sept. 20.

Paws for the Cause 5K Sept. 20, 8:30 a.m. Photo special to the Journal Veterans Park The Animal League of Birmingham will host the sixth annual Paws for the Cause 5K Sept. 20 at Veterans Park in Hoover. The dog-friendly 5K race and fun run will raise money for the Shelby Humane Society and will start at 8:30 a.m. Registration is $30 for the 5K, $20 for the one-mile fun run/pet walk or $35 for both. For more information, visit http://theanimalleagueofbirmingham. com. ❖ Homewood

Celebration of Marvin Hamlisch Sept. 19, 7:30-10:30 p.m. Wright Fine Arts Center The Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center at Samford University will present “A Singular Sensation! A Celebration of Marvin Hamlisch” from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Sept. 19. The all-star celebration of the prolific composer’s work will feature four Broadway singers and a band performing Hamlisch’s most beloved songs. Tickets are $18-$30 and can be purchased at artstickets@samford.edu. For more information, call 726-2853. Birmingham

Faculty and Friends Music Recital Sept. 19, 7:30-9:30 p.m. Alabama School of Fine Arts The Alabama School of Fine Arts will present its Faculty and Friends Music Recital from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Sept. 19. Audiences can experience the talents of the school’s award-winning music faculty supported by ASFA staff and alumni musicians in the Dorothy Jemison Day Theater, 1800 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. For more information, call 458-0360. Mountain Brook

Emerging Christianity Program Sept. 19-20 Canterbury United Methodist Church Brian McLaren will speak Sept. 19 and 20 at Canterbury United Methodist Church in Mountain Brook. He will discuss how Christianity will evolve in order to reach the next generation and how Christians can stand up for their beliefs while keeping other religions in mind. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door; college student discounts are available. The cost to attend all three lectures is $50. The cost to attend the Saturday morning lectures is $25. For more information, visit www.spafer. org. North Shelby

Sebastian’s RunWalk for a Cure Sept. 20, 8:30 a.m. Town of Mt Laurel Sebastian’s RunWalk for a Cure

to benefit the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama is set for Sept. 20 in Mt Laurel. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. The 5K RunWalk begins at 8:30 a.m. There will also be a onemile Kids’ Fun Run/Family Walk at 10 a.m. Participants can walk individually or create a team to honor a patient, participate as a company or school, or walk with friends. Registration is $25 for adults and $15 for children 12 and younger. For more information, visit www.sebastiansrunwalk.org. Birmingham

Planting Demonstration Sept. 20, 1 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens The Birmingham Botanical Gardens will host a free demonstration on how to plant fall trees and shrubs Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. Participants can learn techniques on how to plan and produce desired effects to ensure trees and shrubs will survive in their landscapes. For more information, visit www.bbgardens.org. North Shelby

Giant Book Sale Sept. 20-21 North Shelby Library The North Shelby Library will host its Giant Book Sale Sept. 20-21. The event will include thousands of books, DVDs and audiobooks. The sale runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 20 and from 1-5 p.m. Sept. 21. A Friends Preview event from 6:30-8 p.m. Sept. 19 includes snacks and adult beverages. For more information, visit www.northshelbylibrary. org or call 439-5504. Vestavia Hills

Tailgate Party Sept. 21, 2-4 p.m. Southminster Presbyterian Church The Friendship Force of Birmingham will host a tailgate party Sept. 21 from 2-4 p.m. at Southminster Presbyterian Church. The event will include information on Friendship Force International, a global network of citizen ambassadors who travel for friendship and goodwill, and on the group’s upcoming events. The tailgate party will

Tablao Flamenco Sept. 21, 6-8 p.m. Moonlight on the Mountain Experience genuine Flamenco performances in an intimate setting when Corazon Flamenco presents Tablao Flamenco at Moonlight on the Mountain in Hoover from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 21. The show will feature solos and group dances by Irene Rimer and Corazon Flamenco with guitarists Tony Arnold and Roberto Verdi. Tickets are $15. A workshop will be held before the performance at 5 p.m. Tickets for the workshop and the performance are $25. Guests can bring their own beverages. To buy tickets, visit www.irenerimer.com. Moonlight on the Mountain is at 585 Shades Crest Road in the Bluff Park community. For more information, visit www.moonlightonthemtn.com or call 873-5377. Hoover

Ron Hoye Program Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m. Prince of Peace Church Father Ron Hoye of Vincentian Catholic Missions will speak at Prince of Peace Church at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 22. His program includes a mix of humor, sacrament, scripture, storytelling and prayer. The free program will be held in the Ron Hoye Prince of Peace sanctuary at 4600 Preserve Parkway in Hoover. For more information about Hoye, visit www. parishmissions.us. Birmingham

Peace Corps Event Sept. 23, 6-8 p.m. Ryals Public Health Building A Peace Corps event scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Sept. 23 in Birmingham will be a recruitment function, party and reception all in one. The event is at the Ryals Public Health Building on the University of Alabama at Birmingham campus. Those attending can learn about opportunities overseas, hear personal experience stories from Peace Corps volunteers and get questions answered by a panel. Light food will be served. The event runs from 6-8 p.m. For more information, call Dan Frederick at 631-4680 or e-mail him at dfred4@ bellsouth.net. Hoover

Teen Library Board Meeting Sept. 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Hoover Public Library The inaugural meeting of the Teen Library Board will be held from 6:307:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Hoover Public Library. Teens in grades 7-12 interested in helping plan library programs are encouraged to attend. Snacks will be served. For more information, call 4447826.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal Vestavia Hills

Alabama Retail Day Luncheon Sept. 23, 11:30 a.m. Private club Gov. Robert Bentley will be the keynote speaker at the 33rd annual Alabama Retail Day luncheon Sept. 23 at a private club in Vestavia Hills. The Alabama Retail Association, in cooperation with the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Collat School of Business, will honor 13 retail businesses Ricky Bromberg with stores in 48 Alabama cities as Retailers of the Year at the event. Over the Mountain honorees include Frederick W. “Ricky” Bromberg of Bromberg & Co., Inc. of Mountain Brook and Birmingham; Ricky Brooks, Express Oil Change and Tire Engineers, with locations throughout the Birmingham metro area and the Southeast; Carole Griffin of Continental Bakery and Chez Lulu in Mountain Brook and Continental Bakery Downtown in Birmingham; Carla Hamilton of Four Corners Gallery on U.S. 280 in Birmingham; Jan Jacks of Dreamcakes Bakery in Homewood; and Dave Quinn and Joe Blaszczak of Publix Super Markets in Vestavia Hills. Tickets are $50. To register, visit alabamaretail.org/retaildayregistration/. Homewood

Police Foundation Luncheon Sept. 24, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The Club The Homewood Police Foundation will host its annual Homewood Police Foundation Luncheon on Sept. 24 at The Club atop Red Mountain. The event will run from 11:30 a.m. through 1 p.m. in the ballroom. For more information, email homewoodpolicefoundation@charter. net. Vestavia Hills

Back to School with Dolores Hydock Sept. 25, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest Dolores Hydock will tell school-related stories at the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest Sept. 25. Hydock will talk about the first day of school and going back to big-number high schools reunions. The event will run from 10:30-11:30 a.m. For more information, visit vestavialibrary. org or call 978-3684. Homewood

Marathon Training Program Sept. 25, 6 p.m. Trak Shak The Homewood Track Shak will host an information session Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. on its 20-week marathon and halfmarathon training program with coaches Al DiMicco and Natalie Ferguson. The training program will run from Oct. 6-Feb. 22, leading up to the Mercedes Marathon. For more information, email NatalieZL@hotmail.com or Jeff@ trakshak.com. Birmingham

Night of Golden Opportunities Sept. 25, 6-10 p.m. Iron City Birmingham

Adopt a Golden Birmingham will host its Night of Golden Opportunities fundraiser from 6-10 p.m. Sept. 25 at Iron City, 513 22nd St. S., Birmingham. The event will include food, drinks, live music and items up for bid in live and silent auctions. Tickets are $100 each or $150 for two. For more information, visit www.adoptagoldenbirmingham.com or call 290-7788. Birmingham

Experience Hendrix Sept. 25, 7-9 p.m. Alys Stephens Center Birmingham audiences can “Experience Hendrix” from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. The show has the endorsement of the Hendrix family and has sold out worldwide. The show will feature Buddy Guy, Billy Cox, Eric Johnson, Johnny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Chris Layton and Doyle Bramhall II as they perform signature Hendrix songs like “Purple Haze” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” Tickets are $91.50-$125. For more information, call 975-2787. Birmingham

Author Talk Sept. 25, 6-8 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens Author Tom Cox will talk about his “Conifers in the Landscape–A Native Son Returns” at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 25. Cox will sign copies of his book after his presentation. Books will be available for purchase before and at the event at the Leaf and Petal location at The Gardens. Admission is free but registration is required. To register or for more information, visit www.bbgardens. org or call 414-3950. North Shelby

By the Book Party Sept. 26, 4 p.m. North Shelby Library The North Shelby Library is celebrating National Library Card Signup Month with a free party for all ages. There will be food, games and crafts. The party will be Sept. 26 from 4-4:45 p.m. Registration is required. For more information, visit northshelbylibrary.org or call 439-5504. Birmingham

A Night at Gatsby’s Sept. 26, 7-11 p.m. Workplay The nonprofit No White Flags for Cancer will host A Night at Gatsby’s from 7-11 p.m. Sept. 26 at Workplay. The event will benefit the Alabama Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children’s of Alabama. The event will include live music, dinner and a silent auction. Jazz Age and Roaring Twenties attire is encouraged. Tickets are $65 each or $110 per couple and can be purchased online at www. childrensal.kintera.org/gatsby. For more information, call 638-9008. Hoover

Head over Teal Sept. 27, 8 a.m.-noon The Preserve The Laura Crandall Brown Ovarian Cancer Foundation will host the Head over Teal 5K and Family Day at The Preserve in Hoover from 8 a.m.-noon Sept. 27. The event will include beer from Good People Brewery, pizza from

Whale of a sale returns

Vestavia Hills

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 11

About Town

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

It’s almost time for the annual Whale of a Sale at Vestavia Hills UMC. Sale committee members getting ready include, from left: Marie Kersey, Allison DeGweck, Lauren Hayes, Tiffany LaRocca, Allison Youngblood, Amanda Groce, Megan Kincaid. Kim Guest is not pictured. Journal photo by Keysha Drexel

Birmingham

Tapping Out Childhood Cancer Gala Sept. 28, 1 p.m. Alabama Theatre The sixth annual Tapping Out Childhood Cancer Gala will be at 1 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the Alabama Theatre, 1817 Third Avenue North, Birmingham. Alex Swader, a 14-year-old cancer survivor organized the event after being diagnosed with cancer in 2007. The family-friendly event will showcase the talents of local dancers, along with dancers from across the U.S. and Canada who are members of the Aritsts Giving Hope nonprofit. A VIP after-party will be held at Gabrella Manor, 8912

Fourth Avenue South, Birmingham, immediately following the performance. Tickets are $20 for the show or $35 for both the show and the after-party. Children 8 and younger get in free. Tickets are available at www.childrensal. kintera.org/dancersfightingcancer. Birmingham

Magic City AIDS Walk Sept. 28, 3-6 pm. Avondale Park The 23rd annual Magic City AIDS Walk will be from 3-6 p.m. Sept. 28 at Avondale Park in Birmingham. The event is produced and managed by Birmingham AIDS Outreach. The

family-friendly event will include a guest emcee as well as live music and choir performances. There will be a vendor fair from 3-5 p.m. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets to enjoy entertainment in the park’s amphitheater. For more information, visit www.baoevents.org or call 322-4197. Birmingham Service of Choral Evensong Sept. 28, 3-4:15 p.m. Independent Presbyterian Church The Children’s Choir at Independent Presbyterian Church in Birmingham will present the Service of Choral Evensong from 3-4:15 p.m. Sept. 28 at the church.

Whale of a Sale Sept. 25-26 Vestavia Hills UMC The annual Whale of a Sale hosted by Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church will take place September 25-26. This children’s consignment sale will include gently-used clothing, toys and baby gear. The sale will be at the church’s Lighthouse Gym from 5-9 p.m. Sept. 25 and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 26. For more information, visit www.thewhaleofasale.com. ❖

Little Caesar’s, live music, children’s activities and a blood drive. The 5K starts at 8 a.m. and will be followed by a one-mile run/walk. Chip timing is available for the 5K. Those attending can bring picnic lunches or purchase food from the vendors at the event. Parking and free shuttle service will be available from Prince of Peace Catholic Church on Preserve Parkway. Onsite registration starts at 7 a.m. on race day. For registration fees and more information, visit www.thinkoflaura.org or call 218-5271. Mountain Brook

Crestline Rocks Sept. 27, noon-10 p.m. Crestline Village Crestline Rocks, a musical festival fundraiser to benefit PreSchool Partners, will be held at the fields across from the Emmet O’Neal Library in Mountain Brook Sept. 27. There will be live music and specials from stores and restaurants around the village.

The event will start at noon and end at 10 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $20 or at the door for $25. Visit www.preschool-partners.org or call 936-3754 for more information. Birmingham

Fiesta Sept. 27, noon-8 p.m. Linn Park The annual Fiesta event will be held from noon- 8 p.m. Sept. 27 at Linn Park in downtown Birmingham. This year’s presenting sponsor, McDonald’s, is bringing its Fiesta Tour: Annual Latin Grammys Experience to the 12th annual Fiesta event. The event will include the Arts Village, which will feature local artists, jewelry makers, musicians and dancers. There will also be a gaming tent, photo booth and other indoor activities. For sponsorship information, contact Denise Koch at denise@denisekockevents.com. For more information on Fiesta, visit www. fiestabirmingham.com.

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12 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

About Town Birmingham

Now Open in Inverness InShapeMD is pleased to announce the opening of the newest location in Birmingham. Owner, Dr. Brian E. Campbell, a graduate of Emory University, has been practicing medicine for over 16 years. Dr. Campbell and his wife, Lela, have always had a special interest in nutrition, age management and wellness. "InShape MD provides customized and comprehensive plans to maximize personal weight loss goals. Additionally, we offer male and female patients individualized plans to restore their vitality by rebalancing their hormones. Using top of the line, compounded Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), patients feel more youthful and rejuvenated," said Dr. Campbell. New additions to the clinic include: • Enhanced Injectable Vitamin Bar (maximize energy and weight loss) • Pharmaceutical Grade Supplements (gluten free/ Paleo friendly) • Botox and Juvederm • Award Winning Jan Marini Skincare InShapeMD is located at 650 Inverness Corners (next to the new Winn Dixie). The Campbells have lived in Birmingham for 14 years with their three boys 16, 14 and 12. www.inverness.inshapemd.com For more information call 205.582.9216

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Symphony 30 Picnic Sept. 28, 4 p.m. Birmingham Botanical Gardens Symphony 30 will host its 17th annual picnic fundraiser benefitting the Alabama Symphony Orchestra on Sept. 28 at 4 p.m. at Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The family-friendly event will feature dinner provided by Jim N’ Nick’s and a symphony concert. There will also be a raffle and children’s activities, including a station where children can make their own musical instruments. Tickets are $75 per family or $25 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.symphony30.org.

fashion-forward fundraiser

Birmingham

Vulcan AfterTunes Sept. 28, 3 p.m. Vulcan Park and Museum Vulcan Park and Museum will kick off its 10th season of Vulcan AfterTunes at 3 p.m. Sept. 28 with a show featuring The Revivalists. Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets and the whole family for an afternoon concert with views of the city’s skyline. Admission is $15 for adults and $8 for children ages 5-12. Children ages 4 and younger are admitted free. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.visitvulcan.com/vulcanaftertunes. Vestavia Hills

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Birmingham

The stage is being set for the 56th annual Linly Heflin Scholarship Luncheon and Fashion Show Oct. 1. From left: Herman Heinle, Gus Mayer president; Kate Cotton, Linly Heflin co-chairman; Sue Ellen Lucas, Linly Heflin co-chairman; and Nichole Cummins, Gus Mayer store manager.

Scholarship Luncheon/Fashion Show Oct. 1, noon Photo special to the Journal Sheraton Birmingham Higher education for Alabama women will take center stage at the 56th annual Linly Heflin Scholarship Luncheon and Fashion Show at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel ballroom Oct. 1. Well-known local clothier Gus Mayer will present the latest fall/winter designs to an audience that has supported Linly Heflin scholarships for more than 30 years. The event will start at noon. Tickets are $50 and available by calling the Linly Heflin office at 871-8171. Gus Mayer’s Michael Tatum is set to produce the show. Wendy Garner will serve as emcee. For more information, visit www.linlyheflin.org.❖

Birmingham

Charity Art Auction Oct. 2, 6:30-9 p.m. UAB National Alumni House The Research Civitan Club will host a silent art auction Oct. 2 from 6:30-9 p.m. at the University of Alabama at Birmingham National Alumni House. There will be refreshments, door prizes and the chance to bid on art. Tickets are $7 in advance or $10 at the door. Students and seniors pay $5. For more information, call 224-659-1076 or visit www.rccartshow.com.

Fundraiser with Rosalind Wiseman Oct. 2, 11:30 a.m. Private club The Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation will host author Rosalind Wiseman at a fundraising luncheon at a private club in Vestavia Hills at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 2. The bestselling author will talk about parenting and bullying during her presentation and will share insights from her latest book. Tickets are $60$135. Seating is limited, so purchasing Lela tickets early isTo: strongly recommended. For more information, www. From: visit Over the Mountain Journal 823-9646 ph, 824Hoover vestaviafoundaiton.org. 1246 fax Arts and Crafts Fair

hayrides, face painting, a cakewalk, bobbing for apples and more. Tickets are $3 for adults and $1 for kids and seniors. Call 620-2520 or visit oakmountain.naturalist@dcnr.alabama. gov for more information. Homewood

Magic City Mile/The Bell Center Festival Oct. 5, 1:30 p.m. Downtown Homewood The fourth annual Magic City Mile one-mile fun run will take place Oct. 5 at 1:30 p.m. and will be followed by The Bell Center Festival. The race will begin at the top of 18th Street by LAH Realty and will continue on the one-mile SoHo Oct. 4, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Date: Sept. 2014 Birmingham Square, ending at the O’ Carr’s parking Shades Crest Baptist Church Through the Lens Event This is your aD prOOF FOr Over MOunTain JOurnaL for lot into the post-race party. There will be ShadesThe Crest Baptist Church in Oct. 2, 6 p.m. the aug. 21, 2014 issue. please contact your sales representative as rock climbing, face painting, music and Hoover will host an arts and crafts fair Kress Buildingsoon Rooftop as possible to approveOct. your ad or9 make 4 from a.m.-3changes. p.m. The You free may eventfax pumpkin painting. For more information, The Alabama Court Appointed approval or changes to 824-1246. call 879-3417. benefiting local ministries will include Special Advocates, or CASA, will hold handmade crafts, original art and food. sure all information is correct, including Hoover the fourth annualplease Throughmake the Lens The church is at 452 Park Ave. For photography fundraiser on the rooftop address and number! Whispers from the Past more phone information, visit shadescrest.org. of the Kress Building at 301 19th St. N. Oct. 5, 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. in Birmingham Oct. 2. The event is held Hoover Aldridge Gardens please initial and fax back within 24 hours. annually to bring awareness to the plight Bluff Park Art Show we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the friday before the press The Whispers from the Past Native of abused and ifneglected children in the American Experience event will be held Oct.ad 4, will 9 a.m.-5 p.m. date, your run as is. state. Local photographers are given at Aldridge Gardens in Hoover from Bluff Park Community Center Thank prompt attention. short stories about children andyou asked for your 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Oct. 5. There will The 51st annual Bluff Park Art Show to interpret the stories in photo format. be demonstrations on flint knapping, will be from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 4 at These photos, along with the stories, beading, leaf pounding, cooking, the Bluff Park Community Center, 517 are showcased at the event. Tickets hunting, corn grinding, painting and Cloudland Drive in Hoover. The Bluff are $25 and can be purchased online pottery. For more information, visit Park Art Show started as a way to at www.AlabamaCASA.org, at the door aldridgegardens.com or call 682-8019. raise money to expand the library at or from a member of the organization’s Bluff Park Elementary School and has Homewood Junior Board of Directors. grown into a nationally recognized and acclaimed art show featuring artists from Cirque de la Symphonie Birmingham Oct. 5, 3 p.m. across the country and an eclectic mix Light the Night Birmingham Walk Wright Fine Arts Center of media. For more information, visit Oct. 2, 6 p.m. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra www.bluffparkartassociation.org or call Railroad Park will host a cirque performance at the 966-0246. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Leslie S. Wright Fine Arts Center on Society will host the Light the Night North Shelby Samford University’s campus. The Birmingham Walk at 6 p.m. Oct. 2 Oct. 5 event will showcase some Oak Mountain Fall Festival at Railroad Park in Birmingham. All of the best artists in the world and Oct. 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ages are invited to participate to honor skilled musicians from the ASO. The Oak Mountain State Park blood cancer survivors and those who show will start at 3 p.m. Tickets range The fourth annual Oak Mountain have lost their lives to the disease. from $10-$60. Call 975-2787 or visit Fall Festival will take place Oct. 5 For more information, visit www. www.alabamasymphony.org for more at 1:30 p.m. at the park’s Dogwood LLSLightTheNight.org. information. and Lakeside Pavilions. There will be

Homewood

Alabama Humanities Awards Oct. 6, 11:30 a.m. The Club Mark Crosswhite, the chairman, president and chief executive officer of Alabama Power Company, will be the keynote speaker at the annual awards luncheon of Alabama Humanities Foundation Oct. 6 at The Club atop Red Mountain. The luncheon begins at 11:30 a.m. and will include honoring the winners of the Jenice Riley Memorial Scholarship for excellence in teaching; Alabama Humanities Award for contributions to the humanities in Mark Crosswhite the state, Betty McMahon; Wayne Greenhaw Service Award for a past or present board member for outstanding service to AHF, Jack Hawkins; and Charitable Organization to the Humanities, AAA Cooper. Tickets are $50 each. To purchase a table, email Paul Lawson at plawson@alabamahumanities. org. For more information, visit www. alabamahumanities.org. Shelby County

Golf Tournament Fundraiser Oct. 6, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Shoal Creek St. Vincent’s Health System will host the Golf Tournament FORE the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at St. Vincent’s East at Shoal Creek Oct. 6. The event will run from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Companies can sign up as sponsors or to play in the tournament. There will be tee prizes, beverages, dinner and other amenities offered. For more information on prices and sponsorships, call the St. Vincent’s Foundation at 939-7825 or visit www.stvhs.com/philanthropy/. Vestavia Hills

Legacy League Fall Luncheon Oct. 9, 11:30 a.m. Private club The Samford University Legacy League will host its annual Fall Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 9 at a private club in Vestavia Hills. This year’s featured speaker is Birmingham’s Sophie Hudson, author of “A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet: Southern Stories of Faith, Family, and Fifty Pounds of Bacon” and BooMama blog. Reservations are $25. To make reservations or for more information, visit www.samford.edu/legacyleague. Homewood

Homewood Loves Art Night Sept. 19/Oct. 17 18th Street South Homewood merchants will come together every third Friday of the month on 18th Street South for Homewood Loves Art Night. Businesses will stay open late for shopping for local and artisan products, drinks, hors d’oeuvres and entertainment, focusing around the arts. A handful of shops will be open for an after-hours party on Sept. 19 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. For more information visit www.facebook.com/ HomewoodLovesArtNight.com. ❖

News

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 13

Never Forget OTM Cities Remember 9/11 with Special Ceremonies

1. Col. Andrew W. Love of the Alabama Air National Guard gives the keynote address at the 9/11 Remembrance Day Ceremony and Patriot’s Day Celebration at the Vestavia Hills City Center last week. The cities of Vestavia Hills, Mountain Brook and Homewood come together each year for the event. 2. Cadet Major Denzel Royal leads members of the Homewood High School JROTC program as they march continuously from dawn until dusk on Sept. 11 to honor those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. 3. Vestavia Hills Mayor Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza told the crowd gathered at the Vestavia City Center last week that they must never forget the tragedies that happened 13 years ago. 4. The Vestavia Hills Fire Department honored the first responders who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks by ringing a bell during the ceremony. 5. Vestavia Hills Police Chief Dan Rary, left, and Homewood Police Chief Jim Roberson salute during the event in Vestavia Hills. 6. At the Hoover Fire Department’s 9/11 Patriot’s Day Remembrance Ceremony, Hoover Fire Inspector Richard Linn rings a bell in remembrance of those who lost their lives. 7. Hoover Councilman Jack Natter, who once served as deputy director of the U.S. Navy Reserve and deputy commander of U.S. Navy forces in Europe, was the keynote speaker for the event at Hoover Fire Station No. 2 off Patton Chapel Road. 8. The Vestavia Hills High School Choir performed the national anthem at the event last week. 9. Vestavia Hills Police Officer Mark Gibbs stands on the walkway overlooking the ceremony at the City Center. Journal photos 1-5, 8 and 9 by Lee Walls Jr. Journal photos 6 and 7 by Maury Wald

14 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

u hoover

School Board Reveals New Realignment Plans By William C. Singleton III Journal contributor

Bringing New Meaing to Eye Candy

JJ Eyes is an optical boutique offering eye exams and high quality frames and lenses. "We have been in business for 12 years in Fairhope and four weeks in Homewood," says JJ Lamb, owner. "I grew up with two optometrist as parents and almost went to optometry school but decided I liked the fashion side of things better.

“I love looking at a person and finding the right shape and color frame for them. The right pair of glasses can take ten years off their look.” - JJ Lamb After living in Los Angeles and Park City for some time, I came back to Alabama to rear my kids. I didn't want them to end up talking funny. "I love looking at a person and finding the right shape and color frame for them. The right pair of glasses can take ten years off their look. We offer a unique pampered environment for eye care. You are with the doctor for the entire eye exam. We on the sales floor, cater to choosing just frames to compliment your face shape, look and personality."

Grand Opening Thursday 18th 5:30-8:00 pm

JJ Eyes is located at 2814 18th Street S. in Homewood, 703-8596.

jjeyesoptical.com

The Hoover school system released its latest realignment plan which reduces the impact of rezoning on the Bluff Park and Lake Crest communities but heavily affects the Lake Cyrus neighborhood and residents living in apartments. Under the proposed plan: •Students from Lake Cyrus will go from Deer Valley Elementary to Trace Crossings Elementary. •Students in the Ridge Crossings apartments will go from Deer Valley Elementary to Trace Crossings Elementary. •Students in the Landmark at Magnolia Glen apartments will go from Trace Crossings Elementary to Deer Valley Elementary. •Students in Riverchase Landing apartments will go from Trace Crossings Elementary to South Shades Crest Elementary.

•Students in the Crowne at Galleria Woods apartments will go from South Shades Crest Elementary to Trace Crossings Elementary. •Students from the proposed Grove subdivision will go from Gwin Elementary to Trace Crossings Elementary. •Students in Wood Gardens and Wildwood apartments will go from Rocky Ridge Elementary to Riverchase Elementary. •Students in apartments at Riverchase Gardens, Royal Oaks, The Gables Condominiums, Summerchase of Riverchase, Colonial Grand at Riverchase Trails and Sterling Oaks of Riverchase between U.S. 31 and Interstate 65 will go from Riverchase Elementary to Greystone Elementary. The proposed 2015-2016 realignment plan with maps can be viewed at www.hoovercityschools.net. The latest plan is an attempt to address concerns residents raised about the previous proposed align-

ment. At a school board meeting in August, Hoover School Superintendent Andy Craig unveiled a plan that impacted more neighborhoods. After complaints by residents, Craig held individual meetings with neighborhood groups to listen to feedback. Based on the feedback, Craig revised the realignment plan, which he shared at a school board meeting attended by more than 200 people at the Hoover High School arts theater. Craig and Tim Aho, a Hoover resident and zoning consultant, explained the need for the plan at the September board meeting. “Hoover is a much different place than the last time we went through a major rezoning effort about a decade ago,” Aho said. “We’ve seen a little more than 20 percent growth (or) 2,360 more students in Hoover schools today than we were when we started.” He also noted there’s more diver-

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sity in the system. The rezoning proposal seeks to alleviate overcrowding at Deer Valley Elementary and shift more students to Trace Crossings, which has the capacity to accommodate growth, Craig has said. Ross Bridge, which feeds into Deer Valley Elementary, is expected to have the most significant residential construction over the next five years. The latest plan also seeks to balance Hoover’s minority student population throughout the system’s elementary schools. “This is a dramatically different plan than from where we started,” Aho said. “It’s much better. It affects fewer students. It’s been refined… in response to community feedback.” However, not everyone agreed, including Lake Cyrus residents who will feel the majority of the impact of the realignment. Lake Cyrus resident Barry Smith said he and his wife purchased their home in the community because of Deer Valley Elementary. He noted that the developers of Ross Bridge agreed to set aside land for a fire station and a school and asked why a school is not being built for Ross Bridge if growth is causing a need for rezoning. Monica Dobbins, who lives in the Royal Oaks apartment complex, cited a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling which found unconstitutional efforts to rezone students based on demographic goals and not based on “demonstrable educational benefits for racial diversity.” Hoover resident Catrena Norris Carter blasted school officials for being “racist and classist” with their latest proposal. The school board took no action on the plan, and Craig said he is still gathering community feedback on the proposed rezoning plan. The school system plans to submit the plan to the U.S. Justice Department for approval. ❖ u Mountain Brook

Prescription Drug Takeback Day is Sept. 27 The Mountain Brook Police Department is partnering with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration again this year in an effort to keep unwanted prescription drugs out of the wrong hands. The Mountain Brook Police Department will participate in the National Prescription Drug Take-back Day on Sept. 27. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m., police with the Mountain Brook department will collect unused, expired or unwanted prescription drugs from residents with no questions asked. The prescription drugs can be brought to the police department at 101 Tibbett St. The Mountain Brook Police Department collected 52 pounds of prescription drugs at last year’s Drug Take-back Day. This is the third year the city has participated in the event. ❖

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 15

news

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

The pool side of the new community center at Homewood Central Park is illuminated with teal lights. A proclamation was presented to Cheryl Bourn, an ovarian cancer survivor, and other committee members at a Homewood meeting last month. The city of Hoover is lighting up its Parks and Recreation building, Hoover City Hall, the Hoover Library and several fire stations in teal. A proclamation was presented to Kelly Rice, a Hoover resident and ovarian cancer survivor, and other

Homewood City Hall is illuminated with teal blue lights in honor of Gynecological Cancer Month. Photo special to the Journal by Cheryl Bourn

u over the mountain

State of Teal Aims to Raise Cancer Awareness By Keysha Drexel Journal editor

Over the Mountain cities are turning blue–teal blue–this month to help raise awareness about cancers that take the lives of thousands of women every year. Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Homewood and Hoover have all issued proclamations declaring September Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month through the State of Teal initiative. Gov. Robert Bentley also declared September as GYN Cancer Awareness Month in a ceremony in late August. Companies and organizations statewide are joining with CanSurvive, the Laura Crandall Brown Ovarian Cancer

Foundation, and the Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation to support the awareness campaign. September is National Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, and all three organizations sponsored a statewide event Sept. 2 to raise awareness of these types of cancer, their impact on Alabama, and the need for research and improved screening tests. The initiative kicked off at A State of Teal Lighting and GYN Cancer Awareness Ceremony at Regions Field Sept. 2. In Mountain Brook, the city will support the initiative by displaying teal ribbons around town throughout September. Mayor Terry Oden presented a proclamation to A State of Teal committee members Jennifer Smiley and Doris Moody on Aug. 26.

committee members at a Hoover City Council meeting in August. Vestavia Hills Mayor Alberto “Butch” Zaragoza presented a proclamation to Phyllis Lawrence, a Vestavia resident and ovarian cancer survivor, at the Aug. 25 Vestavia Hills City Council meeting. The lights at Sybil Temple in Vestavia Hills will burn teal blue throughout the month. Teal lights are also shining at the Birmingham Museum of Art and the Birmingham Zoo. Several Over the Mountain and

Birmingham metro area events are planned this month in honor of GYN Cancer Awareness Month, including the Head over Teal 5K and Family Day in Hoover. The Laura Crandall Brown Ovarian Cancer Foundation will host the event at The Preserve in Hoover from 8 a.m.noon Sept. 27. For registration fees and more information on the Head over Teal event, visit or call 218-5271. For more information on A State of Teal, visit astateofteal.org. ❖

Mountain Brook

Chamber of Commerce OctOber LuncheOn

birmingham botanical Gardens - October 16th

u homewood

Western Area Could Get Multi-use Buildings By William C. Singleton III Journal contributor

A New Orleans-style multi-use facility could be in the future for West Homewood. The Homewood City Council recently authorized its city attorney to discuss with interested parties the sale of a vacant lot at Oak Grove Road and West Oxmoor Road. The property is being proposed as a site for a future multi-use building. Homewood resident Sonya DeCarlo and her business partner are trying to recruit investors for a proposed multi-use facility to be rented and used by people within the community, city officials say. Council President Bruce Limbaugh said the proposal is in the idea stage, but the city is open to the concept, particularly because it’s in an area Homewood officials have targeted for revitalization. Two years ago, Homewood officials authorized the Regional Planning Commission to create a West Homewood Revitalization Plan,

which addresses future development of the area through a series of recommendations embracing rezoning, codes, regulations and concepts that would promote a walkable neighborhood village similar to Homewood’s Edgewood community. The city has already renovated Patriot Park with playground equipment, a walking track, pavilions and restrooms. Also, road improvements to Oxmoor Road-Oxmoor Boulevard West are slated to begin in June 2015. City officials say they consider all these projects as keys to the development of West Homewood. Further development in West Homewood through interested investors is also a step in the right direction, Mayor Scott McBrayer said. “I am thrilled that someone is interested in developing something in the Patriot Park area,” Limbaugh said. “We’re interested and want to be supportive if it makes sense. It’s far from a done deal, but it’s worthy of consideration of all parties.” ❖

Meet the candidate

Sixth Congressional District Republican Candidate Gary Palmer will be the featured speaker at the October 16th Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. Doors open at 11:00, program begins at 11:30. Tickets can be purchased online at: welcometomountainbrook.com Luncheon sponsored by

16 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Starry Night Tiki Barber Among Guests at KultureCity Gala

star-studded event held in the Grand Ballroom of the Westin Birmingham last month raised money to help those with autism. A former NFL player, a former NBA player and general manager, and several other celebrities joined 252 guests Aug. 15 for KultureCity’s annual Gala. KultureCity is a nonprofit organization based in Vestavia Hills aimed at creating a world where all individuals with autism and their families are accepted and treated equally. The annual gala is held to highlight KultureCity’s achievements of the past year, celebrate its biggest supporters and outline plans for the coming year. NFL legend and Thuzio Chief Executive Officer Tiki Barber hosted the event. Vestavia Hills First Lady Diane Zaragoza was gala chairman. Celebrities such as former Boston Celtic GM and NBA legend M.L. Carr, Erin Fairbanks from the Heritage Radio Network and Jack Inslee from Full Service Party spoke at the event. Others attending included Rep. Spencer Bachus and Linda M.L. Carr, former NBA Boston Celtics Bachus and Sho Baraka. The event also featured a funplayer and general manager. draising auction and an acoustic concert by Matthew Mayfield. Jessica Mitchell, Amanda McMichael and Jessica Perry handled the decor for the gala. Avondale Brewing Co., Westin Birmingham and International Wines provided food and drinks for the event. The KultureCity gala was sponsored by the Westin Birmingham, MassMutual of Alabama, TeamHealth, Porch Creek Indians, OnTime Service, Chewigem, Sonic/Straylight LLC, Service Tech, Herzing University, Crossfit Alabaster, MitoMedical and Dr. Swaid Swaid and Christy Swaid. For more information on KultureCity, visit www.kulturecity.org. ❖

W R I G H T C E N T E R S I G N AT U R E S E R I E S One Singular Sensation!

A Tribute to Marvin Hamlisch Sept. 19, 7:30 p.m.

featuring Deana Carter, Billy Dean, Teddy Gentry of the group ALABAMA and Lenny LeBlanc Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m.

205-726-2853 tickets.samford.edu

From left: Dr. Swaid Swaid and Christy Swaid with Tiki Barber. Photos special to the Journal

Above: Susan and John Vawter and Spencer Bachus. left: Matthew Mayfield. Below: Tiki Barber, Will and Sarah Mason, Julian and Michele Maha and Karim Basha.

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 17

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Cheers to Beers

Hops for Hope Fundraiser Benefits Pathways Guests at a fundraiser for an organization that helps homeless women and children were treated to cold brews and ’90s music last month. Guests joined Pathways board members, volunteers and other supporters at the Hops for Hope fundraiser Aug. 23 at the World of Beer in Birmingham. At the inaugural Hops for Hope event, longtime Pathways supporters and other guests listened to the music of 90 Proof and sampled beers from Avondale, Good People and Trim Tab brewing companies. The event also included a silent auction and 30 prize drawings with items donated by local businesses and restaurants. World of Beer donated a portion of the food and beverage sales made on the night of the event to Pathways. Pathways is a United Way organization that is Birmingham’s only day center for women and children experiencing homelessness. Pathways helps meet basic necessities like food, clothing, and shelter and provides supportive resources such as life skill classes, counseling and case management.

From left: Charnel Wright, Amir Shah and Emily Vance.

All proceeds from the event will support Pathways’ programs that serve the homeless population in the community and provide them with the resources they need in order to become independent. Those attending included Pathways Board of Directors President Beth Phillips, St. Martin’s in The Pines Chief Executive Officer Terry Rogers, Pathways board members Trey Moye and Solomon Crenshaw, Pathways volunteer Melanie Young, and Charnel Wright, Amir Shah and Emily Vance. ❖

Beth Phillips, Pathways board of directors president, and Terry Rogers, chief executive officer of St. Martin’s in The Pines. Photos special to the Journal by Solomon Crenshaw

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18 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

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Pet Project

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Hand in Paw Hosts Animal Art Sale Some four-legged artists recently had their work auctioned off to benefit an animal-assisted therapy program. Artwork created by animal and human artists was up for auction at Hand in Paw’s 14th annual Picasso Pets Animal Artist Debut and Auction Aug. 16. More than 500 friends of Hand in Above: From left: Cassie Moore, Courtney Maas and Kim Lackey. Paw gathered at Old Car Heaven at below: Andy Flemming makes a bid during the Picasso Pets auction. the annual signature fundraiser for the Photos special to the Journal nationally-recognized animal-assisted therapy program. Organizers said this year’s event raised $250,000 for the Hand in Paw programs. Those attending could browse the Picasso Pets silent auction while enjoying food catered by Shindigs, beer donated by Cahaba Brewing Co., wine and specialty drinks. A live auction included prizes and one-of-a-kind pet paintings. Those at the winning VIP table at the fundraiser kicked off the night with bottles of bubbly, a cake donated by Olexa’s, a tableside checkout, swag bags and more photos at more. At the lucky VIP table were Jim O’Brien, Regina O’Brien, Beverly Virciglio, Debra Linton, Lauren Bladen, Rett Bladen, Lisa Genetti, Thomas Genetti, Dwayne Poer and Allison Taylor Poer. Ruth Locklin was the Picasso Pets chairman this year. Others attending included Mary Stewart, Beth Bradley, Martha Bryant, Alexa Bourne, Donna Holloway, Matt Locklin, Thomas Locklin, Jay Locklin, Cody Ryder, Kathryn Ryder, David Thornton, Debby Thornton, Melannie Layne, Jeff Layne, Hannah Layne, Cassie Moore, Courtney Maas, Kim Lackey, Alexa Bourne, Donna Holloway, Betsy Saxon and Hand in Paw board members Phyllis McCombs, John Saxon and Joan Stelling. ❖

OTMJ.COM

Above: Melannie and Jeff Layne with their daughter Hannah and therapy dog Gracie. left: John and Betsy Saxon.

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 19

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

For the Birds Chirps and Chips Has Casino Theme

From left: Katherine Klyce, Joe Amari, Jason Lybrand, Jason Whisenhunt, Doug Adair and Tom Sheffer. Photo special to the Journal

Chirps and Chips, the third annual benefit for the Alabama Wildlife Center, was held Aug. 22 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The lively casino-themed night with a silent auction included a live painting of the wildlife center’s educational American kestrel created on the spot by artist Susan Shoemaker. The painting was then auctioned to the highest bidder. The fun continued with live entertainment and casino games from GoodFellas Gaming. Avo, Bellinis Ristorante, Dram, Jackson’s Bar and Bistro, The Olive Branch, Ashley Mac’s Inc. and Whole Foods Fresh Market provided

Gina Hinson. Those attending included Doug Adair, the AWC executive director, and Jay Eubanks, the center’s educational director. Others attending were Joe Amari and Tom Sheffer. ❖

hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Cahaba Brewing Co. and Coca-Cola Bottling Co. provided beverages. Katherine Klyce was the event chairman. Other committee heads were Raptor Force Vice President Jason Lybrand and Russell and

PrimeTime Event Assistance League Shop Thanks Craftspeople

Assistance League of Birmingham recently held its annual appreciation luncheon to honor the craftspeople who create gift items for PrimeTime Treasures in Homewood. Assistance League President Rochelle Simms and PrimeTime Chairmen Sharon Bradley and Beth Bucher welcomed everyone to the event and thanked them for providing PrimeTime Treasures with wonderful items to sell. PrimeTime Treasures is a nonprofit shop administered and staffed by Assistance League members. The shop offers handmade items from senior citizens in Alabama. For more information, visit www. assistanceleaguebhm.org. ❖

From left: Lomax Sawyer, Janine Dunlap and James Stone.

Photos special to the Journal

Please join us for the Fall 2014 Cordani Trunk Show Thursday, September 25th and Friday, September 26th featuring shoes for immediate purchase. Register to win a free pair of Cordani shoes. Registration begins Wednesday, September 24th.

Susan Lanier and Barbara Anne Beckett-Gaines. 33

To:

Bezshan, fax 871-1966

please make sure all information is cor

20 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

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BAYSHORE RETREAT

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Game-day Gala

DZ Alums ‘Make Some Noise’ at Fashion Show

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Above: From left: Jennifer Dowling, Mary Ella Hamner, Glenda Lott and Jamie Wilson. Below: Members of the UA DZ chapter attending included, from left, back row: Peggy Haynes, Juliana Wright, Megan Wolf, Megan Emory and Maddy St. Ville. Front: Laura Ritchie and Anna Pierce Ireland. Photos special to the Journal

Above: Model Meredith Husnik of Homewood represented Birmingham Alumnae Panhellenic. Below: DZ alums Teresa Suttle and Cheryl Heishman Morrow.

The Birmingham Alumnae Chapter of Delta Zeta sorority held its second annual “Make Some Noise” Fashion Show at Iron City Aug. 23. The event benefited the Alabama Hearing Institute’s program for hearing-impaired preschoolers More than 150 guests enjoyed a silent auction and buffet lunch prior to the fashion show, which featured game-day options for stylish fans of the University of Alabama, Auburn University, UAB, BirminghamSouthern College and other home teams.

HANNA

ANTiquES MAll

Produced by Megan more photos at LaRussa Chenoweth of Southern Femme, the show featured clothes and accessories from Belk and Theadora, hair by Joelle Salon and jewelry from Stella and Dot by Ashley Stork. Models included Delta Zeta alumnae Linda Johnson of Hoover and Krystle Gilchrist Campbell of Gardendale along with Meredith Husnik of Homewood representing

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the Birmingham Alumnae Panhellenic and Anna Virginia Fagan of Trussville. Current and former students of the Alabama School for Hearing–Laura Phillips, John and Will Andress and Allie Hobbs–modeled children’s game-day outfits. Ashley Stork of Helena chaired the event. Committee members included Liz Estes of Vestavia Hills, Karen Kelley Kizzire and Pat Crumpton Grey of Hoover, Sherri Mewbourne of Greystone, Virginia Gilbert Loftin of Birmingham and Birmingham Alumnae Chapter President Glenda Lott of Southlake. Founded in 1902, Delta Zeta Sorority has nearly 15,000 collegiate members in 160 chapters at colleges and universities across the United States and Canada and more than 200 alumnae chapters in the U.S., the United Kingdom and Canada. For information on local Delta Zeta alumnae activities, visit www. dzbirminghamalumnae.org, or email deltazetabirmingham@gmail.com. ❖

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

A Night of Big Stars honorary co-chairmen Duane Donner, far left, and Whit DeBardeleben, far right, with their wives Amy Donner and Adair DeBardeleben. Photos special to the Journal

Happy Night

Gala Benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters All the stars were out for a recent fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham. The organization held its third annual A Night of Big Stars at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center in Birmingham Aug. 2.

The event was presented by Founders Investment Banking. In partnership with ArtPlay and led by the efforts of honorary cochairmen Duane Donner and Whit DeBardeleben, A Night of Big Stars was a gala and talent exhibition,

featuring many of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ most talented children. The event also was a fundraiser to support the agency’s mentoring programs. The evening began with a cocktail hour with jazz music. The live show in the Sirote Theater included numbers such as “Happy.” The production included spoken word pieces written by the Littles in the program about what inspires them and what their Bigs mean to them. Following the production, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Chief Executive Officer Sue Johnson, Board President Harlan Sands, Donner and DeBardeleben presented the children with medals for their performances. An elegant seated dinner after the performance was catered by Yellow Bicycle Catering Co. During dinner, the honorary co-chairmen and the board president spoke, thanking everyone for their support and presence. At the end of the evening, the children went out into the audience to honor supporters with yellow roses and to sign autographs. A Night of Big Stars raised more than $200,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring programs. ❖

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 21

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Antiques at The Gardens will feature Tastemakers who are regionally and nationally known architects, interior designers and landscape designers. In this section we profile four of the Tastemakers featured at this year’s event at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

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Stars at The Gardens Royal Floral Designer, ‘Prince of Chintz’ Headline Lecture Series

By Keysha Drexel Journal editor

Creative Collaboration Architect, Designer Will Team up as Tastemakers

Story by Keysha Drexel • Photos by Lee Walls Jr.

Meet the Tastemakers Pat Hiden of Mountain Brook is an interior designer and member of the American Society of Interior Designers. The Birmingham native opened Pat Hiden Interiors in 1987 and said she focuses on classic residential interiors punctuated with current influences. Hank Long of Mountain Brook is an architect and president of Henry Sprott Long & Associates, which was founded in 1946 by his father, Henry Sprott Long. He joined the firm in 1977 and said he and his colleagues are continuing his father’s tradition by focusing on design excellence based on attention to detail, appropriate proportion and scale and sensitivity to the setting in all residential projects.

When Pat Hiden and Hank Long make their presentation at this year’s Antiques at The Gardens, it won’t be the first time the interior designer and architect have teamed up to showcase the classic design sensibilities they share. Hiden, of Pat Hiden Interiors in Mountain Brook, and Long, president of Henry Sprott Long & Associates in Birmingham, will present together as two of the featured tastemakers––regionally and nationally known architects, interior designers and landscape designers–at the ninth annual event at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Oct. 2-5. “It’s always been easy to work with Pat because we both appreciate the timeless elements of design and architecture,” Long said. “So it’s a natural fit that we are presenting together at Antiques at The Gardens.” Hiden and Long will curate a themed area with goods selected from Birmingham and other sources around the country at this year’s event. “Our theme is classic design and gives us a chance to present ideas for things that aren’t going out of style and that can be enjoyed for years to come,” Hiden said. Hiden and Long first met in the 1980s through Hiden’s husband, Billy. “Billy and I went to high school together, and when I married Gina in 1979, he was in the wedding,” Long said. “So I first met Pat as a friend and then later, we worked together on a project.” Hiden said their first collaboration was Clockwise from left: Pat Hiden and Hank on a lake house Long designed at Pumpkin Long have teamed up before and a few Hollow. years ago worked together to add on to For that project, Hiden and Long used Hiden’s Mountain Brook home. Long helped an approach that both said they think is key Hiden design a kitchen for her Mountain to great design work–whether that’s interior Brook home that would be family-friendly design work or architectural design work. and reflect her classic style. The earthy color scheme in Hiden’s dining room sets off the “You have to start with a plan, and by heirloom furniture–and the spectacular view that, I mean a designer needs to help the of the lush garden. A silver tea service set client to find the right direction for them engraved with a monogram sits on a sideand the house they own,” she said. board in Hiden’s dining room. Or the house they are building, Long said. “There are some basic things you can do early on that will help the design team, and that includes not just the details but the big picture stuff, too,” he said. “It’s not just about having a window here or a lamp there in the beginning, it’s more about how the space will be used. It’s more about how you are changing your lifestyle through architecture and design.” Along with function, location figures heavily in the planning stages of any home project, Hiden said. “You need to look at the location of the house,” Hiden said. “Is it the primary home or

See collaboration, facing page

The man behind the stunning flowers at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton will kick off the Red Diamond Lecture Series at the ninth annual Antiques in The Gardens at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens next month. Shane Connolly, who has served as the artistic floral director for more than one royal wedding, will speak at the Linn-Henley Lecture Hall at 11 a.m. Oct. 2 as part of this year’s event at The Gardens. The flower designer and author started Shane Connolly & Company in 1989 after training for several years Shane Connolly with some of London’s leading flower designers. Connolly achieved celebrity status in 2006 when he was bestowed the Royal Warrant from the Prince of Wales. Mario Buatta The honor came after Connolly helped with the 2005 wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles. He returned to royal service in 2011 when he was asked to be the floral designer for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. But whether he’s planning an extravagant affair at Westminster Abbey or an intimate event in an out-of-the-way setting, Connolly said he first considers the client and the venue. “The setting we create must flatter the client and provide them with an ambiance they feel comfortable in, rather (than) in awe of,” he said. Connolly said he also aims to be flexible when choosing flowers for his projects and tries to use seasonal and locallysourced items for his designs. “Usually, we’re flower-led rather than design-led so that the flower takes the central stage and is allowed to be the star,” he said. Connolly’s talk in Birmingham will be his first stop on a nationwide tour to promote his latest book, “A Year in Flowers,”

See stars, page 29

Collaboration, From previous page

a secondary house that is at the lake, in the mountains or at the beach?” Those questions are important ones to consider before the first blueprint is drawn or fabric swatch selected, Long said. “Whether it’s a custom build or a renovation, it’s important to figure out how the house or the addition will sit on the lot,” he said. Once clients have figured out the “where” part of the puzzle, Hiden said just like Long, she finds out how the rooms she is designing will be used. “I consider the lifestyle of the client. Do they have small children or are they empty nesters? Do they entertain often or need areas to watch TV or read?” she said. Both Hiden and Long said the early stages of planning with their clients always includes a conversation about the clients’ style–what they like and what they don’t like. “It’s not about us coming in and creating our dream home,” Hiden said. “It’s about really listening to people and figuring out how to bring their vision to life.” Long said his father, Henry Sprott Long, who founded the architectural firm almost 70 years ago, taught him the importance of really listening to his clients. In the 1991 book “The Residential Architecture of Henry Sprott Long,” his father is quoted as saying “that architecture is best which best satisfies the client.”

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 23

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Like his father, Hank Long said the most rewarding part of his job is seeing his clients happy with their new spaces. “I still get excited when a person I’ve worked with feels like the outcome was successful,” he said. And that feeling is even better when the person you’re working with just happens to be someone who shares your design philosophy, Long said. That’s what happened several years ago when Hiden and Long decided to team up on their first project that was not for a third party. “When we decided to do our first major renovation and addition, I knew Hank would have to help us with it,” Hiden said.

Long said he jumped at the chance to help Hiden renovate the Dutch Colonial-style home she and her husband bought in 1994. “I had always loved the house and loved the fact that it has good bones. I knew that Pat definitely had a vision for what she wanted, and that makes things easier,” Long said. “Sometimes, when you’re working with a client, you will take a lot of time in what I call the discovery phase. It can be time consuming when someone comes to you without any ideas at all of what they want, and the most successful projects are the ones where homeowners let their likes and dislikes be known early.” And what Hiden didn’t like was the cramped kitchen and lack of open

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family areas in the house, built in 1935. “We added the den and expanded the kitchen with that first big project because the kids–Taylor and Billy– were younger then, and we really needed an open den area,” Hiden said.

With Long’s expertise and Hiden’s vision, the cramped kitchen and breakfast nook were transformed into a space that will stand the test of time, complete with marble countertops, a stainless steel tile backsplash, stainSee collaboration, page 29

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Meet the Tastemaker

Libby Greene of Libby Greene Interiors is making her first appearance as a tastemaker at this year’s Antiques at The Gardens event. She has worked in interior design in the Over the Mountain and Birmingham metro areas for several years and launched her own firm in 2005.

from left: Libby Greene said she will talk about the virtues of paying attention to the details when she presents a curated tastemaker’s theme area at next month’s Antiques at The Gardens event. Using varying shades of green, Greene transformed this bedroom into the perfect spot for 17-year-old Morgan Lineberry to read and relax. One of the first projects Greene did at Sally Lineberry’s Mountain Brook home included adding a built-in daybed in an upstairs bedroom.

Finishing Touches

Designer Libby Greene Pays Attention to Details Story by Keysha Drexel • Photos by Lee Walls Jr. While her training and years

of experience as an interior designer give Libby Greene the ability to look at the big picture as she approaches different design projects, her clients say it is her eye for the details that sets her apart from others in the field. Greene, a resident of Inverness, will be one of the featured tastemakers at this year’s Antiques at

The Gardens, which brings together regionally and nationally known architects, interior designers and landscape designers to offer style tips and ideas. And for her client Sally Lineberry of Mountain Brook, Greene is the perfect person to dole out that advice. “I really think Libby’s signature is her attention to the details. She thinks of everything when she’s working

on a project, and that determination to make it just right shows up in her work,” Lineberry said. Greene said her perspective as a designer when she first walks into a room can be both a blessing and a curse. “I always try and look at a room as a whole,” she said. “However, I can walk into a room and know when something is missing–usually a small

detail to most, such as a beautiful lampshade, pillow or unique hardware–that when added just completes the room.” Greene said no matter how wonderfully a room is decorated, it can seem incomplete without just the right finishing touches. “I think of it like this: No matter how great your dress is, you wouldn’t leave the house without your earrings and your jewelry. It’s the same thing in interior design–the details matter because they pull the whole look together,” she said. It is her big-picture thinking with an appreciation for the power of details that make working with Greene a lot of fun, Lineberry said. Greene has done several projects at See greene, page 28

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Thinking Pink

Tastemaker Susan Kidd Will Amp up Fine Antiques Story by Donna Cornelius • Photos by Lee Walls Jr. Industrial, contemporary spaces are often the darlings of today’s trendy design magazines. But that doesn’t mean antiques can’t share the love. That’s the message Susan Kidd, owner of The King’s House Antiques, wants to emphasize at this year’s Antiques at The Gardens show. Kidd will be a tastemaker at the ninth annual show, set for Oct. 2-5 at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. She and other architects, interior designers and landscape designers will curate themed areas. Kidd’s display, naturally, will focus on the antiques she loves. “I want to show that you can take antique furniture and incorporate it into modern-style houses,” she said. “Antiques can be fun—and young.” Kidd said she plans to create a ladies’ lounge accented with some unexpected colors. “I’ll be using pink and black,” she said. “I love the raspberry shade of pink because it’s so fresh and happy. I think color’s back—although it’s never left for me.” For her tastemaker space, Kidd will combine French and English furniture with a Coromandel screen and lots of mirrors, she said. As she does at The King’s House, she’ll

bring in newer items as accessories. “You can put a piece of great pottery on an antique table or use wonderful fabrics on the frames of chairs,” she said. “The most interesting rooms combine the old and the new.” Up-to-date touches like fresh fabrics and rugs, for example, are smart ways to update antiques without sacrificing their integrity and value, she said. “Don’t jeopardize the character of fine antiques. With true antiques, you need to respect that age,” she said. Kidd does encourage giving vintage furniture new leases on life by painting or altering them to make them useful and more attractive. Vintage pieces are those that have been around for a while but whose quality and origin may make them less valuable than true antiques. One of the things Kidd said she most loves about antiques is their history. “That’s the most fun thing about antiques,” she said. “Everything had a purpose and wasn’t made just to sit around.” Her store has a rich past, too. Anne D. Kidd, her mother-in-law, and Jane H. Glasser opened The King’s House in 1972. Susan Kidd joined the company in 1988.

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Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 27

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have included summer entertaining, rethinking furniture placement and even an entertaining piece inspired by TV’s popular “Downton Abbey.” Currently, Kidd is developing a “Designer’s Corner” for the website that will take viewers from her shop to clients’ homes, she said.

Kidd said she chose most items for the store during buying trips to Europe. She can also discover longdistance finds through the help of an overseas courier, she said. The personal touch is still a key component of her business.

See kidd, page 28

Meet the Tastemaker

Susan Kidd is the owner of The King’s House Antiques at Birmingham’s Pepper Place. The Mountain Brook resident taught for 13 years at the Southern Institute of Interior Design, where she also earned a degree in interior design. This is her first time to participate in the Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Antiques at The Gardens show.

from right: Susan Kidd, owner of The King’s House Antiques, is participating for the first time in Antiques at The Gardens. She and other tastemakers will share design ideas at the annual Birmingham Botanical Gardens event. A 18th century English pine dresser in Susan Kidd’s sitting room holds carefully-chosen pieces Kidd found in Europe while searching for items for her store.“If I like it, I keep it,” Susan Kidd said— and that’s true of several prized pieces in her living room. She inherited the 18th century Coromandel screen from her mother-in-law. The rug is an antique Sultanabad she’s had since 1984. She bought the toile-covered bergere chairs in Marseilles, France, in the early 1990s.

“I taught for 13 years at the Southern Institute of Interior Design,” said Kidd, who is also a graduate of the school’s interior design program. The King’s House was in Mountain Brook Village, in the building now occupied by Another Broken Egg, for 35 years before moving to its present home at Birmingham’s Pepper Place in 2008. The store is in an original warehouse once owned and used by the Dr

Pepper Bottling Co. Although The King’s House is more than 40 years old, it’s changed with the times over the years. The store has a website that has proved to be a helpful tool for Kidd and for her customers, she said. “We try to keep the website updated so customers can see what we have,” she said. The website also includes Kidd’s conversational blog. Recent topics

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Greene, From page 24

the Lineberry home, including a redo of 17-year-old Morgan Lineberry’s bedroom, where the designer added a built-in day bed and bookshelves for the book-loving teen. “That daybed was a dream come true for Morgan. She loves to read, and Libby really made her room into a place that is perfect for curling up with a good book,” Sally Lineberry said. Greene also decorated the Lineberrys’ master bedroom and the foyer downstairs and is in the process of finishing up a decorating project on the family’s new bedroom and bathroom addition on the first floor. “I think Libby’s style would be described as traditional with a flair, and it works for our house,” Lineberry

home said. “I have been blessed enough to inherit some beautiful pieces from my mother and grandmother, and Libby understands that it is important to incorporate those into any changes we make.” Greene said she is a traditionalist at heart and describes her personal style as classic and timeless. “I have an obsession with beautiful fabrics, gilded old mirrors and pretty antiques,” she said. While she has an appreciation for the finer things and historical pieces, Greene said she never wants her designs to feel staid, stuffy or uncomfortable. “I’ve learned over the years that mixing the old and the new give a room character and warmth,” she said. To weave the old and the new to create something unique for each client is her ultimate goal as a designer,

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Greene said. “I feel like every job and client is different and unique in their own way,” she said. “I like to put a distinctive touch in all my work, blending my traditional classic view with the specific style of each client. That’s what makes each client’s home special and personal.” During the planning process for each project, Greene said she likes to have lots of conversations about exactly what the homeowner wants and doesn’t want. “It’s great when people have strong ideas about what they want because that gives us a clear direction right off the bat, but it can be challenging if they aren’t willing to compromise on some of those strong ideas,” she said. But ultimately, her job as a designer is to listen to the needs and ideas of her clients, Greene said. “Sometimes you have a relationship with a client where you can just say, ‘No, that won’t really work in this space,’ but sometimes you have to cave to their requests, even if it means leaving the ceiling fan in a room. For some reason, husbands really love their ceiling fans.” But whether a home includes ceiling fans or not, Greene said there are five things every well-decorated home should have. “Pretty fabrics, good lighting, timeless antiques, comfortable classic furniture and a wonderful rug that pulls the space together,” she said. And for Greene, that last part–a wonderful rug that pulls the space together–is often a starting point in the design process rather than a finishing touch decision, she said. “For some people, choosing paint colors is the first thing they do when they start a project, but I like to start with a great rug or unique pillows,” she said. “For me, it’s about finding that one piece that really inspires you and building around it.”

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But that one key building block piece is not just something that Greene loves and is inspired by, she said. “It has to be something that really speaks to the client, something that becomes personal for them,” she said. “You always have to remember that these are not just rooms in a house that you are designing–this is where people will live their lives.” That responsibility of being a part of people’s lives is something Greene said she takes seriously. “I obsess over things, over every little detail, because I want it to be perfect for my clients,” she said. “I want every project to turn out even better than imagined and know that my clients will be able to enjoy the results every day.” Greene said her love of design was formed at an early age when she would travel with her grandfather to some of his contracting jobs. “I can remember being with my grandfather when he was drafting plans for houses, and my mom recently found these paint charts that I made as a child for my pretend clients,” she said. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a designer.” After high school, Greene attended Auburn University and earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design. She worked for a local design firm after graduating from college and in 2005 struck out on her own to form Libby Greene Interiors. When she’s not busy giving her clients the rooms of their dreams, Greene enjoys hanging out with her husband, Chris, and their two sons, Will and Jack, at their Inverness home. The couple has been updating the house since they bought it about 10 years ago, Greene said. “My own house is a mess right now because we’re in the middle of a huge renovation,” she said. “I mean, right now, my refrigerator is sitting in my living room, but we’ll get there,

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eventually.” That patience to work through a project until it is just right is a virtue in the design business and a key to her style, Greene said. “Sometimes people want to hurry up and buy everything that will go in a room all at once so they have this ‘finished’ look, but when you’re using antiques and things that can’t be found just anywhere, you have to take your time and look for just the right pieces,” she said. “Investing the time and energy to finding those detail pieces and thinking about the best way to use them is very much worth it in the long run.” Greene is currently working on several projects in the Over the Mountain area and on a beach house design in Seagrove, Fla. The diehard Auburn fan has also teamed up with a University of Alabama alum to help the Crimson Tide fan create a gameday house in Tuscaloosa. “I never know what kind of project is up next, and I love that because this job is never boring–never,” she said. ❖

kidd,

From page 27

“My passion is the placement of furniture,” Kidd said. “While I don’t have time anymore to take on big design projects, I can help people find what they need to make rooms more comfortable and enticing.” Kidd called herself “a big-picture girl.” “Don’t ask me to measure for curtains,” she said, laughing. “I’m not into those kinds of details.” Since the Antiques at The Gardens show will be held at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, a short distance away from The King’s House’s former home in Mountain Brook Village, Kidd said she’s looking forward to seeing old friends there. She’ll be on hand at the show to talk with those who attend and answer questions. While Kidd has participated in the Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville for 13 years, this year marks the first time she has been a part of the Birmingham event. “I was very pleased and surprised to be asked to be a tastemaker,” she said. Kidd said event organizers have assembled an impressive lineup of speakers this year. Among experts making appearances at Antiques at The Gardens is author and blogger Jennifer Boles. The King’s House carries copies of Boles’ book “In With the Old,” whose title could be Kidd’s motto. “Like Jennifer Boles, I’m very much ‘in with the old,’” Kidd said. But she’s not necessarily “out with the new,” as she plans to show as a tastemaker. “I hope I can have a display that will interest people—and maybe especially young people—in bringing quality antiques into their homes,” Kidd said. She’ll have the opportunity to connect with a young audience when she participates in a new Antiques at The Gardens feature: Tastebuds: Define Your Style. The Tastebuds event, set for Oct. 2 at 10 a.m., is limited to 40 people under age 40. Participants can meet speakers and experts and learn more about personal style tips. ❖

From page 23

less steel appliances and plenty of cabinet space. “The kitchen was so small there were only two upper cabinets, so this is a lot better,” Hiden said. “It was really all about bringing the kitchen up to date without making it look like it was vastly different than the rest of the house.” Hiden said one of her pet peeves is when the new part of a house doesn’t fit with the original house. “I didn’t want that kind of abruptness where you can clearly see where the old part ends and the new begins,” she said. “But I knew Hank’s work, and I knew that wouldn’t be an issue for us.” Long said he has always been committed to respecting the history of a house and that he brought that same philosophy to the project at Hiden’s house. “I was always very respectful of the house and sensitive to the fact that it is a classic house that just needed updating to fit the family’s lifestyle,” he said. The result of that update and addition was a kitchen and den that Hiden said she and her family and friends still enjoy. The den features a decor that is at once comfortable and elegant. The couch is a light celery green that complements the richness of the draperies, chairs and rugs. The walls are a soft sandy color, and the ceiling’s exposed cedar beams give the room a natural and open look. Hardwood floors tie the new addition to the rest of the house. The room gets plenty of natural light from the large French doors which afford a clear view of the lush garden and patio area behind the Randolph Road house. The room gets pops of color from artwork by local artists like Sally Legg and Mark Singer. The John Lonergan painting over the fireplace was a gift from Hiden’s husband. Built-in bookshelves display love-worn books and family photos.

Built-in window seats invite guests– or the family’s dog, Curly–to get comfortable and enjoy the view. After the den addition and kitchen expansion, Long also worked with Hiden to help convert a detached garage into a garage apartment with a den, full bath and bedroom. “Hank also helped us with the laundry room and with adding the patio and carport,” Hiden said. “We’ve kept him busy.” Long said that has suited him just fine. “I think we make a great team. Working with Pat doesn’t seem much like work because we understand each other and we have fun,” he said. But while the friends and colleagues share the same design philosophies, Long said their approach differs in one major way. “Thomas Jefferson once said that Monticello would never be finished, and I think that’s the challenge when it comes to interior design work,” Long said. “As architects, at some point, you have to put the flag in the ground, so to speak, and say, ‘This is what we’ve decided. This is how it will be.’” But with interior design, Hiden said, there’s not really a concrete ‘this is how it will be’ moment. “I love to use antiques on my jobs–and in my house–but I also like to add new and interesting upholstery, lamps and accessories,” she said. “A house is an ever-evolving project, and just because you want it to have a classic and timeless look doesn’t mean it has to be stale and old-looking.” ❖

stars,

From page 22

which he said is more personal than his previous three books. “It’s very much about my enjoyment of flowers and not flower wizardry,” he said. The other featured speaker at this year’s Red Diamond Series Lecture will also be talking about his new book. Mario Buatta, the self-described “Prince of Chintz,” will take the stage at the Linn-Henley Lecture Hall at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens Oct. 3 at 11 a.m. Buatta, who launched his design firm in 1963 and filled a client list ranging from Henry Ford II to Barbara Walters to Mariah Carey, will talk about the release of his first book, “Mario Buatta: Fifty Years of American Interior Decoration.” Buatta will share with the Red Diamond Lecture Series audience the principles and inspiration that have led him to work on projects as varied as the Blair House in Washington, D.C., and a posh New York City triplex featured on an episode of “MTV Cribs.” Buatta said after half a century in the design business, he has learned a thing or two about what every room needs. “A very old, comfortable upholstery–the best upholstery that money can buy, because you live with that all your life and it gets better as it gets older if it’s all hand done and great quality,” he said. “Comfortable sofas, chairs–a fireplace is nice, if you can have one.” Buatta said every room also needs good flooring, good lighting and window blinds or shades.

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Buatta said during his career he’s also learned a lot about what rooms don’t need–namely out-of-proportion furnishings. “I see it a lot. I see it every day–people that just don’t get how to live. It’s hard to tell them how to live,” he said. Proportion is the biggest mistake people make on their own in that everything is either too small or too big, Buatta said. But when it came to putting 50 years’ worth of design wisdom into a book, Buatta said he temporarily forgot about his own rules concerning proportion. “It’s a backbreaker. It’s a sevenpound book, and I lifted up a box of five and pulled a muscle, and I’ve been hurting ever since last Oct. 8,” he said. But judging from the book’s place on the bestseller lists, the heft of the tome is not deterring Buatta’s fans from buying what he says is his first and his last book. “It’s been very, very successful, so I’m very happy with it,” he said. The $75 admission fee to Connolloy’s lecture and the $30 admis-

sion fee to Buatta’s lecture include admission to Antiques at The Gardens, which will feature tastemakers and antique dealers from around the country. To reserve seats for the lectures, visit www.bbgardens.org. For more information, call 414-3965.❖

Antique Maps

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Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 29

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

This 44.15+/- acre tract is located Simmsville Rd, less To: onCenter. Jim Located than a mile from the Pelham Towne in a From: and Over Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 high trafﬁc area with great visibility overThe 1000+/ft of frontage on County Road 11. 205-824-1246 FAX: Date: is ideal Oct.for 2010 Zoned B-4, this property 44 +/commercial development. This is your AD PROOF from theCOMMERCIAL OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL for the ACRES Visit www.jpking.com for detailed maps, Nov. 4 2010 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. aerial photos and auction documents. Selling from Hampton Inn – Pelham Please make sure all information is correct, To: Tricia address and phone number! 8 0 0 . 5 5 8including .5464 Proud tophone be your205-823-9646, local, family-owned business From: Over The Mountain Journal, fax 205-824-1246 with over 30 years expertise in custom storage solutions. Date: September Please initial and fax back within 24 hours. This is your Call us today for a complimentary in-home design consultation. aD prOOF from the Over The MOunTain JOurnal for the If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, September 18, 2014 issue. please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday.

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weddings & engagementss/home

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Benjamin Henry of Memphis, Tenn., announce the engagement of their daughter, Virginia Clark Henry, to Thomas Blair Cox III, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Blair Cox Jr. of Birmingham. The bride-elect is the granddaugh-

ter of the late Dr. and Mrs. James Andrew Clark Jr. and Mrs. Willadean Henry and the late Major Ernest Charles Henry, U.S. Marine Corps, all of Memphis. Miss Henry graduated from White Station High School and Samford University, where she received a degree in exercise science and was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. She received a master’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. The prospective groom is the grandson of Mrs. Thomas Blair Cox Sr. and the late Mr. Thomas Blair Cox Sr. and the late Mr. and Mrs. Allan Harvey Woodward Jr. all of Birmingham. Mr. Cox graduated from Mountain Brook High School before attending Auburn University. He is the owner and manager of Mountain Brook Portable Detail. The wedding will be in October.

Rogers-Clark

Mary Coleman Rogers and Charles Cleveland Clark Jr. were married June 21 in the garden of the bride’s parents’ home. The Very Rev. Andrew C. Pearson Jr. officiated the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Mabry Rogers of Birmingham. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cleveland Clark Sr. of Birmingham. Given in marriage by her father, the bride was attended by Katherine Beeland Rogers Marshall as matron of honor. The father of the groom was best man. After the wedding, the couple live in Birmingham.

Henry-Cox

antiques & garens, From page one

nity to join flower magazine editor Margot Shaw and featured speakers Paige Albright from Paige Albright Orientals and Jennifer Boles, author, blogger and creator of The Peak of Chic, who will share stories and tips to help define and express personal style. The Tastebuds event is limited to 40 people under 40 years old. Tickets

are $15. A raffle will be held at the Tastebuds event, with the winner taking home a garden stool from Summer Classics. The Pantry will provide lunch for Tastebuds. This year’s tastemakers include Birmingham’s Taylor Dawson and Associates Architecture, Shepard and Davis Architecture, King’s House Antiques, King’s House Oriental Rugs, Falkner Gardens, Elegant Earth, Studio C Architecture and Interiors, RSH Designs, Gallery 1930, Ware M. Porter & Co., Pat Hiden Interiors,

Andrews-Nix

Ann Evans Andrews and Michael

Anthony-Harrelson

Mr. and Mrs. Alan Lee Anthony of Vestavia Hills announce the engagement of their daughter, Grace Louise Anthony, to Keith Wallace Harrelson, son of Mr. and Mrs.

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Killian Nix were married June 7 at the Cathedral Church of the Advent. The Very Rev. Andrew C. Pearson Jr. officiated the ceremony. A reception followed at the Country Club of Birmingham. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Seldon Andrews of Birmingham. The groom is the son of Mr. Mark Douglas Nix of Mobile and Mrs. Donna Novak Jordan of Birmingham. Given in marriage by her parents, the bride wore a silk and lace gown designed by Lela Rose. She was attended by Julia Dorothy Andrews and Mary Seldon Andrews as maids of honor and Sarah Suggs Centeno as matron

of honor. Bridesmaids were Sara Claire Ballard, Allie Bates, Anna Copeland, Caitlin Costello, Caroline Howard, Sarah Crabb, Amanda Petro, Brooking Pritchard, Emily Suggs, Annie Suggs, Kirstin Teschner and Lacey Whatley. Ann Oliver Coleman, cousin of the bride, was the flower girl. The father of the groom was the best man. Groomsmen were Andy Bolton, Trey Collins, Blake Cummings, Jorda Elliot, Ryan Grauel, Jim Jordan, Ross Kerwin, Mitch Lee, Ethan Nix and Will Sanford. William Spencer South Jr. was the ring bearer. After a wedding trip to Anguilla, the couple live in Homewood.

James Royal Harrelson of Union City, Tenn. The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Mrs. James F. Anthony and the late Mr. Anthony of Trussville and Mr. and Mrs. Winston E. Chapman Sr. of Center Point. Miss Anthony is a 2006 graduate of Vestavia Hills High School and a magna cum laude graduate of Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and of War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen and was a 2009 homecoming court attendant. She was presented at the 2008 Poinsettia Debutante Ball. Miss Anthony received her master’s degree in integrated marketing from New York University in May 2014 and is currently employed at Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC, one of the largest privately-held general contractors.

The prospective groom is the grandson of Mrs. Royal C. Harrelson and the late Mr. Harrelson and the late Mr. and Mrs. William H. McDaniel, all of Oneonta. Mr. Harrelson is a 2001 graduate of Union City High School and a 2005 graduate of Auburn University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in finance and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He serves on the Family Promise of Birmingham Junior Board. Mr. Harrelson is a vice president at J. Smith Lanier & Co. in Birmingham, one of the oldest insurance brokerage firms in the U.S. The couple met in 2011 when both were attending the Associated General Contractors of Alabama annual convention in Orange Beach. The wedding is planned for Nov. 22 at the First Baptist Church of Birmingham.

To have our wedding & engagement forms sent to you, call 823-9646.

Henry Sprott Long and Associates, Patti Woods Interiors, Thompson House Interiors, Jamie Inge Interiors and Libby Greene Interiors, along with Kinsey Marable from Charlottesville, Va., and Christopher Spitzmiller from New York, N.Y. The tastemakers will join national dealers including Mobile’s Avril Walker Design, Estate Jewelers, Evy McPherson’s Gracia Home from Nashville, Thomas M. Fortner Antiques from Memphis, Atlanta’s Laura Pearce Jewelry, Jim Thompson America, Inc., McDonough Fine

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Art, Pennoyer Newman Distinctive Garden Pots from New York, N.Y., Edwin C. Skinner Antiques from Fairhope, Whitehall Antiques from Chapel Hill, N.C., and Birmingham’s Wallace Burke and Hitz Lauber. Those attending the Red Diamond Lectures Series that is always a part of Antiques in The Gardens are in for a double dose of stylish information. This year’s lecture series will feature two speakers–Shane Connolly and Maria Buatta. At 1 p.m. on Oct. 1, Connolly, who holds the Royal Warrant of Appointment from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, will speak about his latest work, “A Year in Flowers.” Connolly served as the florist for the wedding of Prince Charles to Camilla Parker-Bowles and the wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. On Oct. 3 at 11 a.m., designer and author Mario Buatta will discuss his “Fifty Years of American Interior Decoration.” After launching his firm in 1963, “The Prince of Chintz” filled his client roster with an impressive list of celebrities and moguls, from Henry Ford II to Barbara Walters and from Nelson Doubleday to Billy Joel. Buatta oversaw the design for the Blair House in Washington, D.C., and

he was responsible for the design of pop-star Mariah Carey’s posh New York triplex that was featured on a one-hour episode of “MTV Cribs.” In addition to the Tastebuds event and the Red Diamond lectures, those attending this year’s Antiques at The Gardens will also have a chance to privately shop the sale at an exclusive black-tie event. The Stern Agee Gala in The Gardens will be from 7-11 p.m. Oct. 2 and will give those attending a chance to check out the stylish offerings from the sale while enjoying cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and dancing to the sounds of The Atlanta Pleasure Band. Tickets for the Stern Agee Gala are $150. Admission to the public sale is included. Public show hours are 1-5 p.m. Oct. 2, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 3 and 4 and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 5. Admission is free for Birmingham Botanical Gardens members and $10 for nonmembers. Proceeds from Antiques at The Gardens support The Gardens’ educational programs. The event has raised more than $2 million since 2006. For more information, contact Ragan Cox at 414-3965 or rcox@ bbgardens.org or visit www.bbgardens.org/antiques. For tickets, visit www.bbgardens. org/antiques or call 414-3950. ❖

This is the first year a Mountain Brook team will enter the Blazer BEST Robotics Competition.

Photo special to the Journal

Getting in Gear to Compete Mountain Brook Students Set to Enter BEST Robotics Contest

By Emily Williams Journal intern

team made up of students from Mountain Brook’s elementary, junior high and high schools are gearing up to show off their engineering skills in a national competition for the first time. The Mountain Brook team will make its debut at the 2014 Blazer BEST Robotics Competition sponsored by the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Engineering and held at Bartow Arena Oct. 4. The competition serves as the local-hub portion of a national competition supported by BEST Robotics, Inc., a nonprofit organization aimed at providing children with the opportunity to solve real-world engineering and scientific problems through their own cognitive skills. Participation is open to any public, private or home-schooled group, and each team participates at no cost. In the BEST competition, teams have a six-week period to design, build and market a robot that will perform specific tasks on a playing field

in three minutes. Points are awarded on task completion. The winners of the Blazer BEST Competition will move on to the regional competition at Auburn University. Mountain Brook Junior High Career Tech teacher James Salvant is the team’s mentor. “The vision is for this BEST competition to become a communitybacked competition. That’s why it’s heavy with parent involvement and heavy on including all of the schools,” he said. Not only are parents involved in the competition, but the team was started by Mountain Brook mom Jenny Nunnelley. “When I started it, it was because my sixth-grader had been asking me to help him find a robotics club for two years. I couldn’t find one. So we found this competition at UAB and started with a group of his buddies who also wanted a robotics club,” Nunnelley said. “Once Mr. Salvant came on board, he was able to advertise it through the junior high and the high school.” The team is made up of 32 stu-

dents who meet three or four days a week. And the number of students on the team grows every day, Nunnelley said. “There is always somebody new,” she said. “Most students have other activities going on, so we get a different group at every meeting.” The team leader, Mountain Brook Junior High ninth-grader Russell Weas, said a regular meeting begins with an explanation of the project, as there are new additions to the team every day. There is a place for every student who wants to join the team, Nunnelley said. “We have an engineering group and a marketing group,” she said. “Under the engineering group you’ll have kids that are working on the robot or working on the practice field. In the marketing group I have some kids working on logo design, some that are working on the booth and some who are fundraising.” Funding from UAB provides all competition groups with the materials needed to construct their robots, but the teams are responsible for raising money to construct the booths used to

School Notes

display their products, Weas said. “The more money you have, the better your booth is,” he said. Those who are more interested in fundraising, as opposed to engineering, are given the opportunity to gain their own professional skills. “The marketing team is going to go to stores and solicit. There are $50, $100 and $500 donations,” he said. The team will display donor names in its booth and on the side of the actual robot, depending on the amount donated. In addition to marketing and constructing the robot, the team will put together an engineering book documenting every step in their process to both construct the robot and market it to the community to raise funds. Weas described the book as a way to “show your design, documentation of original designs and what went wrong with them. Then you do documentation on other stuff. You have drawings of your booth and explain fundraising.” As for the skill involved in preparing an engineering book, “It’s a very high level of speech. To me, it looks like a college report,” Nunnelley said. “They are teaching themselves industry-standard software for programming, and they are having to learn how to draw CAD (computer-aided) designs. They’re not using watereddown versions at all. They are using things that they could actually put on a resume someday.” Weas, who taught himself how to use engineering code during his summer vacation, said these CAD designs are “the same thing that Mercedes

uses when they are making their cars.” Not only are the students learning industry-level engineering skills, they are doing it themselves. Salvant said his job as mentor is not to be the boss. “I’m really the guy on the side. It’s a student-focused, student-run competition. I will never be one to tell them what to do,” he said. Nunnelley said it has been rewarding for her to watch the students collaborate and learn. Weas said the students are hoping that no matter how they perform at the competition, they will walk away with some new knowledge. “I hope that we learn how to solve problems while working together as a team and how to move on from our failures,” he said. And win or lose, parents said just having the BEST team entering the competition is a success. “I haven’t seen my son as excited about anything, probably, in his whole life,” said team parent Kathy Shows. “To have an outlet for kids who aren’t into sports–to have that outlet for recognition and affirmation–is huge. There aren’t many things that offer the same result.” The Mountain Brook BEST team, as well as BEST teams from other Over the Mountain schools, will give a preview of its robot at the competition-sponsored Mall Day Sept. 21 at the Riverchase Galleria. For more information on Mall Day and the Blazer BEST Robotics Competition, visit www.uab.edu/engineering.❖

Discover the Difference! view d l r o lty W u l c a a ic ed F Bibl fi i l a ogy l u o Q n ly ech T High n sis o a ics h t p e l m E Ath A 1 AA S zes H i S A lass C l l Sma

VHEW Teacher Writes Book about Her Dog A Vestavia Hills Elementary West teacher has written a book about the lessons that can be learned from fourlegged friends. Sharman Martin, a physical education teacher at the school, recently published “I Can Play, Too!” The book is about how a dog named Bo became a part of her family. Martin held a book signing at the school and told the students Bo’s story. Martin said she already owned two dogs when Bo, who has only three legs, began finding his way to her home. After Bo had made the journey to Martin’s house several times, Bo’s owner decided it would be best if he stayed with the VHEW teacher. That’s when Bo began a tougher journey, Martin said, as he searched for acceptance from his two new “siblings.” Martin’s book, published by Solid Ground Christian Books, follows Bo as he shows his new family how he can play in spite of his limitations. VHEW students met Bo last fall after

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a a a a a Students at Vestavia Hills Elementary West read copies of “I Can Play, Too,” which was written by Sharman Martin, in the back on the left. Bo the dog, the subject of the book, takes a nap while the children read. Photo special to the Journal the school’s guidance counselor Dawn Norris read Martin’s book with each class. Norris discussed with students the importance of accepting others regardless of physical differences, using Bo’s story as an interesting and age-

appropriate example. Martin said she plans to use profits from the book sales to purchase a frontleg wheelchair for Bo. For more information on how to purchase a copy of the book, go to www.solid-ground-books.com.

Shades Mountain Christian School smcs.org 205.978.6001 Call to schedule a tour!

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schools

Libby Day, center, a teacher at Spain Park High School in Hoover was one of 21 teachers nationally selected to participate in the American Bar Association/Federal Judicial Center’s ninth annual Federal Trials and Great Debates in United States History Summer Institute for Teachers in Washington, D.C. Photo special to the Journal

Spain Park’s Day Goes to Washington for Debates A teacher at Spain Park High School in Hoover participated this summer in an exclusive professional development experience that brought her in contact with a U.S. Supreme Court justice. Libby Day was one of 21 teachers nationally selected to participate in the American Bar Association/Federal Judicial Center’s ninth annual Federal Trials and Great Debates in United States History Summer Institute for Teachers in Washington, D.C. Day teaches ninth-grade world history and is co-director of the Spain Park High School Law Academy. Day and her counterparts worked

with leading historians, federal judges and curriculum consultants on an intensive exploration of several federal trials through curriculum developed by the FJC and the ABA Division for Public Education. The institute was established in collaboration between the FJC and ABA in order to give teachers an inside view of federal court cases that never reach the Supreme Court but are significant. Teachers study the essential legal questions each case presents and develop strategies to incorporate judicial history into their school’s history and government curriculums. “The Summer Institute was a once-ina-lifetime experience, and I am honored I was selected to participate. I really

enjoyed working with teachers from around the nation and brainstorming ways to incorporate judicial education in to a variety of curriculums,” Day said. “Working with legal scholars and historians to put landmark cases into a historical context was an invaluable learning experience.” One of the institute’s highlights was a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court, where teachers witnessed the justices release three decisions and met with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The teachers also attended a federal court trial, where they participated in a question-and-answer session with a U.S. District Court judge. “Having the opportunity to talk with Justice Ginsburg was absolutely incredible, especially on the eve of such landmark Supreme Court decisions. Slate editor Dahlia Lithwick provided wonderful insight to the complicated dynamics between the court and the media, and watching expert testimony during the Blackwater trial was truly fascinating (especially for a mock trial coach),” Day said. The institute provides teachers with an extraordinary opportunity to gain insight and access to the federal judiciary through these important historical cases, said Bruce Ragsdale, director of the Federal Judicial History Office at the FJC.

POP Students Get New Technology for New Year Prince of Peace Catholic School students received some new technology to start the new year.

Discover the Difference!

a a a a a

Shades Mountain Christian School smcs.org 205.978.6001 Call to schedule a tour!

to each hall of the middle school for use in any classroom. Middle school students will also be able to participate in the Junior United Nations Assembly this year. New teacher Sammie Cockrell will be leading the elective offering and will also teach religion and social studies. Father John Fallon, Father Tom Ackerman and Principal Connie Angstadt greeted students as they arrived Aug. 11 for the first day of school.

Swagler Wins First Place for Painting of Fish A senior at Mountain Brook High School recently won a first-place award in Wildlife Forever’s 2014 State Fish Art Contest. Brother Swagler, an AP Art student in Susan Davis’ class, won the top award in the 10th through 12th-grade category of the competition. Swagler has been painting fish for several years and typically uses graphite to draw topographical maps as backgrounds and watercolors to paint the fish. Using these techniques, he shows various species of fish in the creeks, streams, rivers, lakes and coastal areas where they are found. His winning artwork for the 2014 State Fish Art Contest depicted a largemouth bass on a map of Guntersville Lake. As the first-place winner in his category, Swagler was invited to the 16th annual State Fish Art Expo Aug. 15-16 in Columbus, S.C. Swagler said his artwork allows him to express his love of fishing and the outdoors. All of the fish he paints are fish he has caught while fishing with his father, his uncle or his friends– mostly on waters in and around Birmingham, he said.

ISS Instructor Named Teacher of the Future

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or W ulty l c a a c i ed F Bibl fi i l gy a o l u o Q ly chn h e g i T H on s i s ics ha t p e l m E Ath A 1 AA S zes H i S A lass C l l Sma

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Father John Fallon greets Prince of Peace students on the first day of school. Photo special to the Journal The school in Hoover welcomed a record number of students back to school Aug. 11 and introduced them to the many new technology improvements for the 2014-2015 school year. In the lower elementary grades, students will be involved with an iPad pilot program. Students in the upper elementary school grades will have Chromebooks in their classrooms as teachers continue to incorporate technology into their lessons. All students will have access to tools through Google for Education aimed at helping them build research skills and investigate new ways of learning. Middle school students at Prince of Peace will also use Chromebooks this school year and work through shared resources on Google Drive and My Big Campus. Mobile technology carts will provide traditional laptops and wireless printers

Douglas Ray, Latin and English instructor and Poet-in-Residence at Indian Springs School, has been selected by the National Association of Independent Schools as a 2014-15 Teacher of the Future. Ray was one of 35 teachers Douglas Ray chosen

nationwide for their creativity and innovation in the classroom and leadership among colleagues and peers. The 2014-15 participants, who met recently for a conference in Alexandria, Va., will be a part of the organization’s seventh annual Teachers of the Future program. Ray and others chosen will participate in a variety of initiatives designed to strengthen learning and teaching at independent schools as well as expand their leadership capacities by exploring four themes: blended and online learning, student health and well-being, student assessment and accreditation. “These exceptional Teachers of the Future are not only preparing children to succeed in life; they are moving

Brother Swagler, a senior at Mountain Brook High School, recently won first place in Wildlife Forever’s State Fish Art Contest. Photo special to the Journal

the profession forward by modeling innovative practices and leadership among their peers,” NAIS President John Chubb said. A native of Mississippi, Ray is the author of “He Will Laugh,” a collection of poems. He has a bachelor’s degree in classics and English and a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Mississippi, where he edited The Yalobusha Review. A Lambda Literary fellow, Ray has taught Latin and English at Indian Springs School since 2010. Ray “poses challenging questions to his students, both in and out of the classroom, and teaches them to question their own assumptions and think critically as they form—and express—their opinions,” Indian Springs School Director Gareth Vaughan said. “He will bring innovative ideas and great energy to the 2014-15 program.”

Luncheon Kicks Off New Year at OLS in Homewood Teachers at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School in Homewood were welcomed back to class with a special luncheon hosted by the school’s Parent Teacher Organization. The PTO honored teachers and staff members at a luncheon a few days before the new school year started. The event featured lunch catered by Majestic Catering Services. The backto-school theme was carried out in the luncheon decorations, which included pencil-embellished centerpieces, red apples and chalkboard-style tablecloths. Steel City Pops were served for dessert. On the same day as the teachers’ luncheon, students at OLS came to the school for a “Meet the Teacher” event. Students met their new teachers and toured their new classrooms. The OLS student peer helpers helped during the event. On the first day of school, the PTO welcomed students and teachers back with a festive banner. The PTO also provided parents of kindergarten students with a “Coffee and Kleenex” breakfast social on the first day of school. Parents gathered in Homewood Park for Starbucks coffee and pastries while they got to know each other.

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

The Vestavia Hills High School Rebelettes received top scores at a dance camp in Guntersville this summer. Photo special to the Journal

Rebelettes Awarded Top Scores at Dance Camp The Vestavia Hills High School Rebelettes dance team brought home the hardware from a recent competition. The team received top scores at the National Dance Association’s dance camp in Guntersville in July. During the camp, the Rebelettes were taught several different dances by NDA staff members. Each dancer was evaluated individually based on technique, style and mastery of the material. The Rebelettes also competed in team events at the camp. The varsity squad performed its home routine to “Happy,” which garnered top honors from the judges. Individual “Top Gun” awards were presented to Catherine Carroll in the turns category and to Corinne Passman in the leaps and jumps category. The Team Leader Circle of Winners dance was performed by varsity captains Hannah Echols, Haley Dellacio and Brooke Westhoven. Junior varsity captains Mary Frances Garner and Rae Brown also performed the Circle of Winners dance, along with the team’s returning sophomores. The varsity received the bronze plaque. The junior varsity received the gold plaque and the NDA Staff Pick award. Rebelettes nominated to audition for NDA’s All-American dance team were Curran Umphrey, Hannah Echols, Haley Dellacio, Brooke Westhoven, Savannah McCallum, Ellie Barrentine, Catherine Carroll, Katie Corona, Mary Frances Garner, CC Daniels, Zoe Tenner, Hannah Clair Hamric, Brynn Horsely, Brooke Tarrant and Chandler Perrigo. Nominees selected for the All-

American dance team were Echols, Dellacio, Westhoven, McCallum, Barrentine, Carroll, Garner and Tenner. The Team Dance, performed by the varsity and junior varsity squads, received top honors and the Team Circle of Winners Gold, qualifying the Rebelettes for a bid to the national NDA competition in March 2015.

ASFA Senior Wins “From the Top” Music Contest Alabama School of Fine Arts senior Andrew Downs, a double bass player, competed and was named a winner in the “From the Top” Music Competition. Distributed by National Public Radio, Downs’ performance will air nationwide Nov. 6. “From the Top” is hosted by acclaimed pianist Christopher O’Riley and celebrates the performances and stories of young classical musicians. In addition to the performance award, Downs will be given a cash award of up to $10,000. Downs’ performance can be heard at fromthetop.org/listen.

LPM Staff Takes Ice Bucket Challenge The Liberty Park Middle School Student Government Association sponsored a fundraiser for ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in hopes of raising more than $2,000. Students were asked to donate money to nominate their favorite teachers to take the Ice Bucket Challenge. Participants included sixthgrade teacher Amy Woodard, seventhgrade teacher Jonathan Jeff, eighthgrade teacher Baylor Knott, physical education coach Joy Bragan and Principal Kacy Pierce. The event raised $2,170 for ALS research. ❖ –Jacob Fuqua, Journal intern

Brookwood Forest Celebrates Reading To beat the heat and kick off another school year filled with literary wonders, Brookwood Forest Elementary School in Mountain Brook recently held its annual Summer Reading Celebration. Library volunteers Elise Frohsin, Hilary Gewant, Paige McCauley and Terry Pitman served cups of Doodle’s sorbets and ices to students, teachers and staff members. Amy Sanders, the Rangers PTO president, said it was a fun day for all who participated.

SHE HOLDS THE HOUSE RECORD FOR “MOST STATE CAPITALS RECALLED IN FIVE MINUTES” AND “BIGGEST HOLE DUG IN THE BACKYARD FOR NO APPARENT REASON.” and at Children’s of Alabama we want to see every child grow up and live to their fullest potential. That’s why we recruit, train and retain the most inquiring minds, the most skilled hands and the most compassionate hearts in pediatric medicine.

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The principal and teachers at Liberty Park Middle School in Vestavia Hills recently took the Ice Bucket Challenge to help raise money for ALS research. Front, from left: Joy Bragan and Amy Woodard. Back: Jonathan Jeff, Principal Kacy Pierce and Baylor Knott. Photo special to the Journal

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34 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

food

Culinary Community News and Events Page 36 OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Rising to the

Occasion Continental Bakery/Chez Lulu Expands to Downtown Birmingham By Donna Cornelius

Journal features writer

arole Griffin, owner of Continental Bakery and Chez Lulu, isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. When she opened the bakery in Mountain Brook’s English Village 30 years ago, the neighborhood’s business district wasn’t the hub of activity it is today. “English Village was an outlying area then and pretty sleepy,” Griffin said. “The Park Lane grocery store was an anchor, and a fresh market brought in chefs from all over town. I think we also helped bring vitality in.” The decision to put her European-style bakery in English Village proved to be a smart one. “I felt like the Mountain Brook clientele would have the palate to appreciate what we were doing,” Griffin said. “Since the beginning, we were warmly welcomed. Even during that first year, we were operating in the black.” Griffin added Chez Lulu, a restaurant, about 10 years after ‘My ambition to be a Continental Bakery opened, she lawyer evaporated. said. I could have just “Chez Lulu is an extension of the bakery and not really a separate stayed at that bakery. business,” Griffin said. “We have If they’d paid me 25 two sides of the same kitchen.” cents more an hour, I Seven months ago, Griffin took on a new challenge, opening a might still be there,’ second Continental Bakery/Chez she said laughing. Lulu at 1820 Fourth Ave. North in downtown Birmingham. The space, formerly occupied by Mix bakery, is vastly different from the original store. “In English Village, the entire space—the bakery, restaurant and kitchen—is 3,000 square feet. Here, we have 7,000 square feet,” Griffin said. The hardest thing about renovating the building, she said, was figuring out how to “lulu it up.” The English

Carole Griffin, one of this year’s Alabama Retailers of the Year, said she likes the opportunities presented by her new downtown location of Continental Bakery/Chez Lulu. The original bakery and restaurant are in Mountain Brook’s English Village. Journal photo by Lee Walls Jr.

Village store has a cozy, almost medieval atmosphere, while the downtown space presented Griffin with lofty ceilings, silver-painted metal fixtures and stark white walls. “We wanted the place to be warm and welcoming,” Griffin said. “We’re in the theater district, so we took inspiration from that.” She installed long velvet theater-style curtains and painted part of the floor in a black-and-white harlequin pattern to mimic a similar design at the Alabama Theatre. The second level became “Lulu’s Loft,” a dining area with upholstered banquettes. The walls are filled with paintings by Griffin’s friend Dori DeCamillis. The striking pieces of art depict Alabama spots like the Alabama Theatre, Horseshoe Bend National Park and Tuskegee Institute. Griffin painted metal fixtures gold, hung prints and paintings on the expansive first-level bakery walls and created “Lulu’s Lounge,” an intimate downstairs bar area where customers can gather. Old wine barrels were taken apart and used to create see-through partitions between the bakery and the lounge. Tracy Martin, a welder who made iron tables and other ironwork pieces for Chez Lulu, made an observation that Griffin said helped her find direction for her downtown redesign.

“Tracy said, ‘This is Lulu comes to Paris,’” Griffin said. The size of the new bakery and restaurant opened new opportunities, she said. “We can have large private events here,” Griffin said. “We can accommodate up to 120 people easily.” Opening in downtown Birmingham also helped fulfill a dream, she said, because she originally wanted to open her bakery on the city’s Southside. The Birmingham native left her hometown to attend college at Rice University and also traveled in France. She was living in Washington, D.C., when she came home for a visit and attended a Southside festival. “It was exciting, and I saw a renewed liveliness here,” Griffin said. “I wanted to be part of that.” She first looked for a place for her bakery in the Southside neighborhood before finding the building in English Village, she said. Griffin, who once planned to be a lawyer, said her love for food comes from a part-time job and from her family. “When I was in college, I worked nights at a bakery,” she said. “I loved it—the work was so captivating. We’d make hundreds of baguettes and make hand-laminated croissants.” That was the end of her plans for a career in the legal See chez lulu, page 36

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 35

food

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

A memorable lunch with Anne Sutherland Fuchs, then the publisher of Vogue, reminds Murphy that “we’ve all made food mistakes,” he said. “I was 22 at the time. We went to a nice restaurant, and she ordered artichoke. I stuck a whole leaf in my mouth,” Murphy said. “She smiled and said, ‘You can spit that out, dear.’” ❖

“Bourbon & Bacon: The Ultimate Guide to The South’s Favorite Food Groups” is a Southern Living book published by Oxmoor House. The price for the 288-page hardcover book is $22.95. It’s available at Birmingham area bookstores and on amazon.com. For more information, visit oxmoorhouse.com.

Photo special to the Journal

Morgan Murphy’s new cookbook is devoted to two Southern culinary darlings: bourbon and bacon.

Sips of Bourbon, Sides of Bacon Southern Favorites Are Perfect Pair in Morgan Murphy’s New Cookbook

By Donna Cornelius

Journal features writer

organ Murphy has a rule about food: He tries not to eat anything he can’t pronounce. “I’m not a food snob,” Murphy said. “There is a time and a place for Velveeta. I’ll eat a hotdog as readily as I’ll eat foie gras.” The Mountain Brook resident’s new cookbook is devoted to two unpretentious Southern culinary darlings. “Bourbon & Bacon: The Ultimate Guide to the South’s Favorite Food Groups” tells readers everything they need to know about the popular potable and the prime part of pork. “I wrote a cookbook that I would love,” Murphy said. Southern Living readers likely will remember the writer’s wittiness as the magazine’s travel editor. Murphy has expressed his sense of humor in his new cookbook, too. The book begins with warnings like “Do not make anything in this book and then operate heavy machinery” and “The only whole grains in these recipes were immediately made into whisky.” But putting the book together was serious business, Murphy said. “I researched the old-fashioned way,” he said. “I drove about 10,000 miles last summer, visiting homes and businesses and poking around in distilleries. I got in pens with hogs. “I take my job very seriously. I love bourbon and I adore bacon.” Murphy packed his camera as well as his notebook. “The book has tons of images. Every other page has photos,” he said. He even drew “Morgan’s Pig Map,” the book’s two-page sketch of

a hog with edible parts labeled. The pig’s feet are tagged with this handy tip: “Pickle these babies and sell ’em at a gas station.” The book is divided, naturally enough, into two sections, one for each of Murphy’s two favorite “food groups.” Each section includes recipes, history lessons and fun facts. “I wanted the book to read like a novel,” Murphy said. Some recipes were contributed by well-known chefs like Frank Stitt, Chris Hastings and Leah Chase. “Other recipes are favorites from Southern Living, pulled from its archives, and some are my own creations,” Murphy said. Bourbon-centric recipes include The Handsome Devil, a drink that Murphy calls “an unabashed lady killer,” and Bourbon-Banana Pudding Panna Cotta from Poogan’s Porch in Charleston, S.C. Bacon takes center stage with Smoked Pork Belly Sandwiches with Apple Butter and with Georgia Grits Waffles. And some recipes, like Bourbon Candied Bacon, go whole hog by teaming up the cookbook’s two food stars. Writing the book was a “journey of discovery for me,” Murphy said. “I didn’t know much about bourbon when I started—I just knew I loved it,” he said. “But I found out that bourbon is tightly controlled. It can have no additives.” Murphy said he learned that the bourbon-making process is pretty pure and simple. “You and I could make bourbon tonight. I couldn’t make Diet Coke in 50 years,” he said. Both bourbon and bacon are pro-

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duced today very much like they were years ago, he said. Open Monday-Saturday 11am-2pm & 5pm-9pm “You could take someone from 521 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 • (205) 823-1505 1895 and set him down at a modern distillery, and he’d understand the process. And you could take a farmer from the past to a boutique farm, and he’d understand how the bacon is Red Mountain Theatre Company being made,” Murphy said. PRESENTS “Bourbon & Bacon” is the third cookbook for Murphy, who also wrote the bestselling “Southern Living: Off the Eaten Path” series. He’s a judge on the Travel The New Mel Brooks Musical Channel’s new “American Grilled” show and was a James Beard Award Jeremy nominee for his “Off the Eaten Path” To: From: Over The Mountain Journal, PHONE: 205-823-9646 video series. FAX: 205-824-1246 The Alabama native began his journalistic career by working at a high- Date: September profile magazine. This is your ad proof from the over the mountain Journal for the Sept “I started at Vanity Fair in 1994,” 2014 issue. Please fax approval or changes to 824-1246. Murphy said. “From there I went to Forbes and then to Southern Living in please make sure all information is correct, inclu 2000.” address and phone number! He left his job as a Southern Living executive editor in 2007. “I was managing 30 writers and please initial and fax back within 24 hours. photographers, and I got away from If we have not heard from you by 5 pm of the Friday before the press date, what I liked to do,” he said. your ad will run as is. We print the paper Monday. Since then, he’s become a TV and Thank you for your prompt attention. radio personality as well as a writer. He made a return appearance on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” earlier this at the Red Mountain Theatre Company Cabaret month. He’s also been on NBC’s “Today” show, CNN, Sirius/XM and NPR. “The last time I was on ‘Fox and Friends,’ we ended up having a food fight,” Murphy said. The University of Oxford and Birmingham-Southern College graduate serves in the U.S. Navy Ticket prices starting at $30. Reserve and is a veteran of the war in Purchase tickets at RedMountainTheatre.org Afghanistan. or by calling 205-324-2424. He’s also an adjunct instructor in the University of Alabama’s journalism department.

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36 • Thursday, September 18, 2014

food

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OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Piggly Wiggly To Host Wine and Beer Tastings

From page 34

field, she said. “My ambition to be a lawyer evaporated. I could have just stayed at that bakery. If they’d paid me 25 cents more an hour, I might still be there,” she said, laughing. Happy times at family dinners also played a role in her career choice, Griffin said. “My family is Czech, and they maintained a strong connection with that heritage,” she said. “They loved food. Every meal was a feast. Everybody would stay at the table for two hours, and the conversation often revolved around food. That’s where my relationship to food was born.” While customers are accustomed to the bakery’s crusty baguettes and flaky croissants, Chez Lulu offers a cosmopolitan assortment of food. Griffin said her 15-year-old son, Isaac, calls her menu offerings “French soul food.” “But we encompass the whole Mediterranean region, not just France,” she said. “We have northern Spanish tapas, northern Italy handmade pastas, and we even have some northern African cuisine. “Here, it’s not haute cuisine. It’s more food of the people.” Griffin is one of 13 business owners who will be honored as Alabama Retailers of the Year at the 33rd annual Alabama Retail Day luncheon Sept. 23 in Vestavia Hills. (See details in About Town section) While her passion is food, she recognizes the importance of sound business practices. “I hired someone with management experience about 10 years ago,” she said. It’s crucial, too, to have good relationships with employees, she said. “You can’t be a perfectionist when you deal with human beings. You have to respect other people’s views on the best way to get from Point A to Point B. You can drive people too hard,” she said. Continental Bakery/Chez Lulu has almost 60 employees, she said. “We have the best team on the planet,” Griffin said. “The most exciting thing for me about our downtown store is that we hired a new chef, Joshua Blackwell, who came from Vittoria. We paired him with J.R. Jacobson. J.R. was the chef de cuisine at Little Savannah. He opened his own business and wanted to get back into the kitchen.” If Griffin’s employees need inspiration for working hard, they need look no further than their boss. “My fiancé told me I’d been working 70 hours a week, and I had no sense of that,” Griffin said. “I love what I’m doing and wish I could multiply myself so I could do it even more.” ❖

Over the Mountain and Birmingham Piggly Wiggly stores offer free wine and beer tastings each month. Piggly Wiggly in Homewood has beer tastings every Thursday from 5-7 p.m. and wine tastings every Culinary Friday from 4-6 p.m. Community The Bluff Park store News and has wine tastings Events every Thursday from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The Clairmont Avenue store hosts wine tastings every Thursday from 4-6 p.m. The River Run store has boutique wine tastings every Thursday from 4-6 p.m. and craft beer tastings every Friday from 4-6 p.m.

Middle Eastern Food Festival IS This Weekend

The Saint George Melkite Catholic Church’s annual Middle Eastern Food Festival is set for Sept. 18, 19 and 20 at the church, 425 16th Ave. S., Birmingham. Food will be served Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Downtown Birmingham delivery will be available for lunch on Thursday and Friday with a $75 minimum order. For takeout and delivery, call 492-9621. A drive-through service will operate until 7 p.m. each day. Informative church tours will be conducted during festival hours. Nightly entertainment includes Amin and the Sultans Band from New York and folk dancing performed by the church’s youth. Vendors and booths will feature handcrafted olive wood from the Holy Land, Byzantine icons and literature, glass jewelry made from the church’s

Darwin Metcalf, president and COO of Western Supermarkets, with Sue DeBrecht, director of the Emmet O’Neal Library in Mountain Brook attending last year’s Wine and Food Festival at the Birmingham Zoo. Photo special to the Journal

original stained glass, and St. George’s Middle Eastern food cookbook, “Our Favorite Recipes.” For more information, visit www.saintgeorgeonline.org or check out the church’s Facebook page.

Greek Orthodox Cathedral to Host Festival Sept. 25-27

Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral will host the 42nd annual Greek Festival Sept. 25-27 at 307 19th St. S., Birmingham. In addition to Greek food, the event will feature live Greek music and dancing. Takeout is available, and guided tours of the church will be offered during the festival. Free parking will be available at the former Liberty National parking deck between 20th Street and Richard Arrington Boulevard. Festival-goers can also browse the Greek Market Place at the festival. The event will run from 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m. each day. For more information, visit www. birminghamgreekfestival.net or call 7163088.

Western’s Fall Wine and Food Festival is Sept. 26

Western Supermarket’s annual Fall Wine and Food Festival benefiting the Emmet O’Neal Library will be held at the Birmingham Zoo from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 26. Vendors will offer more than 650 wines for tasting, and foods focusing on Alabama products will be prepared by chefs from the Jefferson State Culinary School. Ticket holders will also receive a reusable wine tote from Western. Tickets are $60 in advance or $75 at the door. Group discount tickets for 10 or more are $50 each. Tickets can be purchased at the library, at Western Supermarkets on Highland Avenue and Rocky Ridge or online at westernsupermarkets.tixclix.com. For more information, call 445-1101.

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will host the Wine and Dine Event from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Wine Loft in Birmingham. The event will honor James M. Johnston, assistant professor of neurosurgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Drew Ferguson, director of UAB Sports Medicine and member of the Alabama Concussion Task Force. For more information, visit www.wiseupinitiative. org/wineanddine.

Cahaba River Society Frydown will be Sept. 28

The Cahaba River Society will host its fifth annual competitive catfish cooking contest and riverfront festival from noon-4 p.m. Sept. 28 on the banks of the Cahaba River at Trussville Springs. Presented by Amerex, the event will feature local teams of chefs preparing catfish and all the fixings for a panel of celebrity judges. Those attending can sample the cook teams’ efforts and hear live music from the Cahaba River Rats and Festival Expressions. The fundraiser will also feature the Small Fry area where children can play games and participate in hands-on activities led by environmental educators. The Water Shed area will provide adults with an interactive learning opportunity on water. Tickets are $20. Children ages 12 and younger get in free. Trussville Springs is on U.S. 11 just north of downtown Trussville. For more information or to buy tickets online, visit www.frydown. com.

Piggly Wiggly Wine Showcase Set for Oct. 1

Piggly Wiggly’s first annual Wine Showcase will be held Oct. 1 from 6-8:30 p.m. at a private club in Vestavia Hills. The event will benefit The Daniel Project, which aims to educate the medical community about a genetic heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The organization is named for Daniel Ajlouny, who died from the condition at age 21. Tickets are $50 and include complimentary wines and craft beers plus unlimited homegrown, Daniel Ajlouny farm-raised appetizers prepared by Alabama vendors Merry Cheese Crisp, Copper Pot Kitchen, Holmsted Fines, Cake by Donna and others. The Mark Kimerell Engine jazz band will provide entertainment. For tickets and more information, visit www. PaulMeyersFoundation.com.

Hoover Chamber To Host Forks and Corks Gala

The Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce will host the first Forks and Corks Gala Oct. 11 at the Aveda Institute, 3200 Galleria Circle in Hoover. The black tie event will feature food and beverages from Birmingham area restaurants and vendors, a band, and silent and live auctions. Proceeds benefit the Chamber’s scholarship fund. Tickets are $100. To buy tickets or for more information, call Verona Petite at the Hoover Chamber of Commerce, 988-5672 or email her at verona@ hooverchamber.org. ❖

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 37

food/sports

Floor Leader

Mountain Brook’s Smith Loves to Defend By Lee Davis

Journal Sports Writer

Some athletes measure their success by the number of trophies that are on the mantel at home. Mountain Brook’s Julia Smith values trophies as well. But Smith’s favorite trophies aren’t made of metal–they come from flesh and blood. As the outstanding senior setter for the Lady Spartan volleyball team, Smith is tasked with keeping the ball in play, almost regardless of the physical cost. And that means doing a lot of diving–often right onto a hard gymnasium floor. “I’ve gotten a concussion from hitting my head on the ground,” Smith said. “I’ve busted my eyebrow open and had to get stitches, and I always have a gym burn or a bruise somewhere.” She also has a permanent scar on her right leg just below the kneecap. So how does Smith feel about the toll on her body? “I absolutely love it,” she said, laughing. “The floor has done some damage, no doubt. But there’s no better feeling than diving and getting the ball back up in the air to set up our offense.” Smith’s defensive prowess is a big reason why Mountain Brook, fresh off a 42-15 record and a surprising finish in the Class 6A Elite Eight last season, is ranked among the state’s top teams in 2014. Her efforts were rewarded with individual honors as well, as Smith was named the Metro Birmingham Player of the Year by at least one organization. She led her team with 522 digs and 84 aces. “Last season was great, and it’s definitely a building block for this year,” Smith said. “But we can’t sit back and expect to win just because of what happened in the past. It’s important that we improve and get better every match.” Fortunately for the Lady Spartans, they are far from a one-girl team. Senior Abby Garrett returns upfront as a middle blocker. Also in the starting lineup are outside hitter Sara Carr and setter Sara Chandler Mitchell, both juniors. Each earned all-star honors following last season. Other members of the varsity roster include Emma Abele, Kendall Crumbaugh, Caroline Davies, Libby Grace Gann, Ellie Gorman, Lacey Jeffcoat, Emmy Kilgore, Victoria Morris and Payton Selman. “We definitely have talent and experience,” Smith said. “We’re expected to win–but what’s most important is what we expect from ourselves. If the team gets cocky or loses its chemistry, it will not be a good thing.” As Mountain Brook entered midSeptember with a 4-3 record prior to reaching the meat of its region schedule, Smith saw plenty of room for improvement. “To be honest, at times we haven’t played our best early this year,” she said. “We have to work together and hold one another accountable. If we do that, everything will be fine.” Spectators at the Spartans’ games

Julia Smith (5) was named the Metro Birmingham Player of the Year by at least one organization. She led her team with 522 digs and 84 aces. Photo special to the Journal

find Smith-watching to be entertaining. Her dives, leaps and reaches for the ball from virtually anywhere on the court are reminiscent of baseball legend Pete Rose diving headfirst toward second base in the 1970s. If Rose was nicknamed “Charlie Hustle,” surely there’s a moniker just as appropriate for Smith. “The thing is, I just can’t let the ball hit the ground,” Smith said. “If we’re going to win, we’ve got to be able to keep the ball off the floor. That’s my job.” Smith became an athlete about the time she entered first grade. She played basketball and softball and even gave swimming, diving (into water) and soccer a try. Finally, Smith added volleyball to her repertoire, and it was a case of love at first sight. “My sister had played volleyball and really enjoyed it,” she said. “And I liked it, too. Soon, the only sports I was playing were volleyball and basketball.” By her freshman year at Mountain Brook, Smith decided to play volleyball exclusively. She’s quick to add that her basketball experiences helped her on the volleyball court. “I played point guard in basketball, and that helped me learn how to see everything happening on the court,” she said. “That’s carried over to volleyball. It helps a lot to have a broad range of vision and know where the ball is going.” Smith’s career at Mountain Brook has flown by quickly, so she is determined to savor every moment of her senior season. “Being a senior means being a leader,” she said. “I don’t want to be the kind of leader that yells and screams. I want to lead by showing composure and calm at all times, regardless of what’s happening in the match. If I show confidence, hopefully that will influence the other girls to show we can get the job done.” Mountain Brook players and fans can have the confidence of knowing that if a ball is about to hit the floor, there’s a great chance Julia Smith will reach it in time. She has the honors--and the scars–to prove the point.

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sports

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

record,

‘We were honored to be the team that got the 310th win for Coach Anderson because it was such a special accomplishment. We also wanted to get the win for all the Vestavia players in the past who contributed to it.’

From page 40

“We went back to playing Vestavia football,” quarterback Landon Crowder said. “Last week, we weren’t really ourselves. We were tense and thinking more about the record than the game itself. This week, we were more loose and decided to have fun playing football.” Crowder said being a part of the record-breaking game was special for him and his teammates. “We were honored to be the team that got the 310th win for Coach Anderson because it was such a special accomplishment,” he said. “We also wanted to get the win for all the Vestavia players in the past who contributed to it.” Early in the game, it looked like Anderson might have to wait yet another week to get the historic triumph. In the first quarter, Hewitt drove 78 yards to the Rebel one-yard line. But Husky quarterback Zach Thomas was stopped on fourth-and-goal. “That goal line stand was wonderful,” said Anderson, who was characteristically more interested in discussing his players than his own achieve-

Vestavia QB Landon Crowder Left: The Rebel’s Nolan Turner (22) breaks up a pass reception late in the third quarter. above: Carter Jacobs picks up yardage in the Rebel’s 14-3 win over the Huskies. Journal photos by Lee Walls Jr.

ments. “Our defense played well all night.” After a scoreless first half, Vestavia finally took control in the third quarter. Crowder’s 40-yard pass completion to Samuel Harvey moved the Rebels to the Hewitt 14. Moments later, Crowder scored on a three-yard run with 4:52 remaining in the third

buddy,

From page 40

“I was used to going to an all-male school with an enrollment of 900,” said McEachran, now a North Carolina businessman. “And all of a sudden half the kids coming out of those classrooms were pretty girls with blonde hair and blue eyes. When you’re a 17-year-old boy, that’s a big selling point. I knew Vestavia was the right place for me.” There was another selling point that may not have been so apparent at the time. A 28-yearold assistant coach named Buddy Anderson had been elevated to head coach of the Rebels’ longsuffering football program. Anderson’s first priority was to make Vestavia–which had enjoyed only one winning season in its seven-year history–a respectable football team. Nobody could have guessed that the little-known coach would become a legend. Vestavia’s win over Hewitt-Trussville last Friday gave Anderson his 310th career victory, making him the winningest high school coach in Alabama history. But McEachran remembers Anderson well as a bright young coach who was trying to establish himself–and his program. “The first thing I remember about Coach Anderson was what a great person he was away from football,” McEachran said. “He was wonderful in the way that he put the welfare of the kids above wins and losses. Coach Anderson is one of the best people I’ve ever known.” Anderson’s compassion for his players shouldn’t be construed to mean he was an easy touch on the practice field, McEachran said. “At the beginning, Coach was a little awkward for sure,” he said. “He was very rigid in his approach. Our practices were long, and the coaches could be overzealous in our conditioning. By the time we got to the first game against Mountain Brook, we were exhausted before it began.” That first game didn’t go well. Vestavia didn’t mount much of an offense as the Spartans took a 3-0 victory. McEachran, a wide receiver, said he felt particularly frustrated. “I was probably one of the fastest guys on the team, and I probably lost two or three steps just from being tired,” he said. “Guys were

quarter. Jack Hatchett’s kick gave the Rebels a 7-0 lead. The Huskies responded by driving to Vestavia’s 10-yard line, where T.J. McGettigan kicked a 27-yard field goal to cut the margin to 7-3 with 11:38 left in the game. Anderson’s date with destiny was confirmed late in the game when

Crowder scored his second touchdown on a two-yard dash with 4:23 remaining. The Rebel defense stymied Hewitt’s offense the rest of the way. “This was a true team win, which is what Coach Anderson talks about all the time,” Crowder said. “I’m so blessed to have great receivers and a great offensive line. And our defense

with his own standing with the team. cramping up all night. It wasn’t a good beginAfter much thought, McEachran made a bold ning.” But the new coach learned from his mistakes. move. “I called Coach Anderson at home,” he said. “He eased up on us after that,” McEachran said. “Coach Anderson realized he had to loosen “I was so nervous I was probably stumbling over my own words, but he listened. I wanted to up on the reins a bit to let the team grow to know what my role was going to be for the rest its full potential. It took a lot of courage for a of the year. Coach could have thought, ‘Who first-year coach to realize that maybe his origiwas this kid from Memphis trying to tell me nal approach had been too harsh and needed to how to run this team?’ But he didn’t. He really change. A lot of coaches would have been insetook to heart what I had to say.” cure and just doubled down on what they were Anderson didn’t just pay lip service to doing.” McEachran’s ideas. Murphy was allowed to The fresh approach didn’t bring immediate throw the ball more with aces like McEachran, dividends. The Rebels lost their second game to Brown and Ry Ogilvie as targets. Vestavia didn’t highly-regarded Walker County 14-7. Anderson lose again until it reached the Class 4A state was 0-2, but his players didn’t stop believing. championship game. Success finally came in week three as “We had the weapons to mix up the attack Vestavia rolled over Hewitt-Trussville 14-0, to confuse our opponents, and Coach made the with running back Scott Waggoner, tight most of it,” McEachran end Jim Brown, quartersaid. “Even if we didn’t back John Murphy and ‘The first thing I the most talent, we McEachran giving the remember about Coach have won a lot of games on sheer Rebels some offensive zip Anderson was what a guts.” to go with an already rugged Vestavia’s surprising defense. And for the record, great person he was 10-4 final record earned that was Anderson’s first away from football. He Anderson honors as Coach career win. was wonderful in the of the Year and set the stage “As great as that was, I don’t think that anybody way that he put the wel- for an impressive Rebel run. Vestavia would reach the would have imagined that in fare of the kids above championship final again in 36 years, Coach Anderson wins and losses.’ the next two seasons, finally would still be at Vestavia claiming the crown in 1980. and getting more than 300 Gib McEachran, on his experience playing for Anderson in 1978 The season was impreswins,” McEachran said. sive. McEachran, who went “It’s a tribute to him and the on to play football at Furman University, was coaches that have stayed with him for all of this far more impressed with his head coach. time.” “Coach Anderson is great–not just in what Things got even better the next week when he has accomplished, but as a Christian and a great run by Waggoner helped the Rebels to as a man. He’s a straightforward man with an a surprising 15-14 come-from-behind win over unbelievable moral compass who expects the Minor. Waggoner had inspired the team at halftime with a locker room speech McEachran said best effort from everyone around him and won’t accept any less,” he said. he’ll never forget. McEachran lived in Vestavia for only five “Let’s just say he told us that we were betyears but still considers it home. ter than we had been playing and were good “So many of my classmates went to enough to beat Minor,” McEachran said. “After Alabama or Auburn and live within a threewinning that game, we felt we could beat anymile radius of the school and send their kids to body.” Vestavia,” McEachran said. “That shows you Vestavia didn’t win the next week but forced that this is a special community.” defending state champion Berry to the limit When McEachran visits his old home, he before falling 21-14. While the season was looking up for the Rebels, McEachran was frustrated makes a point to see his former coach.

was awesome.” Looking beyond Anderson’s record, Crowder believes the win was a good building block for Vestavia. “I wouldn’t say it (the record) was a distraction, but there had been so much said and written about it,” he said. “Last week, it really hurt to lose. I think we’re glad to get it all behind us and concentrate more on getting better and winning.” In the meantime, remember the date: Sept. 12, 2014, when Buddy Anderson became Alabama’s all-time winningest high school coach at the same place where it all began.

“Coach Anderson loves to talk one-on-one with people, particularly people who were part of his program,” McEachran said. “You could have been the star quarterback or the boy that washed the uniforms. He wants to know about their jobs, their wives and their children. He really cares about them all.” McEachran said he wasn’t sure how much longer Anderson might coach. “I don’t know,” he said, laughing. “I hope it lasts forever.” Anderson won’t coach forever, but McEachran and his teammates of 1978 began a legacy that isn’t close to ending.

Old school Buddy Anderson, from a photo taken in 1978, his first year as head coach at Vestavia Hills. Anderson became the winningest coach in Alabama high school football history Friday night with the Rebels 14-3 victory over Hewitt-Trussville.

Thursday, September 18, 2014 • 39

sports

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

hoover,

Week 4 scores Sept. 19 games

From page 40

Buccaneer team that has won eight state titles since 2000 may have finally found it last Friday night. Hoover was so good that even Mother Nature could not slow the juggernaut down. Lightning and rain forced a late kickoff but couldn’t prevent the Bucs’ 35-0 rout of previously unbeaten Oak Mountain, which was coming off an impressive upset of Vestavia Hills. Hoover wasted little time getting started. On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Jack Hutcheson passed 80 yards to Alex Elam for a touchdown. Hunter Schmith’s conversion made the score a quick 7-0. The Bucs struck again with nearlightning speed. Senior running back Marcus Webb ran 76 yards for a touchdown to give Hoover a 14-0 lead with more than three minutes remaining in the opening period. Hoover continued the onslaught in the second period. Bradrick Shaw’s one-yard touchdown plunge with 9:29 left in the first half gave Hoover a 21-0 advantage. Hutcheson’s four-yard scoring strike to Justin Johnson with only six seconds remaining in the half launched the Bucs’ advantage to 28-0. Hutcheson’s hot hand continued into the third quarter, when he connected with Johnson for a 25-yard touchdown to bring the final score to 35-0. “The weather delay wasn’t a problem,” Hoover coach Josh Niblett said. “Our guys were jacked up and ready to get a win. I’m extremely proud of their effort tonight.” The Bucs raised their record to 2-2

Homewood 28 at John Carroll Briarwood 6 Hueytown (HC) Hoover 35 at Thompson Oak Mountain 0 Tuscaloosa County Hueytown 17 John Carroll 0 Homewood Mountain Brook 35 Thompson 16

Hoover’s Marcus Webb battles to break away from Oak Mountain’s Allen Perkins. More photos at otmj.com. Journal photo by Marvin Gentry

overall and 2-0 in Region 3 play. Oak Mountain fell to 2-1 and 1-1 in league competition. Hutcheson completed 12 of 19 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Webb gained 138 yards on 12 carries. R.J. Arnold led Hoover’s defense with eight tackles. Jeremiah Moon had five. The Eagles’ offense was led by Harold Shader, who rushed for 151 yards on 29 carries. Shader carried the bulk of the Oak Mountain offense, as the Eagles did not complete a pass. Nathan Bowman and Josh Jones each had six tackles for Oak Mountain. Webb agreed with Niblett that the rain delay didn’t hurt the Bucs. “We didn’t talk much,” Webb said. “We just got in our position groups and stayed focused. It feels good to get another win.” And winning–certainly within the state of Alabama–is something Hoover does better than any team

in modern times. The previous two victories extended the Bucs’ winning streak against in-state opponents to 30 consecutive games. Losses to outof-staters Miami Central and Colbert County of Georgia may have shattered the overall streak, but within Alabama, Niblett’s team is nearly invincible. The coach wasn’t thinking about streaks late Friday night. His thoughts were only on the week ahead, when Hoover visits Thompson. “We wanted to win and be 1-0 for the night,” Niblett said. “Now it’s the 24-hour rule. We’ll enjoy this one tonight and start getting ready for the next game.” Hoover admittedly has a long way to go. A particularly difficult stretch of the schedule in October has the Bucs facing Spain Park, Tuscaloosa County and Vestavia Hills on consecutive weekends. All of that is in the future. For the moment, the Hoover Bucs appear to be back on track.

Donoho 42 Shades Mountain Christian 0

at Vestavia

at Victory Christian

Tuscaloosa County 26 Spain Park 7 Hewitt-Trussville Vestavia 14 Mountain Brook Hewitt-Trussville 3

Homewood’s Derrick Underwood finds running room as Briawood’s James Holladay (49) John Rutledge (5) and Jacob Shirley (99) close in. More photos at otmj.com. Journal photo by Bryan Bunch

Week 3: Hoover 12, Mountain Brook 0

After two unsuccessful out-of-state forays, Hoover began to look like its old self in its Class 7A Region 3 opener, producing just enough offense to subdue Mountain Brook 12-0 in Week 3. “It took us a while to get going, but I’m happy with the win,” Buc quarterback Jack Hutcheson said. “We’ll go back and see where we made mistakes.” Hoover was far from perfect, netting only 282 total yards and losing two fumbles, but still raised its record to 1-2. Mountain Brook fell to 0-2. At the end of the day the Bucs earned a shutout victory against a region opponent, and that was enough. Hoover’s first score came on a 33-yard field goal by Hunter Schmith with 6:30 left in the

Hoover’s Marcus Webb attempts to avoid the Spartans’ Parker Crane in the week 3, Region 3 matchup. Journal photo by Marvin Gentry second quarter, giving the Bucs a 3-0 halftime advantage. Schmith added a second field goal–this time from 31-yards out–late in the third period. The Bucs iced the game when Hutcheson connected with Alex Elam on a 68-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. A twopoint conversion attempt failed. Then Hoover’s defense kept doing its job. “We don’t really worry about what the offense is doing,” Buc linebacker Darrell Williams said. “We try to keep fewer points on the board for the other team and try to pitch shutouts.” —Lee Davis

next issue, Week 5 Matchup: Mountain Brook at Vestavia

Dr. William P. Garth Dr. Heath Hale Dr. Reed Estes

OVER THE MOUNTAIN Journal

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Sports

Floor Leader: Mountain Brook’s Smith Loves to Defend Page 37

Hoover’s Alex Elam, scores on the first play from scrimmage in the Bucs’ 35-0 win over Oak Mountain Friday night. More photos at otmj.com

winning smiles Vestavia Hills coach Buddy Anderson and wife Linda, along with Rebel players, celebrate the legendary coach’s history-making 310th win Friday night. More photos at otmj.com.

Journal photo by Marvin Gentry

Lightning Strike

Journal photo by Lee Walls Jr.

Quick Hoover Start Sinks Oak Mountain

best in bama

Anderson Breaks Record Where It All Began By Lee Davis

Journal Sports Writer

On Sept. 15, 1978, the Vestavia Hills football team went to Trussville and defeated Hewitt 14-0. To be truthful, the game didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. The Rebels were 0-2 entering the contest, and Hewitt wasn’t much of a program in those days. The outcome was significant for one reason–it was the first-ever victory for rookie Vestavia coach Buddy Anderson. Thirty-six years and 308 wins later, Anderson came back to the same place to become Alabama’s all-time winningest

high school coach. The Rebels defeated the Huskies 14-3, giving Anderson his 310th career victory to pass the legendary Waldon Tucker of Fayette County and forever sealing his own place in state football history. Vestavia won the game in true Anderson style, coupling a strong defensive effort with a solid running attack. Hewitt ran 17 plays in Rebel territory in the first half and came away with no points. Even more importantly, Vestavia bounced back from a 14-7 overtime upset loss at the hands of Oak Mountain the previous week. See Record, page 38

By Lee Davis

Journal Sports Writer

First Buddy Former Rebel Recalls Anderson’s Opening Campaign in 1978

Thirty-six years have passed since Gib McEachran first set foot on the campus of Vestavia Hills High School, but he remembers the moment like yesterday. Lee Davis McEachran’s family had just moved to Vestavia from Memphis, where he had been a star athlete at Christian Brothers High School. The rising senior wasn’t sure what to make of his new school until the bell rang for the changing of classes.

310!

See buddy, page 38

After Hoover opened the season with two consecutive losses, some people were wondering if the Bucs were capable of adding yet another state championship to its alreadyGame of crowded trophy the week case. Hoover 35 H o o v e r Oak Mountain 0 finally stopped the bleeding in week 3, taking a 12-0 win over Mountain Brook in a Class 7A Region 3 game that was more workmanlike than spectacular. Critics looking for the type of See hoover, page 39

Congratulations to Vestavia Hills Head CoaCH Buddy anderson

and the entire rebel family: Players, coaches, students, faculty and parents past and present!

Go reBels!

VestaviaLiving.com