department
CONTENTS SENSE GOES MULTI-MEDIA
6
THEY SPEAK Contributors
9
IN THE LOOP
13
THE SENSE OF IT ALL
14
MARKETPLACE Artology
16
TRAVELOGUE Destination Spacations
25
DESIGN Fort Morgan’s Star Fortification
32
ARTS Museum Director Donnie Barrett
38
WELLNESS Fat War
40
LITERATI Forget The Excuse
16
Must-sees and have-to-dos throughout the South
COUSIN LEROY SPEAKS
32 25 VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2 / AUGUST 2014
Issues-oriented Sense magazine gives voice to diver se political opinions but does not endor se the opinions or reflect the views e x p r e s s e d h e r e i n . Yo u a r e w e l c o m e t o s u b m i t y o u r O p - E d p i e c e v i a e m a i l t o e d i t o r @ t h e s e n s e o f i t a l l . c o m .
2 | AUGUST 2014
features 22
65 South PERFORMANCE BRINGS PEOPLE TO LIFE
views 14 22
AND NEWS
34
THE WHY OF WRITING
36
WHAT THE AUTHORS ARE READING
37
BETWEEN THE LINES
Peggy Webb talks about her gift for the arts
Popular authors talk about their latest reads
Recommended Reading from Page & Palette
SENSE MAGAZINE | 3
ENSE
ECLECTIC INTELLECT FOR THE SOUL
PUBLISHER Jamie Seelye Leatherbury VIEWS AND NEWS EDITOR
Stephanie Emrich
ART DIRECTOR Ronda Gibney-Burns CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Olivia Garcia Skeet Lores Ginger Wade Chelsea Wallace CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Cecilia Mace Library of Congress Lake Austin Spa Resort Beall + Thomas Photography ADVERTISE WITH US sales@thesenseofitall.com EMAIL US editor@thesenseofitall.com SENSE OFFICES 251 South Greeno Road Fairhope, Alabama 36532 Tel (251) 604-8827 Fax (251) 990-6603
Sense is published and licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License by Eco-Urban Media, a division of Eco-Urbaneering Corporation. Creative Commons defines the spectrum of possibilities between full copyright and the public domain. For more information go to http://www.creativecommons.org and http://creativecommons.org/about/ licenses/ and http://www.theSenseofitAll.com. All content of Sense is copyrighted. However, Sense also works under Creative Commons licensing guidelines for works published in Sense by contributing writers, artists and photographers. All rights to works submitted to and published by Sense will revert in their entirety to the respective contributing authors, artists and photographers 120 days after publication. At Sense, we believe this policy promotes journalistic independence and fosters mutual goodwill between the publisher and the contributing writers, artists and photographers..
4 | AUGUST 2014
SENSE MAGAZINE | 5
THEY SPEAK
CONTRIBUTORS Olivia Garcia is a Northern California girl with a love for all things southern. As a product of Spring Hill College, this California flower has blossomed in southern ground. The Sacramento native splits her time between 3 jobs: Nannying, Freelance Public Relations Consulting, and Freelance writing. She dreams of world domination, but would be just as happy to live and breathe somewhere near water with some Russian literature,and possibly her boyfriend and their silly albino white dog.
- Olivia Garcia, Writer Skeet Lores grew up in Baldwin County and obtained a B.S. in chemistry at the University of South Alabama. After working for 25 years as a Research Chemist at the National Institutes for Health and the Environmental Protection Agency, he returned to the University of South Alabama and obtained a doctorate in marine science. He finished his career at EPA as a lead researcher on the ecological problems associated with eutrophication in our nation’s estuaries. Skeet is now retired and is an avid hunter and fisherman and supporter of conservation.
Corrina Stellitano Murray, winner of the Sense Magazine and New Orleans Hotel Collection Running Of The Bulls Contest, shares her trip with us!
- Skeet Lores, Writer Ginger Wade has called Baldwin County home her entire life. She graduated from the University of South Alabama with a concentration in Communication. For the past 10 years she has worked in the public sector. Ginger is an ardent reader and can spend hours researching and writing on topics of interest. She is married and has two delightful sons. In her spare time she enjoys conversation and coffee with good friends.
- Ginger Wade, Writer Chelsea Wallace spent her first 18 years in Louisiana before moving to Mobile to attend Spring Hill College, from whence she graduated Magna Cum Laude with her bachelor’s in English and journalism. Currently, she freelances her writing and editing abilities, honing her focus on non-traditional health and fitness. She hopes to build a full-time freelancing business while sparing time to nurture her passion for fiction writing. When not working, she vacillates between rabid Netflix binges and extended reading marathons.
- Chelsea Wallace, Writer WANT TO BECOME A SENSE CONTRIBUTOR? Sense is always looking for new talent. If you are interested in becoming part of the Sense team, e-mail us at editor@thesenseofitall.com. 6 | AUGUST 2014
“Our visit to New Orleans, made possible by Sense Magazine and The New Orleans Hotel Collection, was a wonderful mid-week escape. We reveled in the nightlife and enjoyed relaxed tours of the city during the day, tasting our way through the city with delicious food and drink. Our hotel was located in the heart of the French Quarter so we felt close to the action, but amazingly, it was still peaceful and quiet in our luxurious room! Thank you again for the wonderful experience!”
Consistently Exceeding the Expectations of our Customers.
Michael T Ludvigsen, Jr., Certified Sales Professional 4851 Wharf Parkway • Suite D108 • Orange Beach, AL 36561 (251) 974-5468 • (217) 473-9728 Cell
We offer lessons in: Piano • Guitar • Violin •Bass • Saxophone • Trumpet Trombone • Clarinet • Flute • Ukulele We also sell:
Music Instruments • PA Equipment • Miscellaneous Gear 251.455.5335 • Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm 247 S. Greeno Road • Fairhope, AL 36532 Facebook.com/FairhopeMusic
Aiken Design & Construction Inspired Living
251-928-6321 | aikendesignbuild.com
SENSE MAGAZINE | 7
8 | AUGUST 2014
IN THE LOOP
AU G U S T E V E N T S
THE BATTLE OF DOCUMENTARY
MOBILE
BAY
AUGUST 13 | MOBILE, AL
Bring your lunch and enjoy the documentary film, “The Battle of Mobile Bay.” Filmmaker Michael Marr will be present for a discussion. Beverages are provided. Learning Lunch starts at noon at the History Museum of Mobile, 111 Royal St. For more information contact Scotty at 251-208-7246
SOUTHERN GRACE CELEBRITY CHEF DINNERS WITH JOHN CURRENCE AUGUST 14 | ORANGE BEACH, AL
Hosted by Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina in Orange Beach, Ala., the first series of dinners welcome some of our country’s most celebrated chefs — all with a NOLA connection — to Alabama’s beaches. Communal seating at the dinners will encourage conversation, and each evening promises fun and laughter with plenty of good eats, beginning at 6 p.m. with a cocktail reception to meet and mingle with the chef. Purchase tickets and find more details at www.FishersOBM.com.
10 TOP
GRAND SUMMER BALL AUGUST 23 | FAIRHOPE, AL
The Eastern Shore’s premier black-tie event, held annually at the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, promises an evening filled with dinner, dancing and fun. Now in its 28th year, Grand Summer Ball has raised nearly $4 million to support special projects for Thomas Hospital. For more information, call 251.279.1517
GHOST HUNT
AUGUST 23 | PENSACOLA, FL Is the Pensacola Lighthouse HAUNTED? The Travel Channel and SciFi’s Ghost Hunters (TAPS) think so! Several psychics and clairvoyants agree; in fact, we’ve been called one of the most haunted lighthouses in America! However, only you can answer the question for yourself! Join us for a ghost hunt in the historic 1869 Keeper’s Quarters and see if our ghosts are willing to meet you. This tour DOES include a trip to the top of the Lighthouse for a look across Pensacola Bay, weather permitting. Visit www.pensacolalighthouse.org for more information.
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
AUGUST 15-31 | MOBILE, AL
SCIENCE OF BEER
The quintessential story of friendship and trust, Steel Magnolias serves up a southern slice of life that’s as warm and comforting as sweet potato pie! In the world of Truvy’s local-homegrown beauty salon, six very different women come together to share their secrets, fears and love for one another while engaging the audience in hysterical and neighborly gossip! Directed by Daniel Mainwaring. Visit mobiletheatreguild.org for more information.
AUGUST 22 | MOBILE, AL
The Science Of series is an adults-only special event that will entice guests to learn about the science of making beer. A large portion of the evening is devoted to tasting and food pairing options, including an opportunity to learn about home brewing. Visit www.exploreum.com to purchase tickets or for more information.
THE STORIES BEHIND THE PHOTOGRAPHS
TASTE OF THE EASTERN SHORE
AUGUST 27 | PENSACOLA, FL
AUGUST 22 | DAPHNE, AL
This event not only allows Gulf Coast food & beverage vendors an opportunity to promote and market their services and products but it is also a joint effort between The City of Daphne, Daphne Civic Center and Daphne High School in sustaining our local children in their educational endeavors. Visit www.daphneciviccenter.org for more information.
11TH ANNUAL THUNDER ON THE GULF AUGUST 22 | ORANGE BEACH, AL
The Gulf Coast Powerboat Association (GCPA) is proud to announce that classic Southern Rockers, The Marshall Tucker Band, will be in concert on Thursday, August 21, 2014 at 7:30 pm. The concert will be held at the Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf. The 11th Annual Thunder on the Gulf races will be held on Friday, August 22nd in beautiful Orange Beach, Alabama. We have a full Race Week starting on August 15-24, 2014. Check out our website for more information thunderonthegulf.com.
Pensacola State College presents The Stories Behind the Photographs. From his celebrated Afghan Girl photograph that became an iconic National Geographic cover, to his breathtaking landscapes of Tibet, Steve McCurry is recognized for capturing evocative and moving images that span six continents and numerous countries.Visit www.pensacolasaenger.com for more information and tickets.
Although we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the Top 10 information, you should always call ahead to conf irm dates, times, location, and other information. Submit events to events@thesenseof itall.com SENSE MAGAZINE | 9
| IN THE LOOP
BOOK IT 1
First Friday Author Round Up
AUGUST 1 | PAGE AND PALETTE
Join us for a fun evening of local authors and great books during Fairhope’s First Friday Art Walk from 6-8 p.m. Featured authors this month include Frits Forrer, Patricia Gail, Bill Hunt, Brandi Perry, and Philip Shirley.
2
Nimrod Frazer
AUGUST 7 | PAGE AND PALETTE
Join us at 6 p.m. for a book signing and discussion with author Nimrod Frazer. Richly researched yet grippingly readable, Frazer’s Send the Alabamians will delight those interested in WWI, the World Wars, Alabama history, or southern military history in general. Historians of the war, regimental historians, military history aficionados, and those interested in previously unexplored facets of Alabama history will prize this unique volume as well.
3
Scott Berg
SEPTEMBER 9 | TBA
One hundred years after his inauguration, Woodrow Wilson still stands as one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century, and one of the most enigmatic. And now, after more than a decade of research and writing, Pulitzer Prize-winning author A. Scott Berg has completed Wilson — the most personal and penetrating biography ever written about the 28th President. Join us at 6 p.m. for a book signing and author discussion with Scott Berg
4
SINUS RELIEF IS HERE Sinusitis affects 37 million Americans each year, making it one of the most common health problems
Experience the breakthrough technology to relieve your sinus discomfort with Balloon Sinuplasty™ Quick Recovery Time • Local Anesthesia Covered by many insurance plans & Medicare Minimally Invasive Back to work in less than 24 hours
Charles Martin
SEPTEMBER 11 | TBA
In a tribute to his best friend and an encouragement to root one’s identity in something deeper than football, Charles Martin combines intriguing, emotive narrative with relatable characters worth rooting for, resulting in a classic story of love, loss, forgiveness and redemption in A Life Intercepted. Join us for a book signing and author discussion with bestselling author and former college football player Charles Martin. Stay tuned for details.
5
Abbi Glines
Alfred M. Neumann, Jr., MD Board Certified Otolaryngologist
SEPTEMBER 18 | THE VENUE
Join us at 6 p.m. for an author event with local favorite Abbi Glines. Tickets to the event are $15 and include a $5 coupon toward the book purchase. FREE PHOTO BOOTH! In Take a Chance, #1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines gave us the story of Grant, who first captured the hearts of new adult readers in Fallen Too Far, and Harlow, the woman who stole his own. Now comes One More Chance…
Serving Mobile & Baldwin County
Call for more Information to see if you’re a candidate for this new In-Office procedure
251.341.3300 7101 US Hwy 90 Suite 204 • Daphne • 770 Middle Street Suite B • Fairhope • 3701 Dauphin Street • Mobile
www.pmg.md
10 | AUGUST 2014
HERE’S WHERE TO FIND US...
MOBILE A & M Yacht Sales Alabama Coastal Foundation Apricot Lane Ashland Gallery Ashland Pub Atchison Imports Atlanta Bread Company Azalea City Physicians for Women Ballin’s Limited Renaissance Battle House Hotel Bay Area Physicians for Women Bebo’s Springhill Market Bicycle Shop Bliss Salon & Day Spa Blue Rents Bradley’s Café 615 Callaghan’s Irish Social Club Camille’s Grill Candlewood Suites Carpe Diem Coffee & Tea Company Carter & Co Cathedral Square Art Gallery Chat A Way Café Center for Living Arts Center for Dermatology Claude Moore Jeweler Cold Snap @ Old Shell Road Debra’s Delish’s Desserts & Eatery Downtown Mobile Alliance Dragonfly Boutique Estetica Coiffure Exploreum Science Center Fort Conde Inn Fort Conde Welcome Center Fuego Coastal Mexican Eatery Goldstein’s Hampton Inn Downtown Hemline Holiday, Inc Iberia Bank Legacy Bar & Grill
FAIRHOPE/POINT CLEAR LLB&B Realty Martha Rutledge Catering McCoy Outdoor Company Mercedes Benz of Mobile Mobile Arts Council, Inc. Mobile Bay Bears Mobile Infirmary Office Tower Mobile Museum of Art Mobile Regional Airport Mobile Symphony Orchestra Red Or White Satori Coffee House Serda’s @ Royal Street Shoe Fly Something New Bridal Springhill Family Pharmacy Spoke ‘N Trail The Bull The Ivy Cottage The Union Steak House Thompson Engineering Tmac’s Hair Studio Twists Cupcakes @ Legacy USA Mitchell Cancer Institute Wintzell’s Airport Wintzell’s Downtown Zoe’s Kitchen Zundel’s Jewelry DAPHNE Advance America Allegri Farmers Market Baldwin Bone & Joint Baumhower’s Wings Comfort Inn Daphne Library East Shore Café Glamour Nails Guido’s Hampton Inn Hilton Garden Inn Homewood Suites of Daphne
Infirmary West Lake Forest Shell Market by the Bay Moe’s Barbeque Publix Rosie’s Grill The UPS Store Thomas Hospital Thomas Medical Plaza SPANISH FORT Barnes And Noble Bayside Chiropractic Don Carlos Eastern Shore Toyota Malbis Parkway Pediatric Dentistry McMurphy Orthodontics Magestic Nails Mellow Mushroom Private Gallery @ Spanish Fort Tom Bierster Fine Homebuilding & Restoration Twist @ ESC Wintzell’s SOUTH BALDWIN COUNTY Beach Club Bimini Bob’s Cobalt Cosmo’s Restaurant and Bar Jesse’s Kaiser Realty Lulu’s Meyer Realty M II the Wharf Prickett Real Estate The Hangout Turquoise Tin Top Restaurant Villaggio Grille
Agave Mexican Battles Wharf Market Bayside Orthopedics Bean & Bistro Belle Shain Boxwood Bouche’s Cigars Brown & McCool Gynecology Chasing Fresh Coffee Loft Cold Snap Dragonfly Restaurant Eastbay Clothiers Eastern Shore Art Center Eastern Shore Heart Center Estate Jewelers Fairhope Inn Fairhope Library Fairhope Music Fairhope Physical Therapy Gigi & Jays Hair Designs by Ann Rabin Hampton Flooring & Design Hampton Inn Happy Olive Iberia Bank Leatherbury Real Estate Lyon’s Share Gallery Market by the Bay Master Joe’s Page & Palette Panini Pete’s Papa’s Pizza Private Gallery Project Mouvement in Art Publix Red or White Sadie’s of Fairhope Shanghai Cottage Southern Edge Dance Center Southern Veranda Marriott’s Grand Hotel
Sense is distributed to over 100 locations throughout Alabama’s Gulf Coast. Because we are in the business of promoting the economy and design in Gulf Coast communities, we distribute through our advertisers and local businesses. We feel that this brings the opportunity to exchange ideas, encourage conversation, and support the local economy. It will also move us forward by furthering thought for our future and how we wish to design it, resulting in participation by each of us in weaving the fabric that is our Sense of Community.
SENSE MAGAZINE | 11
THE SENSE OF IT ALL
TH E
BOX.
C O U S I N
L E ROY
S P E A K S :
Eclectic as it is,
O U T S I DE
Sense is constantly evolving in discovery of how best to serve our community....
Are we Engaging?
T H I N K
CL I MB
Do we Entertain?
I N S I D E T HE
Are you Informed?
Let us know, we want to hear from you.
B OX .
Yours in Community,
cousinleroy@thesenseofitall.com
THERE
IS
A
SOLU T I O N . SENSE MAGAZINE | 13
MARKETPLACE
WHAT IS
TEXT BY OLIVIA GARCIA
The Power Of Doing The Right Thing Bill Maxwell once wrote the praises of the south in a St. Petersburg Times article “The South is what we started out with in this bizarre, slightly troubling, basically wonderful country—fun, danger, friendliness, energy, enthusiasm, and brave, crazy, tough people.” These words could not be more true of Mobile, Alabama. Mobile is the quintessential southern city, and it’s charm is so sweet and sticky that it could sweeten tea. Some of its streets look just as at home in black and white as they do in color. This is especially true of much of the “Little Easy’s” downtown. One of downtown’s gems may just hold the key to the city’s branding revolution. While it may come as a surprise to some, Art(ology) has “it.” A beautiful home grown gallery, Art(ology) is nestled near Cathedral Square and is flanked by the Basilica. It is at once representative of all the things that have been the lifeblood of the city: art, business,and roots. While the gallery pays homage to roots, Art(ology) is in the business of nurturing sprouting wings. Since being founded by Ardith Goodwin in November of 2010, Art(ology) Inc. has served as a “gallery and gift shop specializing in handmade, mixed media, fine art, jewelry, and gift items for the tourists and residents of Mobile.” The founder simply acted on an unshakeable feeling that the newly available location was ideal for a business and especially so for a gallery. Therefore, in her words, she “networked and gathered seven other female artists to create a corporation.” 14 | AUGUST 2014
MARKETPLACE
The voice of the corporation, Goodwin, explains the structure of the notably unique gallery. “We have between 6 and 8 permanent partners. Because we are a corporation, members actually buy in to the company. This requirement sets is apart from traditional co-ops because our partners not only invest in their own art careers but the gallery as a whole.” “The number of whole to half members changes as our membership does but we all work as a team to fill a vacancy so that our bottom line is not affected. Right now we are full and have a waiting list for potential partners.” In a culture that sometimes sees artists as flighting and unplanning, this may come as a shock. In a city that can’t seem to keep certain small businesses from shuttering and similarly, in a nation with high failure rates for start ups in general, the idea of a waiting list of people that are clamoring to collaborate and invest in, of all things, art, can be a little jarring. A testament to its solid foundation, five of the founding members are still partners: Ardith Goodwin, Marsha Sutton, Michelle Foreman Leech, Gail Rancier Wilson and Claire Noojin. Currently, partners on tap include Susan Wertelecki and new additions Bryant Whelan and Yvette Ward. The members share the space where classes are taught regularly. The artists can be commissioned, and the gallery actively participates in the downtown scene, through events that include Art Walk. Total “rehangs” or changes of art displayed take place quarterly. By growing a complex root structure, Art(ology) has managed to make itself into something that is all but living and breathing; something that is beloved. Nurtured by love that has come full circle, the gallery’s success helps facilitate an improved environment in downtown Mobile, quite similar to the centuries old oaks that shade the city and help clean it’s air. The love the city has for the gallery is quite reciprocated. As one member puts it, “We live here. We love creating beautiful pieces of artwork not only for tourists but for our neighbors as well, and it is our way of giving back to a city we adore.”
The roots of Mobile culture nourish the business. According to Goodwin, “Sundays are usually a busy day for us due to having tourists in town and the fact that mass lets out at the Cathedral. Art Walk is always our busiest time of the month unless there is a special event downtown such as Mardi Gras or a convention.” These draws generate significant revenue, but Art(ology) does not let making a profit interfere with it’s mission. For Goodwin, her gallery’s profit structure is based on the power of doing the right thing. “As for profit, each member pays monthly dues so that our operating expenses are covered on the 1st. When we sell, the gallery keeps 15% and the artist keeps 85%, which is a great deal more than the average national gallery commission.” She added, “We do not partner with other businesses except for educational purposes such as St. Pauls and Space 301. Our business model was created specifically for our artists to experience a gallery setting without the extreme costs of overhead and commissions. The gift aspect was chosen to address the needs of the downtown and tourists markets.” If more businesses in the Mobile Bay Area, and even the smaller municipalities operated on the principles of this coop, consumer-vender, constituent-representative relationships would bear more fruit. The Mobile Bay area has all the potential to be an artist colony turned tourist destination of the caliber of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California or Towles Court, Sarasota, Florida. Boasting an essentially tropical climate and a well established culinary culture the area’s vacation potential could be recognized by more than snowbirds. The model for this business sustains itself. Art brings people together. Art elevates society. Let’s evolve.
SENSE MAGAZINE | 15
TRAVELOGUE
Destination Spacation A week of pampering can help you kick-start a healthier, more centered lifestyle.
Take the stress out of your mind and body with a Spacation at one of these luxurious spas that are within driving distance. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAKE AUSTIN SPA RESORT BEALL + THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY
16 16 | | MAY AUGUST 2014 2014
TRAVELOGUE
Waldorf Astoria Spa at Boca Raton Resort & Club Boca Raton, Florida
B
oca Raton Resort & Club in Florida is proud to house one of the grandest and most luxurious spas in the country. The Forbes Four Star Award-winning, deluxe Waldorf Astoria Spa was built to resemble The Alhambra Palace in Spain and offers over 50,000 sq. ft. of stunning architecture, grand arches, elaborate mosaics and luxuriant surroundings. Discover a world of relaxation and rejuvenation at the Waldorf Astoria Spa. With over 44 treatment rooms and a vast range of signature treatments, Waldorf Astoria Spa provides the perfect Florida retreat. For more information, visit www.bocaresort.com
SENSE MAGAZINE | 17
TRAVELOGUE
T
his beautiful 10,000-square-foot spa features eight treatment rooms, including two facial, four massage and two couple suites. Battle House Spa boasts separate men’s and women’s quiet rooms with eucalyptus steam rooms and heated whirlpools.
The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa Mobile, Alabama
The Spa at The Battle House offers a wide array of treatment options, including body scrubs, wraps, facials, massages and more. For more information visit www.marriott.com
18 | AUGUST 2014
TRAVELOGUE FEATURE
L
Lake Austin Spa Resort Austin, Texas
ake Austin Spa Resort soothes the soul in an intimate, relaxed atmosphere featuring comfortable public areas, peaceful grounds and nature and wildlife trails nestled on 19 lakefront acres in Central Texas’ legendary Hill Country at the foot of the cool, blue Lake Austin. The LakeHouse Spa at Lake Austin Spa Resort offers more than 100 spa and salon treatments and a variety of treatment location options. Activities and spa services are designed for men, women and teens age 14 years or older. For more information visit www.lakeaustin.com
SENSE MAGAZINE | 19
TRAVELOGUE
F
Blackberry Farm Walland, Tennessee
rom its peaceful Smoky Mountain setting to its range of rejuvenating spa treatments and exhilarating outdoor pursuits. The resulting experiences are meant to do more than offer guests a glimpse of an idyllic, well-lived life — they’re intended to inspire them to live their own lives to the fullest. The Wellhouse, Blackberry Farm’s new wellness and spa facility, is rooted in this idea of connecting guests to engaging, fulfilling experiences. More than an indulgent escape, the new facility and enhanced, expert-led programming celebrate wellness and fitness in a refreshing full-circle context. For more information visit www.blackberryfarm.com
20 | AUGUST 2014
SENSE MAGAZINE | 1
FEATURE
TEXT BY CHELSEA WALLACE
“The world is a complicated place, and there’s a lot of division between people. The performing arts tend to unify people in a way nothing else does.”
T
hese words from philanthropist and arts enthusiast David Rubenstein perfectly encapsulate the experience of the performing arts. Innately cooperative and deeply challenging, arts such as music and dance strengthen artists emotionally and physically. As artists grow, their lives change. Luckily for Fairhope, the city hosts a wide assortment of performing arts, catering to a multitude of interests, talents, and abilities. Performing arts throughout the city explore the boundaries of skill, genre, and - in some cases - even gravity. Frank and Jamie Leatherbury have long enjoyed and supported the arts. Knowing many of the performing artists in the Mobile-Baldwin area, they found themselves supporting dance, theater, and music arts more and more. With their offices conveniently located in Fairhope, which included plenty of unused warehouse space, the Leatherburys’ support of the arts only grew. Mia Spicuzza Guzlas got the ball rolling, founding a dance company focused on maintaining the highest caliber of the art of dance. Guzlas acts as the Director of Performing Arts at Southern Edge Dance (SED), a dance studio that now encompasses a 16,000 square foot building devoted to performing arts. 22 | AUGUST 2014
FEATURE
Guzlas and the Leatherburys shared a vision for a student facility that encompassed the related performing arts where students, children, and adults would have many choices and have the opportunity to work and play with friends joining them in all disciplines. More people have flocked to the SED studio, and the studio began to house even more avenues of artistic expression. “As word spread and others showed up to teach and take classes, we thought it would be a good idea to bring everyone under one marquis at our facility, and that became ‘65 South.’ We provide the management, the house and the funding,” Jamie Leatherbury said. The facility also includes the Bean & Bistro where performers, parents, and visitors can enjoy healthy food and drinks, as well as coffee or tea, while waiting for the next class. There are also plans and space for another 12,000 square feet for expansion, perhaps for a performance rehearsal theatre. Southern Edge Dance Center is a company based on innovation in performing arts. Founded in 2007 by Mia Spicuzza Guzlas, SED continues to grow and explore new forms of dance and performance, all while creating quality productions for the entire community. SEDC’s Project Mouvement in Art gives advanced dancers of all ages a chance to push themselves and further expand their skill set. “One of my favorite things is to create a production, to put on performances and create these dances and watch them come to life,” Guzlas said. “I felt like there was a need all around Mobile and Baldwin Counties to put on productions and give dancers more opportunity to perform besides doing just ballet.” SED offers students - children and adults alike - a multitude of dynamic, unique classes. From ballet and pointe, tumbling and cirque, to even swing and ballroom, SED’s schedule of arts satisfies even the most adventurous of students. Southern Edge’s Ballet Master Lori Vagheri shares this dream to enhance the dance experience for all dancers. One of the coordinators of the fairly recent organization Project Mouvement in Art (PMIA), Vagheri believes anyone who possesses the desire to succeed in dance should have that opportunity. “We wanted to give students an opportunity to perform that was not in a competition setting,” Vagheri said. “It’s great for kids to be able to perform, and we want to make that opportunity for available to them.” Project Mouvement in Art represents Guzlas’, Vaheri’s, and Leatherbury’s passions for high quality performance art that benefits the entire community. In February 2013, PMIA hosted its inaugural performance “Carnival of the Animals,” performed by the highest caliber dancers ranging in age from eight to 29. Though 65 SOUTH and PMIA took a year off from performing after this initial show, Vagheri and her colleagues hope that PMIA’s performances will grow to be a community staple in the coming years.
One of the ways PMIA opens itself to dancers is in its audition style. Unlike traditional ballet and dance companies, performance hopefuls audition for each individual performance rather than for the company as a whole. “We wanted to make it available to kids who maybe don’t have the perfect ballerina body,” Vagheri said. “We have them audition for each performance instead of trying for this one company and just not making it at all.” Vagheri’s background as the Ballet Mistress with the Mobile Ballet as well as her teaching background with Dunbar Creative and Performing Arts Magnet School has driven her to push her students toward greatness. “Southern Edge is a professionally based school rather than just a dance school,” Vagheri explained. “This is a place that if you want to be a professional ballerina, a professional dancer, we can get you there.” Dance isn’t the only growing form of art in Fairhope. Fairhope Music is also part of 65 SOUTH. Rebecca Barry earned her Masters degree in music at Loyola in New Orleans and interned under Ellis Marsalis. Now, she teaches choir and music appreciation classes at Faulkner Community College. With a background in jazz, she decided to share her musical talents and passions with others. On January 14, she opened Fairhope Music, where she sells instruments and offers private music lessons, even performing with the dancers. Her background in touring across Europe and Canada, as well as performing at local favorites like Bay Fest and the Florabama, puts Barry in a unique teaching position, allowing her to pass on personal wisdom to students. “I perform all over, so I teach from a performer’s perspective as well as a teacher’s perspective, which not everyone can offer,” Barry said. Barry teaches many different types of students, from young children to adults looking to try something new. For Barry, teaching music means meeting the needs and desires of each musician, whatever they may be. “I don’t necessarily stick with just classical. I have some students interested in pop music, and so I cater to that,” Barry said. “My goal is to really cater to my students and what they want.” Looking to bring music to even more lives, Barry hopes to one day provide instruments to aspiring musicians in need, granting them the chance to truly impact their own lives. “A lot of students want to join the band but can’t afford it. One of my goals is to start a foundation [and work with 65 SOUTH] to raise money for these children to have the instruments they need whether purchased, donated, or loaned.” Barry said.
SENSE MAGAZINE | 23
F E AT U R E
A recent addition to SED includes “Cirque” classes, an exciting form of dance performed high in the air, suspended in colored silk fabrics. Jennifer Smith teaches the class, bringing her experiences in various art forms to the studio. Seeing a local need for a thrilling, breathtaking performance - similar to the theatrics showcased by Cirque du Soleil - Smith began to imagine what teaching the class might be like.
“I had this grand idea in my head of coming up with a class and a performance where we could have people [performing] in the silks, [along with] singers and dancers….And then you can throw in avant-garde things like you would commonly see in Cirque du Soleil-type performances,” Smith explains. “We don’t have anything like that in the South at all, and I thought that would be really neat.” The aerial silks classes and performances do more than astound onlookers: they help the performers, as well. “It’s almost a metaphor for life, for me. You do a lot of diving in the silks, so it’s almost like a metaphor for diving into life and knowing you’ll be caught. I’ve seen such a boost in confidence in girls taking this class, and it’s really phenomenal,” Smith said. “In there, we turn ‘I can’ts’ into ‘I cans.’” Being a part of performance art gives students more than a simple hobby. Music and dance give artists an outlet for personal discovery and self-expression. Just as David Rubenstein said, performing arts unite people unlike any other activity. Whether they dance en pointe, serenade on the sax, or soar in the silks, performance brings people alive in a way nothing else ever can.
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DESIGN
STAR
FORTIFICATION In 1529, the sculptor Michelangelo Buonarroti turned the course of history by designing the polygonal defensive walls of a star fort, or trace italienne.
W
hen Michelangelo was asked to be an advisor in the construction of fortifications by the city of Florence, the cannon was a new weapons system that had been developed and used effectively to destroy the old flat faced walls of previous forts and cities. The cannon could fire a basketball sized ball of hand-worked stone. Using only the inertia of the fifty pound stone, without the need of explosives, well targeted shots could skip up to the flat surface of the fortress or city wall and punch a hole. The arrow shaped bastions designed by Michelangelo were some of the first used to help deflect cannon balls off the fortress wall at an angle. This greatly reduced the inertia of the ball and its destructive power. One of Michelangelo’s drawings of the fortification of Florence, Italy. Courtesy of Casa Buonarotti, Florence, Italy
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DESIGN
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DESIGN
Fort Morgan was built on the site of the earlier Fort Bowyer, an earthen and stockade type fortification involved in the final land battles of the War of 1812. Construction of Fort Morgan began in 1819 and was essentially three parts. The first constructed was the central fortification the ten-sided citadel. Next came the pentagonal fort with its five bastions and five curtains of casements on the interior and high walls. The fort itself was surrounded by a broad, dry ditch, outside of which were heavy earthen embankments to protect the walls against direct cannon fire. This broad, dry ditch was surrounded by a steep outer wall. The fort was shaped like a five-pointed star, with bastions projecting out at each of the points. The successful bastion not only protected itself from every place an attacker could strike it but also its adjoining ramparts and - very important - neighboring bastions. The mutual support of bastions, with one being able to lay down protective fire for another, was why this concept became so successful and so widely adopted. Straight sides allowed fire to be directed by defenders along any portion of its sides and out onto the ditch and ground beyond; there was nothing sticking out to interfere with lines of fire, no places to shield attackers.
“FortMorgan02� by Edibobb - Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FortMorgan02.jpg#mediaviewer/File:FortMorgan02.jpg
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DESIGN
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DESIGN
The star-shaped Fort Morgan is also recognized for the fine craftsmanship of its brickwork. At the Magnolia River near Foley, Alabama, the land was once a brickyard where enslaved African Americans toiled in the blistering-hot sun all day to make bricks that were then loaded on barges and sent down the Magnolia River into Weeks Bay and then on out into Mobile Bay. The bricks from the old brickyard were used to help build Fort Morgan. Construction proceeded slowly at first, but by 1832 the structure was nearing completion. In that year, a clerk recorded in the construction account book that 30,600,000 bricks had been used so far. The fort was mostly completed by December of the following year.
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DESIGN
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DESIGN
The citadel had ten sides, each side furnished one room 50 by 18 feet and 20 feet high. A porch 10 feet wide was attached to the inner wall of the citadel, and there was a fireplace at the end of each room. Each room had one door which led to the porch through the center of the inner walls. The air was damp in the rooms because the heavy masonry walls were not lined with wood. The citadel was planned to accommodate 312 men and 21 officers. During the siege of the fort August 22, 1864, the citadel’s wooden roof caught fire and the building burned. Today only the outline of the brick foundation is visible. A five-star Michelangelo-designed fort, Fort Morgan and its counterpart, Fort Gaines on Dauphin Island, have defended Mobile Bay for hundreds of years. A total of seven flags have flown over Fort Morgan, including that of France, Great Britain, Spain, the United States, the Alabama Militia (Montgomery Rifles), the Confederacy and the State of Alabama. Fort Morgan, completed in 1834, is a masonry star fort that is regarded by some as “one of the finest examples of military architecture in the New World.”
The citadel at Fort Morgan as it appeared after its surrender following the Battle of Mobile Bay.
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ARTS
HERE IN THE LAND OF COTTON,
Old Times are Not Forgotten TEXT BY GINGER WADE PHOTO BY CECILIA MACE
E
very town has a story, and this is certainly true for Fairhope, AL. Fortunately, there’s a Fairhope born storyteller, whose purpose it is to tell the city’s colorful and unique story. Donnie Barrett, director of the Fairhope Museum of History, tells his story to over 20,000 people per year. Whether native or newcomer, his story is our story. The story of where we came from, what sets us apart, and how that has influenced who we are. Donnie Barrett has many interests, including owning and operating the second largest tea plantation in the country. But he views preserving the distinct culture of Fairhope as a calling, so it was only natural when about 20 years ago he accepted the offer to serve the Fairhope Museum of History first as curator then as director. At its earliest inception, a group of Fairhope residents wanted to start a museum. This spurred them to begin collecting antiques and artifacts of local interest, some of which had belonged to founding families. The group started as a club, a volunteer museum. Once the museum was established, residents began donating all types of artifacts, documents, and other memorabilia. Barrett says they have acquired thousands of items including family albums, photographs, and antiques that were felt to belong in a museum. When Barrett became curator, he began to compile the collections and research the stories behind the items, so that every artifact tells a story. Today the museum is fulfilling its mission to collect artifacts of Fairhope’s unique past, preserve them for future generations and educate citizens and visitors through exhibitions and programming about “all things Fairhope.” Barrett loves nothing more than keeping alive the most distinguishing attribute of “all things Fairhope.” That is its very founding. He relates, “Fairhope started as a single tax colony experiment” in 1894 when a group of investors purchased land under the newly formed Fairhope Industrial Association. Then rather than selling the property, the corporation offered 99-year renewable leases for those wanting to live in the community. Rent from lessees would provide the financial support for community works such the public parks, library, museum and the like. He enjoys sharing that this was virtually a socialistic concept that, at the turn of the 20th century, began to attract all kinds of visitors including “free thinkers,” women’s suffragettes, antiKu Klux Klansmen, and even nudists. He relates that this is how Fairhope began developing its tourism industry. Today, Fairhope, AL and Arden, DE are the only two remaining single tax colonies in the U.S.
The story of where we came from, what sets us apart, and how that has influenced who we are.
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The building housing the museum has a first floor and a mezzanine, is located at 24 North Section Street in Fairhope, and contains both permanent and changing exhibits. The building itself exudes historical significance, as it started as the Fairhope City Hall and was later the jail and firehouse. In 2008 the museum officially took residence and opened its doors to the public. Donated from the prior occupants, the museum features the first fire truck on the Eastern Shore—a 1935 original.
ARTS
The first floor is mainly dedicated to permanent exhibits which depict vivid aspects of Fairhope’s heritage, such as The Mayors of Fairhope, Clay City, People’s Railroad, and Local Native Americans. The mezzanine showcases some permanent displays but also the changing exhibits. There is always something going on. Right now Barrett is thrilled to introduce the latest exhibit, Baldwin County during the Civil War, which will run through May, 2015. It vibrantly presents Baldwin County’s role throughout Blakeley, Spanish Fort, Point Clear, and most importantly, Mobile Bay. Barrett says, “We have really stepped it up for this exhibit. We have knowledgeable Civil War enthusiasts from all around telling us how authentic and accurate it is.”
Original and replica memorabilia lend vision to the significance Baldwin County played in the Confederate war effort. The story is woven through depictions of trench warfare, munitions, firearms and weapons used to fight that bloody war. Of particular interest is the story of the Selma munitions factories and foundries which employed 40,000 people to produce weapons of all types to serve the Confederacy. Also depicted is the Battle of Mobile Bay describing President Lincoln’s disposition of 100,000 Union soldiers to capture the port of Mobile to stop the transport of these munitions. Barrett invites school field trips, homeschool groups, and anyone who would like to learn vital local history to experience this exhibit and all that the Fairhope Museum of History offers. This includes interactive activities for children, Fairhope walking tours detailing the Single Tax Colony, and a weekly “Tea for Two” sponsored by the Friends of the Fairhope Museum. “Tea for Two” is held each Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. Barrett serves up refreshments including his own plantation-grown tea to attendees with a program that features speakers lecturing on various topics of interest. Barrett will also teach classes on specific topics of history when asked. Come and see the exhibits, meet Donnie Barrett, and even enlist him for a guided tour. Museum hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.cofairhope.com or go to www.facebook.com/ FairhopeMuseumofHistoryFriends. You will definitely leave with a better understanding of the heritage we share down here in the land of cotton!
Donnie Barrett became a Federal Private for the Fort Morgan re-enactment.
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VIEWS AND NEWS
THE WHY OF WRITING
BY PEGGY WEBB
READ IT & EAT WITH
PEGGY WEBB Author of
The Language of Silence FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 12:00 P.M. LOCATION TBA Free & Open to the Public Call the bookstore to reserve lunch for $10
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Before I was born, I think God and his angels gathered around for a conference, the modern-day equivalent of an editorial meeting, and said, This girl will never know how to use an electric can opener or operate the controls on her TV remote or figure out the mysteries of a keyless car, so we’ve got to do something, folks. One of the sassier angels said, She will even put soap in her soup, which I did, of course, but many years later. Like Lola in The Language of Silence, I tried to save the soup by washing out the soap, but it didn’t work; so I served Vienna sausage which has a pop up lid that I can open. The solution that came out of that pre-birth conference was to send me into this world with the gift of arts — all of them. I started playing the piano at age eight, writing poetry at ten, and spinning stories at twelve, a skinny little Mississippi farm girl on fire with words. Years later, my great love for the arts propelled me into the church choir, onto the stage at the local community theater, into art classes where I dabbled with pottery and painting, and finally into the wonderful world of writing. When I penned my first book, I was also working on my Master of Arts degree at the University of Mississippi, writing thesis in the morning and fiction in the evening. If you visit my website, www.peggywebb.com, you’ll see from my backlist that my writing journey has taken a winding path through multiple genres. Finally, I’ve arrived at the place I was headed all along, writing literary fiction. The Sweetest Hallelujah, written as Elaine Hussey (my middle and maiden names), landed me an invitation to join PEN, whose membership includes “writers who have made a substantial contribution to the literary community.”
My current novel, The Language of Silence grew out of my love for the circus. After asking myself, “What if I put my heroine under the big top?,” I literally dreamed the stunning incident with Lola that appears near the end of the book. My research led me to the true story of Mabel Stark, one of the world’s first tiger trainers, and I knew I had discovered the heart of my story. Fortunately, a dear friend of mine, Bob Kenney, who is also a magician and a lover of the circus, lent me his rare collection of circus books dating back to the early days when the big top traveled in huge trucks, bringing their mud shows to small towns across America. Because of Bob, I was able to create a host of magical secondary characters such as Magic Michelle with her white doves, Jocko the clown with his murky past, Razz the big cat trainer with his patchwork of claw marks and his stunning secret. And because of my wonderful editor, Abby Zidle, I got to keep the circus magic in the novel. I am simply in love with this book! It will be my great pleasure to share it with you when I visit Fairhope’s fabulous Indie bookstore, Page and Palette. I’ll see you there!
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VIEWS AND NEWS
WHAT THE AUTHORS ARE READING PAGE & PALETTE BOOKSTORE’S MOST POPULAR AUTHORS TALK ABOUT THEIR LATEST READS
PATTI CALLAHAN HENRY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF AND THEN I FOUND YOU AND COMING UP FOR AIR
Because I’m on book tour this month, and spend most of my time in the car, I’m “listening” to most of my summer reads. Right now the two books that have enchanted me, and made the miles fly by, are Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain and The Kings and Queens of Roam by Daniel Wallace (which was out in paperback last week). The non-fiction book I am reading in small bites at night is Falling Upward by Friar Richard Rohr.
CHRIS BOHJALIAN BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF MIDWIVES AND THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS
Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult. Wonderful page-turner. Bonus? Made me want an elephant. The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert. Chronicle of how people are changing the planet — in devastating ways. Bonus? You will learn to love bats. Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain. Billy Lynn and Bravo Squad come home from Iraq. Bonus? The Cowboys. Yup. Them.
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ELAINE HUSSEY AUTHOR OF THE HIGHLY-PRAISED THE SWEETEST HALLELUJAH AND THE OLEANDER SISTERS
When I want to get totally lost in a story, I know I can depend on Catherine Ryan Hyde. Recently I read Don’t Let Me Go, the story of how a diverse group of people with nothing in common except sharing the same apartment building come together to save a little girl. Told in alternating points of view of the two major characters, Grace and Billy, this novel is poignant, funny, wise and wonderful. I wish I had written it. Joshilyn Jackson once described herself as “writing as if my hair is on fire, typing with one hand and beating at the fire with the other.” That’s not an exact quote, but it’s close enough to describe this incredible writer. Someone Else’s Love Story has all Joshilyn Jackson’s trademarks: quirky characters, snappy dialogue, and unexpected twists, all served up with a voice so unique I’d know the author without ever looking at the cover. Quite simply, I love this book. Currently I’m reading These Few Precious Days: The Final Year of Jack with Jackie by Christopher Anderson. Though this book is one of many I’m researching as I write my next
VIEWS AND NEWS
B E T W E E N
T H E
L I N E S
REVIEWS OF BOOKS AVAILABLE AT PAGE & PALETTE BOOKSTORE
CLOSE YOUR EYES, HOLD HANDS BY CHRIS BOHJALIAN
Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is the story of Emily Shepard, a homeless teen living in an igloo made of ice and trash bags filled with frozen leaves. Half a year earlier, a nuclear plant in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom had experienced a cataclysmic meltdown, and both of Emily’s parents were killed. Devastatingly, her father was in charge of the plant, and the meltdown may have been his fault. Was he drunk when it happened? Thousands of people are forced to flee their homes in the Kingdom; rivers and forests are destroyed; and Emily feels certain that as the daughter of the most hated man in America, she is in danger. So instead of following the social workers and her classmates after the meltdown, Emily takes off on her own for Burlington, where she survives by stealing, sleeping on the floor of a drug dealer’s apartment, and inventing a new identity for herself — an identity inspired by her favorite poet, Emily Dickinson. When Emily befriends a young homeless boy named Cameron,
she protects him with a ferocity she didn’t know she had. But she still can’t outrun her past, can’t escape her grief, can’t hide forever — and so she comes up with the only plan that she can. A story of loss, adventure, and the search for friendship in the wake of catastrophe, Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands is one of Chris Bohjalian’s finest novels to date — breathtaking, wise, and utterly transporting. ($25.95, Random House, On Sale Now)
novelist and gossip who knows her secrets and Duke’s; while her sister, Dillard, is a reclusive prisoner of her own unfortunate choices. When a scandal threatens the Johnston family’s status and dwindling finances, Jerene swings into action...and she will stop at nothing to keep what she has and preserve her legacy. Wilton Barnhardt’s Lookaway, Lookaway is a headlong, hilarious narrative of a family coming apart on the edge of the old South and the new, and an unforgettable woman striving to hold it together. ($16.00, MacMillan, On Sale Now)
be Brigadier General, Douglas MacArthur. Having already earned reputations as tough fighters on the Mexican border, the 167th Infantry fought from the trenches of Lorraine to the plain of the Champagne where they were among the units that thwarted the German drive on Paris. Their greatest success was cracking the Hindenburg line at Côte de Châtillon on October 16, 1918, after which German forces fell back to the Rhine and signed the Armistice on November 11, 1918. ($34.95, UA Press, On Sale Now)
creations mirror their reallife counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways. Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth. ($26.99, HarperCollins, Pub Date 8/26/14)
THE OLEANDER SISTERS BY ELAINE HUSSEY
LOOKAWAY, LOOKAWAY BY WILTON BARNHARDT
Steely and formidable, Jerene Jarvis Johnston sits near the apex of society in contemporary Charlotte, North Carolina, where old Southern money and older family skeletons meet the new wealth of bankers, land speculators, and social climbers. Jerene and her Civil War reenactor husband, Duke, have four adult children — sexually reckless real estate broker Annie; earnest minister Bo; gay-butdon’t-tell-anyone Joshua; and naive, impressionable college freshman Jerilyn. Jerene’s brother, Gaston, is an infamously dissolute
THE MINIATURIST SEND THE ALABAMIANS BY NIMROD FRAZER
In Send the Alabamians, Nimrod Frazer tells the story of the 167th Infantry, an Alabama National Guard regiment, whose heroic service in World War I helped break the bloody stalemate on the battlefields of eastern France and turn the tide of war. Part of the famous Rainbow Division, whose units hailed from 26 States and the District of Columbia, the Alabama regiment served under young Colonel, soon to
BY JESSIE BURTON
On a brisk autumn day in 1686, 18-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist — an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny
In 1969, the first footsteps on the moon brighten America with possibilities. But along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a category five storm is brewing, and the Blake sisters of Biloxi are restless for change. With Hurricane Camille stirring up havoc, Emily and Beth—each desperate to break free— begin a remarkable journey where they’ll discover that in the wake of destruction lies new life, unshakable strength and the chance to begin again. Dreams are reborn and the unforgettable force of friendship is revealed in The Oleander Sisters, an extraordinary story of courage, love, and sacrifice. ($14.95, Harlequin, On Sale Now)
SENSE MAGAZINE | 37
WELLNESS
FAT WARS The Good vs. Evil of Fat
Most doctors still don’t know that it is the omega-6 that is the evil fat causing our heart disease and many other diseases. TEXT BY SKEET LORES
A
little over a year ago, I made a discovery that has since changed my life. I lost almost 50 pounds, but even more importantly, I completely eliminated nine prescription pills from my daily regimen. Based on my latest blood tests, I reduced my chances of sudden heart death by 90 percent and the probability of developing any form of heart disease by more than 50 percent. How did this all happen? By changing the fats (also called “lipids”) that I eat. The success I have had in changing my health and my life inspired me to write a book. The OilChange Diet details how I discovered the secrets behind how the fats we eat help or harm us and, even better, how we can manage these fats to drastically improve our health. The discovery came when my wife asked me to read a chapter from Protein Power, a book about diabetes that she was reading at the time. The chapter on lipids involved chemistry and biochemistry that can be difficult for most people to understand. What I read led me to do some more research on lipids. Before my research, I knew that there were some essential fatty acids (EFAs) that we need in our diet, but I had no idea what these EFAs did to our bodies. As it turns out, they are far more crucial to our basic health than I knew, and I probably know a little more than most people since it involves biochemistry. We have all heard about the association between heart disease and the evil cholesterol, but the association between EFAs and heart disease proves itself much stronger. In fact, by wrongly framing the cholesterol for bad heart health, we have unknowingly sabotaged our own health. To avoid cholesterol, people consume lipids that are much worse for our health and are behind many of our medical problems. The typical American diet includes lipids that are causing or amplifying arthritis pain, heart disease, blood pressure, cancer, asthma, allergies, depression, autism, Alzheimer’s and even eye diseases like macular degeneration. I know it sounds like hype to say that a diet can prevent or reduce so many diseases, but it is based on very sound, Nobel Prize-winning science. It is based on the science of eicosanoids, the lipids that turn into hormones and control very basic cellular functions. These hormones include prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, lipoxins and resolvins. In addition, these hormones control inflammation, clotting, allergic response, vasoconstriction, fluid retention, bronchio-constriction, and nerve sensitivity.
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The good fats make good hormones that block inflammation, clotting and allergies while also reducing pain and blood pressure. Meanwhile, hormones from evil fats cause inflammation, enhance clotting and adhesion, and increase allergic response. While a small portion of these bad fats become necessary when it comes to healing wounds, the typical American diet produces a ratio of over 10:1 evil fats to good fats. This high ratio causes most of our medical problems. The ratio of the good and evil fats stored in our cell membranes determines whether we get good or bad eicosanoid hormones when our cells need them, and the ratio of fats we eat determines the ratio stored in our cell membranes. Bottom line? Better maintenance and control of which good and evil fats we eat means our bodies will work and feel better overall. So, what fats specifically are we dealing with here? The good and evil fats are the omega-3 and omega-6 EFA fats. These lipids make up our cell membranes and control the permeability of our cells. Both fats are essential, meaning we need to balance our intake of omega-6 and omega-3. It is very hard to achieve this balance in these lipids given the food choices we have in America, and it is even harder with the conflicting and often wrong diet recommendations we are given. My book provides the basic lipid content for various food groups like fruits, veggies, meats and fish along with recipes and the lipid ratio these recipes will produce in our bodies. The book will help teach you how to change your own recipes to make them healthier.
The balancing game between the omega-3 and omega-6 becomes tricky to navigate with a lack of awareness. Most people have heard about the benefits of omega-3 from doctors or other sources for health information. What they don’t hear or see is the amount of omega-6 that these foods contain. Almost all foods contain some of both omega-3 and omega-6. Seafood contains higher concentrations of omega-3, but even so generally only a few hundred milligrams per serving. On the other side, many common foods contain very high levels of omega-6, oftentimes thousands of milligrams per serving. That is where my book comes in. It provides very simple list of the omega-6 and omega-3 content of various foods as well as recipes and ways of cooking that will help you reduce the amount of omega-6 and increase the omega-3 in your body. The information in my book is useful no matter what type of diet you may need or prefer: vegan, vegetarian, Paleo, diabetic or South Beach are only a few examples of the food plans that can work with the oil-change diet. The Oil-Change diet is now available as an eBook on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple and Smashwords or in print on Lulu.com. Talk to your doctor before changing your diet or any prescription medications. If he is not familiar with the problems caused by omega-6, show him my book and the science behind it!
A scientific article written by Dr. Bill Lands hit home for me the most, truly convincing me that these evil lipids are to blame for our health problems. He looked at the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in people from various cultures and compared that ratio to the heart disease risk in those cultures (Figure 1). The amazing thing about this study is that it was published in 1993, over 20 years ago! Here is the other amazing thing—the correlation between omega-6 and the heart disease rate (with over 3,000 data points) is 0.99! Most doctors still don’t know that it is the omega-6 that is the evil fat causing our heart disease and many other diseases. They still blame it all on the evil cholesterol. When I started the diet, I knew it would take time to change to ratio of lipids in my cell membranes. Blood pressure was a relatively new problem for me, and I had only been on blood pressure medication for a couple years. In addition, I took NSAIDs for over 35 years for my arthritis. I was amazed at the change and how fast it happened. I measured my blood pressure daily, deciding not to change my medication until my pressure dropped five points below the target assigned by my doctor. In a little over a week, I was able to cut my medication in half and still stay below the target blood pressure. By the one-month mark, I completely cut out both my blood pressure medication and my arthritis medication I had been on for most of my life.
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LITERATI
FORGET THE EXCUSE BY GEORGIE “GIGI” HACKFORD
For what ever reason..... forget the excuse. Flowing flimsy justifications Passing the proverbial buck Insulting the moments wadded up and tossed into the winds trapping morbid propensity to sloth and procrastination... We beg you...forget the excuse... Let’s be honest about it... does “lie” ring a bell ? A little white one... not red orange yellow green blue indigo violet... The entire spectrum... does not color the little white lie... under the clever covers of... excuse... And what prompts this dodging the ball... A myriad of justifications... pyramids hollow emptiness... founded on folding fans flicking faceless For whatever reason...forget the logic...flip the consequences... feign the sincerity...bad acting at its best... In the habit of appeasing...think you’re pleasing... The audience is asleep anyway. But you never know...the One Awake... it only takes One To recognize the act...that little white three letter word... will come back and bite you in the three letter word... Can you...will you....try ( another three letter word ) to forget the excuse...Why ?(3) Because the “excuse” is one of those inexcusable Linguistic inventions... inexhaustibly accepted. What you can do is ...forget the excuse... Not to use or abuse...just lose... Better yet ... forget the excuse... and face the linguistic challenge... Be clear and honest ( if you can ). Drop the excuse into the forgotten flower pot of promises where potential sprouts of honesty will reach for the light. Forgot to water ? Forget the excuse...
LITERATI SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Sense invites you to submit edgy, eclectic pieces. We welcome short fiction, essays, humor, and poetry submissions. Rights to the material submitted remain those of its author, who is protected under Creative Commons licenses. We reserve the right to choose all materials that appear in the publication. For more detailed submission information, email editor@thesenseofitall.com. 40 | AUGUST 2014