Mountain Brook Magazine, May/June 2019

CRESTLINE COUGAR COOKS • HANNAH BLACK’S GLOBAL KITCHEN • PAINTING WITH VICKI DENABURG

MOUNTAIN BROOK’S BEST THE RESULTS ARE IN

sail

SETTING May/June 2019 MountainBrookMagazine.com Volume Three | Issue Three $4.95

TIMELESS STYLES FROM THE CHILDREN’S ART GUILD MountainBrookMagazine.com 1

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FEATURES

54

THE INVENTORS These stories of ingenuity prove that necessity is indeed the mother of invention—and often that plays out right in our own backyard.

62

ALL DRESSED UP

70

MOUNTAIN BROOK’S BEST WINNER 2019 You voted. We tallied.

See just who Mountain Brook’s favorites are.

6 May/June 2019

PHOTO BY JAMISON & LINDSAY KATE SKINNER

Check out some of the children’s styles spotted on the runway at the Children’s Art Guild Fashion Show this year.

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43

PHOTO BY LAUREN USTAD

arts & culture

19 Strokes of Purpose: Vicki Denaburg’s Passion for Painting 26 Read This Book: Vine & Verse Book Club Recommendations

schools & sports

27 Cougar Cooks: A Treat Business at Crestline Elementary

food

& drink

35 A Well Travelled Palate: Inside Hannah Black’s Global Kitchen 42 Five Questions For: GreenWise Market

home

& style

in every issue 6 Contributors 7 From the Editor 9 #MountainBrookMag 11 The Question 13 The Guide 78 Chamber Connections 80 Out & About 86 Marketplace 88 My Mountain Brook

43 West Side Story: A San Francisco-Style Aesthetic in an Alabama Home 51 At Home: Gorgeous in Green Color Story 52 In Style: Summer Blues

MountainBrookMagazine.com 7

MOUNTAIN BROOK

contributors

MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL

Graham Brooks Stephen Dawkins Alec Etheredge Briana Harris Madoline Markham Keith McCoy Emily Sparacino Neal Wagner

CONTRIBUTORS

Jessica Clement James Culver Lindsey Culver Madison Freeman Eleanor Kerr Patrick McGough Tracey Rector Christiana Roussel Jamison Skinner Lindsay Kate Skinner Lauren Ustad Rebecca Wise

DESIGN

Connor Bucy Jamie Dawkins Kate Sullivan Green

MARKETING

Kristy Brown Ali Congdon Kari George Caroline Hairston Rachel Henderson Daniel Holmes Rhett McCreight Kim McCulla Jordan Price Kerrie Thompson

ADMINISTRATION Hailey Dolbare Mary Jo Eskridge Katie McDowell Stacey Meadows Tim Prince

Madison Freeman, Stylist

Madison, who calls Crestline home now, works as a clinical recruiter for Encompass Health and on the side is a fashion, home decor, travel and lifestyle blogger. To see all of her blog posts, visit insidemyopendoor.com or follow her on Instagram @mbbfreeman. In Madison’s free time, she loves to travel with her husband and spend time with their golden retriever, Luna.

Eleanor Kerr, Photographer

Eleanor is a senior at Mountain Brook High School. She is on the girls varsity golf team and enjoys babysitting, hanging out with friends and doing photography in her free time.

Christiana Roussel, Writer

Where should we have dinner? Where should we go on our next family vacation or couple’s getaway? What kind of shotgun should I buy? These are all queries writer Christiana Roussel has answered in recent months.

While food writing is her original passion, she has really enjoyed expanding her repertoire to include travel and sporting activities that might involve an upland adventure. And no, it is not just because there might be a need for new clothes for the expedition.

Lauren Ustad, Photographer

Lauren lives in Birmingham with her husband, Joe, their three daughters, and their 2-pound Yorkie they refer to as “Boobie.” She spends her professional time posing itty bitties and chasing little munchkins. In her free time you can probably find her slaving away at their most current renovation project or building Legos with her self-proclaimed super heroes.

Mountain Brook Magazine is published bimonthly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Mountain Brook Magazine is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Shelby County Newspapers Inc. [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to: Editor, Mountain Brook Magazine, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

Mountain Brook Magazine is mailed to select households throughout Mountain Brook, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit MountainBookMagazine.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $16.30 for one year by visiting MountainBrookMagazine.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532.

Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@mountainbrookmagazine.com, or by calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 536.

8 May/June 2019

from the editor

I

ON THE COVER

Setting Sail

Cousins Harrison Walker and Holt Sullivan sported sailor-inspired outfits for this year’s Children’s Art Guild Fashion Show.

Photo by Rebecca Wise Design by Kate Sullivan Green

In my office sits a framed family tree. At the top are two people, a husband and wife who welcomed four children into the world. Those four multiplied into 10 grandchildren, and then 18 great grandchildren (including myself) and now a growing number of great-great grandchildren. Whenever a friend notices the framed tree, I talk about the set of cousins who grew up in Spain, the set who now works in tech on the West Coast, the set who still live near the small Southern towns where they grew up, and all the quirks and tales in between.

And then I reminisce about how all of the faces in this tree have gathered at the same spot on the beach in Florida every other summer for my whole life, building sandcastles and eating and drinking together. We’ve scattered far and wide from the modest white home overlooking the Severn River outside Annapolis, Maryland, that my great-grandfather built and where he welcomed his grandchildren to play by the pool, but he and his wife are the roots that unite us as we gather back together again and again, with far different accents and careers and lifestyles.

Putting together this issue felt like piecing together parts of a different kind of family tree and family reunion. Christina Kao runs the business side of the manicure product she developed from Barcelona.

Claiborne Pace Day developed a light-up timer from where she lives in Michigan. Mae Samford Robertson first started recording lullabies when she had small children in New York. And yes, we featured them all in our “The Inventors” article in this issue, but their greater tie is that they all grew up under the same canopy of trees bursting in brilliant green this time of year. Mae moved back to sweet home Alabama not too many years later, Claiborne is itching to get back to Mountain Brook, and Christina still comes back regularly to visit her parents and her childhood friends.

And then there’s Hannah Black. When we found out she’d been nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award for her global cuisine restaurant in Hudson, New York, we knew we needed to talk to her, not just about her culinary acumen but also her childhood right here in Mountain Brook—and that we wanted to chat with her parents who are still here too. Writer Christiana Roussel was sure to ask if, like so many others who move away as young adults, she too would be back any time soon. You’ll have to read the story to see what she said.

Like my own family of countless cousins, our community isn’t selfcontained. We spread ourselves far and wide in this wondrous world, and in this magazine we get to celebrate all of that going away, and the coming of home that’s all the sweeter whether it’s just for a visit or to raise our kids here just like our parents did.

Thanks for reading! And please do send any story ideas from near or far away my way any time.

madoline.markham@mountainbrookmagazine.com MountainBrookMagazine.com 9

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#MountainBrookMag

Tag us in your @mountainbrookmag photos on Instagram, and we’ll pick our favorites to regram and publish on this page in each issue.

@foundationsearlylearningctr David Faulkner even got a “firm” handshake from Larry Langford (Foundations 4K student, Aubrey Aiden) #earlylearning #blackhistory #makingthedreamwork #blackhistorymonth

@allieray3232 Now here is what my favorite tree looks like bloomed! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Happy Monday! #mtnbrookphotographer #livelaughlovelife #naturephotographer #sonycamera

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“ ” THE QUESTION

What one place in Mountain Brook holds the most significant memories for you?

The Country Store on Overton Road. Used to stop by there on the way to the high school.

Our first home, a small, Crestline cottage on Euclid Avenue. It was the house we lived in after marrying, and we brought our first baby home here too.

The Meg Special at Wanda June’s in English Village and Blue & White Cafe’s Honey Mustard Chicken Salad and their Heath Bar Cookies in MB Village!

Pappagallo. Buying colorful ribbons for ponytails and wishing for a purse with the button on covers.

Flavor Junction in Crestline Village. Ordering the many flavors of popcorn or a block of ice cream where they added candy and mixed it like a modern day blizzard.

Gus’s Hotdogs. Gussie and Mary Ruth treated everyone like family. Sitting on the red wound swivel stools having a Grapico and hot dog.

The Fraction was like a cool “hippy” store above Baskin Robbins in Mtn. Brook Village in the late ‘60searly ‘70s. It was just plain groovy!

The Emmet O’Neal Library has our most precious memories and exceeds all expectations of what a library does for a community.

- Camille Fuller Crocker

-Fredreica Atkins Speyer

-Jeanne Porter Monk

-Betsy Marks

-Randi Rhone

-Sherri Coleman Friday

-MaryAnne Taylor Moseneder

-Florence Bradley

MountainBrookMagazine.com 13

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THE GUIDE

SUMMER READING KICK-OFF MAY 19 Emmet O’Neal Library 3 p.m. Thomas Hughes Brinkley Memorial Fun Run, 3:30 p.m.

Carnival Join the Junior Women’s Committee of 100 for this annual set of festivities to kick off summer reading at the library, and be sure to sign up for summer reading amidst the fun and games.

Photo by Eleanor Kerr MountainBrookMagazine.com 15

THE GUIDE WHAT TO DO IN MOUNTAIN BROOK

WEDNESDAYS STARTING MAY 22

MAY 5 Dolores Hydock’s “A Sweet Strangeness Thrills My Heart” Emmet O’Neal Library 2 p.m. Doors 2:30 p.m. Performance Register at eolib.org

The Market at Shades Valley Shades Valley Presbyterian Church 3-6 P.M. Get fresh fruits and veggies straight from

MAY 4

those who grow them at this weekly market—and visit with friends and neighbors too. Last year the market featured meats, eggs, baked goods and canned goods too.

JUNE 5

Citizen Appreciation Day

Flicks Among the Flowers: The Sandlot

Come out to Crestline Village as the employees of Mountain Brook will be teaching about the departments that run the city and all the services they have to offer. A free lunch will be provided, and there will be a Kid’s Zone with face painting, a slide, touch-a-truck and more fun.

6 P.M. GATES, 8 P.M. MOVIE

11 A.M.-2 P.M.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens Formal Gardens

Bring your picnic blanket, and a picnic too if you like, and watch Will Smith’s Hitch character teach men how to woo women. Admission is free, but a $5 donation is suggested. Also save the date July 17 to come see Field of Dreams.

MAY 11

Magic City Wine Fest Birmingham Zoo 5:30-8:30 P.M.

Travel through global regions with your glass—plus food and live music and 16 May/June 2019

tickets that benefit the Birmingham Zoo. The event goes on rain or shine. Find more details at magiccitywinefest.com.

MAY 5 14th Annual Zoo Run 5K & Kids Runs Birmingham Zoo 7:30 a.m. 5K, 8 a.m. Kids Races MAY 7+14+21+28 Yoga with Marie Blair Emmet O’Neal Library Bring a Mat 10-11 a.m.

MAY 8 Kids In Motion Elementary Track Meet Mountain Brook High School 4-9 pm.

MAY 11 Race for Clean Water 5K Benefitting Charity: Water Crestline Village 8 a.m.

MAY 14 Go & Grow: Featuring Chuck Adams of Bell Media Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce 8:30 a.m.

MAY 19 Teen Summer Reading Sign Ups Start Emmet O’Neal Library MAY 20-23 Library Exam Study Breaks Emmet O’Neal Library MAY 24 Last Day of School Mountain Brook Schools MAY 27 Memorial Day JUNE 4 Miss Kit’s Bubble Show Emmet O’Neal Library 10:30 a.m.

JUNE 8 Find Your Way: College & Career Panel Emmet O’Neal Library For Teens | 1-4 p.m.

THE GUIDE NONPROFIT

JUNE 8 Alabama Bicentennial Edition Craft Academy: Lye Soap Emmet O’Neal Library Registration Required 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

JUNE 14 Retro Toy Olympics Crossover Grades 5-8 Emmet O’Neal Library 6-8 p.m.

JUNE 25 Madcap Puppets: The Great Space Caper Emmet O’Neal Library 10:30 a.m.

JUNE 26 Art House Film Series: Journey to Italy Emmet O’Neal Library 6:30 p.m.

MEET ‘N GREET District 46 State Rep. David Faulkner met many famous historical figures at Foundations Learning Center as a part of a Black History Month celebration where its preschool students dressed up. Faulkner is an advocate for programs expanding pre-K opportunities for children in Alabama, and Foundations provides a high-quality preschool education in an academically, physically, socially and spiritually nurturing environment in Fairfield.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 17

THE GUIDE AROUND TOWN SATURDAYS The Market at Pepper Place 8 a.m.-noon MAY 1-5 Birmingham Barons vs.

Chattanooga Regions Field MAY 8-12 Regions Tradition Greystone Golf & Country Club MAY 16-20 Birmingham Barons vs.

Mississippi Regions Field

MAY 11

St. Jude Field of Dreams Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook 6 P.M.

Slade Anderson knows St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis well from his treatments, and now his family and others in Alabama are wanting to give back to the hospital. Join them for the annual St. Jude Field of Dreams for a sit-down dinner, a live and silent auction, music and dancing. To learn more or get tickets, visit stjude.org/fieldofdreams.

MAY 4

Arts in the Village Crestline Village 9 A.M.-4 P.M.

Everyone’s favorite spring arts show is making its home in May for the second year in a row. The annual Mountain Brook Art Association event will feature work by your favorite local artists and other fun family festivities.

18 May/June 2019

MAY 18 Live at the Lyric: John Paul White with special guest The Prescriptions Lyric Theatre MAY 18 Do Dah Day Caldwell and Rhodes Parks MAY 17-JUNE 2 Little Shop of Horrors Red Mountain Theatre Company Cabaret Theatre MAY 18-19 Great Southern Gun & Knife Show BJCC MAY 28-30 Birmingham Barons vs.

Montgomery Regions Field JUNE FRIDAYS & SUNDAYS Various Movies Alabama Theatre alabamatheatre.com for listings JUNE 1 SliceFest Lakeview JUNE 2 Vulcan Birthday Bash Vulcan Park & Museum 12-4 p.m.

JUNE 7-9 Symphony in the Summer Railroad Park

THE GUIDE JUNE 2-6 Birmingham Barons vs.

Jackson Regions Field JUNE 7-30 Red Mountain Theatre Company Presents My Fair Lady Dorothy Jemison Day Theatre Alabama School of Fine Arts JUNE 12-16 Birmingham Barons vs.

Jacksonville Regions Field JUNE 13-30 Always…Patsy Cline Virginia Samford Theatre JUNE 15 American Heart Association Heart Walk Railroad Park JUNE 25-29 Birmingham Barons vs. Mobile Regions Field

APRIL 27-MAY 12

Decorators’ ShowHouse 2019 Rooms in the Lemak estate will be decked out by local interior designers, so be sure to come by for a tour. ShowHouse hours are Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday 2-5 p.m. There’s no parking at the house, so be sure to catch the shuttle from Mountain Brook Presbyterian Church at 3405 Brookwood Road.

Tickets, $20 presale and for groups or $25 at the door, benefit the Alabama Symphony Volunteer Council. Find more info at svcalabama.com.

GROWNUPS WERE STUNNED AS HE CHARMED THE SERVER INTO GIVING HIM ICE CREAM WITH SPRINKLES AND HOT FUDGE, ON THE HOUSE!

CHILDREN A M A Z E U S E V E R Y D AY

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THE GUIDE RETAIL

THE VILLAGES

Time to #XploreMB

NEW SHOPPING OPTIONS Mon Ami children’s boutique is now open on Church Street in Crestline Vilalge, and Milla Boutique women’s boutique in Mountain Brook Village has opened its doors too.

Take a picture at a Mountain Brook business and use #xplore on Instagram or Facebook, and you will be entered into a weekly drawing to win Village Gold and local business gift cards.

Bonus points if there is an employee in the photo too. Props to the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce and Mayor Stuart Welch for dreaming this up. Learn more at mtnbrookchamber. org/xploremb.

Share your news! Email submissions to mm@mountainbrookmagazine.com to be considered for our next issue.

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&CULTURE

ARTS

STROKES OF PURPOSE Vicki Denaburg always meant to work in business, not art. As it turns out, she can do both.

BY TRACEY RECTOR PHOTOS BY REBECCA WISE MountainBrookMagazine.com 21

A

A gallery in Grayton Beach is filled with beach scenes.

Up in Nashville you’ll find rural depictions of old barns, old country churches and fields of flowers. In still other places edgy abstract pieces, or lush, colorfilled landscapes will draw you in. But they were all painted by the same artistic visionary with each kind of art owner in mind.

While the cardinal rule of retail—that the customer is always right— might seem a bit out of place when referring to art, it sounds perfectly natural coming from Vicki Denaburg. Her background in fashion and business instilled in her the belief that customer service is the number one priority, whether it’s a demanding interior designer who wants a particular style for a commercial space or a laid-back couple looking for the perfect piece to complete their family room.

Vicki’s philosophy about art makes sense when you

22 May/June 2019

consider her experience in the retail world. She began her career as a makeup artist at Neiman Marcus in Atlanta, where she discovered that she loved making people feel good about themselves. Her talent and drive caught the eye of management, and she eventually rose in the ranks to become an account executive with cosmetics giant Estee Lauder, where she honed her skills in business and customer service.

After moving to Mountain Brook, Vicki left the business world and spent a few years as a stay-athome mom. “I am not a stay-at-home person, though,” she says with a laugh. “I like being busy. I like feeling like I’m making a difference.”

And she had always wanted to paint. She’d skipped art classes in school since she knew she had a “business mind.” But she picked up a brush as a hobby and began taking art classes, learning the finer points of painting and developing her style. When

MountainBrookMagazine.com 23

Vicki Denaburg got into art after a working as a makeup artist and an account executive.

24 May/June 2019

“

I love working with designers to create pieces that will be focal points of the room. The designers will send photos of the space, paint colors and even fabric swatches.

- Vicki Denaburg

”

friends began asking if they could purchase her artwork, that business mind of hers recognized that this hobby could become a way to earn a little extra money.

She began showing her paintings in smaller art shows, which led to loyal clients who purchased from her repeatedly. She credits her association with Beau Interiors, a gallery and home furnishings store in Grayton Beach, Florida, with providing the spark that really launched her career. “So many people from around the country vacation there (on the Florida Gulf coast). They would come in and see something of

Take a walk in the Parke

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MountainBrookMagazine.com 25

mine they liked. Then they might google me and find my website.” Often when pieces sell out on her website, she gets to tell people she can recreate it for them, no problem.

Vicki’s art is featured in galleries throughout the Southeast, and she receives commissions from all over the country. The day we spoke she had received two from Louisiana and Montana. She loves commissions, even though she says many artists won’t even take them. She, on the other hand, will 26 May/June 2019

keep working on them until they are perfect, often drawing on her keen eye for coloring and layering to assist interior designers. “I love working with designers to create pieces that will be focal points of the room,” she says. “The designers will send photos of the space, paint colors and even fabric swatches.”

She sees herself as fulfilling a need with her art, creating fashion for the home.

Sometimes art serves a particular need in her own life too. In 2008 a fire destroyed her home, which

housed her studio and every piece of her artwork.

Undaunted, she started over. Looking back, she now believes it was a good thing. “My art back then was terrible,” she says with a laugh. Today a large canvas hangs in a prominent spot in a hallway of her home, the first piece she created after the fire. She calls it one of her most meaningful works, representing her determination to continue evolving.

From those ashes she has crafted a career that never takes a break. “I work seven days a week, but I love it so much,” she says. “I dream about what I’m going to paint.”

Somewhere in there Vicki finds time to give back too.

The paintings she donates raise large sums of money for charitable causes. Within a recent two-week span, her artwork was auctioned off for Camp Smile-a-Mile, Mitchell’s Place and the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB. It’s the most rewarding part of her job, she says, and one that draws out emotion as she speaks of what she absolutely loves to do AND that helps fight diseases. It’s clearly something she never anticipated when she began painting as a hobby.

So while Vicki Denaburg might not think of herself as an artist expressing her emotions through her painting, others might disagree. Every brush stroke or swipe with a palette knife demonstrates her passion for people and her desire to bring a little more beauty into their world.

FIND A VICKI DENABURG ORIGINAL IN PERSON Gallery 1930, English Village Beau Interiors, Grayton Beach, Florida Bella Vita, Collierville, Tennessee ONLINE vickidenaburg.com @vickidenaburgart

MountainBrookMagazine.com 27

READ THIS BOOK

Fiction Favorites Recommendations from

Vine & Verse Book Club Fifteen women with eclectic reading tastes from a wide range of age and social circles began meeting to talk about books a little over a year ago. Most of them did not know one another at the start, but they became the Vine & Verse Book Club. Despite their diverse opinions and interests, V&V members continue to enjoy socializing over their love of literature (and wine). They tend to favor new releases, and here are some of their favorite reads so far.

The Invention of Wings

by Sue Monk Kidd An easy book club favorite, we enjoyed learning about historical female activists who risked their lives during the days of slavery. We also liked that we could get signed copies from local bookstore Alabama Booksmith since this is a title many of us will keep on our shelves permanently!

The Hideaway

by Lauren Denton Getting to read a book by a local author is fun, but getting to have that author at your book club meeting is even better! If you liked Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook (who doesn’t?), then you will love this book about love and love lost.

Love & Ruin

by Paula McLain McLain’s second historical fiction novel with Ernest Hemingway as a main character, Love & Ruin portrays the turbulent love life with his third wife, Martha Gelhorn, a woman determined for success in her own right without the famous author’s help. Though you may question Martha’s morals and intentions, you will not question her drive to succeed, and you might even walk away with more respect for her than anticipated.

We Were the Lucky Ones

by Georgia Hunter This book was an eye-opening account of the Kurc family’s experience during the Holocaust and their tenacity to survive. Their story unfolds across the globe, through Poland, France and all the way to Brazil. Our book club was astounded to find out that this novel was actually inspired by the true events of the author’s family. What an incredible story to tell.

Everything Here is Beautiful

by Mira T. Lee Our Vine and Verse members enjoyed the pacing of this contemporary fiction centering on the lives of two sisters and how much beauty was to be found within it. It is written from multiple viewpoints and offers insight into different cultures, mental illness and the weight such an illness can bear on loved ones.

28 May/June 2019

SCHOOL

&SPORTS

COUGAR COOKS

How a treat-making business instills pride and confidence in Crestline special education students.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY LINDSEY CULVER MountainBrookMagazine.com 29

W

When special education students at Crestline Elementary first started to cook in 2017, they didn’t think too much about it. But a few months into the activity, the students put on aprons that read “Cougar Cooks” and chefs hats. That’s when it all came together.

“Wow, I am a real chef,” exclaimed Cam, a student. “(The aprons and hats) made it more concrete, more meaningful,” special education teacher Erica Lee recalls.

That’s just what Cougar Cooks does: instills pride in the students who receive special education services as they run a business selling edible treats for teachers at the school. And it garners them respect schoolwide as their peers see them in action. “They’re advocating for themselves in a fun way,” Erica says.

“They don’t always have the same opportunities to get involved, and this is a chance for them to shine.”

Students in all grades K-6 of varying levels of ability participate in the cooking club in different ways.

30 May/June 2019

“When they get to share about it with their peers, it’s their job,” speech-language pathologist Elizabeth Gwaltney says. “It’s fascinating to see the other students’ response to all they’re responsible for.”

Each month Betsy, the director of marketing, presents the Cougar Cooks treat of the month on the daily school news broadcast to entice the teachers to buy it. Before she made her broadcast debut, though, she wouldn’t even raise her hand in class to answer questions. That changed when she went on camera.

Since then kids who her mom doesn’t even know greet Betsy by name when they are out in the community, and when her mom asks how she knows them, Betsy promptly replies, “Oh because they saw me on broadcast.” “It’s something she’s really proud of,” Erica says.

Fourth grader Betsy serves as encourager of the team and reads aloud the recipes, specially written with highly contrasted picture symbols that help with comprehension. As a part of her marketing role, she

The Cougar Cooks team prepares to package a sweet treat featuring fruity cereal into bags to give to the teachers who ordered them.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 31

32 May/June 2019

also talks to general education classes about what Cougar Cooks does, the jobs different cooks have, and how it’s helped her understand other kids with special needs, especially since she doesn’t interact with those students in many other contexts.

Other Cougar Cooks team members have different jobs assigned according to their needs and schedules.

Bond, the warehouse manager, is responsible for getting a large bowl from the lunchroom, and he has learned to go in and greet the lunchroom manager by name and request the bowl, without prompts he needed before. “It’s neat how the students have each found their niche,” special education teacher Sherri Rodgers says.

“For a lot of the students, the older they get and the

“

more challenges they have, the less inclusive it can be for them because of different demands in the classroom, but this has given them an opportunity to be present with their peers and to showcase their abilities, which has really been amazing,” says Lauren Anson, another special education teacher.

Each month the Cougar Cooks team follows the same procedure. They decide together what treat to feature after the teachers have Pinterested ideas for ones with simple preparation, and then they vote on the name. Teachers and staff at Crestline Elementary and the Mountain Brook Board of Education can order the treat with a form in the front office over the course of a week and put in $1 for each one they order.

After orders come in, it’s time to count money and

They’re advocating for themselves in a fun way. They don’t always have the same opportunities to get involved, and this is a chance for them to shine.

-Erica Lee

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Cougar Cooks team members use laptops for the administrative side of their treat making business.

orders and buy the materials for that number of treats. They typically receive between 30 and 80 orders each time.

From there they enter information into the computer, make labels, count money, follow a checklist and more—all real-life skills that are also teaching academic, life skill, social interaction and communication goals. Tasks like typing, writing, cutting, opening bags, tying bows, stapling, hole punching and putting paper clips on papers help the students work toward occupational therapy skills too.

Best of all, it’s engaging.

Lauren recalls how her students Cam and Emily 34 May/June 2019

had struggled to focus on counting money in the past when they had fake dollars and coins in their hands.

“But as soon as we started doing it for Cougar Cooks, they were all about counting the money and became super engaged,” she says. “Then the teachers who knew that would start giving different forms of change on purpose. Having a purpose for them helps their academics and social skills too.”

And then, of course, there is the cooking itself.

Some recipes require actual cooking, but mostly they favor dump-and-mix-type recipes for trail mix or nobake bars where they can focus on goals like following directions. Teachers’ favorites have been Peppermint

“

When they get to share about it with their peers, it’s their job. It’s fascinating to see the other students’ response to all they’re responsible for.

”

-Elizabeth Gwaltney

Popcorn and Peanut Butter Energy Bars, while the kids favored the Sprinkle Cookies where they got to put tons of sprinkles on sugar cookies. Each fall and spring they vote on ingredients for a special trail mix treat.

Perhaps the most exciting, and sometimes most nerve-wrecking day, comes when it’s time to make deliveries. When one student last year knew it was delivery day, his whole face lit up, and his desire to communicate and willingness to participate escalated unlike any other day. “It truly did motivate him,” Lauren says. The cooks deliver directly to teachers in

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person whenever possible so they can also practice social interaction in that way. Each student greets the teacher with a phrase like “Special delivery” or “Thank you for supporting Cougar Cooks!”—a script they have learned to say.

Cougar Cooks now has an official page in the yearbook and a cookbook—a booklet the teachers made for their students’ moms on Mother’s Day last year. Chief of all though, through Cougar Cooks these students share their abilities and talents in a fun, meaningful way while also serving the school. And the students take their responsibilities seriously.

Many of them will ask their parents not to schedule doctor’s appointments on days when they have Cougar Cooks responsibilities. “They look forward to it. It’s a happy day to come to school,” Erica says.

COUGAR ENERGY BARS

1 cup ground flax seeds

DIRECTIONS

2 cups dry oats

¾ cup chocolate chips

Stir all ingredients well.

1 cup coconut flakes

2

1 cup peanut butter

½ Tablespoon vanilla

INGREDIENTS

/3 cup honey

Press into a 9x13-inch pan.

Freeze for two hours. Cut

A TEACHERS’ FAVORITE

into bars. Bars are best if

FROM COUGAR COOKS

kept refrigerated.

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&DRINK

FOOD

A WELL TRAVELLED PALATE

Here’s a taste of life in a global cuisine kitchen with new James Beard Award nominee Hannah Black.

BY CHRISTIANA ROUSSEL PHOTOS BY HEIDI’S BRIDGE MountainBrookMagazine.com 37

A

And the award goes to…

Anyone in an industry where awards are handed out annually has dreams of hearing their name at the end of that sentence. But for Mountain Brook native Hannah Black and her restaurant partner, Carla Perez-Gallardo, they could not have been more surprised at hearing their names as one of the James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalists earlier this spring. Even more remarkable is that their global cuisine restaurant, Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, in Hudson, New York, happened to be closed for renovations at the time of the announcement.

Hannah’s dad Phillip, a Mountain Brook City

38 May/June 2019

Council representative and member of the Mountain Brook Planning Commission, was surprised by the news too. When asked if Hannah grew up loving to cook, he laughs and notes, “You know, that is the mystifying thing in all this! I am the cook in our family, and I joke with people, telling them how funny this is because she just got chicken fingers and fish sticks for daily meals.

That’s not really true, but no, she never cooked growing up. None of my girls did!”

So where did that love of global cuisine that is the foundation for Lil’ Deb’s Oasis come from? “She found this passion in her travels,” Phillip says. “I

can still remember her calling me, saying, ‘Dad, I’ve got a one-way ticket to South America.’ I took a deep breath and just let that sink in. She spent a year just traveling all over South America. We raised our girls to be independent and selfsufficient, but I had no idea that’s how it would translate! She has hiked the length of Chile by herself and spent time in Bogota, Columbia.

“And once I even got an email from her in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where she’d been working in a commune, and got a commission to paint a mural on a public building. I thought, ‘That’s fantastic!

What’s the public building?’ and she said it was The Institute for the Blind. It is a funny story, but I like how it illustrates that she could end up in another part of the world and still end up getting a job painting something that everybody will see for decades. She’s very resourceful.”

To learn more, we caught up with Chef Black via telephone after the big announcement to see how the good news was settling in at home and in her adopted community just north of New York City.

CONGRATULATIONS! What has life been like, since learning you and Carla have been nominated in the category of Best Chef in the Northeast by the estimable James Beard Foundation?

Thank you! Yes, well, the interesting thing about this is that our restaurant has actually been under construction for the past three months, so everything has been up in the air. We have so many different things we are focusing on right now – the construction, the pop-ups, trying to plan everything for the next season. So, it is not like it has interrupted anything right now.

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MountainBrookMagazine.com 39

Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo with their staff at Lil’ Deb’s Oasis

HANNAH’S TWIST ON SPAGHETTI Hannah’s resourcefulness comes in

unbelievable and I could not eat it

HERE’S WHAT I WOULD DO:

handy in the kitchen. On a recent

fast enough.”

Start with 3 cloves of garlic sliced real thin. Simmer

trip home, Hannah was craving

in olive oil on low till garlic is soft but doesn’t darken

homemade spaghetti, so she and

We asked Chef Black to share that

her dad headed to Whole Foods

famous spaghetti recipe with us

in color, a few minutes.

for the ingredients. “She didn’t

and – true to form – she provided

Add a can of crushed tomatoes, a few basil leaves,

even have a grocery list!” her dad

her version which is very off-the-

and season to taste with fish sauce (instead of salt).

Phillip marvels, “but she made

cuff…

I recommend adding a little bit at a time because it can be powerful. Add a little fresh crushed black

the marinara from scratch, just selecting things from the produce

“Well I don’t have a real recipe

pepper, some toasted and ground cumin seeds.

department and then picking

for that sauce because I just was

Add a cup of water and simmer for about 10 mins

up some fish sauce, which was

playing around, making it up, but I

for the flavors to meld. Take off heat and season

most unusual. The final dish was

love making tomato sauce.

with lemon or lime juice.”

40 May/June 2019

During restaurant’s renovation, how are you able to continue wowing customers with your food, and keep your treasured staff on board?

We originally thought we could stay open while the renovations were being done, but after getting into the project, the engineer told us that work would go much faster if we closed completely. So that was the decision we made, and it presented quite the challenge.

It sounds like it also presented you and Carla with some unique opportunities to try new things.

For sure. We’ve enjoyed having to stretch our brains a little on the creative process, working in different kitchens, for different audiences. There is a restaurant in Portland, Maine, called Cong Tu Bot (which was also nominated in the same category as Lil’ Deb’s Oasis). We are friends with the owners through Instagram and social media and feel like they have a similar energy and presence. They reached out to us before the (semi-finalists) were announced, saying, “We like you guys so much and lots of our staff have been to your restaurant. We’d like for y’all to come up to Portland to do a pop-up.”

At the time, we were really slammed but flattered.

But Portland is like five hours away, so we thought, “We’ll try and figure this out.” Then when we closed, we thought, this is the perfect time. So, we’ll drive up there, take our whole staff and do a pop-up there.

What are some other unique ideas you’ve been able to try recently?

We did one pop-up in Hudson for five weeks in this one space that is usually only open during the day. We created a Mediterranean cruise theme with a design vibe that was very different from our regular restaurant. We did Greek food for one week and Italian food for another week, then French food and Spanish food, and new American. It was fun to dress up the restaurant every week and play to some of the iconic dishes of each cuisine.

That sounds very different from the way you might have grown up in Mountain Brook.

Tell us, did your upbringing or background inform your cuisine choices much?

You know, Birmingham has changed so much since I grew up there. There were always some really great restaurants—my parents took us to the Frank Stitt restaurants and I worked at Satterfield’s—so I had that sort of exposure to good

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MountainBrookMagazine.com 41

food at an early age. But in terms of global cuisine—the kind of things we serve at Lil’ Deb’s—I did not have that kind of exposure growing up. It was more Southern fusion.

What type of things did you learn working at Satterfield’s and Bottega that you use at Lil’ Deb’s Oasis?

I was a hostess at Satterfield’s, and I think what I learned there was the family aspect that comes with restaurant life. I have always loved that. Everyone is on the team but doing different jobs; there is a real familial bond. I never worked in the kitchen at either restaurant.

At the time I was just home from college (Rhode Island School of Design) where I was studying painting, and I did not know that was what I might want to do. (Hostessing) was just a job but I found I liked that energy, that vibe of a restaurant. So, even now at Lil’ Deb’s Oasis, I can combine all of that. I like to bounce around and check on customers and see what’s going on in the front of the house and the back.

Carla and I divide restaurant tasks pretty naturally. In the broad sense, we have similar

42 May/June 2019

ABOVE: The masterminds behind Lil’ Deb’s Oasis: Carla Perez-Gallardo and Hannah Black. Photo by Guzman. RIGHT: Lil’ Deb’s dishes, clockwise starting from left side: Ceviche mixto (shrimp, fish and octopus) with plantain chips. Heirloom tomatoes with peanut salsa macha. Whole fried branzino with ginger/citrus vinaigrette and a pea shoots and herb salad.

skill sets, but she is really good at hunkering down and focusing on one thing, pretty intensely. But I am better at juggling more things—clearing tables, running food, anything that needs to be done.

Would you ever consider moving back home to open a restaurant – in Alabama or Birmingham, or Mountain Brook?

Well, I don’t know if I would ever move back full-time. My husband is here and my community is here, but it is definitely an interesting idea. It is funny, after getting the (JBFA) nomination, I had so much positive feedback from the Mountain Brook community, it is definitely something that crossed my mind. I guess if the pieces fell into place, it would be a good thing for the community there. I think we could create good things there.

Updates after our chat with Hannah: Hannah and Carla were not named finalists this year for The Best: Northeast James Beard award this year, but it re-opened following renovations in April.

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MountainBrookMagazine.com 43

FOOD & DRINK

5

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Brenda Reid

GreenWise Market Media & Community Relations Manager PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

How would you describe the GreenWise store concept and how it differs from the primary Publix brand?

The GreenWise Market will offer a large variety of organic, specialty and traditional grocery items. Even though the store is owned by Publix, it will feel like a different store when you walk in. Its departments are named differently, and the décor is more contemporary with complimentary lighting. The vibe of the store is just different.

The former Western store in Lane Parke won’t be vacant much longer. GreenWise Market, a new organic grocery concept from Publix, is slated to open this summer, so we reached out to Publix to get the scoop on what it will offer. Our favorite part? The POURS area will serve kombucha and beer and wine on tap, plus acai bowls and smoothies and more. Read on to learn more.

selections of kombucha on tap, craft beers and specialty wines by the bottle or house selection on tap. Our smoothies and acai bowls are freshly made and topped with fresh fruit. We’ll also offer handcrafted sandwiches and fresh-baked pizza. We encourage customers to enjoy these items while sitting in the lounge-like area or walk around the store.

and our seafood is sustainably sourced.

We make our own sausages fresh in-store.

Our meat experts are always available to custom cut, grind or break packages for customers.

Where else can we find GreenWise stores?

So far we have identified 10 locations for GreenWise markets. Our first location What makes your selection of meats, opened in Tallahassee near a college cheeses, wines and other curated campus (pictured here). Our second one is slated to open in Mt. Pleasant, South selections unique?

GreenWise Market has its own private Carolina, a suburb of Charleston.

Can you talk some about the beer, wine, label of a variety of items. We have worked Mountain Brook will be our third location. and food you can eat and drink?

Our POURS area will offer a relaxed with our suppliers to provide premium environment for customers to kick back, level products that are sourced and grown Is there anything to note that will be recharge or mingle among friends and sustainably. For example, all of our fresh particular to this store location?

In addition to the all-natural and organic neighbors. Our beverage servers will offer meats are raised without antibiotics and products, including body care items, we no added hormones.

Our GreenWise hot or cold coffees and teas, a variety of Angus beef is USDA Choice or Prime only, also plan to have a broad wine selection.

44 May/June 2019

&STYLE

HOME

WEST SIDE STORY

A couple brings the clean aesthetic they picked up in San Francisco to their Alabama home design.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY LAUREN USTAD MountainBrookMagazine.com 45

T

There was once a couple who started their lives together in San Francisco. They married there, welcomed their daughter there, and logged a combined two decades of life there. So it only made sense that when they decided to find a home in Alabama to be near their family that they’d bring the West Coast style influences they’d picked up with them.

When they purchased a Tudor-style home in Mountain Brook, they set out to add their own taste and minimalist aesthetic to it. Working with good friend and architect Sissy Austin, who worked at a New York firm before launching her own architectural firm here, as well as Saunders Bradford on construction, they embarked on a one-year major renovation project. They also worked to make the nearly 6,000-square-foot house as energy efficient and sustainable as possible. The result is a stunning, clean and simple design that makes the homeowners feel peaceful.

All rooms start with a neutral palate with Benjamin Moore Acadia White on all walls, except the kitchen and White Dove paint in all bathrooms.

From there they added other neutral colors and textures as well as mixed metals in their interior design, and then they finished it off with pops of red, usually in art but also in places like their custom elevator walls and furniture. For the owners, the

46 May/June 2019

bold color accent symbolizes hope and reminds them of curiosities and possibilities. Looking around, all the details pay homage to their lives together on the West Coast or subtly reflect their personal experiences, passions, extensive travels, heritages and philosophies.

Another key element to the home’s design is functionality. Wherever they could, they built-in custom cabinetry, drawers, shelving and storage so that they’d need less furniture. Considering her family’s extensive moves internationally and domestically, she had learned to reevaluate possessions well before a certain book about tidying up was published!

One of the most notable aspects of the house now is the five upstairs bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.

The design of each is unique but complementary since the owners wanted them all to have their own character with elements like unlacquered brass, stainless steel, marble, wood accents, and particular geometric tiles or color schemes.

Each final interior design and decor selection was made by the couple, allowing them to draw on their creative sides. She has a degree in art and scored perfectly on spatial reasoning tests, and he is a talented musician. Together, it was their way of bringing their West Coast style back to sweet home Alabama.

Family Room This space off the kitchen boasts tons of natural light and opens up to a screened-in porch. Previous owners had added it on to the home, so the owners simply painted it, added recessed lights, brought in furniture that is just their style, and upgraded the A/V and surround sound speakers.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 47

Pantry This space is a dream for organizing cooking supplies and more. The owners added a customized rolling ladder to help access high storage shelves more easily.

Bar Connected to the Great Room for easy flow and entertainment, the bar area boasts custom-lit cabinetry, a Sub Zero wine fridge and drawers, and unlacquered brass nickeled sink and hardware. It is stocked with favorite wines particularly ones from California as well as liquors and a collection of international and local spirits.

48 May/June 2019

Kitchen This open space is not just stylish but also functional for gourmet cooking with a top-notch vent to absorb odors, plenty of storage space, a large cabinet to stow appliances and daily items, toe-touch drawers and two ovens. Newly white washed beams add another geometric accent to the ceiling to round out the design. The island cabinets add an accent of Midnight Blue by Benjamin Moore, and the countertops are a double thick Pure White Quartz.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 49

Great Room The grandness of this space called for a piece of statement art, and one acquired vacationing in Crete, Greece, fits the bill perfectly (not pictured). The combination sculpturepainting depicts different jazz instruments, fitting since he plays acoustic, electric and jazz guitars. Opposite this large piece is a smaller painting whose colors drew the homeowners in when they found it in an online art auction.

This room’s fireplace, upgraded A/V and surround-sound speakers also have it ready for entertaining.

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50 May/June 2019

Dining Room The iconic Louis Poulsen artichoke light fixture purchased in San Francisco both shines through a front window and is visible when you enter the home. Below it sits a large 12-person table with Philippe Starck ghost chairs, and a sleek Chilewich rug that can easily be wiped clean after a dinner party.

BEHIND THE SCENES Architect: Sissy Austin, Austin & Co. General Contractor: Saunders Bradford

Cabinetry: Aaron Lane

Accessories: Fixtures & Finishes Tile & Stone: Justin Somersett Landscaping: Curb Appeal Select Art: Art Alley

MountainBrookMagazine.com 51

Guest Bathrooms (Left) A glamorous white vanity and unlacquered brass fixtures accent this upstairs bathroom. Its delicately crafted Infinity drain in the back of the shower also shows off intricate marble tile patterns.

(Above) This bathroom carries the unlacquered brass fixture theme over from another of the ensuite spaces, but with its own custom blue-grey cabinetry, geometric tile pattern and custom glass doors for the Toto shower/tub.

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52 May/June 2019

AT HOME

GORGEOUS IN GREEN A Color Story

Photo & Text by Jessica Clement of JMC Studio

Green is sophisticated, fresh and a relaxing color. Add a fun pop of color to any room with a bold Kelly green, jeweled toned emerald or bright lime.

11

12

13

1 6

9

4 5 8

10 7

2 3

14

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MountainBrookMagazine.com 53

Summer Blues IN STYLE

By Madison Freeman Photos by Lauren Ustad

1. BLUE WHIMSICAL WRAP DRESS

LOOK 1

1

Wrap dresses are in this season, and this one is perfect for your next wedding or a nice summer night out.

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3. GOLD RING HANDLE PURSE

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Add a pop of the orange color family to your ensemble with this fun clutch.

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4. BLACK SIMPLE SUNGLASSES Every girl needs a solid pair of black sunglasses like this simple pair.

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54 May/June 2019

1. BLUE FLOUNCY BLOUSE Pair this versatile top with shorts or white jeans.

Elle l $75

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What’s summer without jean shorts? These are as comfortable as they are cute too.

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4. LEATHER BELT Complete everyday casual summer looks with this textured belt.

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Add extra fun to your time in the sun with these cheetah frames.

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6. STACKED NO LACE SLIDE-ON SHOES No laces necessary for this casual set of platforms you can wear all season.

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SUMMER MUST-HAVES 1. GOLD BEADED BRACELET

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56 May/June 2019

By Madoline Markham Photos by Patrick McGough & Contributed

UPRYDER STAND-UP BICYCLE Stewart Welch

Stewart Welch has long been a fan of bike riding but not of the discomfort it causes his neck from holding it hunched low over the handlebars. And so he dreamed up a stand-up bicycle. At first it was just an idea in his head, and then he found himself talking to his friend Buck Brock’s son-in-law Jose Santiago while dove hunting, who just so happened to be both an engineer and a “bike guy.”

Back in Birmingham at Stewart’s office on Montclair Road, Stewart drew his idea on the wall, and the two set out to dismantle two bikes and reassemble them with duct tape to see if a stand-up bike was even fun to ride. Stewart took it for a spin in the office parking lot. The verdict? “Your first tendency is to sit, but you get over it in about 20 seconds and then it’s fun,” he recounts. “And you feel a foot taller.”

From there Jose drew up plans and assembled a prototype of the UpRyder bike. The design of the 10-speed first iteration, they discovered, placed the rider too close to the handle bars and the bike wasn’t stable, so they added additional length to it—

kind of like playing with an erector set as a kid, Stewart explains.

How do you go about riding it, you might wonder?

“You push off to start kind of like what kids do on scooters, except instead of pushing with your foot, you pedal,” Stewart explained as he let us try it out near his house in Crestline.

As for Stewart himself, the current Mountain Brook Mayor mostly rides the prototype to Birmingham Country Club to play tennis, but it’s a really good workout if you start doing hills too, he notes. Currently he’s in the in final stages of trademark in the name and has started on the patent process, which requires the exact design to be finalized. His ultimate vision is to license the design so a manufacturer would take care of the manufacturing and he would get a licensing fee out of the deal—and maybe a version without gears that would be ideal for beach riding, standing up of course.

Learn more at upryder.com.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 57

ABOVE and RIGHT: Photo by Liesa Cole. INSET: Photo by Marsha Perry.

58 May/June 2019

LULLABUDDY BABY MUSIC PLAYER Mae Samford Robertson

Lullabies first came to the forefront of Mae Samford Robertson’s life 38 years ago when her son was born. Like many moms, she’d serenade her infant to sleep. One day a friend from Birmingham who was visiting her in New York joined in on the singing with her second child, a daughter.

One thing led to another, and Mae started recording lullabies and now has five albums full of them. “Lullabies are often in ¾ time, which gives them a swaying motion that mimics the movement babies experience in the womb,” Mae shares on her website. “Their simple, repetitive melodies have been shown to calm babies.”

Fast forward a couple of decades, and again Mae found herself rocking another baby girl to sleep, this time her granddaughter Frankie who spent three weeks in the hospital. To help soothe her, they brought in an iPod and a speaker and rigged it up to help muffle the sounds of hospital alarms and monitor beeping with the sounds of her grandmother singing. The melodies made not just Frankie calmer but also her parents, grandparents and professional caregivers, who said they wished all the children in their care had a lullaby player setup. “Why don’t I make a speaker to play my lullabies?” Mae thought. And so she did.

Working with a design company based in New Orleans, Mae devised a tiny 2-inch cube that could shuffle songs, turn on and off easily in the dark with one hand and have a timer in case parents didn’t want it to play all night. The end product, the Lullabuddy, is preloaded with 33 of Mae’s most recent lullaby recordings and also acts as a regular Bluetooth speaker for any other music or talks someone might want to play.

Now her grandkids—ages 4, 2 and twins who are 6 months—are “addicted” with the device running in multiple rooms to play the soothing sounds of their grandmother’s voice that makes her seem much closer to

their California home than she is in reality from Birmingham. “The main thing my daughter-in-law talks about is that it’s not the kind of music that is going to drive an adult crazy,” Mae says. “It’s real music and was mastered just for the speaker. The songs are thoughtful, and if you stop and pay attention, you will hear things you haven’t heard before.” Mae recommends using it for tummy time or nursing or rocking or just as a soundtrack for time with your baby, just as she uses it with her grandkids.

You can buy Lullabuddy at A’mano in Lane Parke, Once Upon a Time in Crestline and Homewood, or at lullabuddy.com.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 59

LE MINI MACARON GEL MANICURE SET Christina Kao

Christina Kao might have been in Barcelona when we connected over video chat, but we still noticed her Fairy Floss light pink nail color through the phone screen. A few years ago she would have told us she’d taken time out of her work schedule to get a gel manicure and then go back to get it removed, paying $30-40 each time. But the one she was sporting as we chatted she did herself for the cost of a $35 kit—one that she just so happened to bring to the market herself a few years ago.

After working in advertising in New York City and then Shanghai, Christina and her boyfriend François-Xavier Humbert, who had a background in the beauty business and purchasing in nail category, came up with the idea for Le Mini Macaron in 2015 to create an easy, inexpensive at-home gel manicure.

A Kickstarter campaign and some business moves later, each set comes with a base coat, top coat and a color that corresponds to the color of a small lamp that looks like a macaron.

Yep, the concept is all based around the colorful French confection. “The macaron is very iconic and flavorful, so our color names play on macaron flavors like Earl grey, raspberry and mint chocolate chip,” Christina says.

Today the manicure sets and

polishes—including a new matte finish Christina is excited about—can be purchased on leminimacaron.com and at Ulta in the U.S., plus Sephora a list of other retailers in Europe and Asia. You might have seen them on QVC recently too. Christina runs the business from Barcelona where she can easily connect with both European and U.S. markets and comes back to visit her mom (who lives near Mountain Brook High School), her dad (who owns Christopher House antiques) and friends she made from Cherokee Bend Elementary and MBJH and MBHS before she graduated high school in 1997. And she keeps up her own manicures for Le Mini Macaron photo shoots too.

Find Christina’s products on Instagram @leminimacaron or at leminimacaron.com.

60 May/June 2019

ELECTRICAL GUITAR COMPANY, INC. ALUMINUM-NECK GUITARS Kevin Burkett

Kevin Burkett found his match in the Travis Bean guitar in the mid1990s, and he and the aluminumnecked instrument got along perfectly as he toured with bands, until its value suddenly skyrocketed from the $1,700 he paid for it to $40,000 and he no longer wanted the risk of taking it on the road.

“And that’s when I got the idea for it to make one myself,” he says.

So he saved up some money, purchased some aluminum and put it in the back of his 1981 Honda Civic, and started driving around to every machine shop in town until he found a machinist willing to talk to him. “I combined everything I loved about both into one guitar with no intention to sell it,” Kevin recounts. “It was just for me to play.” And then people took interest just as he was learning to fabricate the metal himself while still touring with a band. That was 2003.

Today artists from Buzz Ousborne to Dwayne Jemison to Cheap Trick to Katy Perry have taken his guitars on stage, and proudly at that, and they are now building 200-250 instruments a year from their facility in Irondale—just a short drive from his home in Mountain Brook near where his wife, Hilary, grew up and the school system she’d wanted to come back home for their twins to attend like she did.

What sets the instrument apart in the market? “Because it is a piece of metal you retain all the clarity,” Kevin explains. “It has a whole lot of low end and high end. It extends the palette you have to pull from.

These can be manipulated to get closer to different

sounds.”

Hilary, who helps with the business side of the operation, is quick to note her favorite part of the business. “I like going out and seeing the bands play them. It’s like they are your little children up there.” Kevin, though, favors a part of the process that comes earlier. “After I put it all together I get to the first person to play it. That’s the best part.”

Learn more at electricalguitarcompany.com.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 61

BARIATRIC HEALTH & WELLNESS

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2017 Canyon Rd #17 Vestavia Hills 205-397-8856 bariatricdirect.com 62 May/June 2019

SOFT GLOW SILENT TIMER Claiborne Pace Day

Claiborne Pace Day was on the hunt for a timer, but not just any timer. She wanted a quiet one that notified you when time was up visually and peacefully, with no bells and whistles, literally, to help wean her daughter off her pacifier. But she couldn’t find one.

Five and a half years later, she’s invented one you can now buy on Amazon, and luckily it’s still a useful tool for parenting for her daughter Alice, who is now in second grade and pictured on the product’s box (and in the photo on the right).

“Now I get my daughter to use it for quiet time in her room, and sometimes she gets involved in something and is engaged enough that she doesn’t notice the light has turned off. A buzzer, on the other hand, would make her stop,” Claiborne says.

Claiborne, a 1996 MBHS graduate who taught at Cherokee Bend for six years before moving to Minnesota, also uses it a lot in the summer for increments of tasks for Alice like working on flash cards as well as in her own classroom to signify the end of a task like reading without a blaring noise. “A lot of my special education teacher friends love it because they are in smaller spaces and can’t have buzzers go off,” Claiborne says.

“They also appreciate that it’s a peaceful approach to time management because a lot of their students have anxiety regarding timed activities.”

Different colors of lights on the rechargeable (no batteries required!) Soft Glow Silent Timer signify different time amounts on the orb-shaped devise that is manufactured by the company run by the family of a friend of Claiborne’s from her time at Auburn University. The device also has a night light function that turns off with a timer since research shows we sleep better in a dark environment, and its red setting has a calming effect in the dark according to what science says.

The timer has gotten a review from a woman who uses it when visitors come to see her mother who is ill to remind them that 10 minutes has passed and that is about all that her mom is up for. Another reviewer who is deaf uses it to keep herself from losing track of time, others use it for their children with ADD, and still another says she uses it to time how long she pets her cat (Claiborne definitely didn’t think of that use).

“Now that it’s been out almost a year now I am feeling excited about it because people are finding it’s useful in the ways I thought it would be and they are also finding new uses for it, which I think is exciting,” Claiborne says.

The Soft Glow Silent Timer is available on Amazon.com.

I AM YOUR LOCAL AGENT!

Locally and family owned garden center operating in the Homewood neighborhood!

MountainBrookMagazine.com 63

CHILDREN’S FASHIONS FLOOD THE COUNTRY CLUB OF BIRMINGHAM ON A SPRING DAY EACH YEAR, WITH AROUND 100 MODELS SPORTING STYLES FROM HEIRLOOMS TO WHIMSICAL AS PART OF THE CHILDREN’S ART GUILD TRADITION. HERE ARE SOME OF THE STYLES SPOTTED ON THE RUNWAY AT THE 2019 SHOW. PHOTOS BY REBECCA WISE

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HAND SMOCKED WITH LOVE

Cooper and Mae Mobley’s outfits were made with love by their grandmother, Cecelia “Celie” Mobley, with help from the Smocking Bird. Mae’s, age 5, dress combines hand smocking and lace yoke and sleeves, with hand embroidery featured at the scallop hem.

Little brother Cooper, age 2, is wearing an apron set made of white Swiss batiste with rows of imported Maline lace sewn together in a horizontal pattern down the front insert. Mae loves ballet, tumble, tennis and art, and Cooper enjoys golf and firetrucks.

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SET FOR THE SEA

These cousins are ready to set sail. Holt Sullivan, age 2, is wearing a blue gingham sailor-inspired bloomer set with white pique accents. Big cousin Harrison Walker, 3, sports a classic sailor-inspired blue gingham shorts set with white pique accents. Holt loves trucks, building with blocks and chasing his dog Oscar around the house, while Harrison prefers scootering and biking.

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BLAST FROM THE PAST

The collar Elizabeth Butler, age 7, wears here was made for its debut at the 1987 Children’s Arts Guild Fashion Show by her great grandmother for her aunt to wear. The dress was made by Diane McNeill and features a square lace yoke complemented with a gathered lace ruffle. Her cousin Claire Bolen, age 4, is wearing an heirloom French hand sewn pink batiste dress made by a family friend. Elizabeth’s little sister Frances, age 3, not pictured, wore heirloom French hand sewn white Batiste dress that belonged to their mother, Claire. Elizabeth, who attends Brookwood Forest, loves soccer, art and going to the lake, while Frances and enjoys playing with dolls and swimming at the lake and Claire prefers ballet, soccer and choir.

U salon

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ALL IN THE FAMILY

The embroidery on Hollaway Craft’s shirt, worn here with creamy linen shorts, was handmade by his grandmother “Honey.” His sister Vivy’s pink Swiss batiste French dress was hand sewn with antique lace made for her mom, Patricia, by her grandmother Vivian Jones, as well as a flower crown by Susu’s Petals. Hollaway who is 6 and attends Cherokee Bend, loves to hunt, fish and do anything with daddy, while Vivy, who is 4, loves ballet and princesses.

68 May/June 2019

PRETTY IN PEACH

Kathleen Eubanks, age 3, wears a peach colored dotted Swiss dress. The yoke and butterfly sleeves are trimmed in lace, and the bottom of the dress is banded in beading with peach ribbon and finished off with lace.

Kathleen loves ballet, swimming and drawing.

May 18–19 Oak Mountain State Park Pelham, AL

OFF ROAD TRIATHLON & TRAIL RUNNING

xterraplanet.com | discovershelby.com

MountainBrookMagazine.com 69

PARTY PERFECT

The Ray girls are both ready for a spring or summer party in their white Swiss Dot dresses made

by Busy Bees. Leary’s dress is waisted with box pleats and sash, and Price’s is a yoke style dress with flutter sleeve and empire seam. Leary, age 6, and Price, age 5, both attend Cherokee Bend Elementary. Leary enjoys cartwheels, rock climbing and making up plays for her mom and dad, while Price loves tennis, dress up and playing with her sister and cousins.

FLORALS ‘N LACE

The lace on all three of these girls’ dresses comes from the collections of their great grandmothers. Mary Martha Athanas’ mom sewed her pink Swiss Batiste heirloom yoked dress with angel sleeves, with vintage lace details from the lace collection of her great grandmother, Martha Jeffcoat, plus bands of Swiss eyelet, French lace beading with pink satin ribbon and Lily of the Valley. Meme and Welden Johnsey’s dresses are made of ivory Swiss batiste and Maline laces, with the yokes made with laces that belonged to their great-grandmother. Each dress is finished at the hemline with Maline lace edging and pintucks and was made by Jackie Young of Three Sisters Heirlooms. Mary Martha, age 6 and a student at Crestline, likes to dance, play piano and do crafts, while Meme, also age 6 and a student at Crestline, enjoys gymnastics and tennis and little sister Welden, age 3, loves ballet.

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RETRO ‘N RED

Fairy godmother Aunt Frannie (Ragan Cain) closed out this year’s fashion show by styling a set of retro dresses from Poppy & Hen, a Charleston-based children’s clothing company that uses vintage patterns and retro fabrics. McKay Smith’s “Leggo my Eggo!” dress is styled with a red neck scarf and red Mary Jane style shoes, while Annie Gilchrist’s sweet blueberry sun suit with a halter style top packs in a punch of red in her rain boots. Macon Epps’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise” blue and white gingham pattern is paired with red Converse sneakers, and Maggie Holt’s banana look is completed with her red hair scarf and rain boots.

Macon, age 4, likes painting, learning to ride her bike and cooking with her dad. Annie, 2, loves napping with her dog, coloring on the walls with a Sharpie and going to the beach. McKay, age 5, loves ballet, gymnastics, singing and dancing, and playing with her friends.

Lastly, Maggie, age 5 and a student at Cherokee Bend Elementary, loves dance, gymnastics, arts and crafts, and all things glitter.

THE REASON WHY Each year the Children’s Arts Guild organizes a spring children’s fashion show to benefit The Dance Foundation’s work, and

We have an amazing selection of Alabama made pottery, art, jewelry, bath & body, candles, t-shirts, stationery, linens, gourmet food, gift baskets, and more!

If you are looking for a place to shop that offers personal attention and knowledge of merchandise, then we are place for you!

since it started in 1979 it has contributed more than $1 million to the nonprofit. Since 1975 the organization has taught the art of dance to all, inspiring creativity and confidence. Along the way it inspires imaginative learning in young dancers and cultivates technique and artistry as they mature.

Almost 900 students, age 1 to adult, participate in their studio classes and summer camps. They also teach more than 1,000 additional children who are young, have special needs or are living in poverty each week at dozens of social service agencies, child care centers and schools throughout Birmingham. In addition, The Dance Foundation’s studio space and 100-seat theatre also used for classes, workshops, rehearsals and performances for artists and dancers.

MountainBrookMagazine.com 71

MOUNTAIN BROOK’S BEST WINNERS 2019 You voted. We tallied.

See just who Mountain Brook’s favorites are.

Photos by Jamison & Lindsay Kate Skinner

72 May/June 2019

BEST FLORIST/ GARDEN SHOP Leaf N Petal

FOOD & DRINK MOST FRIENDLY SERVICE Taco Mama 63 Church Street Crestline Village 205-414-9314 tacomamaonline.com Runners Up: Otey’s Tavern, Gilchrist MOST KID FRIENDLY DINING Davenport’s Pizza Palace 2837 Cahaba Road Mountain Brook Village 205-879-8603 davenportspizza.com

Thank you Mountain Brook Magazine readers for voting me Best Real Estate Agent in Mountain Brook.

BEST CASUAL DINING Taco Mama 63 Church Street Crestline Village 205-414-9314 tacomamaonline.com Runners Up: Davenport’s Pizza Palace, Otey’s Tavern BEST DATE NIGHT Dyron’s Lowcountry 121 Oak Street Crestline Village 205-834-8257 dyronslowcountry.com Runners Up: Ollie Irene, Vino/Gallery Bar

Runners Up: Taco Mama, Gilchrist MountainBrookMagazine.com 73

BEST HAIR SALON

BEST SWEET TREATS

Oak Street Hair Group

Mountain Brook Creamery

BEST LADIES LUNCH Olexa’s 2838 Culver Road Mountain Brook Village 205-871-2060 olexas.com

2715 Cahaba Road Mountain Brook Village 205-870-0092

Runners Up: Brick & Tin, Chez Lulu/Continental Bakery

BEST PIZZA Davenport’s Pizza Palace 121 Oak Street Crestline Village 205-834-8257 dyronslowcountry.com

BEST COFFEE Church Street Coffee 81 Church Street Crestline Village 205-870-1117 churchstreetshop.com Runners Up: Crestline Bagel, Starbucks BEST SWEET TREATS Mountain Brook Creamery 74 May/June 2019

Runners Up: Olexa’s, Magic Muffin

Runners Up: Mafiaoza’s, Basil BEST DRINKS/COCKTAILS Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook 2655 Lane Park Road Mountain Brook Village 205-414-0505 kesslercollection.com/ bohemian-mountain-brook/

Runners Up: Otey’s Tavern, Vino/Gallery Bar, Taco Mama BEST CHEF Chris Newsome/Ollie Irene 75 Church Street Crestline Village 205-769-6034 ollieirene.com

awesome people and supporting an even better cause.

Runners Up: Otey’s Fest, Mountain Brook Art Association Show, Mystics of Mountain Brook Parade

BEST VILLAGE Crestline Village The clock tower marks the spot Runners Up: Randall of not just some of our favorite Baldwin/Dyron’s Lowcountry, shops and restaurants but also Rodney Davis/Otey’s Tavern our city hub—with city hall, the library and more.

COMMUNITY

BEST COMMUNITY EVENT Exceptional Foundation Chili Cook-Off Because you can eat chili for days while hanging out with

Runners Up: Mountain Brook Village, English Village BEST LOCAL CAUSE Magic Moments 205-638-9372 magicmoments.org

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US BEST OF MOUNTAIN BROOK....AGAIN!

Dr. Hufham has been serving the patients of Mountain Brook for over 18 years Conveniently located in Crestline Village Initial Exam is always complimentary We love adult patients Invisalign, Clear Braces, and Traditional Braces Available We see patients Monday through Friday with convenient appointment times

120 EUCLID AVENUE • MOUNTAIN BROOK 35213 • HUFHAMORTHO.COM

MOST KID FRIENDLY DINING Davenport’s Pizza

located at lane parke in mountain brook village | follow @amano_bham on instagram!

There’s nothing more beautiful than being the most beautiful version of yourself.

Thank you for choosing our salon as the best Salon in Mountain Brook.

We hope to see you again soon.

125 Oak St, Mountain Brook • (205) 879-3222 76 May/June 2019

Runners Up: Mitchell’s Place, Junior League of Birmingham, Sid Strong Foundation

Runners Up: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church

BEST OUTDOOR SPOT Jemison Park Could there be better place to run, walk, fish or play creek-side under an Alabama canopy?

BEST LOCAL PERSONALITY George Jones Snoozy’s Kids Owner A stop into this bright and friendly Crestline kids store isn’t complete without a chat with the vivacious George Jones.

Runners Up: Cahaba River Walk, Overton Park

Runners Up: Jack Royer, Suzan Doidge

BEST CHURCH CHOIR Canterbury United Methodist Church Each Sunday morning voices fill the Canterbury sanctuary in song.

350 Overbook Road canterburyumc.org

HEALTH & BEAUTY BEST DENTAL/ ORTHODONTICS PRACTICE Hufham Orthodontics 120 Euclid Avenue Crestline Village

205-871-8881 hufhamortho.com Runners Up: Kevin J. Alexander, Crestline Village Dentistry BEST PHARMACY Crestline Pharmacy 60 Church Street Crestline Village 205-871-0317 Runners Up: Harbin Discount Pharmacy, Ritch’s Pharmacy BEST HAIR SALON Oak Street Hair Group 2410 Fairway Drive English Village 205-870-4247 // 2800 Cahaba Village Plaza, Suite 280 Cahaba Village 205-870-4247 tonyajonessalon.com Runners Up: Tonya Jones Salon Spa, Wildflower Hair & Nail Studio BEST NAIL SALON Happy Nail Salon 67 Church Street Crestline Village 205-870-9339 Runners Up: Canterbury Nails, Nail Tek BEST SPA Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook 2655 Lane Park Road Mountain Brook Village 205-414-0505 kesslercollection.com/ bohemian-mountain-brook/ Runners Up: Village Dermatology Aesthetic and Laser Center, Tonya Jones Salon Spa

BEST FITNESS CENTER Meta Fitness Studio 3150 Overton Road Overton Village 205-783-1218 metafitstudio.com Runners Up: Stretch to Strength, YMCA

SHOPPING & SERVICES BEST NEW BUSINESS Dukes Clothier 53 Church Street 205-722-2244 dukesclothier.com Runners Up: Eleven Eleven, Annabelle’s Southern Boutique

SNOOZY’S

KIDS!

You’ve Always Been Our Favorite...

Thank You For Making Us Yours!

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE Holland Williams Photography 850-384-6709 hollandwilliams photography.com Runners Up: Dukes Clothier, Snoozy’s Kids BEST BOUTIQUE/ CLOTHING Dukes Clothier 53 Church Street 205-722-2244 dukesclothier.com Runners Up: The Pants Store, B. Prince BEST STORE FOR GIFTS A’mano 281 Rele Street Mountain Brook Village 205-871-9093 amanogifts.com Runners Up: Smith’s, Lamb’s Ears, Please Reply MountainBrookMagazine.com 77

BEST STORE FOR KIDS Snoozy’s Kids 228 Country Club Park Crestline Village 205-871-2662

BEST COFFEE

Church Street Coffee

Runners Up: Smith’s, Once Upon a Time BEST STORE FOR HOME FURNISHINGS/DÉCOR/ KITCHENS Table Matters 2402 Montevallo Road Mountain Brook Village 205-879-0125 table-matters.com Runners Up: Lamb’s Ears, Little Hardware, The Cook Store BEST FLORIST/GARDEN SHOP Leaf N Petal 2817 Cahaba Road Mountain Brook Village 205-871-3832 leafnpetal.com Runners Up: Oak Street Garden Shop, Mountain Brook Flower Shop

Runners Up: Liberty Animal Hospital, Pet Vet Express, Montclair Animal Clinic

BEST ANIMAL CARE/CLINIC Hollywood Feed 2800 Cahaba Village Plaza, Suite 210 205-977-9300 hollywoodfeed.com

HOME, FINANCE, & AUTO BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT Kathryn Dorlon Ray & Poynor Properties 205-281-8914

Mama says "GRACIAS" dine in - take out - catering for catering call 205-368-0964 78 May/June 2019

raypoynor.com/agent/ kathryn-dorlon/

Mountain Brook Village 800-734-4667 regions.com

Runners Up: Jane Huston Crommelin/Ray & Poynor, Shelley Clark/Ray & Poynor

Runners Up: Oakworth Capital Bank, BBVA Compass

BEST BANK Regions Bank 35 Church Street Crestline Village // 2721 Culver Road

No winner was named for the Best Insurance Agent category because no significant votes were received for businesses located in Mountain Brook.

SUBSCRIBE NOW! Your Stories.

Your Community.

Your Magazine.

Visit MountainBrookMagazine.com or call 205-669-3131 to subscribe for $16.30 (6 issues) a year.

THANK YOU MOUNTAIN BROOK for voting us "THE BEST NEW BUSINESS" and the "BEST BOUTIQUE" 53 CHURCH STREET, MOUNTAIN BROOK, AL 205.739.2244 914 QUEEN CITY AVE, TUSCALOOSA, AL 205.248.2853

#SHOPDUKES

@dukesclothier

Photography by Laurey Glenn

MountainBrookMagazine.com 79

Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce C O N N E C T I O N S

New Member Spotlight - Hydinger Stewart & Chew - Weber Mortgage - AVX - Harper Harris Design Studio - Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse - Mutt Strutt - Suite Dreams

Events

We are challenging you to get out and explore Mountain Brook! Whether you are walking a trail, shopping a boutique, dining out, attending a library program, filing your tax return, or getting your annual checkup, we want to see you out and about supporting our local businesses and taking advantage of all our city has to offer.

While you are out and about, snap a photo and tag it to

#XploreMB on Instagram or Facebook. Bonus points if you get a selfie with a business employee!

We will draw one winner each week from the pool of hashtags, and that winner will get Village Gold and a surprise gift from a partnering business too! Plus, you’ll get extra Village Gold to gift the business employee you included in your photo!

Visit mtnbrookchamber.org/ XploreMB for more details.

Art in the Village 2019 Saturday, May 4 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Ribbon Cutting

The Field at Crestline Elementary Ci

tizen

on

eciati Appr DAY

Citizen Appreciation Day is organized by employees of Mountain Brook for the citizens of Mountain Brook to learn more about the departments that help run the city and all the services they have to offer.

• Free Lunch • Kid's Zone • Face Painting • Touch-A-Truck, • Slide • More fun!

Everyone is welcome to

Citizen Appreciation Day! May 4th, 2019 11am - 2pm

On the lawn at Mountain Brook City Hall WWW.MTNBROOK.ORG

Citizen’s Appreciation Day Saturday, May 4 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mountain Brook City Hall (Lawn)

Mon Ami - March 20

101 HOYT LANE 80 May/June 2019

MTN. BROOK, ALABAMA 35213

F i n d U s O n l i ne

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

|

Chamber Luncheon Featuring Michael and Mary O’Neill

Access our member directory

#XploreMB Spotted Around Town!

Xploring Hassig Family Chiropractic

Inside the Business of Hollywood with Actor Michael O’Neill & Lawyer Mary O’Neill June 4, 2019 11:00-1:00 Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Xploring Bongiorno Italian Restaurant

Register at mtnbrookchamber.org

Shades Valley Presbyterian Farmer's Market Wednesdays Starting May 22 from 3-6 p.m.

Stop by Shades Valley Presbyterian each Wednesday afternoon in the summer to buy fresh, local produce straight from growers! The farmers market offers a chance to visit with friends and neighbors, get to know our local farmers, and buy healthy and delicious food!

205 - 871 - 3779

Xploring Otey’s at the #XploreMB Kick-Off Party

Xploring with the 2018-19 PTO Council

WWW.MTNBROOKCHAMBER.ORG MountainBrookMagazine.com 81

OUT & ABOUT

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BEAUX ARTS KREWE BALL

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PHOTOS BY JAMES CULVER

Twenty-six women were presented at the 52nd annual Beaux Arts Krewe Ball on March 1, including Queen Madeline DeBuys. Russ Chambliss was this year’s king, and the theme was Under the Big Top. Each year the ball benefits the Birmingham Museum of Art. 1. Tyler Letson, Logan Storey, Forrester DeBuys and Sage Lyons

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2. Gerald Gillespy and Billy Reed 3. Forrest DeBuys, Madeline DeBuys, Katherine DeBuys and Raleigh Kent Jr. 4. Barbara Sandner, Carol Ann Phillips and Rosemary Gillespy 5. John and Martha DeBuys 6. Jay Skinner, Charles Crommelin, Katie Crommelin, Beatty Coleman and Tommy Joyce 7. King Russ Chambliss 8. Queen Madeline’s Guards: Pete Pritchard, Raleigh Kent III, Jim Williams, Frank Phillips and Keith Arendall 9. King Russ’ Dukes: Claude Neilson, Joe Sandner, Billy Blair, Billy Pritchard, Billy Hartsfield and George Elliot 10. Cal Dodson, Jeannie Dodson, Katherine Dodson and Gray Robertson

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OUT & ABOUT

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VILLAGE 2 VILLAGE RUN

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PHOTOS BY MADOLINE MARKHAM

Runners wrapped up a 10K or 7.5K route through the villages with an after party in Lane Parke in Mountain Brook Village.

1. Ryan Graham and Carlos Orihuell 2. Ally Hogan and Alli Jordan 3. RJ Hutton and Jessica Boyer 4. Reid and Mary Samuels, and Ginny and Mary Addison Paul 5. Cryshelle Patterson and Vanessa Williams 6. Tom Warburton and Cane Burnette 7. Melinda Curtis 8. Jamy and Danny Hollingsworth, Leigh Niskeep, and Andrew Lewis 9. GreenWise Market Team 10. Megan Sumrall, Hughes Thomas and Ann Innskeep 11. Danny and Janice Fuqua, and Ryan Koski 12. Hamilton Behlen, Lance Lucas, and Anna and Taylor Richardson

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OUT & ABOUT

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COLOR4FRIENDSHIP RUN

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PHOTOS BY ELEANOR KERR

This annual color run at the Levite Jewish Community Center benefitted Friendship Circle of Alabama, which provides social and recreational programs for children with special needs.

1. Elyssa White and Addison Bonie 2. Madison Harris, Jasmine Langston, Kala Morrow and Brennan Manhel

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3. Isabella Raia and Millie Yerkes 4. Katie Belles and Abbi Hallman with Phoebe 5. Rene and Jasmine Glumbar, and Isabella Fulton 6. Brice England, Ella Lukens, Anna George Lyperoperas, Ellen Dulin and Elise Druhot 7. Christy and Felicia Stewart 8. Adam and Katherine Winger 9. Allie Hughes and Sidney Nottingham 10. Jordan and Dawson Vaughn 11. Ellen Dulin, Ella Lukens and Elise Druhot 12. Carson Tierce and Ashleigh Neese

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MARKETPLACE

Marketplace Mountain Brook Magazine • 205.669.3131

Acceptance Loan Company. Personal Loans! Let us pay off your title loan! 224 Cahaba Valley Road, Pelham. 205-663-5821 Need appliance or air conditioner parts? How about a water filter for your refrigerator? We have it all at A-1 Appliance Parts! Call 1-800841-0312 www.A1Appliance.com

Looking For A New Career As A CNA? AHAVA Healthcare of Alabaster hiring & hosting a FREE CNA class on April 16th,2019 Apply in Person: 850 9th Street NW Alabaster,AL-35007 Call:205-663-3859 Linda White,Ext:2817 Tracy Golden,Ext:2821 INDUSTRIAL ATHLETES $17.68 hour + production & safety $$$ incentives.

Grocery order selection using electric pallet jacks & voice activated headsets.

Apply online at AGSOUTH.COM or call Charlie Seagle at (205) 808-4833 Preemployment drug test required.

Automation Personnel Services Hiring IMMEDIATELY For: Automotive Assembly, General Labor, Production, 88 May/June 2019

Clerical, Machine Operator, Quality, Carpentry, Welder, Foundry. Positions In: Calera, Clanton, Pelham, Bessemer, McCalla. Walk-in applications accepted.

Clanton (205)2800002. Pelham (205)444-9774.

Bama Concrete Now Hiring: Diesel Mechanic 4 Years Minimum Experience.

CDL Preferred.

Competitive Pay. Great Benefits. Apply in person: 2180 Hwy 87 Alabaster, 35007 Bent Creek Apartments.

Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom. On-site Manager. On-site Maintenance. 3001 7th Street. North Clanton, AL 35045.

TDD#s: 800-5482547(V) 800-5482546(T/A) bentcreek@ morrowapts.com Office Hours: MonFri, 8am-4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer Boise Cascade Now Hiring for Utility Positions. Starting pay $13.33/hour.

Must be able to pass background screen.

Please apply at www. bc.com Carroll Fulmer Now Hiring Class-A CDL Drivers. Overthe-road positions

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available. Dry vans.

No hazmat. Must have one year overthe-road. Experience and a clean MVR. Competitive pay and bonus package. Good home time. Call 800633-9710 ext. 2 DCH Health System Caring. For Life. $5,000 *Sign-on Bonus for full time RNs *For More Info Contact Annie.Miller@ dchsystem.com.

Apply online at: www. dchsystem.com

drug test required Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Call: 205-298-6799 or email us at: jtate@ forestryenv.com Franklin Iron Works Now Hiring. Grinders & Laborers. Must apply in person: 146 Tommie Drive, Thorsby. Mon-Fri. 10am-3pm.

DRIVERS Hanna Truck Lines is seeking Professional Flatbed Drivers. 53 cpm No surprises: Starting pay SEEKING (all miles): 51 cpm, 52 SALESMAN FOR cpm at 6 months, 53 RUBBER & PLASTIC cpm at 1 year. 100% ITEMS. CALL TO Outbounds loads PreAPPLY 205-243-6661 loaded & Tarped. 75% Inbound No Tarp. Late $2000 SIGN ON Model Peterbilt Trucks.

BONUS NEW Air Ride Trailers. Home PAY SCALE TO weekends. Low cost QUALIFYING BCBS Health & Dental DRIVERS EVERGREEN Ins. Matching 401K. TRANSPORT, is Qualifications: 18 accepting applications months Class A CDL for local drivers in the driving experience Calera and Leeds, with 6 months AL, area. Must have flatbed; Applicants Class A CDL, good must meet all D.O.T. driving record, 1 yr requirements. Contact verifiable tractor trailer recruiting at 1-800experience. Good pay 634-7315 or come and benefits. Apply in by HTL office at person at 8278 Hwy 1700 Boone Blvd, 25 South, Calera, AL, Northport. EOE or call for info 205668-3316.

Housing Authority of the Birmingham Now Hiring District Hiring: Heavy Equipment Homeownership Operators and CDL Lease-Purchase Drivers Competitive Facilitator Resident pay and benefits.

Services Pre-employment Coordinator-ROSS

Human Resources Specialist Compliance Data Analysis Application Data Entry Clerk Assistant Vice President of Housing Operations Director of Public Safety Custodian View complete description and apply at www. habd.org or 1826 3rdAvenueSouth Birmingham, Al 35233 NOW AVAILABLE LPN’s, RN’s 12 HOUR SHIFTS CNA’s Full-time & part-time Apply in person: Hatley Health Care 300 Medical Center Drive Clanton, AL 35045 Health Services, Inc. Clanton Family Health 107 Medical Center Dr Clanton,AL 35045 Current Opening: •Patient Account Representative •Medical Assistant •LPN Unit Coordinator Industrial Coatings Group, Inc. is hiring experienced -Sandblasters -Industrial Painters Helpers. Must be able to pass drug test and e-verify check. Must be willing to travel.

Professional references required. Please send resume to: icgsecretary@hotmail. com or call (205)6889004

MARKETPLACE Owner Operators Wanting Dedicated Year Round Anniston, AL www.pull4klb.com SHEETMETAL & MANUFACTURING HELP WANTED •Sheetmetal/Layout, •Manufacturing Helpers, •Sheetmetal Machinery Operators, Multiple positions Paid holidays, typical shifts are 6:00am-2:30pm Must be reliable & on-time Call RICK: 205-761-3975 Need FREE help with your Medicare?

Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) today at (800)AGE-LINE (800)-243-5463.

Now Hiring!!

•Caregivers-ADL’s, assist with medications and some lifting 7am3pm, 3pm-11pm, 11pm-7pm •Activity Director Part-Time •Cooks-some 12/ hr shifts Call Shay McNeal 205-620-2905 Marble Valley Manor.

Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments for Elderly & Disabled.

Many on-site services!

2115 Motes Rd, Sylacauga. 256245-6500 •TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) •800-548-2546(T/A).

Office Hours: MonFri, 8am-4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer Are you a motivated professional? Are you looking for a dynamic career? Are you ready to control your own level of

success? See why McKinnons’ is an exciting place to work and grow. Now accepting applications for Sales, Service, and Detail Shop. Apply with the receptionist.

205-755-3430 Shake up your career!!! Are you looking for something new and FUN? Milo’s is always looking for great managers to come join our growing and dynamic team. Apply online at miloshamburgers.com Montgomery Stockyard Drop Station at Gray & Son’s in Clanton. Call Lane at 205-389-4530.

For other hauling arrangements, contact Wes in Harpersville 205-965-8657 MOUNT HOME BUILDERS, INC. Build on your lot custom homes! Our plans or yours! Visit www. mounthomebuilder. com for price quotes and to see completed homes & homes under construction! 205-2990114 Mundo’s Masonry & More “Quality Guaranteed” •Brickwork•Stonework •Concrete•Fireplaces •Retaining Walls •Patio/Pathways •Driveways•Much More Serving Jefferson, Shelby & Chilton Counties FREE ESTIMATE! Call: 205434-5783

NOW HIRING Class-A CDL Driver Must have clean driving record, two years experience Will train drivers on tank Drivers home nightly Contact Keith at: 205-438-4959 Oxford Healthcare in Montgomery currently hiring certified CNA’s and/or Home Health aides in the Clanton, Marbury and Maplesville areas.

Must be able to pass complete background check, have reliable transportation and have a strong work ethic. Serious inquires only. Call 334-409-0035 or apply on-line at www.

Oxfordhealthcare.com HELP WANTED Small crown and bridge laboratory hiring experienced dental laboratory technicians. Full/ Part-time positions available: waxing, building model work, porcelain ceramist Contact:Bruce Osborn 205-664-8090 Looking for a house to rent in Shelby County? We can help. Call for available rentals and specials (205)433-9811 Southeastern Food Merchandisers NOW HIRING Class-A CDL Food Service Delivery Drivers with 1 year experience!!! Pay & Benefits •Home daily •Schedules allow you to depart and return to same terminal daily •Dispatches are single day routes, nothing runs overnight or

multi-day! •Paid by weight delivered, miles, and stops •Drivers running single driver routes are earning $75,000$100,000 yearly!

•Team and Helper routes are earning $65,000+ yearly What we offer in addition to route pay!

•Attendance/Accuracy bonuses •Wkly-pay w/ direct deposit •401(k) w/company match, eligible after 6-months with quarterly enrollment •Blue Cross of AL health & dental insurance, company subsidized •Two different medical plans for Blue Cross depending on your needs •Vision Insurance, company subsidized •Basic Life and AD&D 100% employer paid •Company paid Short-Term Disability •Voluntary Life & AD&D also provided on post-tax basis for you, and your family Email resume: ofrye@ southeasternfood.com Call:205-685-4534 Stellar Staffing, LLC Customer Service Is Our Passion NOW HIRING!!! Pelham • Calera • Alabaster • Clanton Starting pay: $10hr-$13hr • General Labor • Heavy Equipment Operator • Machine Operator • Crane Operator Please apply on-line: www. stellarstaffingllc.com Questions Call: 205916-2860

CLOCK REPAIR SVS. * Setup * Repair * Maintenance. I can fix your Mother’s clock.

Alabaster/Pelham. Call Stephen (205)6632822 Electrician - FT Supreme Electric, local-based company in Pelham. Must be willing to learn & work hard. Go to: supremeelectric-al. com Print employment application under Contact Us. Mail to: Supreme Electric 231 Commerce Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124 or call 205-453-9327.

TaylorMade Transportation Hiring CDL Drivers for Flatbed Regional Division! BCBS Insurance After 30 Days. To apply call: (334)366-2269 or email: s.smith@ taylormadeinc.com Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstone dentalassisting.com or call (205)561-8118 and get your career started!

White Oak Transportation is hiring CDL-A drivers in your area. Great Pay! Excellent Benefits!

Visit our website www. whiteoaktrans.com for more information EOE-M/F/D/V

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MY MOUNTAIN BROOK MADELINE DEBUYS 2019 Beaux Arts Krewe Ball Queen

A Place to Remember

Bradford’s Bench There is a bench with a beautiful view on Jemison Trail in memory of my cousin Bradford Kent. It is my favorite place to take a break from a long run and take in the beautiful outdoors of our community. Bailey, our lab puppy, loves it too!

Stellar Coffee Special Mountain Brook Creamery Mountain Brook Creamery’s Stellar Coffee ice cream has always been the best way to satisfy my sweet tooth. My mom always has a pint in our freezer waiting for me when I come home from Tuscaloosa.

Curling Up with a Book

Church Street Coffee Whenever I need to relax, I head to Church Street Coffee.

Cozying up there with a latte, a tree hugger and the newest read is one of my favorite activities.

Under the Big Top

Beaux Arts Krewe Ball This past Mardi Gras, I had the privilege of being queen of the Beaux Arts Krewe Ball. It was such an honor to represent such an amazing organization. My family and I are so thankful for the memories and friendships Krewe ball gave us. The theme this year was the circus, and I can assure you that it truly was the greatest show on earth!

Limeade Please

Gilchrist If you ever need me or any of my family members around noon, check Gilchrist first. You will find me with a limeade, grilled cheese and a bag of jalapeño Miss Vickie’s chips every time. The Gilchrist staff truly makes you feel like you’re part of the family.

90 May/June 2019

Come visit our new facility, including the new Spa Cahaba

2279 VALLEYDALE RD. SUITE 100 HOOVER, AL 35244

Holly Gunn MD, FAAD

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92 May/June 2019