Tuscaloosa Magazine Winter 2015

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also inside: gift guide Heritage House winter fasHion Holiday wines 6 intriguing people + MucH More!

www.tuscaloosamag.com $3.95

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editor’s letter

Editor Michelle Lepianka Carter Design Editor Janet Sudnik Director of Photography Michelle Lepianka Carter Photographers Gary Cosby Jr. Robert Sutton

Operations Director Paul Hass Advertising Director Lynnie Guzman Marketing Director Sam Kirkwood Prepress Manager Chuck Jones Published by The Tuscaloosa News 315 28th Avenue Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Executive Editor Michael James Controller Steve Hopper Magazine 205-722-0232 To advertise 205-722-0173 To subscribe 205-722-0102

Halifa M E D I A

4 172

G R O U P

PHOTOS | ROBERT SUTTON

Copy Editors Amy Robinson Ernie Shipe

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ABOVE AND LEFT: Young dancers rehearse for The Dance Initiative’s performance of the beloved Disney feature “Frozen.” See how the whole production comes together, from costumes to choreography, beginning on Page 70.

ello! The seasons are changing and so is the staff of Tuscaloosa magazine.

Some of you may recognize me from my work here as a photographer and as the magazine’s fashion stylist. Adding to my pile of hats, I am also the new magazine editor. Additionally, we welcome Gary Cosby Jr. of Decatur to our staff as chief photographer for The Tuscaloosa News, who will contribute to Tuscaloosa magazine. Despite these happy changes, there is the bittersweet side of saying goodbye and good luck to my longtime mentor and friend, Robert Sutton. Robert worked at The Tuscaloosa News for 15 years and on Tuscaloosa magazine since it began 13 years ago. He has moved on to be a sports photographer at the University of Alabama. While he will no longer serve as magazine editor and director of photography, you can still enjoy his photography in this issue as a contributor.

In fact, Robert is the lead photographer for this issue’s cover story featuring The Dance Initiative’s upcoming production of “Frozen” (Page 70).

To put you in the holiday spirit, we take a look inside Gorman and Jeanne Houston’s home decorated for Christmas (Page 46) and offer a variety of local gift ideas for everyone in our Gift Guide (Page 30). Looking to warm up with a nice cup of joe? Local favorite Heritage House is bigger and better in its new location, and still serving its tasty beverages along with a broader food menu, and unique gifts (Page 8). Our own “Snooty Foodie,” Donna Cornelius, also has some unique gift ideas and tasty recipes perfect for guests in this edition’s Foodie News (Page 24) And continuing in Tuscaloosa magazine tradition, we give you a look into the lives of 6 Intriguing People (Page 89) and fun times in our On The Scene section (Page 102) I look forward to bringing you all Tuscaloosa has to offer! Happy holidays!

Reach Michelle Lepianka Carter at Michelle.Carter@ tuscaloosanews. com.

Follow us online on Facebook and Twitter!

WE HELPED JOHN’S HEART KEEP PERFECT RHYTHM. HIS FEET ARE A DIFFERENT STORY.

John Gray had a heart rhythm problem for 30 years. His doctor told him a procedure called cardiac ablation could correct his problem, but he was scared, and the procedure wasn’t available locally. Then he met board certified Cardiac Electrophysiologist Nada Memon, M.D., who returned to Tuscaloosa in 2014 after practicing medicine in St. Louis and Houston.

“I met Dr. Memon and had confidence in her,” says John. “She’s a hometown girl. Her staff is great. She’s great. She’s great for Tuscaloosa. There was no need to go to Birmingham.”

Dr. Memon performed an atrial fibrillation ablation on John at DCH Regional Medical Center’s Electrophysiology Lab. She has expertise in performing this procedure and now brings it to West Alabama.

“I had the procedure [in August 2014] and l’ve felt good ever since,” says John. “The procedure was easy. I arrived at DCH in the morning and went home the next day.”

Now John is back to dancing with his wife. She still tells him his feet are out of rhythm, but at least his heart can keep the beat.

To make an appointment or for more information about atrial fibrillation, call 759-6921. No physician referral is required.

dchsystem.com/cardiac

Nada Memon, MD, FACC, FHRS

Cardiac Electrophysiology of Alabama

John Gray

Cardiac Patient

“I was scared to have a cardiac ablation, but everything went great!

If I knew it was this easy I would have done it years ago.” – John Gray

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Read more about John at dchsystem.com/stories

winTer 2015

VOLUME 13, NO. 4

contents

46 08 dining ouT

20

64 24 Foodie newS

A look inside Heritage House at its new location and menu.

The latest in local food, trends, recipes and epicurean events.

15 SpiriTS

30 giFT guide

46 holiday

Gorman and Jeanne Houston share their Christmas collections.

50 FaShion

Holiday tasting lets guests sample wine for gifting or getting.

Gift ideas for him, her and the little ones this holiday season.

Winter fashions that give edge to “The Little Black Dress.”

20 around Town

40 aT home

64 perSonaliTy

Farm-to-table fare created by local Teresa Suttle invites you to be her chefs featuring local produce. guest at her Centreville B&B.

Ginger Gilmore cares for athletes on the field and in the stable.

on The cover The beloved Disney film “Frozen” has quickly become a modern classic. Now, Tuscaloosa’s The Dance Initiative is interpreting the tale of sisterly love through dance. Auditions began in August, and now the wintry tale is ready for audiences.

See how the production came together and took a village, from set construction to costume design.

Photo by: Michelle Lepianka Carter see story: Page 70

6

Forevermark diamond and 18K white gold pendant necklace, $2,195, from Hudson-Poole Fine Jewelers.

2016 HoliDaY gift guide! this season, shop local when you’re looking to stuff stockings, find that perfect gift for friends and loved ones and celebrate the holidays. We’ve gathered some of the season’s most-wanted items.

Page 30.

70 coveR stoRy

89 6 intRiguing people

78 good deeds

102 on the scene

82 music

122 last look

The Dance Initiative presents new holiday classic “Frozen.”

Fair Hope Foundation helps students affected by cancer.

50

Meet six folks who are making a difference in our communities.

The best bashes, parties and charity events of the season.

This year, the ladies are leading UA’s Million Dollar Band.

A wintry snapshot from our city as we look ahead to the season.

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40

7

dining out

common

ground HERITAGE HoUSE CoFFEE & TEA GETTING GooD BUZZ SINCE MoVING To ITS NEW HoME

BY dOnna COrnelius pHOtOs BY miCHelle lepianka Carter

i

t’s 1 p.m. on a Friday and Heritage House is buzzing.

Customers are queued up for lattes, mochas and hot tea. Women in tennis gear chat over kale-quinoa salads and ampedup club sandwiches. College students sit at tables with an iPad in one hand and a scone in the other.

Heritage House opened more than a decade ago as a coffee shop. Today, owner Rebekah Wanstall gives a warm welcome to folks who want breakfast, lunch, pastries or just a place to chill out for a while.

“I’m the third owner of the store,” Wanstall said. “A friend and I bought it. She got out, I stayed in.”

Heritage House started out in Northport’s Essex Square Marketplace shopping center.

Last November, Wanstall moved her business down the road to 700 Towncenter Blvd. The new place has more — well, perks.

“The old store had 1,200 square feet,” she said. “The total space here is about 4,000.”

Wanstall said another reason for choosing her new space, previously occupied by Alabama Outdoors, was to be able to have a drive-through, something she couldn’t do at her old building. She also put in a commercial kitchen.

“We just had a small kitchen in the other store,” she said. “We had pastries delivered.

8

dining out Here, we can do breakfast, lunch and desserts. Later, we plan to start having dinner.”

Wanstall grew up in Tuscaloosa.

“My dad was a professor at the University of Alabama,” she said. “I married a Navy guy, so we moved around the first 10 years of our marriage.”

Wanstall was the librarian at American Christian Academy in Tuscaloosa and taught home economics there for three years.

“My mother had a degree in home ec from that ‘other school’ — Auburn — and made everything herself from scratch,” she said. “She taught me how to cook.”

Wanstall changed careers when a good friend suggested that the two find a business they could run together.

“My daughter had worked for Heritage House’s previous owner,” she said. “When we found out she was going to sell, I called my friend. We thought this sounded so fun. I’d always loved coffee; my friend didn’t drink coffee at all.

“We really didn’t know what we were doing,” she said, laughing.

LEFT: A BLT and cup of tomato bisque are part of the coffee shop’s expanded menu.

BELOW: A mocha topped with crushed peppermint.

BOTTOM: The new space is more than twice as large as the old location, offering more spots for patrons to study, work or just relax.

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP: An espresso shot is poured at the new Heritage House location.

BELOW: The shop sells a variety of whole and ground coffee beans.

w

anstall set out to make sure Heritage House was more than just a coffee shop.

When the store moved, she took advantage of the opportunity to warm up its atmosphere.

“I found pictures of what I wanted and went to an architect,” she said. “It was going to be just one big room.”

Instead, the store is divided into two large rooms, with tables and several smaller rooms for more intimate gatherings.

“We rent our large room out,” Wanstall said. “You can have private parties here. We’ve had rehearsal dinners, baby showers and tea parties for kids. We have a conference room also, and it stays full.”

Her architect suggested adding a feature that Wanstall said customers seem to love: a fireplace.

“People say this place is kind of like a house,” she said.

UA students Mary Sanders and

>> 9

M A K I NG YOU R

Dreams A Reality

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dining out

TOP: the atmosphere of the new location is homey, with accents like this fireplace to make patrons feel welcome.

ABOVE: you can take your favorite blend home with you from the gift shop.

RIGHT: Chocolate chip muffins dusted with powdered sugar are a perfect complement to a mug of coffee.

Kiana Winston said Heritage House’s atmosphere appeals to them as do the food and drinks. They often come to study and have lunch.

“This has more of a homey feel to it than a chain coffee shop,” said Sanders, a junior from Prattville.

“I usually get the spring salad or chicken salad. And I really like their flavored coffee. You can get healthy options — but their pastries are tempting.”

Winston, a sophomore from Fort Worth, Texas, said she’s a fan of the turkey sausage breakfast burrito.

“It’s different to come here to study instead of at the library or in my room,” she said.

Freeman Payne, a Clemson University student, was at Heritage House during a visit to his girlfriend, UA sophomore Sydney Erickson.

“I like the old-timey feel here,” Payne said. “It’s quiet, and the food is fantastic.”

Erickson said the Heritage House staff is “super nice, super friendly.”

“And the coffee is incredible,” she said.

Wanstall said some of her most popular menu items are French toast made with homemade cinnamon bread, pancakes, the California club sandwich, the spring salad and the avocado open-face sandwich.

“Our No. 1 breakfast item is baked oatmeal with fruit,” she said. “If people say they don’t like oatmeal, I say, ‘Just try it.’ Ours has a crunchy top, and we add strawberries or bananas or both.”

Of course, there’s no shortage of coffee.

“We have someone who roasts our coffee for us,” Wanstall said. “We have eight to 10 roasts, from light

>> 11

dining out

to dark, and about 35 to 40 different flavors. We can sell whole bean or grind the beans for you.”

Specialty drinks include peppermint mocha; Snowflake Royale with butter pecan, chocolate, espresso and milk; and the Bama Blitz with cinnamon, vanilla, coffee and steamed milk. There are plenty of options for tea lovers, too.

“We make everything here,” Wanstall said. “We don’t serve anything packaged. Most of our eggs are local. And we have someone local who grinds her own wheat, bakes the bread and brings it in.”

Heritage House is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. It’s closed on Sundays, when a church meets there.

The store manager is Vicki Miller.

“Vicki has been with me for 10 years,” Wanstall said. “She’s my right arm. I’ve also hired a lot of former ACA students.”

Heritage House offers gift items, something that started at the old store. There’s also a special section with a more spiritual purpose: a prayer wall. Customers can write down prayer requests on blank tags and hang them on nails.

“Each of our employees is assigned a nail,” Wanstall said. “We’ve gotten all kinds of requests, from kids asking us to pray for their dogs to people who write, ‘My friend has cancer.’ ” She said the prayer wall is a natural fit.

“I credit all this to God,” she said. “I feel like he’s done amazing things here. Moving was a huge risk. Sometimes customers don’t 12

TOP LEFT: Steamed milk is poured into a cappuccino cup.

TOP: a photo collage decorates the walls of the coffee shop.

CENTER: Fresh roasted coffee beans are available in a variety of flavors.

ABOVE: the sign from the shop’s original location hangs inside the new location.

dining out

TOP RIGHT: A wall of prayer requests written by customers hangs at the shop.

ABOVE: Coffee mugs and other home decor items are for sale.

RIGHT: Fresh pastries and sweets tempt customers at Heritage House. A larger location allowed for a new commercial kitchen to be installed, and in turn more menu options.

follow you. But we’ve heard that this is now more of a destination than our old store was.”

Many customers pop in often, Wanstall said.

“We have our regulars,” she said. “We don’t try to rush people in and out. We’re like Cheers — without the alcohol.”

While Wanstall has had good experiences since she bought Heritage House, her daughter, Elizabeth, may have a better reason to love the store.

“When she worked here, a guy who was studying law came in every day,” Wanstall said. “They ended up getting married.”

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spirits

HoL DAY

jennifer and matthew bologna’s annual holiday tasting gives hundreds of choices to wine-lovers and newbies alike

spirits

by donna cornelius photos by michelle lepianka carter

15

spirits

s

pirits Wine Cellar’s annual holiday tasting drew people with varying degrees of wine savviness, from gurus to newbies. Guests’ tastes were different, too.

Some at the Oct. 29 event were partial to pinot noir, others were firmly in the riesling camp, and a few bubbly souls headed straight for the champagne.

But few among the festive crowd came as well-prepared as Laila and Mark Marker. The Tuscaloosa couple sported WineYokes, which are lanyards with holders for glasses.

“The first time we saw these, we thought, how silly,” Mark Marker said.

But going to wine tastings and juggling wine glasses and food plates made the Tuscaloosa couple rethink the contraptions.

“We went to World Market and bought some,” he said.

Jennifer and Matthew Bologna own Spirits, which has stores on Rice Mine Road in Tuscaloosa and McFarland Boulevard in Northport.

Jennifer Bologna said this was the store’s ninth year to host the holiday tasting.

“We started it in 2007 as an idea for a special event,” she said. “We host weekly wine tastings and thought it would be fun to expand on the idea.”

This year’s tasting was at the Tuscaloosa River Market. Bologna said past events have been at places like Hotel Capstone, the University Club and, the first year, at Chuck’s Fish on the restaurant’s private floor.

“We’ve moved it to keep it fresh and interesting and to accommodate the crowd,” she said.

About 400 people turned out this year. Wine distributors brought nearly 300 wines, a marked increase from 85 wines the first year, Jennifer Bologna said.

“All five of our distributors are from Alabama: Alabama Crown Distributing Co., Grassroots Wine Wholesalers, International Wines, Pinnacle Imports and United-Johnson Brothers,” she said.

Also manning the tables were 17 suppliers — the people from whom the distributors buy wine. The suppliers shared not only their companies’ wines but also backstories, trivia and other information intriguing to oenophiles.

At the Pinnacle Imports table was Tim Willard, Southeast regional sales manager for European Sellers. He held up a bottle of Domaine Lafage Bastide Miraflors and praised its maker, Jean Marc Lafage.

“Lafage is one of those iconic producers who’s the envy of a lot of winemakers,” Willard said. “His trademark is making wines that are very inexpensive but score in the 90s.”

Lee Delchamps, International Wines district manager, touted one of

16

TOP: hors d’oeuvres for the wine tasting were prepared by kathie and Jim Simpson of one Stop Weddings and parties.

ABOVE: each guest at the tasting received a riedel wine glass to use for the event and to take home.

spirits his favorites, Lallier Grand Reserve Brut Champagne. Mary Jane Moore, an International sales representative, offered another cool choice: Bollinger Champagne. It’s been featured in almost every James Bond movie since “Live and Let Die.” “The Bollinger was a hit — maybe because it’s James Bond’s Champagne of choice or maybe because we only open those special bottles for Spirits’ holiday tasting,” Moore said after the event.

For a special gift, Delchamps and Moore also recommended the Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Its regular price is $114.99, but it was on sale at the tasting for $104.99. One of the tasting’s features is reduced prices on every wine at the event.

Delchamps and Moore had ideas for those looking for something less pricey.

The Owen Roe Sharecropper’s Pinot Noir and the Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc are both in the $20 range, Moore said.

At the Grassroots table was distributor Brandon Parker, who works for Bodegas Riojanas in Spain.

“It’s a family-owned winery that started in 1890,” Parker said. “The Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real Gran Reserva Rioja is one of our most coveted wines. We sent only 80 cases to the entire United States.”

Rachel Martin’s family-owned winery is a little newer than the one Parker represents. Boxwood Estate Winery in Middleburg, Va., was established in 2005, she said.

“As of 2015, we’re producing about 3,500 cases,” said Parker, who said she was visiting Alabama for the first time.

Don Richwagen, regional sales manager for Justin Vineyards and Winery and for Landmark Vineyards, greeted tasters at the United-Johnson Brothers table.

“The Landmark Overlook Chardonnay was the first chardonnay to score 90 or

>>

RIGHT: Guests could choose from nearly 300 wines at the popular event, an increase from the first event nine years ago, when 85 were offered.

Me r r y C h r i st m a s

1825 McFarland Blvd N N, Ste B Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 205-344-6543 17

spirits SpiritS wine cellar haS Two ShopS in TuScalooSa. For direcTionS and hourS, viSiT www.SpiriTS winecellar. com.

RIGHT: Guests sample a variety of wines during the event, which was hosted at the Tuscaloosa river Market. Spirits owners Matt and Jennifer bologna change the location each year to give the event a different flavor.

Tuscaloosa

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FOR

YEARS.

PROUDLY SERVING

Regions and Tuscaloosa go way back. For the past 150 years, we’ve been providing banking services to help Tuscaloosa grow. Every day, we make loans, provide safe harbor for your deposits, help businesses stay strong, and make it easier for you to save time and money.

© 2015 Regions Bank. All deposit accounts subject to terms and conditions of the Regions Deposit Agreement. All loans, lines of credit and credit cards are subject to credit approval.

18

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For the Regions leadership team of Tuscaloosa, work isn’t confined to the bank or behind a desk. We’re active both personally and professionally in our community. This helps us get to know our neighbors better so we can offer them the best financial solutions possible. And being able to help people move their lives forward is what makes everything we do worth it.

spirits

LEFT: A variety of cheeses and fresh fruits that pair well with wine were provided by one Stop Weddings and parties.

CENTER: Wine distributers were on hand to talk about their offerings, give recommendations and make gift suggestions for the upcoming holidays.

BOTTOM: Dave Anderson, with Alabama Crown Distributing Co., pours a glass of white wine for barbie perry.

above more than 15 times by Wine Spectator magazine,” he said. “It’s one of a dozen wines that’s always in the White House.”

Bryan Starr from Moet Hennessy USA showed off his company’s stylishly boxed Ruinart Champagne.

“Ruinart was the first established Champagne house in all of France — in 1727,” Starr said.

Alabama Crown’s Jason Moon, a sales representative in the Tuscaloosa and Northport area, said the Spirits tasting is “one of my favorite events.”

“We have 58 different wines here, from everywhere from New Zealand to California,” he said.

He said Browne Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, made in Washington’s Columbia Valley, and Diora Pinot Noir, made in Monterey, Calif., make appealing gifts.

“Both are very good value,” he said.

A group from the University of Alabama School of Music played jazz at the event. And there was no shortage of food from Kathie Simpson of One Stop Weddings and Parties.

Her husband, Jim Simpson, who’s retired from the Tuscaloosa Police Department, stir-fried fresh vegetables on an oversized wok. The menu also included sliced beef and pork tenderloin, New Orleans-style sausage and shrimp jambalaya, shrimp cocktail, a mashed potato and sweet potato bar, and a Mediterranean-style cheese display.

Friends and co-workers Joyce Lofton of Tuscaloosa and Janet McKemie from Hale County said they’ve been coming to the tasting since it started.

“Spirits used to have wine tasting classes, and I took one,” Lofton said. “It made me like red wines. I like pinot noir and tawny port.”

McKemie said she likes “mostly white wines.”

“I can’t convert her to red,” Lofton said.

Aurelia and Chip Swann of Northport said they like going to Spirits’ weekly wine tastings.

“But this is our first time to come to this event,” Aurelia Swann said. “We saw a poster about it at Spirits and were intrigued.”

The many choices of wines to sample didn’t intimidate the couple, she said.

“It’s not overwhelming,” she said. “It’s just fun.”

19

around town

garden

party

CHEFS, FARMERS MAKE PERFECT PAIRINGS FoR THE DRUID CITY GARDEN PRoJECT

BY DoNNA CoRNELIUS PHoToS BY MICHELLE LEPIANKA CARTER

Sweet potato agnolotti with toasted almonds, sage brown butter and shaved asiago cheese from the Side

by Side with produce from aa Farm Creamery.

20

around town

Y

ou’ve heard of farm-totable. How about a farm-tofood festival?

Druid City Garden Project matched chefs with farmers at its annual Garden Party on Oct. 4 at the University of Alabama’s Smith Hall.

Eight restaurants and 14 farms participated, offering guests food with local flavor. Three breweries got in on the act, too.

For the event, DCGP asked farmers and chefs to collaborate on dishes that take advantage of what the farms have to offer. For example, AA Farm Creamery in Millbrook provided dairy products for The Side by Side restaurant to use in its sweet potato agnolotti. Jim ’N Nick’s Bar-B-Q cooked up slow-smoked beef brisket tacos, with meat from Black Angus Beef in Eutaw.

Cameron Kizzire, DCGP’s public relations and graphic design coordinator, said her group tries to come up with logical farmer-chef combinations. Sometimes the partnerships are based on existing relationships; sometimes, they’re blind dates.

“If farmers work with certain restaurants on a regular basis, we try to pair them up,” Kizzire said. “If they don’t, it’s a great opportunity for a possible partnership. The chef might say to the farmer, ‘Here’s what I’d like to make. Do you have enough okra?’ They work together based on what the farmers can commit to.”

The Side by Side at Tuscaloosa’s Embassy Suites was the “premiere restaurant” at this year’s Garden Party, Kizzire said.

She said the DCGP approached The Side by Side about headlining the event because it’s one of the newest restaurants in town and because consulting chef Chris Hastings is “all about farm-to-table and eating local.”

Vincent Hunter, Embassy Suites food and beverage director, said the Garden Party was the first big community event for The Side by Side. The restaurant opened March 3.

“Chef Hastings is tied to the land,” Hunter said. “He’s truly committed to farm-to-table. When he learned about what Druid City Garden Project does, he was excited about it. It couldn’t have been a better fit.”

DCGP uses gardens to teach nutritional information and tries to making learning fun for students.

“The Garden Party is our largest fundraiser to fund gardens in schools,” Kizzire said. “The money we raise goes

>>

TOP: Guests mingle and enjoy a variety of food during the annual Garden Party at Smith Hall on the University of Alabama campus.

ABOVE: Deviled eggs prepared by Kozy’s Fine Dining with spicy jalapeños and herbs, from Snow’s Bend Farm, and eggs from Lar-Ren’s Farm.

LEFT: Seared yellowfin tuna with caponata featuring farm-fresh squash, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes, olives and torn basil from The Side by Side with produce from Belle Meadow Farm.

21

around town

directly to our Gardens 2 Schools program.”

The Side by Side also worked with Belle Meadow Farm in Tuscaloosa and George Family Farm in Eclectic.

Other teams at the party were Chuck’s Fish paired with Spencer Farms in Marion, Hotel Capstone with Miss Emily’s Tomatoes in Coker, The Levee Bar and Grill with B&S Farms in Brent, and Mary’s Cakes and Pastries with two Coker farms: Jean and Carol’s U-Pick and Snow’s Bend Farm.

Those restaurants, along with The Side by Side and Jim ’N Nick’s, served guests small plates at cooking stations. Two other restaurants passed their food on trays. Southern Ale House joined forces with Hepzibah Farms in Marion to offer cups of stewed okra and tomatoes.

Kozy’s Fine Dining cooked up deviled eggs with jalapenos and herbs, with eggs from Lar-Ren’s Farm in Cottondale and produce from Snow’s Bend.

Taco Mama had a table with chips, salsa and lemonade for children — although a few big folks sneaked a bite or two.

Johnson’s Greenhouses, Hepzibah Farms and DCGP brightened Smith Hall with fresh flowers. Dan’s Produce participated in the event, too.

“All the restaurants came up with dishes that were very reflective of what they do,” Kizzire said.

Band of Brothers, Black Warrior Brewing Co. and Druid City Brewing Co. made special brews with herbs grown by Druid City Garden Project.

“We’ve had three breweries at the party before, but this year was the best yet because all three are local,” Kizzire said. “Most of what we grow goes to school farm stands and to farmers markets. We don’t have the volume to contribute to restaurants. This was a way to use our herbs in a way that’s really cool.”

Eric Hull, a co-owner of Black Warrior Brewing Co., said his brewery enjoys participating in community events.

“We especially like the concept of what Druid City Garden Project is doing in the city and in the schools,” Hull said.

The beer Black Warrior made for the party turned out to be a hot 22

around town OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP LEFT: Blueberry gelato from Mary’s Cakes and Pastries prepared with hand-picked blueberries from Jean and Carol’s U-Pick, and crispy kabocha squash cookies with pumpkin, squash and fall spices featuring produce from Snow’s Bend Farm.

CENTER: Fresh pea Hoppin’ John made with black crowder peas, onion, garlic, cubanelle and piquillo peppers and bacon served over white rice from Chuck’s Fish with produce from Spencer Farms in Marion.

BOTTOM: Guests try the beef brisket tacos from Jim ‘N Nicks featuring meat from Black Angus Beef.

number in more ways than one.

“We put habaneros and basil in our blonde ale,” Hull said. “We’ve used hot peppers before, but not basil. It helped cut the heat.”

Ryan Stallings, DCGP board of directors president, said he was “very pleased” with the response to this year’s Garden Party.

“The food was excellent,” he said. “I probably ate more than I needed to eat.”

Stallings said he got involved with DCGP after meeting its executive director, Lindsay Turner, at a Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa meeting.

“I saw the difference it made in kids,” Stallings said. “I visited classrooms and saw the kids eating beets and getting excited about kohlrabi. You can see tangible results.”

This was the fourth year DCGP has hosted the Garden Party. Past events have been at the Historic L&N Station and Tuscaloosa River Market.

“This year, we wanted to try something new,” Kizzire said. “Smith Hall was a great option because it reinforced our relationship with the University of Alabama.”

Guests could explore exhibits on three floors of Smith Hall, which houses the Alabama Museum of Natural History.

The new venue wasn’t the only change for this year’s fundraiser.

“Last year, one complaint we got was that some restaurants ran out of food,” Kizzire said. “This year, we lowered the amount of tickets we sold.

“Guests got to have have local flavors — without limits.”

To keep up with news about next year’s Garden Party, check the DCGP Facebook page or visit www.druidcity gardenproject.org.

TOP LEFT: Nick Watkins prepares a beef brisket taco from Jim ‘N Nick’s.

TOP RIGHT: Guests mingle at the event.

ABOVE: Sausage gumbo served over Carolina Gold rice with Gulf shrimp from The Side by Side with produce from George Family Farm.

LEFT: Tyler Ales, a sous chef at The Side

by Side, prepares small plates of the restaurant’s food at the event.

23

foodie news by donna cornelius, the snooty foodie | photos by michelle lepianka carter

friday night bites

T

GIF took on a whole new meaning for me once we started making Friday our regular night to meet friends for dinner.

Picture nicely dressed women and fairly well-cleaned-up men, all gathered around a table at a softly lit restaurant. There’s wine on the table or maybe craft beer. The conversation is lively and interrupted only by the arrival of the food.

Hold that thought bubble in your head before I pop it.

There are a few little blips in that dream sequence. First is the big decision: where to eat. Some in our happy group are foodies; others are solidly in the meat-and-potatoes camp. A few of us are adventurous eaters, while some have a violent aversion to anything made with kale, quinoa or similarly trendy ingredients.

Then we have to eliminate the places on our “So-and-So Won’t Eat There” list. I regret to say that some restaurants in Tuscaloosa are off-limits for our group, because someone has had a bad experience there. The service was surly, the noise level was deafening, the steak was too well done/rare, Diner X got overcharged. I never realized how many ways there were for a restaurant to get on the bad list.

Often, we head to downtown T-Town with the intention of eating at a particular restaurant. This introduces another problem: parking. Sorry, city fathers and mothers, but we don’t want to park in that big old parking deck. That’s too easy. We want to make continuous loops along University Boulevard, Greensboro Avenue and every blessed little side street until we happen to luck up and spot a car pulling out of an on-street space. It’s the thrill of the hunt, maybe.

Once everyone has secured a parking space, which usually means everyone is running late, we converge on our restaurant of the night. Let’s say it’s DePalma’s. Everybody likes the food there, especially my husband, to whom the breadsticks are the staff of life. But if the wait is more than an hour, chaos ensues. Can we find a seat in the waiting area, which is about the size of a phone booth? If not, is the weather nice enough so we can loiter around outside? Exactly how long can we wait without breaking out the lint-covered Tic Tacs from the bottom of somebody’s purse?

If the estimated wait time at DePalma’s is over our limit, and if the waiting area is crowded, and if it’s raining/sleeting/freezing/sweltering, we move to the next choice on our list. We send emissaries to Sweet Home Food Bar, to Epiphany, to Five Bar. Runners head out to Mugshots, Mellow Mushroom, The Side By Side, Taco Mama. These jobs usually go to the men. It’s hard to dash around downtown in heels, after all.

Once our spies have reported in — “Thirty minutes at Chuck’s Fish if we go right this minute,” which would work if we could all disapparate a la Harry Potter — we have another confab. Of course, often by this time a table at DePalma’s or whichever restaurant was our original intended destination has miraculously become available.

We eat. Then we reward ourselves with treats for which you seldom have to wait: Steel City Pops.

Special deliveries birmingham-based nourish makes it easy to eat healthy

N

eed a gift for someone who’s following a paleo or clean-eating diet but don’t know what that means?

Friends Tiffany Vickers Davis and Mary Drennen do, and they know how to make healthy food delicious. They met when both worked at Cooking Light magazine in Birmingham. Last November, they teamed up to form Nourish, a food delivery company that sends almost ready-to-eat healthy meals all over the country.

All dishes come in containers that can safely go into the microwave or oven, which simplifies meal preparation for students or others who don’t have access to full-blown kitchens.

You can visit www.nourishpurepaleo. com or www.nourish-foods.com to see menus and food photos and to choose delivery dates. It’s easy to order for yourself or for your favorite healthconscious foodie — and there’s no extra charge for deliveries.

- Donna

Donna Cornelius writes about food (and other stuff) from her home in Tuscaloosa. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @blonderavenous. If you have great recipes to share, restaurants to recommend or any other ideas or comments that have to do with the wonderful world of food, email her at donnawcornelius@gmail.com.

24

photo | stephen devries

foodie news

Seasonal sips S

o the family is coming to your house for Christmas? If you’re smart, you’ve farmed out dishes.

Your mom is making the turkey and dressing, Aunt Mary is contributing her sweet potato casserole, and Cousin Sue is bringing her Jell-O and fruit cocktail salad that nobody likes except your 4-year-old nephew.

Really, you’re not going to have to do much at all.

But to get that host of the year award, make everyone feel merry by whipping up two festive drinks.

One of my favorite foodie websites is The Kitchn.

(Yes, I realize the “e” is missing here.) That’s where I found this easy recipe for eggnog. One note: I switched the milk and cream amounts, using one cup whole milk and two cups heavy cream. Hey, live a little — it’s the holidays! I just wish I had some moose-antler cups to serve it in, like the Griswolds on “Christmas Vacation.”

One note: Don’t get lazy and use already-grated nutmeg. It takes just seconds to grate it fresh and make a noticeable difference taste-wise.

St. Nick’s Sparkler I’m calling this next drink a St. Nick’s Sparkler. Yes, I am fond of alliteration, and yes, I made up that name.

All you need are a sparkling wine like Prosecco, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, a few rosemary stalks and some pomegranate seeds. Those cooks who are more industrious than I am may not know that you can buy little containers of ready-to-go pomegranate seeds at most grocery stores.

For each serving, combine the sparkling wine and the liqueur in a glass.

I use about 3 ounces of champagne and 1 ounce of the elderflower liqueur.

Drop in a few pomegranate seeds and then pop in a rosemary sprig.

I’m thinking tired Santas might appreciate this more than cookies.

The KiTchn’s homemade eggnog Ingredients: 6 large eggs 1 cup sugar 2 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream optional: ½ to 1½ cups bourbon, rum, cognac or a mix Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving Directions: Separate the eggs. Put the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another. Cover the whites and refrigerate until you need them.

Whisk the yolks with the sugar, either by hand or with a mixer.

Whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy and has turned a lemon-yellow color.

Whisk in the milk, cream and liquor, if you’re using it, until combined.

Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour. Non-alcoholic eggnog should be consumed within a day. Eggnog with ½ to 1 cup liquor will keep for several days. Eggnog with 1½ cups liquor will keep for several weeks.

Just before serving, whisk the reserved egg whites in a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer at high speed until the whites form stiff peaks.

Fold the egg whites into the eggnog.

Transfer the eggnog to a pitcher, punch bowl or individual glasses.

Grate nutmeg over the top before serving.

This recipe makes about 6 cups, but it’s easy to increase or decrease the number of servings.

One warning: This recipe obviously contains raw eggs. If you’re scared of that, visit www.thekitchn.com and search for the “homemade eggnog” cooking lesson. You’ll find a cooked version there.

25

PROTECT THIS LAND O u r Com mu n it y. O ur Env i ron me nt .

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foodie news

good^-to^-eat^ Gifts^ I

n her later years, my grandmother would sternly warn us at the start of the holiday season: “Don’t get me any dust-catchers.” By this she meant she didn’t need any more candles, frames or decorative hand towels with clever sayings stitched on them.

You’ve probably got folks on your gift list — neighbors, teachers, party hosts — who also have plenty of doodads and knickknacks. So give them an edible present. We found plenty of cool food items right here in T-Town. They won’t cost you a fortune. They’re also handy for Dirty Santa swaps and make great stocking stuffers. And they won’t gather dust because they’ll be eaten too fast. g Bittermilk handcrafted cocktail mixers are the best in the world (this is not official — just one woman’s humble opinion). Bittermilk No. 2 is a Tom Collins mixer with elderflowers and hops. There’s also a No. 1 that makes a great Old-Fashioned. They’re at The Fresh Market. g Everyone loves a tasty start to Christmas

morning. Having World Market’s my Favorite Pancake and Waffle mixes on hand makes breakfast-making easier, and the gingerbread version adds some holiday spice. g Pickles with a Purpose were created to help 9-year-old Luke Colm of Marietta, Ga., raise money to help buy a house for a homeless friend. The pickles are crispy, flavorful and aid a good cause. At Anna Kate & Co. g This prettily packaged cheese and sea salt caramel straw assortment comes in a collectible Gail Pittman tin. The treats are from the Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory. At Beverly’s Décor and More. g Elki’s Basil Pesto, Black olive and Feta crostini spread can be teamed with a loaf of French bread so your gift recipient can have an almost-ready-to-eat treat. At Heritage House. g crimson Pride coffee, also from Heritage House, comes in sample-sized bags to tuck into stockings. You’ll get cheers from Bama fans with this spirited flavor. g authentic French chocolate swirl Brioche:

What more is there to say?

Only that The Fresh Market also has a cream cheese version. Good luck choosing. g Local honey is supposed to have all kinds of healthful benefits. But the main attraction of harrell & sons honey, which comes from Hayneville, may be that it’s way yummier than the supermarket stuff. At Capitol Park Antiques, Interiors and Gardens. g To market to market dip mixes like Popeye’s Passion (no extra spinach required) and Roma’s Burning! (with roasted Roma tomatoes and garlic) will add a kick to any party. At Heritage House. g Think ahead to New Year’s Day, when it’s traditional to eat black-eyed peas for good luck.

Edgar’s Bakery offers a deliciously delicious way to do this with its Blackeye Pea salsa.

Just add a bag of chips and get ready to get rich in 2016.

Back row, from left: Pickles with a Purpose, Bittermilk, Gingerbread Waffle Mix, Cheese and Sea Salt Caramel Straw Assortment, Edgar’s Blackeye Pea Salsa, Elki Basil Pesto, Black Olive and Feta Crostini Spread.

Front: Heritage House Crimson Pride Coffee, Authentic French Chocolate Swirl Brioche, Harrell & Sons Honey, To Market To Market dip mixes.

27

foodie news

Tasty bites from the B&B menu TempT your holiday gueSTS wiTh TheSe recipeS From The vance-elliSon houSe

G

uests at B&B establishments expect a delicious experience when they gather for breakfast. Your own family and friends won’t complain if you give them similar treatment, especially during the holidays.

Vance-Ellison house owner Teresa Suttle, innkeeper Betty Beam and Suttle’s friend Dana Camp have come up with some go-to recipes that are good whether they’re served morning, noon or night. Combine all four for a complete meal, or pick and choose which ones you’ll make. (Read more about the B&B, Page 40)

Ham + asparagus strata Dana Camp’s make-ahead dish can headline your menu for a holiday brunch or a gameday spread. Bonus: It’s the perfect way to use that leftover Christmas ham.

Ingredients: 8 ounces asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 5 cups French bread cubes 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded gruyere or white cheddar cheese 1 ⁄2 cup chopped onion ¼ cup chopped fresh chives or green onions 1½ cups (8 ounces) cooked ham, coarsely chopped 10 eggs 1½ cups milk Directions: Grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish; set aside. In a medium saucepan, cook asparagus in a small amount of boiling salted water about 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain.

Spread half the bread cubes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, onion and chives. Add half the ham and half the asparagus. Top with the remaining bread cubes.

In a medium bowl, combine four of the eggs and the milk. Pour over the layers in the baking dish. Press down gently with the back of a large spoon to moisten all the ingredients. Top with the remaining ham and asparagus. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours.

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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake strata, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Using the back of a wooden spoon, press six indentations into the top of the strata. Break a whole egg into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until eggs are set and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the strata registers 170 degrees.

Let strata stand for 15 minutes before serving.

If desired, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

FresH apple Cake This moist, yummy dessert is a welcome change from super-sweet holiday standards like divinity and peppermint bark (not that there’s anything wrong with those). Suttle said this recipe is another favorite from her high school’s cookbook.

Ingredients: ¾ cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 2 cups sugar 2½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup chopped pecans 3 cups apples, peeled and diced 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions: Mix oil, eggs and sugar. Beat until mixture is creamy. Add flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder to mixture and stir to combine. Add pecans, apples and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour into a Bundt pan sprayed with nonstick baking spray. Bake one hour at 325 degrees.

pumpkin Butter Holiday guests will appreciate your extra effort when you make Teresa Suttle’s seasonally flavored spread. Pumpkin butter makes a thoughtful little gift, too. Gift-bag it up with homemade bread (who are we kidding? Buy some brioche at The Fresh Market) and some really good coffee.

Ingredients: 1 (29-ounce) can pumpkin puree 1 cup brown sugar ¾ cup apple juice 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 ⁄8 teaspoon allspice Juice of half a lemon Directions: Combine all ingredients except lemon juice in a large saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice and let mixture cool. Pour into airtight jars and store in refrigerator.

Curried Fruit Need a dish to take to a neighborhood gathering or an extra side when relatives show up a la Cousin Eddie and expect to be fed? The main ingredients in Teresa Suttle’s kicked-up fruit concoction can be bought ahead of time, stored in your pantry and assembled quickly.

Suttle said the recipe came from her high school’s cookbook and that she’s been making it for more than 30 years.

Ingredients: 1 (15-ounce) can pears 1 (15-ounce) can peaches 1 (15-ounce) can pineapple chunks 1 bottle maraschino cherries ¾ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 ⁄3 cup butter Directions: Preheat over to 325 degrees. Drain fruit for at least 30 minutes. Mix brown sugar and curry powder. Cut all fruit into chunks the size of the pineapple and place in a medium-sized casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the fruit and dot with butter. Cook uncovered for one hour.

Serves 6-8.

foodie news

Delicious dip

EpicurEan EvEnts

Traditional holiday flavors sometimes can be too much of a good thing. (“If I eat anything else remotely sage-flavored, I’m going to scream.”)

While a dip made with avocados, tomatoes and feta cheese may not leap to mind when you’re coming up with Christmas treats, consider this: It’s red and green. Looks seasonal, tastes refreshingly — well, fresh.

This recipe is a favorite from my friend Dana Camp, who also contributed the ham and asparagus strata recipe in this issue.

Handy hint: This dip is yummy in a wrap with leftover turkey.

Dec. 2-6

Christmas on the river Demopolis

This annual Christmas celebration, which has been featured on Food Network and HGTV, includes the Alabama State Barbeque Cook-off.

The contest attracts teams from nine states.

Some 75 judges choose the winner, who’s eligible to compete in the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.

Christmas on the River also includes candlelit tours of historic homes, the Fair in the Square arts and crafts show, a day parade and a nautical night parade and fireworks show. For more information, visit www.demopolisal.gov.

avoCaDo + feta Dip

ingredients: 1 pound tomatoes (about 4 medium), coarsely chopped 3 medium avocados, cubed 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 (8 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

tasteful pairings

Wine and cheese star in the season’s easiest party

Wine and cheese parties might have been designed for the holiday season. There’s no cooking required, and combinations are easy to put together if you know what you’re doing.

Diane Cleven, The Fresh Market’s director of merchandising for deli/prepared foods/ sushi, offered some smart tips for choosing cheeses and wines: Taste first: When you’re shopping during the holiday season, ask for a sample of any Fresh Market cheese. This way, you know exactly what you are buying and if you like the taste.

Wine pairings: For red wines that are full of tannins, go with a fattier cheese such as Brie, St. Andre, St. Angel or Fromager d’Affinois. The protein and fat in the cheeses will combine well with the fullbodied wine.

Sweet wines pair best with salty cheeses such as bleu cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano, aged Gouda or feta.

Match rich, creamy cheeses with buttery,

Tortilla chips directions: Toss together the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk oil and vinegar together in a small bowl; pour over tomato mixture and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with desired amounts of salt and pepper. Serve with tortilla chips. oaky white wines such as chardonnay or even sparkling wines like Champagne.

Fresh cheeses such as mozzarella, goat and feta pair best with crisp whites, dry rosés and very light-bodied red wines with low tannins such as pinot noir.

Medium-bodied cheeses such as Gouda, Havarti and Swiss pair well with mediumbodied white wines and fruity red wines.

If you want to pick one wine to go with all types of cheese, choose a dry riesling or Alsatian Gewurztraminer.

Brew, too: A recent trend has been pairing craft beers and ales with cheese.

An easy rule of thumb is to pair pale ales with milder cheeses and darker ales with smoked, aged and stronger cheeses.

What goes with: Because of the rich flavor of cheese, it should always be served with water crackers or plain, crusty bread that will not compete with it. Young cheeses pair well with almost all fresh fruits such as apples, strawberries or grapes. Serve sweet, dried fruits with salty cheeses such as bleu cheese and aged Goudas. Nuts pair well with almost all cheese varieties and offer a good contrast to the texture. Honey is also excellent drizzled over bleu cheese.

Dec. 5

White house Christmas Coffee + Dessert brunCh

montevallo

Former White House Chef Roland Mesnier will return to the American Village for this holiday event. Those who attend can meet Mesnier, who served five U.S. presidents, and sample food made from eight White House recipes. Tickets are $100. Call1-877-811-1776, ext.1031, or email christmas@americanvillage. org for ticket information.

Dec. 12

holiDay home tour + progressive Dinner

mooresville

Open for this event are several historic buildings and six private homes, all decorated in the tradition of Christmases past. The progressive dinner includes two dinner seatings from 3:304:30 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. in the festive town square. Coffee and dessert are served from 4-7 p.m. Tickets are $70. For ticket information, visit www.mooresvilleal.com or call 256-3552683.

Jan. 18-23

Winter Warmer Week huntsville

Eight breweries and more than 10 downtown Huntsville establishments will offer craft beer events every night of this week. Last year’s celebration included restaurant takeovers, beer pairing dinners and trivia contests. For more information, visit www.downtownhuntsville.org.

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2015 Holiday

gift guide we’ve made a list and checked it twice. shop local this holiday season!

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1.

3.

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4.

gift guide

5.

6.

7.

1. Two-tone gold right-hand ring with genuine pavĂŠ diamonds, $3,595; Hudson-Poole Fine Jewelers.

2. White houndstooth 20-ounce Yeti Rambler stainless steel tumbler, $64.99; crimson houndstooth 30-ounce Yeti Ramber, $74.99; Woods & Water.

3. Brooks Adrenaline shoes, $119.99; Wagners Run Walk.

4. Smathers & Branson Southern

8.

States flag belt, $165; The Locker Room.

5. Cotton, wrinkle-free Elephant Wear button-up shirt, $79.99; The Shirt Shop.

6. Bed|Stu Cobbler Series purse, $124.99; Ervin’s Work and Western Wear.

7. Purple pouf keychain by Linda Richards, $60; The Gypsy Spur.

8. Hunter original rain boots, $79.99; boot socks $24.99; Wagners Shoes for Kids.

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gift guide

2.

1.

3.

4.

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5.

gift guide

6.

7.

Don’t forget for those on the nice list

UNIVERSITY Mall GIFT Cards

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1. Personalized boys’ and girls’ Christmas shirts, including name, $20; Katelyn’s Korner.

2. Ginkgo napkin rings by Michael Michaud Design, $65; Potager.

3. Animal skin tray by Cripple Creek, $140; The Gypsy Spur.

4. Santa gift basket, including chocolate-covered popcorn, caramel corn crunch, mint meltaway, $50; Peterbrooke Chocolatier.

5. True Grit fleece, $145; The Shirt Shop.

6. The Northfolk Crossbody, various patterns available,$110; The Locker Room.

7. Ya fur vest, $72; Gypsy Spur.

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gift guide

1.

3.

2.

4.

5.

1. Silver antler candleholder by Napa Home & Garden, $88; The Gypsy Spur.

2. Table art nesting spoon set

by Michael Michaud Design, $45; Potager.

3. Bogs boots, $78.99; Wagners Shoes for Kids.

4. Garmin Forerunner 15 running watch, $139.99; Wagners Run Walk.

5. Yeti Hopper 20 soft-sided cooler, $299.99; Woods & Water.

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gift guide

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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gift guide

8.

1. Liberty black boots, $199.99; Ervin’s Work and Western Wear.

2. Long beaded necklace with druzy stone by Mickey Lynn, $109; Part Two. 3. Round glass decanter by Zodax, $89; Parsa glass decanter by Zodax, $79, marble cake plate, $79; Capitol Park Antiques.

4. Cowhide coasters by Charlie Leather, $4; The Gypsy Spur.

5. Chocolate-covered bottle of soda, $15; Peterbrooke Chocolatier.

6. Mother bowl handmade from Southern red clay, $325; Potager.

7. De-luxe BAIN essential oil rosemary mint liquid soap, $17; Belle Chambre.

8. Cowhide koozies by Judith March, $22; The Gypsy Spur.

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gift guide

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gift guide

7.

6.

8.

9.

10.

1. Cotton, wrinkle-free script “A” Elephant Wear buttonup shirt, $79.99; The Shirt Shop.

2. 14K gold flex bracelets with genuine pavé diamonds; available in white, yellow or rose gold, $3,195 each; HudsonPoole Fine Jewelers.

3. Vacanza series Marino champagne opal and espresso tone highangle hot tub by Caldera, $7,499; Water Works Pool and Spa. 4. Multi-strand leather wrap bracelet with druzy stone

by Mickey Lynn, $128; Part Two. 5. UGG Cardy boots, $119.99; Wagners Shoes for Kids.

6. Blue Liberty fringe boots, $362; Gypsy Spur.

7. Biya duster, $393; Gypsy Spur.

8. Soziety Collection in Votivo Gorgeous Grey scented candle, $24.95, reed diffuser, $44; Capitol Park Antiques.

9. Pure Amici cashmere sweater, $306; Part Two. 10. 20 qt. Orca coolers, $229.99 with free monogram; Katelyn’s Korner

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at home

bed 40

at home

all “inn” the family: teresa suttle turns great-great-granDfather’s Centreville house into B&B

i

By Donna Cornelius photos By miChelle lepianka Carter

f there are any ghosts in the Vance-Ellison House, they’re more likely to high-five its new owner than haunt her.

Robert Vance built the stately Centreville house in 1899. His great-great-granddaughter, Teresa Suttle, has given the place a new lease on life by turning it into a bed-and-breakfast.

Suttle bought the house last year, started work on it in September 2014 and opened it as a B&B this summer.

Suttle said her ancestor was an engineer from Scotland. The house later was owned by attorney John Tullis Ellison and his wife, Eva Cooper Ellison.

“Mr. Ellison bought the house from my great-great-grandfather,” Suttle said. “He had two daughters, Rhoda and Connie, who never married and lived in this house all their lives. Rhoda wrote some books about Bibb County. The family was very well-educated and traveled to Europe.”

The house eventually wound up in the hands of Ellison descendants Amy Sloaf and Howard Ellison IV, who live in Tennessee.

Suttle said they contacted her to see if she’d be interested in buying

+breakfast the house because they knew she had successfully completed a similar project. She had bought and renovated The Oaks, a Centreville antebellum home, and opened it as an event venue in 2011.

“They had no earthly idea I had any connection to their house,” Suttle said.

>> LEFT: Guests can choose from a variety of fresh-made breakfast options at the Vance-ellison house in Centreville.

TOP: one of the guest rooms features colorful bedding.

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP LEFT: the house has retained much of its historic charm in the details, like this accented window.

BOTTOM LEFT: Fresh biscuits are part of the breakfast spread.

BOTTOM RIGHT: a grand entry and staircase greet guests.

41

at home

TOP: The Vance-Ellison House was built by Robert Vance in 1899.

ABOVE: Owner Teresa Suttle, Vance’s great-great-grandaughter, has recently turned the home into a bed-and-breakfast.

42

She’s happy to share the house’s history with her B&B guests.

“This was the first brick house in Bibb County, and the bricks were handmade on site,” Suttle said. “The walls are all three bricks deep.

Every wall has a foundation under it. You can’t easily get from room to room underneath. I felt so sorry for the guys who had to crawl around under the house to put in the air conditioning.”

Suttle, who majored in interior design at the University of Alabama, did practical as well as historical research before she bought the house.

“I came over here with my drafting board, T-square and a card table,” she said. “I drew the whole thing out. I even knew where the coffeepot was going to sit.”

The renovation process was extensive. Suttle said she and contractor Rusty Crouch made every effort to save what they could.

“We used everything that was good,” she said. “We piled it on the front yard and put a tarp over it. When we needed something, we’d go look in the pile.”

Crouch also made decorative wooden rosettes, cedar shutters and other elements to

at home

LEFT: breakfast is served daily in the rustic yet modern kitchen, which features an open floor plan that enables easy conversation. Suttle said she often dines with her guests.

Visit us in our new location 2104 University Blvd Tuscaloosa, AL LOCKER-ROOM.BIZ • 205-752-2990 THELOCKERROOM64 43

at home

RIGHT: the back patio is a perfect spot for a wedding or outdoor soiree.

LEFT: a claw-foot tub and crystal chandelier in one of the guest bathrooms make for a luxurious soak.

BELOW LEFT: Suttle said she likes to blend the historic elements of the home with a newer decor aesthetic. photo | Daphney Walker

replace original items that couldn’t be salvaged.

“The front door is original,” Suttle said. “I took out its stained-glass panels because they were pink and blue and not very pretty. The floors had been changed to oak. We put them back in antique pine from a warehouse in Tennessee.”

On one side of a wide foyer is a room Suttle calls the men’s den. Displayed there is a sign she unearthed in the house’s attic that reads “Ellison & Dominick, Attorneys at Law.” On the other side of the foyer are a living room and dining room separated by tall pocket doors. A sideboard in the dining room was part of the original furnishings, Suttle said.

Like the rest of the house, the kitchen is a mix of old and new.

“I didn’t want the house to look like a museum,” Suttle said. “I wanted it to be a little refined, a little rustic.”

Jason Kinard of Centreville made the kitchen’s black cabinets. There are no woodburning stoves; appliances are sleek stainless steel.

Guest bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, are on each of the house’s three floors.

Bedrooms have their own identities; there’s one with a bird motif and another with a transportation theme.

Suttle said she’s especially fond of the attic space.

“The attic room had never been painted,” she said. “It took 10 gallons of primer; the walls just soaked it up.”

Suttle said she envisioned bridesmaids using the room when she designed it. She put in two double beds and hung a framed photo labeled the “Bathing Girl Parade” that shows young women in 1920s swimsuits.

“There’s so much natural light here, so it’s a great space for doing makeup,” she said.

44

at home

BELOW: the stately front porch has several seating areas where guests can relax.

BOTTOM: a giant clock face in the backyard always reads 5 o’clock.

The exterior of the house got a new look with taupe paint and black shutters. Chain-link fencing was removed. Centreville native Gary Eady of G&W Lawn and Landscape in Tuscaloosa prettied up the grounds.

Suttle’s nephew, Rusty Suttle, made front porch swings. Guests are invited to use them and to make themselves at home throughout the house.

“You can rent per room or rent the entire house,” Suttle said.

Suttle created an event space in the backyard with a patio made with Peacock Pavers, architectural-grade stone pavers made in Atmore. An outbuilding was moved and turned into a “catering cottage” when the space is rented for parties, rehearsal dinners and other events.

Windows on the back of the house were removed. In their place is a huge clock face with the hands set at five o’clock, with the thought that “It’s always five o’clock somewhere,” Suttle said.

At night, the backyard is lit by tiny lights strung between poles built by Rusty Crouch. Metal & Lights, a company in nearby Brent, made the lasercut metal sign for the catering kitchen and another for the house itself.

Innkeeper Betty Beam was the caretaker for the house’s former owners.

She lives a short distance away from the Vance-Ellison House.

“I do breakfast and eat with guests,” Beam said. “We usually do breakfast about 8 a.m. For large groups, we do a breakfast casserole, a grits casserole, fresh fruit, biscuits and homemade jellies.

“We have croissants and always fresh fruit, and we can do gluten-free food and accommodate special dietary needs.”

A coffee bar with a Keurig machine is always open in the kitchen. Beam sets out milk and juice with breakfast.

“When we had our very first group, I told them that as a little girl, I’d

always dreamed of having a big house and having my family to stay and them all coming down to the kitchen to eat,” she said. “I told them, y’all have fulfilled a dream for me.”

The Vance-Ellison House is at 593 Birmingham Road in Centreville. For more information, visit the house’s Facebook page or call 205-225-0044.

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holiday

ABOVE: Gorman and Jeanne Houston’s home is festive and bright for the holidays.

BELOW: A model train circles beneath the Christmas tree.

cHristmas collections

gorman + jeanne houston deck the halls with their family’s favorite things by donna cornelius photos by michelle lepianka carter

G

orman and Jeanne Houston bought their first Nativity set when they were on their honeymoon. Since then, they’ve steadily added to their collection with a little help from their friends.

“Evidently, Nativity sets are good presents to give to your preacher,” Gorman said.

Gorman served for 25 years in the United Methodist Church’s Alabama-West Florida Conference. He’s now on the University of Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce faculty and on First United Methodist Church of Tuscaloosa’s preaching staff. He and Jeanne moved to Tuscaloosa’s Signal Hill neighborhood about six years ago.

“We’ve spent a lifetime collecting Nativity scenes,” Gorman said. “People have 46

holiday LEFT, FROM TOP: A nativity scene depicted by bears is just one of the many sets the houstons have collected over the years. A set of figures made from a coconut was created in Africa. A shelf holds several different takes on the biblical scene. A peanuts nativity features familiar characters.

been so kind and generous in giving them to us.

“Sometimes we’d get a piece from a really nice set and think, we hope we’ll be at this church long enough to get more,” he added, laughing.

Some of the sets have lighthearted themes. There’s a “Peanuts” grouping with sheep that look like Woodstock, Snoopy’s feathered friend.

The stable in a set from Africa is crafted from a coconut. “All the money from the sales of these sets goes back to the little village where they’re made,” Gorman said.

A seal, moose and Siberian husky gather around the manger in a set from Alaska. There’s more animal magnetism in a grouping of bear figurines that was a gift from Gorman to his wife.

“Jeanne is from Washington County and used to be a big hunter,” Gorman said. “I started this set for her about 15 years ago. A friend’s daughter has already asked us to leave it to her in our wills.”

Another prized part of their collection came from a group for young widows at a church where the Houstons served.

“We really treasure it,” Gorman said. “It’s a reminder that some people’s holidays aren’t that happy.”

It’s not just the collection itself that has grown over the years. One set that belongs to the Houstons’ son, Gorman Houston IV, had its own population explosion.

“Gina Johnson, our son’s godmother, started a set for him years ago,” Gorman said. “When she started buying an elephant, dog and goat, she figured it was time to stop.”

The Houstons said they’ve loved collecting Nativity sets and thought others would enjoy them, too.

“We give them as wedding presents and for a long time gave small sets to children and babies,” Jeanne said.

a

t one time, the Houstons hosted a full calendar of Christmas events, they said.

“We’d have Sunday school parties, United Methodist Women get-togethers and parties for singles,” Jeanne said.

The Houstons still like to entertain, and their favorite guests are their seven grandchildren.

“It was always a wonderful experience to go to my grandparents’ house and have special things like divinity, fudge and Christmascookies,” Jeanne said. “We want our grandchildren to have that same feeling at our house.”

Thus, their Christmas tree sparkles with colored lights, and a train set chugs around the trunk.

“Every year we have a cookie-baking party for our granddaughters,” Jeanne said. “Gina Johnson and I have been giving it ever since we moved here.”

The early morning party is for granddaughter Jane Hollowell of Tuscaloosa. Jane’s little sister, Mary Neal Hollowell, also attends along with Jane’s friends.

“Jane gave every guest a Christmas nightgown the first year, as her Christmas gift to them, to wear to the party, and they have worn them every year since,” Jeanne said. “The gowns just got shorter and shorter. This year, they’ll each get a new gown because they have outgrown them.”

Jeanne said all their grandchildren enjoy their grandparents’ decorations. The Houstons’ other grandchildren are William Hollowell of Tuscaloosa, Basil and Charlotte Boykin of Huntsville, and Amelia and Laura Boykin of Mobile.

>> 47

Holiday

The kitchen is filled with another collection: Santa figurines.

“Gorman’s sister gave us our first Santa 30 years ago,” Jeanne said.

“We have a soccer player — our son Gorman used to be into soccer — and a snow skier and football player. My favorite is our hippie St. Nick wearing a headband. And one is trying to untangle Christmas lights, like Gorman does every year.”

The Houstons have Christmas stockings for each family member.

Some are petit point — fine, small embroidery stitches — made by Gorman’s sister, Millie Houston.

“Each one took about a year to make,” Jeanne said.

Ornaments on a small tree have special significance in the Christian church. They’re Chrismons, which are ancient symbols for Christ or some part of his ministry, such as a Jerusalem cross, a shepherd’s crook and a chalice. It takes painstaking, intricate work to make the white and gold ornaments, which are adorned with glitter, sequins and tiny beads and pearls.

“Gorman made them when he was a young, single minister in a quiet small town,” Jeanne said. “He had no idea what he was getting into.”

W

ant to host your own cookie-decorating party? Jeanne Houston shares her tips for such an undertaking: “Get ready for a fun mess,” she said. “I remove all the breakfast room chairs and cover my breakfast room table with plastic tablecloths. We should use plastic gloves, but the gloves would make it harder to lick the icing off our fingers.

“Before the party, I make sugar cookies, cut them into Christmas shapes and have them baked and ready to decorate when the children arrive. I make eight bowls of icing mixed up in different Christmas colors, using confectioner’s sugar, milk and corn syrup.

“The children use ½-inch paintbrushes and lots of sprinkles and candies to decorate the cookies and other Christmas edibles, such as ice cream sugar cone Christmas trees, gingerbread houses and Rice Krispies Treats shapes.

“Gina Johnson bakes sausage balls and frittatas or egg muffins, which the children adore. Gorman reads a Christmas story, and last year we played Christmas bingo.”

48

TOP LEFT: Stockings for each family member hand-embroidered by Gorman’s sister, Millie houston, hang by the fireplace.

TOP RIGHT: intricate ornaments called Chrismons made by Gorman hang from a small tree in the home.

ABOVE: the front entrance is a colorful, welcoming sight.

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Black sheer-top romper

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Black dress with lace bottom by Jessica Simpson, $98; Belk. Layered necklace by Art by Amy, $225; The Gypsy Spur.

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Black lace bandeau by Free People, $28; black fringe skirt by Sophie Max, $88; black jacket

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Black cocktail dress

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personality

Ginger Gilmore with her horse, Killian’s Red, in her barn at Pembroke Farms in Tuscaloosa.

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personality

ginger gilmore cares for athletes on the field and in the stable

Hoofin’ it by donna cornelius photos by gary cosby

A

sking the boss for a day off isn’t a big deal for most people.

But when you work for University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban and need to ask if you can miss the season opener — well, that can be a tad stressful.

Ginger Gilmore, the UA athletics department’s director of behavioral medicine, has been a full-time athletic trainer since 1995.

“I’d never missed a game in my career in any sport,” she said.

Gilmore is used to helping injured players. But the reason she needed time off was to attend an event with a competitor who proved especially hard to get back in the game.

Gilmore and her pony, Killian’s Red, had qualified for this year’s National Dressage Pony Cup. The only problem was she and her horse, whom she calls Pony, would have to be in Lexington, Ky., Sept. 3-6 for the event. The UA football team was playing the University of Wisconsin in Arlington, Texas, Sept. 5.

“All show season long, we’d been competing to qualify for the national championships,” Gilmore said. “But I knew it would require missing a game — and you just don’t do that.”

Gilmore has competed in hunter-jumper and dressage events. While jumping may be flashier, dressage is demanding. Horses and riders are required to perform from memory a series of precise movements.

It wasn’t love at first sight for the 46-year-old Gilmore and

>>

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photo | Jlm equine photoGraphy

personality

photo | Jlm equine photoGraphy

ABOVE AND RIGHT: Ginger Gilmore competes in July 2014 at the chattahoochie hills Dressage competition in Fairburn, Ga. two weeks later, her horse, killian’s red, almost died.

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Pony, who’s 21 — somewhat of a senior citizen in the horse world. Gilmore was “between horses,” she said, when the two were introduced by Lynne Day of Tuscaloosa’s Pembroke Farms.

“Lynne pulled out a Welsh pony,” Gilmore said. “She said he had nowhere to go but the horse sale in Meridian (Miss.), and that’s a last resort.

“He was a broken-down horse. He’d had injuries. He was scared, lame and looked lost. On his last day there, I said, ‘I’ll take him.’”

That was five years ago. In 2014, soon after a competition in Georgia, Pony almost died from laminitis — an extremely severe equine disease — and other dangerous health issues. Gilmore, veterinarians and farriers nursed him through that painful crisis, she said.

“Now, he’s the best he’s ever been,” Gilmore said. “We worked really hard. He is so grateful. He loves me. He’s a champion.”

The effort to get Pony back into fighting shape made qualifying for the national championships especially meaningful, Gilmore said — which is why she summoned up her courage and asked Saban if she could miss the game.

“He said he’d have to think about it,” she said.

Time passed with no decision, and the deadline for entering the competition was drawing near. Gilmore said Jeff Allen, UA’s head football athletic trainer, volunteered to help.

“Jeff said, ‘I’ll go ask,’ ” she said. “Coach asked him if the players were good with me missing a game and then said, ‘Jeff, you decide.’ I teared up when I found out I could go because I’d never missed a game and because of all I’d been through with my horse.”

Gilmore, who’s from Bay St. Louis, Miss., has never been one to shy away from challenges. When she entered UA as a freshman, “I didn’t know a soul here,” she said. “I was set on going to Ole Miss.”

personality

photo | JlM equine photoGraphy

gilmore said that after her experience at the national dressage pony cup, she’s better able to understand her players’ feelings when things don’t go as planned.

photo | JlM equine photoGraphy

Gilmore was accepted into UA’s competitive Athletic Training Education Program. In 1991, she and another student became the university’s first female athletic trainers.

Before she got the job, she had to meet one-on-one with Gene Stallings, then Alabama’s head football coach.

“Coach Stallings said, ‘What does your daddy think about you doing this?’ ” she said, smiling and imitating Stallings’ Texas drawl. “I told him my daddy was proud of me and wanted me to do it.”

Gilmore earned a master’s degree at Northwestern State University in Louisiana. After graduating, she worked as an athletic trainer for four years and then applied for a position with the UA women’s basketball team.

“I came here Dec. 30, 1995, with two horses, a U-Haul and my dad,” she said.

When UA decided to have a full-time baseball athletic trainer, she switched sports.

“Coach (Jim) Wells and I had worked together before at Northwestern State,” she said. “I became the only female baseball trainer in the SEC.” Gilmore’s career took another turn when Saban arrived at UA in 2007.

“He asked me if I’d consider coming over to football,” she said. “Coach Saban has had a woman on his staff since he was at Michigan State and then at LSU. He needs to have the sensitive side for players from a demographic that doesn’t involve a male. They relate to women.”

As director of behavioral medicine, Gilmore is in charge of psychiatry, psychology and counseling, she said.

“Our players are ages 17 to 24,” Gilmore said. “That’s a huge developmental time in their lives. They’re trying to figure out the world.”

When a player is injured during a game, Gilmore runs

TOP AND ABOVE: Gilmore and pony in 2014 at the Chattahoochie hills Dressage competition.

LEFT: Gilmore puts a blanket on pony at the barn at pembroke Farms.

>> 67

personality

RIGHT AND BELOW: Gilmore and Pony share a bonding moment at Pembroke Farms.

out onto the field with Jeff Allen and assistant athletic trainer Jeremy Gsell.

She’s easy to spot; she’s the only one with a red ponytail bobbing underneath her baseball cap.

“My job is to let coach know what’s going on,” she said.

On the sidelines, she patrols the benches.

“My specific area is defense,” she said.

Gilmore said that after her experience at the National Dressage Pony Cup, she’s better able to understand her players’ feelings when things don’t go as planned.

“Pony and I led all the way, but on the final day, we just didn’t get it all together,” she said. “We were third and fourth in two divisions. I was heartbroken. That’s what we do here at Alabama — win national championships.”

But the reception she got when she returned to work lifted her spirits, she said.

“When I came back, I was a little bit uneasy because I hadn’t been at the game,” she said. “But all I heard from the players and staff was, ‘How did you do?’ It wasn’t about them. They were ‘Team Pony.’ ” Gilmore’s life is about to take another turn. She recently got engaged to David Childress of Jasper. They’ll get married in April at Tuscaloosa’s BattleFriedman House.

Gilmore said she’s glad she asked Saban for the time off. She’s also glad that she probably won’t have to do that again.

“I just got an email from the National Dressage Pony Cup saying in light of exhibitors’ work schedules, they’ve moved the championships to July,” she said. “Come hell or high water, if Pony’s healthy, we’ll do it again.”

68

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cover story

photo | michelle lepianka carter

From left, Jayci kalb, 17, as anna, Sarah moore, 10, as olaf, and madelyn link, 17, as elsa will perform in the upcoming production of “Frozen� presented by the Dance initiative.

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cover story

dancing in

December tuscaloosa’s the dance initiative brings “frozen� to life on the stage this winter at central high school

by Jennifer brady Photos by robert sutton

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T

uscaloosa’s The Dance Initiative says it’s time to start a new holiday tradition.

Describing its upcoming performance of Disney’s “Frozen” as a “beloved tale told through dance,” the nonprofit dance troupe will perform its own interpretation of the well-loved movie in December at Central High School.

“We loved the movie ourselves,” said co-director Melissa Verzino.

“We started brainstorming last spring, and we thought of this movie because it was so huge.”

Co-director Rebecca Tingle added, “We wanted to do something that appealed to a much broader group of people.”

The Dance Initiative held auditions in August.

“We were just blown away by these kids,” Tingle said. “They just knew the songs so well that we just wanted them to do whatever they wanted in the audition, and they were interpreting (every song) to the key.”

The production features performers ages 7 to 18, as well as some dads who were volunteered by their young dancers.

“We do have some daddies that will actually be dancing in the show,” Tingle said. “Some of the younger kids would excitedly say, ‘Yes, my daddy can do that,’ and even if they have never done it before, who could say no?”

So, from set construction to dancing on stage, the dads 72

stepped up, she said.

And dads are not the only ones taking on male roles. Some familiar names will be dancing as well, including Tuscaloosa City Councilman Kip Tyner, Tuscaloosa Police Chief Steve Anderson and photographer Crosby Thomley.

Verzino and Tingle, who also co-own The Dance Centre, founded The Dance Initiative in 2012 and described the group as more of a “movement” with a goal of providing educational and performance opportunities to young dancers in Tuscaloosa County. Its outreach program, known as Chance to Dance, provides opportunities for dance instruction for youngsters who may not have the resources to participate in more formal instruction — something >>

TOP AND ABOVE: Young dancers rehearse at The Dance Centre for their upcoming performance of “Frozen,” which will run Dec. 11-13.

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cover story

that can be expensive.

Each year they put on a Christmas production to showcase the Dance Initiative students, but each cast is sprinkled with more advanced students as well.

“Our more experienced dancers will be visible as ice crystals and, of course, Anna and Elsa,” Verzino said.

“And our Olaf is absolutely adorable and silly. Just like Olaf from the movie,” Tingle said.

Verzino said they saw so much talent during auditions that they had to think of other roles that could be filled.

“We’ll have dancers as daffodils, bees and seagulls,” she said.

Both directors agreed that using dancers in those parts, instead of special effects, allows for a more creative experience.

“This is completely a dance interpretation. The music determines the style of dance,” Verzino said. “There are no speaking parts except for the songs.”

Tingle added, “This will be a different show because it will include different styles of dance,” including lyrical, ballet and jazz.

V

TOP LEFT: Lydia Smith rehearses reactions for “Frozen” at The Dance Centre.

TOP RIGHT: Anna Gantt steams the costume for the character Anna.

CENTER: Malli Grace Lackey and Jamison Duncan rehearse in costume for the performance.

ABOVE: From left, ella Kate Murphy, Sarah Davis roe and Sarah Verzino practice a scene.

74

erzino and Tingle have more than 75 years combined experience in dancing, teaching and choreography.

“We choreograph each performance from scratch,” Tingle said. “It is much harder to create from nothing than to have a Broadway show (to work from).”

She added that The Dance Initiative’s performance of “Frozen” is the troupe’s own interpretation of the movie with no previous material to reference.

“The sets, the costumes, those are all brand-new. The choreography is from scratch,” she said.

That makes the need for volunteers that much greater.

“We have pretty awesome parents who build sets,” Verzino said. >>

cover story

Sarah Moore, center, playing the role of olaf, falls into the arms of other dancers during rehearsal.

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BELOW: kathryn Sain, runa king, Madelyn link (playing elsa), Caroline Grace evans and Mims Mckee rehearse.

RIGHT AND BOTTOM: Dancers run through a scene for the show.

RIGHT CENTER: therese Culliton and Crosby thomley try on costumes for their roles in “Frozen.”

“We have costume creators, and we have a board of directors that helps get things done. They also help us with advertising, ticket sales ... whatever we need. Whatever needs to be done, they do it.”

But the assistance doesn’t stop once the stage is set.

“We did our show last year at Central, and it was great and turned out fine,” Tingle said.

Parents stepped up to decorate the school auditorium.

“We told the parents we wanted a winter wonderland, and when we opened those doors, we were amazed,” Verzino said.

With parents and volunteers handling all of the nondance duties, the directors can put their energy into choreography, which they said is on their minds throughout the day.

“You are constantly thinking about it,” Tingle said. Verzino agreed. “It’s consuming.”

76

“You think about it when you’re eating dinner,” Tingle said. Verzino added, “You can be lying in bed and thinking, ‘How will this look?’ ” The directors are quick to add that the volunteers are key to the production.

“A lot of sacrifice goes into these shows,” Verzino said. The directors are busy operating two businesses and four competitive dance troupes, but volunteers and the more experienced dancers who help mentor and teach the younger dancers also help keep the production on track. Dancers who have full-time jobs or are full-time college students are also among those who give of themselves for these performances, Verzino said.

“It truly does take a village. We could not do this without (our volunteers).” she said.

“The parents love to do this for their children,” Tingle added. “A lot of people feel proud of these shows. It’s not

cover story just us two.”

The Dance Initiative has been including a community outreach aspect in its Christmas productions. Tingle said that in the first two shows, they worked with Toys for Tots and the Salvation Army, respectively, by including a scene about each charity in the show in hopes it would encourage the audience to donate. The Dance Initiative also makes a donation from ticket and merchandise sales. This year’s charity is Read Bama Read, with a library scene from the movie gaining a prominent spot in this interpretation to help bring attention to the needs of the charity.

The Dance Initiative will perform “Frozen” at 7 p.m. Dec. 11, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 12, and 2 p.m. Dec. 13 at Central High School. Tickets are on sale at www.tutu tix.com. Information about other performances from The Dance Initiative, its scholarships and Chance to Dance can be found at www. thedanceinitiative.com.

ABOVE: young dancers practice dances for their upcoming performances of Disney’s “Frozen.”

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good deeds

HoPE AND A

Helping hand CANCER SURVIVOR BYRON FAIR STARTS FOUNDATION TO HELP YOUNG ADULTS WITH CANCER

BY DONNA CORNELIUS PHOTOS COURTSEY OF BYRON FAIR

byron Fair’s church family at St. Mark United Methodist created these bracelets to support him while he underwent treatment for cancer.

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pHoto | miCHelle lepianka Carter

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he last thing Byron Fair expected when he went for a physical was a cancer diagnosis.

“I had no clue anything was wrong,” said Fair, who was 28 at the time. “I was diagnosed July 24, 2014. I had surgery on July 26 to remove a mass. They thought it was testicular cancer, but it was nonHodgkin’s lymphoma.”

Fair began intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He’s now in remission, he said.

The diagnosis came in the middle of the Gordo native’s busy life. He’s a minister at St. Mark United Methodist Church in Northport, chaplain for the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and an adjunct instructor at Shelton State Community College. The University of Alabama graduate and his wife, Courtney, live in Northport.

Fair said that although his treatments were exhausting, he felt the need to stay active.

“I had done coursework for my master’s degree at Alabama, so I decided to finish,” he said. “I graduated in May.” His return to school made him wonder if scholarships were available for young adults with cancer. He talked with Leslie Abernathy, a St. Mark member who is director of corporate and foundation relations in UA’s Office of University Advancement.

“Leslie said, ‘I have every scholarship here, and no one gives to cancer patients,’ ” Fair said. “I did a random Google search about scholarship money, and it’s very, very limited.

It may be for one year at a certain school or for studying only a certain field.”

Byron Fair and his wife, Courtney, are the founders of the Fair Hope Foundation.

It wasn’t just research that made Fair aware that young adults with cancer often need help.

“When I was having treatments, I sat with other people taking chemo, and there was always somebody my age,” he said.

With the support of family members and friends, he started the Fair Hope Foundation. The nonprofit’s mission is to help young adults with cancer reach their academic and career goals with financial and moral support.

“The American Cancer Society defines young adults as ages 19 to 39,” Fair said. “There are 60,000 young adults affected every year by cancer, and about 9,000 who pass away.

“But the good thing is, that means about 51,000 survive.

Where were they in life before this happened to them?”

Abernathy is on Fair Hope’s board of directors.

“Byron just reached out to me about what he wanted to do,” she said. “He’s my pastor. We all felt like we were going through his illness with him.”

At UA, she works with foundations like Fair Hope to help guide their donations, she said.

“Our donors are corporations, families and individuals, too,” Abernathy said. “I help match them up with programs they’re passionate about.”

She said cancer can be costly even when families have sound finances and insurance. Treatments can require taking time off from work and paying for hotel stays and travel, she said.

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good deeds LEFT AND BELOW: Green bracelets created by byron Fair’s church are worn in support of his mission.

BELOW LEFT: Fair with a “Cancer ninja” shirt.

She said the Fair Hope Foundation is trying to get the word out to young adults with cancer that help is available by contacting hospitals in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham.

“I tried to find out if UA tracks these students,” she said. “They don’t.”

That’s because most of them get treatments somewhere else and not through UA’s Student Health Center, she said.

Fair said he wants to give young adults with cancer encouragement and emotional support. His mother, Nancy Fair, knows firsthand the toll that a serious illness can take on the entire family.

“One of the toughest things was before the surgery, when we didn’t know what was wrong,” she said. “Byron kept saying, ‘Mom, it’s going to be cancer.’ I’d say, ‘You don’t know that.’ ” Courtney Fair, Byron’s wife, is Fair Hope’s vice president. She’s the undergraduate coordinator for the UA School of Music.

Courtney said she tried to stay positive.

“I knew it would be fine,” she said. “I just had to prepare myself.”

Courtney and Byron, who have been married four years, live in Northport. Byron’s mom and his dad, Keith Fair, live in Gordo. Nancy is on Fair Hope’s board and is real estate manager for Rosen Harwood, a Tuscaloosa law firm.

Byron Fair’s treatment included three rounds of chemotherapy, three 80

rounds of spinal-injected chemo and 10 rounds of radiation, he said.

“I had wonderful doctors at UAB at the Kirklin Clinic,” he said. “I had treatments from Sept. 12 last year to just before Christmas. Last October was one of the worst months of my life.”

The foundation’s name has a double meaning.

“Fair Hope comes from our name, of course, but ‘hope’ comes from the support I got from my church, my family and our friends,” Fair said.

“At St. Mark, they made green bracelets that they wore when I took chemo, and they helped us financially.”

In January, Fair had his first PET scan after all the treatments.

“These are done every three months and, if reports continue to be good, I’ll have them every six months,” he said. “I’ve never had a bad one. The type of lymphoma I have — you’re considered cured in three years.”

With that hopeful prognosis, Fair now is working on a master of divinity degree through Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.

“He’s one of the lucky ones,” Nancy Fair said.

Courtney Fair said she plans to write articles about cancer that hopefully will bring smiles to those who read them.

“Cancer is not fun,” she said. “But I could write about things like the top five things not to say to cancer patients.”

The Fair Hope Foundation now is funded by donations. Fair said the organization plans fundraising events in the future.

Abernathy said that when Fair was researching similar foundations, he found one that provides money only for those in remission.

“That really made Byron mad,” she said, adding that Fair Hope won’t have that stipulation.

Fair said it’s important for young adults with cancer to live as fully as they can.

“Even if the diagnosis is grim, I want to give them hope,” he said.

For more information, visit www.fairhopefoundation.org or call Byron Fair at 205-399-0835.

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music From left, Holly Kinsey, Kayla Sisco, Jessica Palmer and Savannah Smith, drum majors for the University of Alabama Million Dollar Band.

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Major

league the drum majors of the university of alabama’s million dollar band are the ‘quarterbacks’ of the renowned musical crimson institution

by roots woodruff photos by michelle lepianka carter

W

hether marching in full voice or poised silently to rip into its next number, the University of Alabama’s legendary Million Dollar Band is hard to miss.

And while all eyes tend to gravitate toward the 400 men and women in their crisp crimson and white uniforms, the band only has eyes for the four figures dressed in stylish gray suits and white gloves — the drum majors.

Four strong, this year’s lineup consists of Jessica Palmer, Savannah Smith, Holly Kinsey and Kayla Sisco.

“We call our drum majors the quarterbacks of our team,” said band director Ken Ozzello. “You’ll see some college bands where the directors will put on a jacket and hat and go out there and conduct, but that’s just not our style. Our style is to give responsibility to the student conductors.”

And it’s a tremendous amount of responsibility,

>>

University of Alabama Million Dollar band drum major holly Kinsey leads the band onto the field before the Alabama vs. ole Miss game at bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 19.

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TOP: From left, drum majors holly Kinsey, Kayla Sisco, Jessica palmer and Savannah Smith on the practice field.

ABOVE: Sisco directs the band during during pregame activities at the Alabama game against ole Miss.

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especially on game day. The drum majors lead a two-hour practice prior to the game and then lead the Elephant Walk to Bryant-Denny Stadium.

They open the pregame show with a mace routine, conduct both the pregame and halftime shows, and call cheers in the stands for the entire game.

When things are going well, nobody notices the drum majors, and that’s the way they like it. But there is one time during each home game when the drum majors are front and center — the mace routine. With one of them standing at each of the four sides of the football field carrying a 56-inch mace (52 inches for the 5-foot-tall Kinsey), the two drum majors coming from the two endzones race to the middle of the field to meet the other two from the sidelines and then engage in an intricate routine.

“The first time doing the mace routine was probably one of the top three most terrifying moments of my life,” Palmer said. “I was one of the two that got to do the big layout run and the big toss in the center of the field.”

While Palmer said she has learned to channel her nervousness over the routine into excitement and determination, Kinsey has embraced it.

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“I live for it,” she said. “I always get nervous in rehearsal, but I’m almost never nervous during a performance. I love performing; it’s what I was meant to do.”

While all four have different feelings about their front-and-center role in the routine, they agree on the hardest part of their game-day duties. Each drum major takes charge of a quarter of the game, keeping up with what’s happening on the field second by second so that whatever happens, they are ready to cue up the right music, getting all 400 members of the band in tune in the blink of an eye.

“The hardest part of our job, the part we really have to focus on, is calling the cheers in the stands,” Palmer said. “We have to know everything about football, about each down, about the TV timeouts. So when I see one of my fellow drum majors have a super killer quarter and everything goes right, that’s one of the best feelings I have, especially in my second year. I get super pumped when that happens.”

That camaraderie comes from realizing that the drum majors have to be perfectly in tune with one another for the band to be at its best.

“Most college bands have one head drum major, one who runs the metronome and two on the sides,” Smith said. “In the Million Dollar Band, the four of us are equal, and we rotate all the quarters and who is conducting pregame and halftime. It’s good because no one gets too stressed, but we do have to be on the same page. We’re almost one entity

ABOVE: Drum major holly Kinsey performs with the band during pregame activities at the Alabama game against Middle Tennessee State University on Sept. 12.

TOP: Kinsey performs during the Alabama game against ole Miss.

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music The four drum majors take the field during a pregame performance against Middle Tennessee State University.

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ABOVE AND RIGHT: Drum majors Savannah Smith (above) and Holly Kinsey (right) direct the band on the field before the Alabama vs. Ole Miss game.

— the four of us together — at this point.”

Smith, Palmer and Kinsey’s bond began last year, their first as drum majors. When Sisco joined them this season after a three-part audition process, the group became the first all-female drum major unit in the legendary band’s history.

“It’s something we noticed — that this was the first time that four women have been up there — but it doesn’t change the job; we just happened to be women,”

>>

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From left, Holly Kinsey, Savannah Smith, Kayla Sisco and Jessica Palmer.

PHOTO | rOberT SUTTOn

LEFT: Smith, left, and Sisco lead the band onto the field before the Alabama vs. Ole Miss game.

ABOVE: Jessica Palmer looks down the field at the Middle Tennessee State University game.

Kinsey said. “It’s a neat thing, it’s fun to be able to say I was part of the first set of women drum majors at Alabama, but it’s more important to be able to say that I’m a drum major at the University of Alabama.”

Ozzello echoes that sentiment. “Drum majors go through three rounds of auditions, which include conducting to recordings, interviews with the directors, and conducting the band at the A-Day Game,” he said. “We are looking for excellent conductors with the highest degree of integrity. This year’s staff are very even-keeled young ladies, which is important when the band is performing for over 100,000 spectators.

We turn control of the group over to our drum majors when it is time to perform, and they respond beautifully.”

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The duties and responsibilities seem endless, the hours are inexorably long, and when things are going well, no one notices the drum majors, but at the same time, each drum major relishes the role and all that goes with wearing the gray and leading the way for the Million Dollar Band.

“My favorite memory is conducting ‘Yea, Alabama’ for the first time with the whole band at the Wisconsin game,” Sisco said. “I’ll always remember that first game. It was my first taste of what it means to be a Million Dollar Band drum major. Also, when I conducted the alma mater for the first time ... I almost cried; I’m about to cry now just talking about it. It was a little overwhelming ... it was great.”

6 123456 MEET THE FOLKS WHO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

IN OUR COMMUNITIES

intriguing people

MALLoRY MEISSNER

NFL cheerleader for the Atlanta Falcons

HANNAH STEPHENS

University of Alabama football superfan

KIM LoPEZ

Aspiring boxer at Skyy Boxing Gym

STEVEN RUMSEY

Tuscaloosa business leader and entrepreneur

TERA TUBBS

Director, Tuscaloosa Department of Transportation

JoHN MERKLE

Director, Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center

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6 intriguing people

No.1

Mallory Meissner nfl cheerleader for the atlanta falcons by kim eaton photo by art morrison

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ot many people are fortunate enough to find their true passion at a young age. Children might bounce from one activity to the next before settling down to the one that captures their attention.

But not Mallory Meissner.

The 26-year-old Tuscaloosa native started dance lessons at the age of 3 and never stopped.

“I just love it. (When you’re dancing), you get to be anything you want — a ballerina or a hip-hop dancer,” Meissner said. “For that moment, you can be anything, and you tell a story in a way that you couldn’t with just words.”

There was never a doubt that Meissner would pursue dance in some form or fashion as an adult, but it wasn’t until she started college that she real-

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ized how she would accomplish that goal — as an NFL cheerleader.

Meissner first auditioned for the Atlanta Falcons cheerleading program while a senior at the University of Alabama. She made it to the final round, but she decided it was not the best time to move forward with that dream. She had decided to pursue her master’s in business administration at UA and said she knew she would not have the time to do both.

Upon graduation, Meissner landed a job as a financial services manager with Coca-Cola in Atlanta. She decided to audition again but did not succeed. She tried again in 2014 but, although she reached the finals, still didn’t make it.

“It’s always hard to have a goal you’re trying to reach and not actually reaching it,” Meissner said.

“But it was something I wanted to do. I wanted to keep dancing. I’ve always enjoyed doing things that have an impact on the community, and

(being an Atlanta Falcons cheerleader) was the avenue I wanted to pursue for dancing. I just wasn’t ready to give up on that dream yet.”

Her perseverance paid off in 2015. Meissner now spends her days working with Coca-Cola’s leadership team in determining how best the company can build talent and utilize the millennials who are working there, but on Sundays when the Falcons play at the Georgia Dome, she’s on the sidelines performing with the other cheerleaders.

Something that Meissner said surprises many people is that professional cheerleaders don’t cheer in the sense that people think. They perform and dance, and many professional cheerleaders have a dance background, rather than a cheerleading background.

Many of the Falcons cheerleaders have bachelor’s degrees and several have a master’s, Meissner said.

6 intriguing people name: Mallory Meissner age: 26 personal: 5-year-old Shih Tzu named Oliver.

Hometown: Tuscaloosa (currently resides in Atlanta). tHe people wHo Have influenced my life: My parents. They instilled in me the value of hard work and perseverance and if you do the right things and work hard you’ll be successful. sometHing most people don’t know about me: I’m registered as a bone marrow donor. It was something I did a few years ago. One of my friends when I was a (UA) Crimsonette passed away from leukemia.

I didn’t realize there was a strong need for bone marrow donors, but I’ve since learned how challenging it is to find donors who are matches. I haven’t been asked to donate yet, but I’m waiting for the day when I do match. my proudest acHievement: When I was a senior in college, I was on the leadership team that helped build UA Greek relief and ended up creating a vision of supplying hot meals to volunteers and those in need following the April 27 (2011) tornado. We raised more than $100,000.

Being able to quickly create a vision and way to help my community and make a difference quickly by empowering others is a great feeling.

“We’re in all sorts of fields — nursing, accounting, a ministry director,” she said. “It’s much more than just putting on the outfit, curling your hair, putting on lipstick and performing on the field. We’re a group of smart and intelligent women who are there to be ambassadors for the organization.”

One of Meissner’s favorite aspects of being a Falcons cheerleader are the numerous appearances she has an opportunity to be part of in the community. She has gotten to spend time at the Children’s Hospital in Atlanta and participate in charity runs/walks.

“It’s really an opportunity to connect with people in the community, be a bright spot in their day and make a difference in their lives,” she said. “It’s those small things that people remember, and that’s what really matters.”

Her love of community service has always played a large role in her life.

She credits many people with helping her get to where she is today and said it is her turn to help others. She does this through her work as an alumni adviser for Pi Beta Phi and as a member of the Junior League of Atlanta.

She said her favorite volunteer experiences have always been working with young girls who see dance as their passion or outlet, either through the junior cheerleader program with the Atlanta Falcons or the dance program she worked with while in college, Chance to Dance.

“Dance taught me so many values growing up — perseverance, respect,” Meissner said. “When I can share that with other young girls, I’m really making an impact on their lives for the long term.”

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wHy i do wHat i do: I grew up dancing, then started taking baton twirling lessons. I did either dance or baton twirling through college. This allows me to continue to dance and perform, continue with my passion of dance.

It also gives me an opportunity to make an impact in the Atlanta community.

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Hannah Stephens

6 intriguing people

No.2 university of alabama football superfan by jennifer brady photo by michelle lepianka carter

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rimson Tide football fans have likely seen Hannah Stephens with a script “A” painted on her face and holding a sign, sometimes encouraging Nick Saban to stay forever or ribbing the opposing team. But what many don’t see, she said, is her love of Christ and a passion to follow her dreams.

“I never meant for the signs to bring me so much attention,” she said. “I’ve always been a passionate fan of sports, but as a Christian I believe that we are supposed to do everything we can to glorify the Lord.”

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Stephens said her newfound fame as the “UA Sign Girl” has become a catalyst to do just that.

“I get so many friend requests on Facebook or follows on Twitter, and there’s usually a surge after a game,” she said. “And while a lot of them want to follow me for the Alabama stuff, I do get a lot of people who are moved by my testimony.”

Stephens said she does not shy away from sharing her faith on social media, which has brought her new friends.

“I meet people all the time who tell me they’ve been moved by something I posted, and I so appreciate that,” she said. “If this gives me a way to talk about the Lord, then that’s

what I want to do.”

The fervor for Alabama athletics and sports of all types didn’t happen overnight.

“In high school I was always super spirited.

I always had on my purple and gold (the colors of her high school in Sequim, Wash.) and cheered for our teams,” she said. “When I got to UA, I wanted to show my school spirit, but I didn’t know how to do it.”

Stephens decided during her freshman year to join the university’s crew team. There, she said, began the ideas for showing her school spirit.

“I got to meet some of the other athletes on campus in study hall, and even now Jackie Traina (former UA National Champion softball

6 intriguing people name: Hannah Brooke Stephens age: 23 personal: Single Hometown: Sequim, Wash. (although she was born in Alabama) tHe people wHo Have influenced my life: My parents, John and Cindy Stephens. Really, everybody that I’ve met has influenced my life in some way, good or bad. Every experience has shaped the person I’ve become. sometHing most people don’t know about me: I’m an Olympic weightlifter, and I’m currently competing all over the state. my proudest acHievement: Graduating from the University of Alabama. During my time at UA, a lot of life and family things happened, and that just made graduating from college that much more meaningful. Also, being a college graduate has opened a lot of doors that I don’t think would’ve been had I not gone to college. wHy i do wHat i do: It’s definitely to get God’s word out. Being known as the UA Sign Girl has allowed me so many opportunities to meet people and to glorify God. I also love every sport at UA, and I love to show my support because I’m a passionate person.

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pitcher) is one of my best friends,” she said. “As a fan, I just started painting my face for the games. The signs really didn’t start happening until my sophomore year. It’s hard to be clever every week,” Stephens said, adding that the popularity of the signs didn’t gain speed until her junior year with her sign to Coach Saban that said, “We’ll stay for 60, if you stay forever.”

She graduated from UA in May 2014 with a degree in sports broadcasting, but Stephens said the attention from her signs has provided her with many new opportunities.

“I’ve been able to meet a lot of cool people like (former CBS college football sideline reporter) Tracy Wolfson and (ESPN College GameDay anchors) Rece Davis and Kirk Herbstreit,” she said.

Stephens, who is currently interning with WJOX in Birmingham, said Wolfson was very encouraging when they met.

“She told me not to ever give up,” she said. “She also didn’t do an internship until after she graduated from college and that was OK.” She said the attention hasn’t caused her to lose focus on what is important to her.

“It is fun, and I didn’t think people would even notice my signs, but I’m also so proud that I’ve been able to glorify God in all of this,” she said. “I’ve been able to share my testimony with so many people because of just making these signs.”

Her love of all things Crimson Tide was recognized on Nov. 7 during the ESPN College GameDay broadcast from Tuscaloosa when she was selected as the Cheez-It Real Fan of the Week.

Stephens said she is also planning to start a blog about her experiences and her faith.

You can follow Hannah Stephens on Twitter at @UASignGirl, on Facebook at facebook.com/hannahstephensuasigngirl or on Instagram at HannahAlabama.

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6 intriguing people

No.3

Kim Lopez aspiring boxer at skyy boxing gym by ashlie bowman photo by michelle lepianka carter

F

ourteen-year-old Kim Lopez does not consider herself to be a “girly girl.” Unlike many girls her age, she probably won’t be found getting her nails done, walking in high heels or visiting a tanning salon.

Instead, the Gordo High School freshman spends most of her weekday afternoons at Skyy Boxing Gym, working out, pounding out some punches or sparring in the ring.

Though her family originally came to the gym a few years ago because one of her younger brothers was interested in the sport, Lopez said she knew as soon as she walked in 94

that she had to learn to box.

“When we first came, it was supposed to be for my younger brother, but I was interested,” she said. “I got this feeling; I got excited. So I asked my dad; I wanted to join boxing.”

Though several women train at Skyy, there are no girls in Lopez’s age range for her to spar with. So the oldest of three siblings, who said she got used to fighting with her brothers when they were young, steps into the ring with other boys.

“It’s a challenge, but I like it because you get hit, and supposedly boys hit harder than girls, so it gets me more resistant to the punch,” Lopez said. “I think (fighting with boys) might not be the same (as fighting with girls), and boys can hurt me. But then I think of a positive side, that it will help me.”

She said sometimes people have a hard time believing that she’s a boxer, not necessarily because of her gender, but because of her size and age. But Lopez said she uses other people’s negativity to motivate her.

“There are some people — not many people — that watch me spar or watch me hit somebody with the gloves. I overheard this comment that I couldn’t fight. But it’s OK, because you know how haters just motivate you?

So that’s what I think about it,” she said. “They aren’t all that surprised I’m in boxing, it’s just how hard I punch for my size and age.”

There may always be those who are skeptical of a young female boxer, but Lopez said everyone she trains with at Skyy is supportive.

“It was (gym owner) Jay (Deas) that taught my little brother how to walk. Everybody in the

6 intriguing people

she said sometimes people have a hard time believing that she’s a boxer, not necessarily because of her gender, but because of her size and age. but lopez said she uses other people’s negativity to motivate her. name: Kim Lopez age: 14 personal: Brothers, Edward, 10; Axel, 3.

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tHe people wHo Have influenced my life: My dad (Lazaro Lopez) and Deontay Wilder. sometHing most people don’t know about me: There’s nothing people don’t know about me.

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my proudest acHievement: Being able to spar this older girl.

gym is a family; we give each other advice, we help each other,” she said.

Lopez said she especially looks up to the women who work out there.

“I do look up to them, because for me it means they like boxing; they don’t care what other people say about them. Even because they’re women, they still like boxing.”

Though she hasn’t been in an organized boxing match, Lopez said she is training hard and is eager for her first bout. Despite having to juggle school, basketball tryouts, friends and family, the 14-year-old always makes time for her passion. Lopez said she hopes to be a professional boxer and maybe make it to the Olympics like Tuscaloosa native Deontay Wilder, who also works out at Skyy.

“When I first came here, I didn’t know who Deontay Wilder was. I really didn’t know anything about it,” she said. “And then I liked boxing, so I started to get more focused into it, and that’s when I learned about Deontay. And I was like, ‘This is really awesome. I want to be like him.

Be undefeated and be the champion of the world.’ ” Lopez said if there are other girls out there who want to try boxing or another typically “male” sport, she would encourage them to follow their dreams.

“They should try it,” she said. ”There’s nothing holding them back from doing what they like.”

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wHy i do wHat i do: Because I feel like it’s part of me. If it wasn’t for boxing, I wouldn’t be who I am, I wouldn’t be motivated and strong.

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6 intriguing people

No.4

Steven Rumsey

tuscaloosa business leader and entrepreneur by carolanne roberts photo by michelle lepianka carter

Y

ou cast about for the perfect adjective to describe Steven Rumsey, Tuscaloosa business leader and tireless champion for the city’s future.

There’s “visionary” or “driven.” You might want to choose “energetic,” “focused” or “fearless.”

But the one adjective that works best is “passionate.” Rumsey approaches every day with passion, speaking of Tuscaloosa in a voice that escalates from calm to excitement when he talks of where the city can go and how it 96

can get there. After all, we’re talking about his hometown, a place he clearly views with passion.

Of course, before he jumped full force onto the Tuscaloosa bandwagon, Rumsey built TWR Tuscaloosa Waste Removal (1986), S&L Outdoor Advertising (1994), Welborn Transport Inc. (1989), Rumsey Properties (1995) and Rumsey Environmental (2003). In between are numerous small businesses that make up a portfolio of successes.

Most of us here have been touched by a Rumsey-owned operation. Yet our native son still yearned to do more for his city. Under hobbies on his resume, he lists golf (often with a certain University of Alabama head coach),

hunting, wildlife conservation and Alabama football, “promoting Tuscaloosa and working towards keeping it a great place.” So that’s why, with son Sumner on board, Rumsey balances his student housing/real estate entities with Tuscaloosa-minded pursuits.

The man’s daily calendar is filled with civic meetings.

“I can’t complain about crime, I can’t complain about schools unless I’m part of the solution,” he said. “I’m knee-deep every day for one reason — keeping Tuscaloosa great. If we want our children to be able to stay here rather than go to bigger cities, we have to row the boat together and leverage our strengths, not our differences.”

6 intriguing people

“if we want our children to be able to stay here rather than go to bigger cities, we have to row the boat together and leverage our strengths, not our differences.” name: Steven Sumner Rumsey age: 52 personal: Wife, Frances Cummings Rumsey; son, Sumner, 24; daughter, Sydney, 22.

Hometown: Tuscaloosa. people wHo Have influenced my life: Cayce Rumsey, Charlie Sealy, Jackie Cummings. sometHing people don’t know about me: My first job was at Harco Leland as stock boy and cleanup, age 12. I walked to the Alberta store from Eastwood every afternoon.

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proudest acHievement: Putting our city back together again after the 2011 tornado. wHy i do wHat i do: Because I love Tuscaloosa and I want it to continue to be a place people want to be.

His voice turns emphatic as he talks of citizen involvement.

“Winston Churchill said, ‘If you stop and throw rocks at every barking dog, you’ll never get where you’re going.’ So when I hear complaints about Tuscaloosa, I listen to them to see if people are offering up positive solutions or just complaining. I think, ‘Why don’t you volunteer?’ instead of being a full-time taker?”

Rumsey himself is a full-time doer. His roster of service includes the Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority, Tuscaloosa Forward and the Tuscaloosa Sidewalk/Parking Policy Committee, which he chairs. He was chairman and vice chairman of the Planning and Zoning Commission “during probably our most tumultuous times before and after the (April 2011) tornado and the unprecedented growth of the University (of Alabama) at the same time.”

This meant updating zoning codes to allow the return of businesses and the rebuilding of homes, putting citizens back to work and making the new Tuscaloosa better with the chance of reinvention.

Although Rumsey’s successes drive him, concerns also weigh heavily. His meetings may address developing programs to keep criminals off the streets, specifications for building heights, changes to the tax code and opportunities for education and infrastructure improvements. Somewhere in there he might meet with UA parents about their student’s future housing or with an out-of-town developer regarding a condo tower near campus.

At day’s end, Rumsey relaxes by bush-hogging fields and putting out deer food at his Fosters ranch. At last, he heads home for dinner with wife Frances. While there’s no finish line in sight, he knows the race to succeed is on again the next morning.

It’s a thought he relishes. With — what else? — passion.

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6 intriguing people

No.5

Tera Tubbs Director, tuscaloosa Department of transportation by kim eaton photo by michelle lepianka carter

W

hile some young girls dream of a life of tutus or tiaras, Tera Tubbs’ childhood career aspirations took her a bit beyond what the eye could see. She dreamed of a life in space.

Growing up with two grandfathers who were engineers and involved in the space program, it seemed only natural that her inclinations would lean in that direction.

“I was one where math came easy and spelling was a nightmare,” said the now 41-yearold director of the Tuscaloosa Department of Transportation. “I was always intrigued with how things worked, with puzzles and problems. Engineering was something I was familiar with and something that required the 98

skills I felt I had.”

While her final career goals brought her back to earth, she still followed in her grandfathers’ footsteps.

After graduating with a bachelor’s and master’s in civil engineering from the University of Alabama, Tubbs got her career start designing bridges at the engineering consulting firm Burk-Kleinpeter Inc. in Tuscaloosa. During her nine years with the firm, she was promoted to an associate and began handling the billing, projections, contracts and marketing. These were the skills that helped prepare her for her next career move.

“I had one of the best bosses ever. He took me under his wing and taught me so much about the business — dealing with people, dealing with situations, dealing with life, business, politics and numbers,” she said. “He helped me to really see the big picture … and

to understand what is really most important.”

For the past eight years, Tubbs has led the Tuscaloosa Department of Transportation, which is responsible for the maintenance of the city’s transportation network and infrastructure. With six primary divisions and hundreds of employees, Tubbs’ job tasks vary daily.

One day she might be researching parking in downtown Tuscaloosa and inventorying the number of parking spots that exist; another day might find her updating the City Council on various projects.

“We’re so involved in so many different things, you just never know what the day’s going to hold,” she said.

But that is what keeps it so interesting — that, and the rather unusual complaints or requests that make it to her desk. Tubbs said she had one complaint about a dead-end street sign: The resident wanted the sign changed to

6 intriguing people Cleaner Air in Your Home!

name: Tera Tubbs age: 41

“No outlet” because he didn’t feel it was the end when you were dead.

She said another caller asked her to move a deer crossing sign because it was not safe for the deer to cross where the sign was presently located.

“It just never ceases to amaze me,” she said, laughing. “Just when you think you’ve seen it all.”

The job is also not without its challenges and tough situations, some of which have made a lasting impression on both Tubbs and her employees, namely the April 27, 2011, tornado.

“I remember watching the news that morning and saying, ‘God love Cullman,’” she said. “They had just got hit, and I remember thinking I wouldn’t know what to do if something like that happened here.”

When the warning came, all of the TDOT employees who were at work crammed into the oil pits out in the shop. After it was over and they started dispatching crews, Tubbs said no one was prepared for what they would witness when they opened those doors.

“The decisions I had to make that day, the questions I had to answer — it was, by far, the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through, and I hope and pray we never have to live through something like that again,” she said.

But despite the challenges and the sometimes heartbreaking situations, Tubbs said she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. She said she loves working with her employees and seeing the difference they make in people’s lives. She also loves being able to plan the city’s future and find new ways to make Tuscaloosa great.

“It’s looking at people’s quality of life,” Tubbs said. “I’ll never forget the first air show (in Tuscaloosa). I was looking around and thinking, ‘There are going to be kids here with their grandfathers, and they’re going to remember this for the rest of their lives.’ That’s where I get my satisfaction.”

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tHe people wHo Have influenced my life: My grandparents. They really encouraged me and made it possible for me to go to college. My grandfather is also an engineer, so when I had those times when I didn’t understand something or wanted to quit, he’d show up at my doorstep and say, “No, we’re going to figure it out.” I definitely wouldn’t be here without them. Also, Dr. Dan Turner, who was one of my engineering professors.

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6 intriguing people

No.6

John Merkle director, tuscaloosa veterans affairs medical center by lydia seabol avant photo by michelle lepianka carter

S

erving veterans is something personal for John F. Merkle, the newly appointed director of the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

He’s in it to help others, he said, but he is also in Veterans Affairs to care specifically for “wounded warriors.” It’s something that hit home for him when he served as the chief operating officer at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, where all the wounded soldiers come in from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We received up to 30 wounded warriors 100

a day,” Merkle said. “Some walking wounded and some quad amputees. Extremely rewarding but also very demanding emotionally.”

It was that role that made him want to continue caring for the wounded warriors as veterans, he said.

“Based on this role I wanted to be part of the care of all who served in the military and were willing to sacrifice their life for our freedom,” Merkle said.

“This is healing for me as a veteran as well.”

Merkle has served as acting director of the medical center since February. But he was still excited to have been named to the permanent position, replacing former director Maria R. Andrews, who left in January.

The Tuscaloosa VA and Tuscaloosa are a

good fit because of the their relatively small size, he said.

“I like Tuscaloosa because I can get more personally involved,” Merkle said. “I believe in managing by walking around.”

He is already impressed by the VA and the staff here, he added.

“We have a great staff who are really dedicated, Merkle said. “I work for them to give them the resources. Communication is key.”

The VA’s patient-centric care is critical, something the Tuscaloosa VA does well with, Merkle said. But he wants to see the VA do more to earn veterans’ trust.

“I think this is one of the most exciting times to be at the VA,” Merkle said. “It’s really building back the trust of the veterans, and

6 intriguing people name: John Merkle age: 49 personal: Wife, Liz, and three children, Johnathan, 28; Samantha, 26; and Liam, 22.

WORK W ORK & W WESTERN ESTERN ES

Hometown: Hollywood, Fla. people wHo Have influenced me: Throughout my career, I had many great leaders who influenced me. The most influential was then-Col. Jeffrey B. Clark (now a major general), who was the commander at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (in Landstuhl, Germany). He taught me through his actions the true meaning of servant leadership and how important it is to care for your people, which is our (the Veterans Administration’s) most important asset.

my proudest acHievement: My children. They are all humanitarian, dedicated to contributing positively to society. Johnathan works for a nongovernmental organization in the Zambian Carnivore Programme in Africa, studying and preserving large carnivores. Samantha works in NYC (Spanish Harlem in New York City) as director of engagement and outreach for Groove With Me Inc., helping young disadvantaged girls learn self-esteem and life lessons through dance. Liam is a senior at University of Miami as a musical theater arts major and taught English throughout Italy the last three summers. wHy i do wHat i do: First of all, I am in the health care administration field to help others. I am in the VA to continue to care for our veterans — wounded warriors.

Tuscaloosa already has that, but building on that.”

Building community partnerships is also vital, he added, saying that the city of Tuscaloosa, the University of Alabama and Mercedes-Benz have all been great supporters of the Tuscaloosa VA. “We can’t take care of our veterans by ourselves, and the VA has realized that and opened up community channels.”

Merkle grew up in New Jersey. In high school, he moved to Florida, where he met his wife, Liz. He went on to John Carroll University in Ohio and joined the Army in 1988.

“I wanted to see the world and felt it was the right time for me to go,” Merkle said of joining the military.

During his 24 years of active duty, Merkle was stationed in Belgium, Germany and South Korea and served as an air ambulance pilot and medical company commander in Kuwait during the first Gulf War. Before coming to Tuscaloosa, he was deputy medical center director at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center since September 2012. Before coming to the VA, he was the chief operating officer at the U.S. Army Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

Serving abroad has had an impact on his children, who he says he is most proud of. Two of his children have served in the Peace Corps abroad.

Merkle said he and his wife, Liz, look forward to getting further involved in the Tuscaloosa community and already enjoy paddle-boarding on Lake Lurleen.

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BeneFiTing The dch BreaST cancer Fund ocToBer 15, 2015 indian hillS counTry cluB

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REAL MEN WEAR PINK BENEFITING AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

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Angel Cook and Willie Williams Donna Poles and Tonyia Tidline Mark Woods and Robin Barton Elizabeth Aversa and Francine Marasco 5. Rocco Aversa and Elizabeth Aversa

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BABE RUTH McABEE STEAK & LOBSTER FEAST OCTOBER 27, 2015 TUSCALOOSA RIVER MARKET PHOTOS | LAYTON DUDLEY

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1. Susan Bell, Stuart Bell, Mike Reilly and Debbie Reilly 2. Leah Ann Sexton and Leroy McAbee 3. Wolfgang Kneer and Karen Kneer 4. Claudia Harrison, Claire Kindred, Bryan Kindred, Dan Blakley and Ronnie Harrison 5. Brandon Stough, Lindsey Stough, Ray Hayes and Kathy Hayes 6. Christine Blakley, Emily Wright, Jay Wright, Mary Burns and Barry Burns 7. Helen Hahn, Jackie Wuska, Sam Faucett and Elizabeth Hahn

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Surin of Thailand 1402 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa AL 35401 205.752.7970 | www.surinofthailand.com

Lunch: Mon - Fri 11am - 2pm, Sat & Sun 11:30am - 2:30pm Dinner: Mon-Thurs 4:30pm - 9:30pm, Fri 4:30pm - 10pm, Sat 5pm - 10pm, & Sun 5pm - 9:30pm

Midnight Sushi ~ $1 Sushi Thurs-Sat 11pm - 1am

Happy Hour ~ $1 sushi after school Mon-Fri 4:30pm - 6pm

NAAC59052

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THE GARDEN PARTY ocToBer 4, 2015 alaBama muSeum oF naTural hiSTory phoToS | daniel melograna

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Jeff Henthorn, Chelsey Henthorn and Tammy Rogers Kabe Moen and Andrea Moen Andy Graettinger, Kristy Graettinger and Carla Atkins Bradley Trammell, Josh Sahib, Naomi Shadi and Joesph Wright 5. Jim Ward and Rachel Ward 6. Melissa Friel, John Friel and Dana Ehret

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THE AUTHOR’S EDGE ocToBer 28, 2015 The home oF caThy randall phoToS | daniel melograna

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2 1. Jim Johnson, Cathy Randall, Brenda Ryan and Wayne Flynt 2. Melissia Davis, Joe Scrivner and Mark McCormick 3. Jackie Wuska and Joyce Whetstone 4. Tyrone Yarbrough and Carolyn Walker 5. Cita Smith and Kathy Murrell 6. Jane Smith and Ken Smith

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ocToBer 22, 2015 The SouTh Zone aT BryanT-denny STadium phoToS | roBerT SuTTon

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8 1. Joe namath, Bill Battle and Mike Bite 2. Jay seawell, stephanie seawell, Marcy rodriguez and Bill rodriguez 3. Kimberly Labry, suzanne Labry, emily-owen Mendelsohn, Laura nogalski, Lilah Mecom and Allison Labry 4. david patterson and sarah patterson 5. Claudia thomas and John russell thomas 6. don Ghareeb and Jean Ghareeb 7. Judy Livingston and ethel Livingston 8. Bryant society inductees 9. Joe namath and Ann rhoads 10. Kevin Whitaker and Laura Whitaker 11. Larry Morris, Gordy Morris, Beverly Morris, sanders Morris, rebecca Morris and Ben Morris

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THE BRYANT SOCIETY

on tHe scene

WINE FOR THE WALK

BeneFiTing The Juvenile diaBeTeS reSearch FoundaTion SepTemBer 24, 2015 The home oF BrooKe and doug hamner

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phoToS | daniel melograna

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11 1. hans Crouse, Michelle Crouse, Brooke hamner and doug hamner 2. doug hamner and Brooke hamner 3. Mark obradovich and Kacie obradovich 4. eric Wilson, heather reier and travis reier 5. Blair plott, Grant dickey and Lauren humber 6. Julie Wilson, Kristy Fairburn and stephanie hickman 7. John Bowers and Charlotte Bowers 8. Michelle Crouse, dede Clary and rena Mcentyre 9. drew Wade, Ashley Wade and doug hamster 10. Lindsey stough, Brittany dickey and danielle spree 11. erica Gambrell, Jim Gentry and Ansley Gentry 12. Bailey Bates and evan Bates 13. Missy Brazil and Allison Lavender

TuScalooSa counTy preServaTion SocieTy

ocToBer 31, 2015 JemiSon-van dE graaFF houSe

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phoToS | daniel melograna

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9 1. Stacy Daniels, Miles Jenkins, Rachel Pickering, Grace Connor and Samantha Anselmo 2. Brandon Boatwright and Sommer Hallquist 3. Danielle Sahud and Chris LaBauve 4. Emily Odom and Drew Baggett 5. Alisha Lay and Joey Lay 6. Jim LaMoreaux and Nicole LaMoreaux 7. Katherine Edge and Michael Edge 8. Ian Crawford and Megan Patrick 9. Tony Bordeaux and Marla Moss 10. Emily Odom and Mary Kathryn Mathews 11. Alisha Lay, Katie Lyons and Danny Salter 12. Cal Wilson, Forrest Petry and Rosemary Childress 13. Evans Fitts and Kelly Fitts

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MASQUERADE BALL

last look

ice sculpture photo by michelle lepianka carter a bicycle and a lawn statue are covered in icicles in the early morning light on a chilly winter day in tuscaloosa.

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Merry Christmas!

Serving the West Alabama Community for over 15 years.

• Laboratory Services • Wound & Burn Care • Injuries/Illness • Drug & Alcohol Screening •X-Ray Exams

‘Tis the Season • Respiratory Protection for coughs & colds When you experience a minor medical emergency or can’t wait for an appointment, let our experienced staff care for you.

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Office Hours: Monday - Saturday 9am-10pm Sunday 1pm-10pm

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(205) 333-1993 (20

(20 (205) 343-2225

www.medcenterurgentcare.com

1111 Greensboro Avenue ! Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 205.752.5535 ! www.hudsonpoole.com

NAAC59050

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