Camellia issue 4 • summer 2015
THE KITCHEN A PLACE FOR TASTE & ENTERTAINMENT
+ LEMONY LIFE HACKS
INSIDE: THE SECRET TO SUMMER HAPPINESS
Contents Summer 2015
#CamelliaMagazine trending since 2010
06
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS
08
THE ART OF HEALING
12
Berry, berry good
22
SITTING BY THE DOCK OF THE BAY
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. That’s one option, and we have five delightful recipes to spice up one of summer’s most timeless drinks.
An automobile accident radically altered Chelsea Huggins’ life. It also helped her rekindle a love of art and discover her hidden talent for painting.
Love strawberries? Then you’ll definitely want to try this tasty recipe, which is aptly named heavenly fluff.
Sometimes the perfect beach escape isn’t the beach at all. Tucked away on Perdido Bay, the Haigler’s bay house provides the perfect escape to kick back, catch a few rays and enjoy the salt air.
Camellia r 2015 issue 4 • summe
THE KITCHEN TASTE A PLACE FOR MENT & ENTERTAIN
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NOW WE’RE COOKING Take a moment and picture your dream kitchen. Now, forget it. Because your definition of a dream kitchen is about to change. Van and Lauren Huggins combined their love for entertaining and cooking in the great outdoors to create the ultimate outdoor cooking space.
+ LEMEONY LIF HACKS
INSIDE: THE SEC
RET TO SUMM
ER HAPPINESS
ON THE COVER: SaRiyah Nicole Brooks sets up shop with a lemonade stand along Commerce Street. (Photo by April Gregory)
Greetings
from the staff
PUBLISHER Tracy Salter CIRCULATION Tammy Edwards EDITORIAL Andy Brown Managing Editor Jonathan Bryant Staff Writer Angie Long Staff Writer Mona Moore Staff Writer ADVERTISING April Gregory Marketing Consultant Carrie Lambert Marketing Consultant
From left to right: Carrie Lambert, Andy Brown, Tracy Salter, Jonathan Bryant and April Gregory
It’s been said that summer is a bit like childhood. It’s full of warm memories, and gone all too soon. Fortunately, it always rolls back around, and when it does, it begs us all to be children again. The sunshine, the warm (and often times blazing) temperatures, and the cool refreshing waters of a pool, the lake or the ocean are something like a Fountain of Youth. And then there’s that nectar of the summer — lemonade. Is there anything more refreshing on a summer day than a tall, cold glass of lemonade? It’s a little tart, a little sweet and all summer. In this issue of Camellia, we invite you to kick back and enjoy the season, possibly while enjoying a glass of apple lemonade or frozen blueberry lemonade. You can find the recipes on pages 6 and
7 of this issue. Take a little tour of Mrs. Susan B. Haigler’s Perdido Bay beach home and imagine yourself resting in the hammock or kicking back on the screened-in porch in one of the rocking chairs while watching a pelican perched on a piece of an old forgotten dock. Maybe backyard barbecues are more your idea of an ideal summer evening. In this issue we’ll highlight a “kitchen” that heats up summer entertaining unlike any other in the Camellia City. And while you’re waiting on that grill to warm up, why not read about Chelsea Huggins, a talented artist who discovered her love for painting after a terrible accident that left her paralyzed. Her story is one of the most inspiring to ever grace the pages of Camellia Magazine. So please, kick back, grab a glass of lemonade and enjoy this issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY April Gregory Andy Brown
Camellia Magazine is published four times per year by Greenville Newspapers, LLC. 103 Hickory Street Greenville, AL 36037 www.camelliamagazine.com 334.382.3111 Advertising rates and information are available upon request. Subscriptions are available for $18 Please make checks payable to: Greenville Newspapers, LLC 103 Hickory St., Greenville, AL 36037 All photographs and copy included in Camellia Magazine are copyrighted 2015 Greenville Newspapers, LLC and cannot be republished or reproduced in any manner without the consent of Greenville Newspapers, LLC.
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Lemony Life Hacks STAY CALM, SNIFF A LEMON: OK. So it’s not quite that easy. However, research has shown that lemon balm has a calming effect and therefore may be able to help remove fatigue, exhaustion, dizziness, anxiety, nervousness and tension. The best ways to reap the benefits are by inhaling essential lemon oil aromas or making hot tea infused with lemon. BUG OFF: It’s summertime in Alabama, and that means it’s hot. So hot that even the bugs are looking for a cool place to escape the heat. If you’re looking for an all natural way to send those creepy crawlers packing, give lemons a try. Insects are not fans of the acidic smell of lemons, so spraying it in the areas they are gathering will scare them away. You can also wash your floors with a mixture of hot water and lemon juice to keep roaches and fleas off your turf. FRESHEN UP THAT FRIDGE: Do leftovers have your refrigerator smelling, well, yuck? A lemon could be the answer. To deodorize your smelly fridge, simply chop off a chunk of lemon and squeeze the juice on a cotton ball. Sit that cotton ball inside your refrigerator for a few hours. SHOW OFF THOSE PEARLY WHITES: Has coffee, soda or tea left your teeth looking more like a lemon than a freshly polished pearl? Grab a lemon. Combine lemon juice and baking soda in equal proportions to create a bubbly concoction that you can rub onto your teeth using a Q-tip. Leave on for 45 seconds, but no more (the acids in the lemon juice and baking soda can weaken your tooth enamel). Gently scrub off with a toothbrush and clean water. Just like that you have a homemade teeth whitening treatment. AVOID A STICKY SITUATION: Cooking fish can be tricky. Fish has a very delicate texture that is awesome when we are eating it. Not so much when trying to cook it. To keep seafood from sticking to the grill or the roasting or broiler pan, set it on top of lemon slices. The citrus provides just enough distance to keep the proteins in the fish from binding to the cooking surface, and the moisture in the lemons helps cook the fish by adding flavorful steam.
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When life gives you lemons ...
DRINK UP! W
hen the mercury on the thermometer has reached record heights, few beverages are as refreshing as a cold glass of lemonade. This summer is sure to have its share of hot afternoons. But while the higher temperatures might be typical this time of year, your choice for refreshment can be anything but — even if you insist on sticking with lemonade. Spice things up by adding a twist to one of summer’s most popular beverages by trying one of these recipes. APPLE LEMONADE INGREDIENTS 2 to 3 cooking apples, unpeeled, chopped into small pieces Sugar, to taste Juice of 1 lemon Sparkling water (to serve) Ice
DIRECTIONS Put the apples into a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer until soft. Strain, pressing the pulp through the strainer with a spoon. Add sugar to taste, stir until dissolved, then let cool. To serve, pack a pitcher with ice, half-fill the glass with the apple juice, add the lemon juice, and top with sparkling water.
WATERMELON LEMONADE INGREDIENTS 6 cups 1-inch cubes seedless watermelon (from about a 5-pound melon) 1 (10-ounce) bottle lemon juice 3/4 cup cane sugar Crushed ice Mint sprigs, for garnish
DIRECTIONS Working in batches as necessary, purée watermelon and lemon juice in blender until smooth; transfer to a large container. Add 6 cups water and sugar; stir until dissolved. Pour over ice in tall glasses, garnish with mint and thin slices of watermelon, if desired, and serve.
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FROZEN BLUEBERRY LEMONADE INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups blueberries 1 cup lemonade 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
DIRECTIONS In a blender, puree the blueberries, lemonade, mint, confectioners’ sugar, and 3 cups ice until smooth. Garnish with mint sprigs.
STRAWBERRY LEMONADE INGREDIENTS 1/2 lb strawberries (1 1/2 cups), trimmed and halved 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 5 lemons) 1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 cups cold water
DIRECTIONS Purée strawberries with 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a blender until smooth, then force through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove seeds. Stir together strawberry purée, remaining lemon juice, 1 cup sugar, and water in a large pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Taste, then add more sugar if desired. Serve over ice.
LAVENDER LEMONADE Serves 12 INGREDIENTS Juice of 7 lemons Juice of 2 limes ½-1cup blue agave nectar 1-2 drops of doTERRA lavender essential oil 14 cups water
DIRECTIONS Juice lemons and limes, combine all ingredients except water in a pitcher and stir. Add water. Stir again.
the art of
HEALING f
r i d a Kahlo, a Mexican painter who is best known for her selfportraits, once said that her paintings carried with them the message of pain. Kahlo, who suffered from polio as a child, nearly died in a bus accident as a teenager. She suffered multiple fractures of her spine, collarbone and ribs, a shattered pelvis, broken foot and dislocated shoulder. Her injuries required that she be placed in a body cast. It was then that she began to focus on painting. Like Kahlo, McKenzie native Chelsea Rae Huggins was involved in an automobile accident that radically altered her life. In October of 2010, Huggins was a passenger in a Jeep that left the roadway and collided with a tree. The accident left Huggins paralyzed from the chest down. “When we left the road I saw that we were heading toward the trees,” Huggins said. “… I closed my eyes and braced myself to hit the trees. I felt some shaking, but no pain. When I opened my eyes, I was on the ground and I saw my friends getting out of the Jeep. I tried to get up and couldn’t.” Huggins was eventually flown by Life Flight to a Mobile hospital where she spent 11 days before being moved to the Shepherd Center, a spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation clinic in Atlanta, where she spent four Story & Photos by Andy Brown
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JOURNEY BEGINS: Chelsea Rae Huggins was seriously injured in an automobile accident in 2010. The accident left her paralyzed from the chest down. It also started Huggins art career. The McKenzie native has sold a number of commissioned pieces, and has had her work displayed at High Horse Gallery and on the walls of the Reeve Foundation headquarters in Short Hills N.J.
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months. Like Kahlo, it was while being treated for her injuries that Huggins discovered her love for painting. But while Kahlo’s work carried with it pain, Huggins’ work carries with it hope and healing. “I had always been interested in art, even before my accident,” Huggins said. “I didn’t really paint. I preferred drawing because I could be more precise and erase if I messed up. But during my therapy at the Shepherd Center they introduced me to painting.” Her first work, which she painted by holding the brush between her teeth, was a flower that she says her mom has held onto all these years. “It wasn’t great, but I did it, and I realized I could do it,” she said. From that flower blossomed a love for painting. With practice, Huggins paintings became more detailed and she gained confidence. In 2014, one of Huggins’ paintings was chosen to be displayed on the walls of the Reeve Foundation headquarters in Short Hills N.J., as part of a 10 painting collection for Expressions of Paralysis. An album cover inspired Huggins’ work,
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which was a portrait of a woman staring back over her left shoulder. “It expressed overall beauty, pain through the tears, and strength through her winking her eye,” Huggins said. “I added my own twist to it, especially when giving her a spinal scar like mine, which every spinal cord injury patient would have.” Huggins, who has been contracted to paint a number of pieces, said that painting stirs mixed emotions inside of her. “Sometimes it’s not something that I want to do, but I love being able to see the outcome of what the painting is — what I did,” she said. Huggins had considered a career in art, but has instead decided to pursue a degree in either psychology or psychiatry. Huggins said that it could one day lead to an opportunity to help others in a clinical environment, such as the Shepherd Center. While she may not pursue art as a career, Huggins is still busy painting. She has work on display at High Horse Gallery, and is still taking request for paintings through her Facebook page, Mouth Art by Chelsea Rae Huggins. “I love being able to please people with my art and know that they’ll keep it and display it,” she said. “It’s an amazing feeling.”
BRUSH STROKES: Chelsea Rae Huggins got her start as a painter while at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta. She painted a flower (shown right). It was simple, and in her own words, “not that great.” Since then, Huggins has developed a vibrant, bold style that is evident in her more recent works.
To see more of Huggin’s work visit Mouth Art By Chelsea Rae Huggins on Facebook.
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In a large mixing bowl, mix both packages of pudding and 1 ½ cups of milk. Let set in fridge for 5 minutes or until firm. When firm, mix Eagles Brand milk into the pudding. Fold in Cool Whip. Layer Angel Food Cake, strawberries and pudding mix into a large bowl or trifle bowl. Continue layering until bowl is full or ingredients are gone. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow mixture to firm. Serve and enjoy this nice summer dessert!
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The staff of Camellia Magazine asked a few local experts,
What makes summer fun, and what makes you happy? BEAU BENNETT, AGE 5: Swimming in Anna’s pool and watchingg movies makes summer fun. I also like sleeping with bears when I go in the woods. Going to the beach and playing blocks with my mama makes me happy. CAMILLE BOZEMAN, AGE 4: Playing with Lilly and Isaac Ingram is my favorite thing about summer. Mommy, Gigi and all of my family make me happy. ELLA AND ADA GATES, AGE 8: Sum Summer is fun because there is no b bed time, you get to sleep la late, go swimming, pick b blackberries, play outside 14 | camellia magazine
until dark and eat ice cream. Our kittens, family, spend-the-nights, and lots of giggling make us happy. RACHEL SALTER, AGE 3: Summer is fun because Corey is home, and I love my brother. Having fun is what really makes me happy. ALI BUTTS, AGE 9: Going to the pool and family beach trips makes my summer fun. Having friends and family that love me makes me happy.
the ultimate
STAYCATION
PHOTO BY ANDY BROWN
Ah ,vacation. Who doesn’t enjoy a little summer escape from time to time? We’re guessing no one. But vacations can be expensive, and unless you have a rich uncle that’s willing to bankroll your summer holiday, that may mean that a traditional vacation isn’t always in the cards. But that doesn’t mean that summer has to be a bore for you or your little ones. This summer why not plan a vacation in your own backyard?
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SPLISH, SPLASH Can’t make it to the splash pad? No problem. A portable sprinkler will create tons of fun. To make a game out of oscillating sprinklers, place several toys close to the sprinkler base and have each child take a turn collecting the toys before the sprinkler nozzles swing back in that child’s direction.
COOL TREAT A popsicle can be the perfect treat on a hot summer day. But what’s even better than a cold popsicle is a cold popsicle that you made yourself. It’s pretty simple. First, choose paper or plastic cups. Next, fill the cup most of the way up with a smoothie, flavored milk or a juice (or combination of juices) of your choice. Cover the top with aluminum foil. Poke a hole in the foil with a popsicle stick and leave the stick in the cup or glass. Put the popsicles in the freezer. Leave it overnight. Enjoy!
ALOHA Can’t make it to Hawaii? No worries, just throw a Hawaiian Luau. You can decorate your backyard with tropical colors, bamboo and any Hawaiian accessory that you can find. Get some Tiki torches, grass skirts, tropical flowers and coconut shells to put on the table for the finishing touches. Add some water, hopefully a pool, and just like that your backyard becomes the Big Island.
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MAKING A STAND Two things are often synonymous with one another: summer and lemonade. Encourage your little entrepeneur to set up a stand to treat neighbors and passers by to a cool and refreshing sweet treat.
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Greenville 128 Interstate Drive
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Summer Jams ‘15 Summer is here! With that in mind, we compiled the essential songs and remixes that we predict are going to be soundtracking your feel good summer playlists in 2015. KANYE WEST – “ALL DAY” BYhisJONATHAN Kanye West premiered latest single to BRYANT an unsuspecting crowd with a live performance at the BRIT Awards, complete with a miniature mob on stage toting flamethrowers. Somehow, this intro still sells the song short. It was an appropriate debut for “All Day,” the most energetic Kanye record in years. It’s a near-180 from “Yeezus,” the experimental, and divisive, visive, industrial hip-hop album from 2013. um West calls his latest album becue an attempt at making “barbecue uck exmusic.” Taylor Swift’s awestruck pression at the BRIT Awards is proof enough that “All Day” is pure flames.
DRAKE – “ENERGY” Drake dropped an album/ mixtape (depends on who you ask) in the dead of night one random Friday evening and set the internet ablaze with nearly half a million album sales in just three days. “Energy” might only be the album’s second track, but it’s also an early high point that encapsulates the best elements of Drake’s output since 2014. A catchy hook, memorable lyrics and a subtle homage to the Memphisbased Three 6 Mafia make the track a tantalizing appetizer for Drake’s fulllength album, “Views from the Six,” set to drop later this year.
A$AP ROCKY – “LORD PRETTY FLACKO JODYE 2 (LPFJ2)” Speaking of Three 6 Mafia shout-outs, A$AP Rocky put his stamp on 2015 at the dawn of the new year with “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2,” a sequel of sorts to one of his most popular songs.
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Monstrous production from Nez and Rio, featuring a whizzing synth and a booming underlying drums, make LPFJ2 a record that’s nearly impossible to sit still through. Rocky’s brief two verses are more style than substance, but his flow remains one of the most impressive among the current generation of eastcoast artists. The two-minute track iss just long enough not to overstay its welcome, as the instrumental
“I’m in a Humvee, lookin’ like a young me” is one of the artist’s quintessential rhymes, but no Bronson record would be complete without obscure food references (his love for melon and prosciutt is made abundantly clear). But the real reason the track stands out is due to his excellent ear for beats. Bronson backed by production from Drake’s right-hand man, Noah “40” Shebib, is a match made in heaven.
KENDRICK LAMAR – “ALRIGHT” It’s tough to decipher any one piece of Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album, “To Pimp A Butterfly.” The album is being lauded as one of the most important albums of the 21st century, and with good im reason. It’s less of a collection of 16 songs and more rea of a 79-minute poem. It’s meant to be consumed as a whole instead of a piecemeal, but “Alright” is the perfect song to cherry pick and place into anyone’s summer c playlist. The record comes immediately after an emotional high point on the album with an inspiring message, backed with vocals from Pharrell on the song’s hook. It’s a great example of how “To Pimp A Butterfly” never compromises delivering its message in favor of providing catchy m music. Kendrick is one of few artists today capable of doing both with ease. cap
ED SHEERAN – “COCO (BEN ESSER REMIX)” (BE
might become a little repetitive at three or four minutes.
ACTION BRONSON – “ACTIN’ CRAZY” The single cover for “Actin’ Crazy” features the Queens-based artist riding a shark through space, riddled with missiles and laser beams. It’s at once silly and completely representative of the standout track from Bronson’s debut album, “Mr. Wonderful,” and one of the best tracks of the year.
S Sheeran’ s rendition of CoCo is a bit of an anomaly on the list for a num of reasons, chief among number them being that the song isn’t even originally origi his. With W that said, it’s not just a an acceptable alternative to the popu radio hit. In a lot of popular ways, way it’s even better. Ben B Esser, the United Kingdom-based dom electronic producer, puts his own spin on the record, but does so in a way that complements Sheeran’s vocals perfectly (even if we all know that he doesn’t have any baking soda to speak of). “CoCo” might be one of the most remixed songs in recent memory, but Sheeran’s version stands out as the best of them. Yes, even better than Wayne’s version.
TYLER, THE CREATOR FEATURING KANYE WEST AND LIL WAYNE – “SMUCKERS” Tyler’s latest album, Cherry Bomb, is the definition of polarizing.
The experimental record is filled with some of the artist’s highest and lowest points of his music career. Fortunately, “Smuckers” is without a doubt an example of the former. With two genius features in Kanye West and Lil Wayne (who delivers his best guest verse in ages), there is no shortage of great verses through the song’s near-six-minute runtime. Kanye reverts to his “College Dropout” days of punchline bars with lines like “you can’t lynch Marshawn if Tom Brady throwin’ to me.” But it’s Tyler’s soulful production that steals the show, particularly with a beat switch midway as Wayne and Tyler trade bars Wu-Tang style toward the end.
JAMIE XX FEATURING POPCAAN AND YOUNG THUG – I KNOW THERE’S GONNA BE (GOOD TIMES) London artist Jamie xx (and lead man of European pop sensation, The xx) strayed well out of his comfort zone for his debut studio album, “In Colour.” The record blends elements of electronic, house, garage and trip hop into a beautiful mesh of colors and sounds. No track symbolizes that mesh more than “I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times).” While the feature list might look puzzling on paper, the combination absolutely works to create a makeshift reggae vibe. Young Thug is having an explosive year so far, and his feature on this record is yet another highlight with some of the most hilariously vulgar lyrics in the artist’s short discography.
LUPE FIASCO FEATURING ABSOUL AND TROI – “THEY.RESURRECT.OVER.NEW (T.R.O.N.)” Lupe made a triumphant return to the scene following two less-than-stellar efforts with “Tetsuo and Youth,” which set the tone for hip-hop back in January. Fans are still deciphering the complex and lyrically dense album today, as it supposedly has a different message depending on whether you listen normally or backwards, but one of the more straightforward tracks is also one of the best. “They.Resurrect.Over.New (T.R.O.N.)” is the last (or first) track on the album, and it wears its video game influence on its sleeves. Lupe and Ab-Soul represent two of hip-hops best lyricists (and self-proclaimed nerds), and the two of them bring their A-game throughout. The pot is sweetened even further with production from DJ Dahi, who gained recognition after producing Kendrick Lamar’s “Money Trees.”
BY JONATHAN BRYANT
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bay
LIFE By Angie Long I Photography by Andy Brown & April Gregory
The front yard of the Haigler bay house offers a stunning view of Perdido Bay.
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Sitting on a peninsula in Perdido Bay surrounded on three sides by sparkling Gulf waters, the Haigler beach house offers the perfect getaway on the bay.
In the boathouse an assortment of crab traps can be found, with the red trap proving to be the best of the bunch, says Charles Haigler.
Hurricane George in 1998 did some damage to the original one-story structure. The first floor plan was reconfigured and an additional story added. Spacious porches on both floors provide family and guests shady places to savor the beauty of the bay. A lone pelican parks on a post in Perdido Bay near the home.
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A covered patio offers a perfect place for a spot of grilling while chilling out on the coast. Unique signs and lawn ornaments add a punch of color and beach-themed whimsy to this home away from home. A good book, a glass of something cold and refreshing and a hammock surrounded by palm trees could add up to another day in paradise.
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The downstairs living room features bright white furniture paired with warmhued rattan pieces upholstered in cheery stripes and chevron patterns. The sailing ship model was given to Charles as a present when he was a child. While its sails were damaged in Hurricane George, the ship itself remained intact. Further adding to the nautical/coastal dĂŠcor theme are displays of sea shells and red coral.
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The gleaming white of the kitchen cabinetry contrasts with an eclectic collection of pottery pieces, handwoven baskets and original artwork. The glass container on the bar contains marbles Charles’ mother, Susan Haigler, played with as a child. “When kids come to the beach house, they get to play with marbles dating back 70 years,” Charles explains. A wrought-iron candelabra with a wine bottle as base adds a Bohemian vibe to the beach house. Susan Haigler’s collection of stirrer sticks brought back from her travels are tucked into a clear glass pitcher on the bar.
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Thanks to the abundance of glass used in the remodel, the upstairs living room offers a view to the porch and beyond. Many unusual objets d’art along with historical memorabilia can be found on display at the Haigler beach house. Charles’ maternal grandmother, who shared a birthday with General Robert E. Lee, collected a number of photographs and other items with ties to the Civil War general. Not only does his mother have a pair of wine glasses once owned by President and Mrs. Reagan, says Charles, the staunch Republican also has several wooden Easter eggs used at the White House’s holiday festivities during George W. Bush’s administration, along with a book signed by former First Lady Laura Bush.
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A photograph of Susan Haigler as a child with her mother has a prominent place on display. An antique armoire adorned with elaborate medallions provides an elegant place to tuck away swimsuits, sun hats and other beach attire. One of Susan Haigler’s prized possessions is a leather-bound Bible given to her by former governor Bob Riley as part of George W. Bush’s last presidential inauguration.
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The Haiglers’ boat is a Fountain 31 center console model, considered a premiere fishing boat, says Charles Haigler. Great for angling and simply enjoying a beautiful sun-filled day on the turquoise waters, the boat also serves as short-cut transportation to places that one would have to drive a circuitous route to reach by car.
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the
Kitchen
A place for taste & entertainment
V
an and Lauren Huggins set out to build a house. What they ended up with is an amazing outdoor space known as “The Kitchen.” “We started backwards,” Lauren said with a grin. “We have always loved to entertain, since our years of living in New Orleans and hosting guests for Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest or just because. We were missing that since moving to Greenville.” Nestled on eight and half acres in the heart of Greenville, “The Kitchen” started out as a patio with a fireplace and a built-in grill. It now features a wood-fired pizza oven, custom-made smoker, raised counter area for dining and food prep, a lighted deck and a pair of flat screen televisions for taking in the big game. “Van and I designed it and with the help and insight of Ronald Burkett and Freddie Daughtry, it became a reality,” Lauren said. It has become a place that provides an outlet for their love of entertaining. Oh, and did we mention there’s an attached cottage to allow the Huggins to accommodate family and guests while they are in town? Welcome to a tour of “The Kitchen” — one of the Camellia City’s premier outdoor spaces.
The galley kitchen inside the attached cottage at “The Kitchen” features heart of pine floors from the Crenshaw home on the Ridge. The Huggins have incorporated their love of old and meaningful pieces throughout the cottage with items such as Lauren’s grandfather’s vintage fan, circa 1937 (atop the refridgerator).
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“The Kitchen� was designed to not only fit with the landscape, but to bring the outdoors in. Patinated copper gas lanterns help provide light, while Adirondack chairs along the porch provide a welcoming place to sit and enjoy the surroundings. The board and batten shutters adorning the cottage were built by Van and add a classic look to the cottage.
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The Huggins used natural wood and brick to create a warm and rustic feel. The cabinets below the counter are made with the remaining heart of pine from the Crenshaw home on the Ridge. The raised counter provides plenty of space for dining or food prep when the Huggins host friends and family for small weekend cookouts or larger gatherings. “The Kitchen� also features a built-in beverage cooler, a built-in grill and a smoker that was custom-made in Houston Texas. A raised wraparound hearth provides a warm place to sit on those chilly fall Saturdays when the Huggins family is cheering on the Crimson Tide.
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A focal point of “The Kitchen� is the wood-fired pizza oven. The oven weighs more than 2,000 pounds. In order to place the oven on the counter, the Huggins had to have the counters reinforced. To make sure it was sitting in just the right place, ice blocks were placed under the oven. As the ice melted the oven was shifted into position. The oven is inscribed by the oven builder to the family. Lauren said the family enjoys making homemade pizza, but she is still striving for the perfect dough recipe.
A lighted deck provides an expansive view of the property, which the family says is great for watching birds and even deer that frequently feed in the area at dusk.
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“The Kitchen” is a favorite getaway for Van and Lauren’s daughters, Hannah and Addison.
Photography by April Gregory & Tracy Salter
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SCENES OF SUMMER
Clockwise from top left, Morgan Slagley; Blake Slagley; Beau Bennett; Beau Bennett, Kate Slagley and Rachel Salter; Beau Bennett, Kate Slagley, Rachel Salter, Morgan Slagley, Brittan Bennett and Blake Slagley. PHOTOS BY ANDY BROWN
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SCENES OF SUMMER
Clockwise from top right, Chloe Peavy; Chloe Peavy, Grace Sellers, and Bailey Lambert; Carlin Sellers, Chloe Peavy, Grace Sellers, Bailey Lambert, Trey Carter; Trey Carter; and Carlin Sellers.
PHOTOS BY APRIL GERGORY
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Clockwise from top left, Grace Sellers; Carlin Sellers; Bailey Lambert; SaRiyah Nicole Brooks; Emliee Grace Straughn.
PHOTOS BY APRIL GERGORY
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Model: Emliee Grace Straughn Photo: April Gregory
lasting impression
Happiness is a glass of lemonade on a hot day. — Unknown
Š 2015 Alabama Power Company
Every day thousands of men and women come together to bring you the wonder that is electricity, affordably and reliably, and with a belief that, in the right hands, this energy can do a whole lot more than make the lights come on. It can make an entire state shine.