Issuu

F E B R UA RY 2 02 3

E XCEPTIONAL LIVING IN HUNTSVILLE

18 WATERCRESS GREEN JUST OFF JEFF ROAD AT HIGHWAY 72 W UNIVERSIT Y DRIVE NW 1 OLD FAIRWAY ROAD HUNTSVILLE, AL 35806

WATERCRESSLIVING.COM

V @18WATERCRESSGREEN

WATERCRESSGREENAPTS-LAPTG@M.KNCK .IO (256) 408-9602

February 2023 PUBLISHER

Amy Lemley Bailey | amy.bailey@citylifestyle.com

LIFESTYLE LETTER

Huntsville: Where Rockets Rise Out Of Cotton Twenty-two years ago, I graduated college and was about to start my first magazine job at Southern Living. Today I am excited to bring you a magazine dedicated to my hometown, Huntsville City Lifestyle. The support of this community and belief in this endeavor has been unbelievably encouraging; words cannot capture how grateful I am. Growing up, I couldn’t wait to get out of this town and I never saw myself returning, yet every year since moving back nine years ago, I fall in love with it even more. I see and hear the stories of our town and I cannot imagine a more well-rounded, embracing community full of good people. There is no place on this Earth I would rather be than my home. It is in my blood. When my dad passed two years ago, I began doing research on my ancestors. I discovered that nine generations ago in the early 1800s, John Lemley made his way from Fairfield, South Carolina to the newly formed AlabamaMississippi territory and settled at Lemley Mountain along the Paint Rock River. My family was among the first settlers of Madison County. They were not affluent, they were pioneers. This city made me who I am. From the old pink Humana Hospital where I was born to walking to Whitesburg Elementary School; from the smell of bacon and biscuits at my grandmother’s house to climbing trees and fences; from my first kiss at Carousel Skate Rink to Saturday shopping marathons with my mom at Parkway Place; from teachers like Joan May, Mrs. Lawler and Mr. McPheeters to my HHS graduating class that sticks together until this day; from re-meeting my husband at Bubba’s after we graduated college to moving back and raising my own family here - we live in a very special place. I am excited to tell the stories of the people of Huntsville. A place where rockets rise out of cotton and history and technology walk hand-in-hand. A place where being a steward of community and supporting each other seem to matter most. Thank you for being a part of this journey. I hope you enjoy our first issue. We would also love to hear from you if you have any story ideas for future issues. Yours Truly,

A M Y L E M L E Y B A I L E Y, P U B L I S H E R @HUNTSVILLECITYLIFESTYLE

Scan QR code to visit our Instagram CIT YLIFEST YLE.COM/HUNTSVILLE |

MANAGING EDITOR

Carrie Tate | carrie.tate@citylifestyle.com STAFF PHOTOGR APHER S

Nadia Kidd, Eddie Hurskin COPY EDITOR

Marynell Cole INTER N

Mia Rogers CONTR IBUTING WR ITER

Bill Fowler

Corporate Team CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell AD DESIGNER Matthew Endersbe LAYOUT DESIGNER Jayme Emery

Learn how to start your own publication at: citylifestyle.com//franchise Proverbs 3:5-6 Huntsville City Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Huntsville area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Huntsville City Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but

L I F E ST Y LE LE T T E R

the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

Dr. Elizabeth Owings Discovery Medical Center

REVANESSE / BOTOX / VAMPIRE FACELIFT MICRONEEDLING / OBAGI SKIN CARE ®

DrOwingsHealth.com | 938.207.8888 502 Pratt Avenue · Huntsville, AL 35801

F E B R UA RY 2 0 2 3

inside the issue The Premiere Issue

F E ATU R E D

D E PA RTM E NTS

10 Dancing For Her Life

Lifestyle Letter

City Scene

Healthy Lifestyle

Culinary Creations

Local Limelight

FO O D + B EV E R AG E

Locally Sourced

LI FE + C U LT U R E

Must See

Trend Setter

Back Stage

Events

Local’s Choice

Anna Ward’s journey from Redstone Arsenal to business owner.

16 We Like It Spicy

Meet the faces behind some of Huntsville’s best Asian cuisine.

34 Space Wranglers: The People Behind Artemis

Second generation NASA rocket scientist David Beaman talks about Huntsville’s rocket and the team behind it.

O N T H E C OV E R

Art by Jessie Andrews, Honeyblood Art @honeyblood.muralco

LI FE + C U LTU R E FO O D + B E V E R AG E

LI FE + C U LT U R E LI FE + C U LT U R E

LI FE + C U LT U R E

ST YLE + B EAU TY

V @strattonhsv

F E B R UA RY 2 0 2 3

city scene

Where neighbors can see and be seen. 1

TYLER MORGAN

KELLY LOPEZ

STEVE BABIN

5 2

JEFF WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

NADIA KIDD & EDDIE HURSKIN

1: Tricia Murray & Jody Bridges at Gothic Guild’s Christmas Social. Gifts went to Toys for Tots. 2: WellStone Emergency Service’s ribbon cutting with Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. 3: Girls Inc. of Huntsville celebrated 50 years with Sneaker Gala special guest Serena Williams. 4: Floral workshop hosted by Jean Penney and Ginger Liles in support of Randolph’s Greengate School. 5: Ribbon cutting for Stone Age Korean BBQ’s new Madison location. 6: Shawnte’ Beckwith & Nigel Gayle at Huntsville’s MidCity District’s Holiday Market. 7: Bilingual story time with author Rossina Boyer at The Camp in MidCity.

Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @huntsvillecitylifestyle

C I T Y SC E N E

Dancing For Her Life ANNA WARD, FROM ARSENAL TO ENTREPRENEUR ARTICLE BY AMY BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY NADIA KIDD & EDDIE HURSKIN

Huntsville native Anna Ward went from working in the Black Hawk division at Redstone Arsenal to opening her own dance studio, Soles Dance Center. She shares her lessons learned on the Arsenal, what dance means to her, and why she loves the Huntsville community.

WHAT DIVISION DID YOU WORK WITH ON THE REDSTONE ARSENAL? I worked in Black Hawk, specifically negotiating the purchase of Black Hawk helicopters for the US Government and its allies. I was a contract specialist, so I was involved in

Anna Ward, Owner of Soles Dance Center

H EA LT H Y LIF E ST Y LE | L I F E + CULTURE

all the “red-tape” processes in order to get these purchases priced and on contract.

WHAT SKILLS DID YOU LEARN ON THE ARSENAL? Team building and how to work with a diverse group of people were the main skills I learned on the Arsenal. It was the first time I was in the real world, and not in my bubble. I found myself thrown into groups of people with different thought processes, educational experiences, backgrounds, strengths and we all had to figure it out and get the mission done. No

I love the idea of creating a place with big energy that gives kids and their parents a community to call their own. I am fully bought into our mission of connecting people and making an impact. This environment gives me a strong sense of purpose. - Anna Ward excuses, no blaming, just do the work and improve upon it. You learn a lot from people that aren’t like you.

HOW DID THE ARSENAL MOLD YOU AS A WOMAN IN BUSINESS? By learning under good leadership, working in a team setting, and gaining confidence when interacting with new people, I was able to give my business degree a lot of practice before launching my own business.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT OWNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS? It is exciting to run a business you are passionate about. I love being a positive part of people’s lives. I love the idea of creating a place with big energy that gives kids and their parents a community to call their own. I am fully bought into our mission of

connecting people and making an impact. This environment gives me a strong sense of purpose.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE AS AN ENTREPRENEUR? I think a lot of entrepreneurs are part of the hustle culture. We work too much because we love it so much. It is hard for me to take a true day of rest and to plan time off because I hate missing out. It is hard to realize that you can’t do it all, work 24/7 and be present with your family and friends. CONTINUED >

Teaching Advanced Dancers

Teaching Class

FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

Advanced Dance Class at Soles Dance Studio

H EA LT H Y LIF E ST Y LE | L I F E + CULTURE

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT SOLES?

FAVORITE ALABAMA BOOK?

I love that we are bigger than a dance studio. I feel like we are a community of people. Yes, we dance together all of the time, but we also do homework together, eat dinner together, walk in the Christmas parade together, volunteer together, and basically grow up together.

Kathryn Stockett’s The Help. I love that she went to The University of Alabama.

SOMETHING YOU MISS ABOUT THE ARSENAL? The people and the office banter. I loved a good office party and a good prank on the boss.

WHY DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE CHOOSE SOLES? First of all, I hope people choose Soles because dance is very fun. But other than dancing, I feel like we offer children a safe and positive after-school environment and hobby. Nothing matters more than our kids. Nothing. I know that our faculty does an excellent job in dance education. The whole vibe of our studio is a positive one.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS IN HUNTSVILLE? The first few years are draining, it gets better. Huntsville is booming. Find your ‘why’ and learn your ‘how.’

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT HUNTSVILLE? I love how smart the people are here. I think the intellectual talent in our city is extremely impressive.

FAVORITE MILITARY MOVIE?

WHAT ARE THE 3 GREATEST STRENGTHS YOU GAINED WORKING ON THE ARSENAL? 1. NEGOTIATING, BUDGETING, PRICING – Learning the government’s approach to these financial topics gave me real-world experience in finance. 2. MANAGING PERSONALITIES – I learned a lot about personality types working on the Arsenal. 3. UNDERSTANDING HUNTSVILLE – I feel I have much better insight into the Huntsville economy, the people Huntsville attracts, and what appeals to our residents.

Black Hawk Down. Dancer Stella Butkis

CONTINUED > FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

North Alabama’s Home For Indoor & Outdoor Living For Over 75 Years

Downtown Huntsville 813 Meridian Street • brooksandcollier.com • 256-534-2781

YOUR REALTOR FOR LIFE JEANNE ALLEN

Jeanne Allen, Legend Realty 3508 Memorial Pkwy SW, Huntsville (256) 337-7615 www.findinghuntsvillehomes.com

We Like It Spicy M E E T T H E FA C E S B E H I N D S O M E O F H U N T S V I L L E ’ S B E S T A S I A N C U I S I N E

Maggie Reese, Oshi Poke Bowl & Sushi

ARTICLE BY AMY BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY NADIA KIDD & EDDIE HURSKIN

C ULIN A RY C R E AT ION S | F OOD + BE VE RAGE

Oshi Poke Bowl & Sushi, Maggie Reese

Oshi Poke Bowl & Sushi

Born in China, Maggie Dong Reese opened Oshi Poke Bowl & Sushi in downtown Huntsville in 2017 with her partners. “Since I first came to Huntsville in 2004, there have been a lot of changes. Yet even as the city grows, the one thing that has remained the same is Huntsville is a great place to raise a family, as well as conduct business.” Maggie believes in leaving a legacy of healthy food. That’s a passion that drives her to open not one but many restaurants in Huntsville. “The food in my restaurant is fresh and

healthy and made from love! Customers love our sushi, however, our poke bowls and ramen are very popular too.” Outside of the restaurant, Maggie puts the highest priority on family time with her children. Her favorite place to eat outside of Oshi Poke is Stone Age Korean BBQ. “It is truly a blessing to be doing business in Huntsville. I tell people to never quit, follow your dreams, treat people with dignity and love what you do.”

CONTINUED > FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

Rainey Rattanapan, Thai Garden

Thai Garden, Rainey Rattanapan

“My first time visiting Huntsville, I fell in love with the city. I have been to many places but Huntsville is always my number one,” says Thiyanee Rattanapan (known as Rainey because she was born when it was raining outside) owner of Thai Garden in Five Points, Huntsville’s first Thai restaurant. Even though Rainey is the second owner, for 13 years she has been working to keep the restaurant evolving and thriving. Born in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, in southern Thailand, whenever she returns home she enjoys visiting the spice markets with her mother. “I love to cook Thai food. I especially love to cook my employees their favorite Thai dishes.” She says #36 Chicken with Cashews is probably the most popular dish. If she must choose her favorite, “it is #27 Catfish Pad Prig, fried catfish with red curry stir fry. When you eat it hot at the restaurant, it is so good.” Coming out of Covid, Rainey believes the restaurant would not be thriving without its strong customer base. “The people here are so nice.” Rainey has seen Huntsville go from a quiet town with not much to do to the growing metro it is today. “There is so much more to do here than when I first came.” One of the best lessons she’s learned in the restaurant business is that there is always a challenge. “Nothing can’t be fixed. You just have to deal with it and be bold.” Rainey encourages, “Be disciplined, be humble and always be willing to learn. Work harder than everyone else.”

C ULIN A RY C R E AT ION S | F OOD + BE VE RAGE

Viet Cuisine, Ngoc ‘Han’ Vu

Ngoc Han Vu, known as ‘Han’ by her patrons, was born in Saigon, Vietnam. Her brother was a refugee after the Vietnam War and sponsored Han to come to the United States for college at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. After studying finance at UAH, she opened a Bahn Mi shop that lead to opening a small space off of Jordan Lane which eventually led to a larger space across the street. The place stays packed during lunch hours serving up traditional pho and stir fry dishes. Han says, “The best moments are when customers bring in their friends and family. We want our customers to feel like they are in their own dining room.” Han knows “running a restaurant is hard, but as long as you work with a passion you will receive love and support from the community. The Huntsville people are so friendly. At the end of the day, it is a lovely city I call home.”

Han Vu, Viet Cuisine CONTINUED > FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

Ding How, Holly Hau

For over 30 years, Ding How has been a staple in the Huntsville community and the woman behind this mainstay is Holly Hau. Born in Haiphong, Vietnam, Holly and her family were living in Atlanta when the opportunity to buy Ding How in Huntsville came along. “Our recipes have been the same for over thirty years. All of our entrees are made in-house and are made-to-order,” says Holly, adding, “Customer favorites are Mongolian Beef, Sesame Chicken, and Dim Sum which we offer Saturday and Sunday from 11-2.” Holly’s favorites include Pan Fried Flounder and Salt & Pepper Shrimp. Holly grew up in a fairly large family and remembers cooking with her mother with ingredients hand-picked from the garden. Outside of the restaurant, she enjoys her own garden and hanging out with her grandchildren. “Food is a big part of our family and the dishes we cook are dishes my family has enjoyed since they were kids.” In five years, she hopes to still be in Huntsville doing what she has done for the past 30 years. “I hope my legacy leaves Huntsville a little more worldly by offering authentic Chinese.”

Holly Hau, Ding How

C ULIN A RY C R E AT ION S | F OOD + BE VE RAGE

Kamado Ramen, Jim Xue

Jim Xue, Kamado Ramen

After working in restaurants in Tennessee, New York, and California, Jim Xue wanted to open his own business. He had a friend in Huntsville who wanted to collaborate, so he moved here to open Huntsville’s first I Love Sushi. Born in Fuzhou, China, Jim has loved watching Huntsville grow and is grateful to be a part of that growth owning Kamado Ramen, I Love Sushi Madison, and Chop N Fresh. Jim believes in creating healthy options for Huntsville and introducing new concepts to expand the city’s cultural reach. “My restaurants help people find love for different foods. This really makes my job enjoyable and more successful,” smiles Jim. Looking around the decor at Kamado, he continues, “We create an atmosphere. From the design to the music to the art. We design our space to invite the customer to share an experience with us.”

Ramen and Pork Buns at Kamado Ramen

Growing up, Jim loved making hot pots with his parents and grandparents. His favorite dish (besides ramen) comes from another one of his restaurants - the Sweet Bowl Alabama from Chop N Fresh. When he’s not at one of his establishments, Jim loves supporting other local businesses. Viet Huong is among his favorite places to patron. Jim has experienced challenges. “I opened three restaurants before I Love Sushi. Even trying to get a loan took a lot of effort. I went to bank after bank and finally was accepted. I’ve learned that perseverance is critical for success. Failure only means that you haven’t succeeded yet. My failure taught me to work harder and to keep trying.” Outside of the restaurant, you will find him playing golf or spending time with his daughters.

FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

R E S T. R E L A X .

Located in the heart of the Alabama Gulf Coast, Turquoise Place and The Beach Club Resort & Spa offer all the amenities and services families will appreciate. BeachClubAL.com

TurquoisePlace.com

• Two on-site restaurants

• Full-service spa

• Poolside Bar & Grill

• Private Balcony Hot Tub

• Poolside bar & grill

• Six pools

• Ice cream shop

• Arcade

• Exclusive Spectrum Club Lounge

• Gas Grill on Every Balcony

• Food trucks

• Basketball courts

• Lazy River

• On-site Shopping

• Boutique shopping

• Tennis courts

• Two Outdoor Pools

• Tennis Courts

• Two Indoor Pools

• Playground

• Two Fitness Centers

Book direct through Spectrum Resorts for a worry-free vacation experience.

Spectrum guests receive added benefits includingBeachClubAL.com discounts on on-site dining and shopping, freshly laundered coverlets with every stay and zero down on vacations booked more than 45 days in advance.

MOCK ME A DRINK Need a detox? These delicious mocktails will leave you feeling refined and refreshed

JALISCO SPRITZ at La Esquina Cocina INGREDIENTS: • • • • • • •

1 fresh kiwi, peeled 2 fresh strawberry slices 1/2 oz organic agave 1 1/2 oz lime simple syrup 2 oz Sanpellegrino Limonata Ice Strawberry salt (for rim)

TOOLS: The buzz across the country is the sober curious movement, and what adult doesn’t need a detox every now and then? The Huntsville restaurant scene is taking notice and coming up with some of the most flavorful nonalcoholic drinks you could ever imagine. We nestled up to the bar at two of our favorite local eateries and discovered these delicious concoctions. These restaurants even shared their recipes.

• • • •

Cocktail shaker Muddler Jigger Citrus Juicer

DIRECTIONS: Add half of the kiwi and one strawberry to a cocktail shaker. Muddle until well-combined, then pour in agave and lime simple syrup. Shake until well-mixed. Garnish glass with strawberry salt around the rim. Place remaining fruit at the bottom of the glass. Fill with ice. Begin to build the mocktail - first add the combined mixture followed by the Sanpellegrino Limonata to top off.

“The Huntsville restaurant scene is taking notice and coming up with some of the most flavorful nonalcoholic drinks you could ever imagine.”

Jalisco Spritz

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY BAILEY

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | FOOD + BE VE RAGE

Zero Proof

ZERO PROOF at Char INGREDIENTS: • • • • •

2 oz pineapple juice 1 oz orange juice 1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice 1/2 oz simple syrup Char Syrup - equal parts Luxardo cherry juice and simple syrup

DIRECTIONS: Mix ingredients together and shake over ice. Serve in a Collins glass. Top with Char syrup and garnish with an orange twist and fresh basil.

FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

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2313 WHITESBURG DR HUNTSVILLE, AL 35801 FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

Love Story: Meet The Sherrods

The Sherrods at home

A Q&A with an iconic couple of Huntsville PHOTOGRAPHY BY NADIA KIDD & EDDIE HURSKIN

Love and marriage - few know how to make it last like these two. Meet Judge Martha Lynn Sherrod andhusband of 43 years, Eddie Sherrod:

Friendship is a key element of a lifelong relationship. Navigating life's seasons together creates unimagined bonds.

WHERE AND HOW DID YOU TWO MEET?

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER COUPLES?

We met on the campus of Alabama A&M University in Huntsville. I was on the campus for The Youth Motivation Task Force, a career development program, and he was coaching football. I was in line for lunch in Prentis Hall; the coaches came into the dining hall and Eddie Sherrod went to the head of the line.

WHAT'S THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU'VE LEARNED IN YOUR MARRIAGE?

LOCA LLY SOU R CE D | L IF E + CULTURE

Marriage requires together is hard work.

commitment.

Staying

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE? He's a people person. He's never met a stranger and stops to talk to people anywhere and everywhere. He can hold a conversation with anyone. He dreams big enough for both of us.

Grounds Control of Huntsville is a third-generation, commercial landscape, and construction company. From project take-off to site completion, landscape installation, and ongoing grounds maintenance our definition of full-service creates a standard that is a step ahead. Our ServiceS LANDSCAPE

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FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

Vail Magic Like No Place On Earth “Not yet.” That was the response of my first ski instructor when I took a tumble, landed smack on my back, looked up at the bluebird sky, and said, “I’m just not very good at this.” Humbling is perhaps the best word to describe my first ski trip 18 years ago as a newlywed. At 26 I had never considered myself athletic and my inner perfectionist detested not being good at something, but this girl from Alabama (where we might get an inch dusting every other year) didn’t give up even though she felt like Bambi taking those first steps. With my fear at an all-time high, my frustration nearing an all-out hissy fit, what began as wanting to prove something to my husband became something I had to prove to myself. Now at 44, skiing has become one of my greatest joys in life and it didn’t come naturally - it came with practice, lots of frustration, and gaining confidence. Skiing allows you to go places and to see places that you would never experience without skis. With the magic of a snow-blanketed landscape, the warmth of a roaring fire, the rush of skis hitting the slopes, the indescribable feeling as a parent to see your child conquering their fears, and the vastness of the horizon looking out at 11,500 feet, Vail offers a family trip like no other.

M UST SE E | L IFE + CU LTURE

Gore Creek

Stay Arrabelle Vail is luxury in the heart of Lionshead. This ski in/ski out property is one of the best hotels you will ever experience. The rooms are exceptional and spacious, many equipped with large balconies overlooking the slopes where you can enjoy morning coffee and sunrise. Don’t miss the full European breakfast served every morning or the perfect place to apres, the rooftop hot tub and heated pool.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY BAILEY

Eat

Play

Shop

Mexican by the slopes? Yes, please! Located in Vail Village, El Segundo offers fantastic tacos in so many flavor combinations. Try the Seared Ahi, Hot Korean, and Crispy Cod tacos. And don’t miss the handcrafted cocktails and mocktails at this high energy taqueria, sip a ‘Slim Shady Margarita’ or a ‘Tropic Thunder Cocktail’ made with mezcal and guava. The apres can be quite the scene too.

A sleigh ride dinner at 4 Eagle Ranch is a wonderful way to see the mountains. The drive from Vail to Wolcott is less than 30 minutes and very scenic. The team at 4 Eagle Ranch provides the exact kind of hospitality you might expect to find on a ranch – friendly, accommodating, and down-to-earth. The fireside meal is excellent with options to accommodate different dietary needs on request. Enjoy nightly music and hot cocoa by the fire.

The Aviator Nation outpost near Gore Creek is full of loud colors, fun music and a hip crowd, making this the ‘it’ store of the moment. Don’t recognize these rainbow stripes, never heard of the brand? Ask someone under 30. Whether it’s comfy sweats with their signature rainbow stripes or an inflatable snowmobile to sled down the slopes, imagine if Barbie had a ski chalet equipped with closets of colorful clothes and toys, and you will start to understand why Aviator Nation is a favorite of the younger generation.

FEBR UARY 2 0 2 3 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/H UN TS V I L L E

ELEVATE YOUR CLOSET

3 WAY S T O O R G A N I Z E A N D

Every woman dreams of an organized and beautiful closet space, but it often comes last on the list of places that get their time and attention. Follow our three tips for transforming and elevating your closet as you Spring clean and declutter for a more peaceful, inspired space you absolutely love. A sneak peek inside the closet of active mom and entrepreneur Keri Tarantino of Leawood, KS reveals a dressing room that rivals celebrity homes in Beverly Hills. But it didn’t come easily. Keri painstakingly planned, designed and curated the space with care. When we first stepped inside, we gasped as our eyes beheld the glory. No detail went unnoticed in this dreamy dressing room. Here are some guiding principles that can be drawn from her exquisite taste and vision. How you organize your closet will of course differ based on the size of your space, the size of your wardrobe, and the kind of life you lead. But applying the guidelines Keri used in her space will result in a much more organized and aesthetically pleasing space.

1. USE REAL ESTATE WISELY Reserve the front and middle of the closet for clothes worn most often. For someone who gets dressed for work each morning at 6 a.m., work clothes should be at the front of the closet. Store lesser-worn items like formal wear and out-of-season clothes toward the back and on the upper shelves. The large mirror and counter with chair provides the perfect spot to select jewelry and finalize finishing outfit touches. While every closet is different, the key here is everything has a home.

2. ORGANIZE BY KIND AND COLOR Group clothes by kind first and color second. This ensures quick location of that favorite shirt when it’s needed. Bonus - it’s easy on the eye. Group like with like: Gather belts, sweaters, long-sleeve shirts, work pants, dresses, button-down shirts, jeans, shorts, etc., and decide the best place to store each item as a group (e.g., hang pants in the closet, fold and stack sweaters in a bureau). Working with groupings will help you figure out how much space you need and the best way to store each type of item.

3. UPGRADED HANGERS The simplest and fastest way to make a BIG difference in your closet organization is to get matching hangers that go beyond the traditional plastic or wire hangers. And for sure ditch any with paper from the dry cleaner! Here’s a few of our favorite elevated hangers:

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Photo by NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Space Wranglers: The People Behind Artemis Huntsville Makes The Unimaginable Imaginable ARTICLE BY AMY BAILEY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DENNIS KEIM

When the Huntsville Space Launch System (SLS) team had to decide whether or not to launch with Hurricane Nicole on the horizon, a group including NASA's David Beaman, Manager of the SLS Engineering & Integration Office, and NASA Chief Engineer Dr. John Blevins traveled down to Kennedy Space Center and made the recommendation to leave it on the pad. They wanted to be there with the rocket. That shows you the commitment of this team, and those people are from Huntsville, Alabama. As David Beaman says, “The rocket is us, we are the rocket, and we rocked it like a hurricane.”

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A second-generation rocket scientist, Beaman’s dad did the same job for Apollo that Beaman now does for the Artemis mission. Beaman’s dad worked alongside Dr. Wernher von Braun, “I’m a second genner. My dad was the finest engineer I’ve ever known and a giant because he was with a team doing something that had never been done before.” His dad is 89 years old and mom 88 years old, so he spends almost every weekend with his parents. He watched re-entry of the Orion sitting beside his father. “To me there’s not a place I’d rather be watching this mission than right next to my dad.” CONTINUED >

LH2 Test Stand

Photo by Kim Shiflett

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“We’ve had a lot of people come through here that were tremendous leaders. Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room, leadership is about bringing the smartest people into the room and listening to them.”

Born and bred in this community, Beaman has seen the progression of Huntsville from being a very small town to a world-class leader in technology. “It takes every single job in this community to make this community work. Whether it’s high tech or low tech, whether it’s people working in a restaurant or delivery drivers or landscapers, all these people make this community work. So this rocket is something we share because this community played a major role in us getting where we are today. That’s why I say this is our rocket.” “If you look at our history, I don’t think there is any way we would be on the moon without Huntsville, Alabama,” Beaman believes, “We’ve had a lot of people come through here that were tremendous leaders. Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room, leadership is about bringing the smartest people into the room and listening to them.” There are thousands upon thousands of people working on the Artemis mission in Huntsville, with several thousand engineers working on SLS. Beaman has 900 engineers working under him, “But it’s not just engineers, in order for this to be successful we have the finance control side, configuration management, contracts, and public affairs. It takes all of these skill sets to make it successful. So we have around 6,000 people around this area influencing this mission in some way or another.” The goal of SLS and the Artemis missions is to explore. “What you do is you give someone a challenge that seems

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unimaginable and then they figure out a way to imagine it. So it's the exploration part itself that drives us toward technology development.” Beaman continues, “When we were kids we explored our room, then our house, then our neighborhood, then our school. As we grew our world expanded - and our exploration expanded as well as our desire to know more. The real goal is exploration and how that breeds technologies that end up helping us back here on Earth that can make my life better, my children’s lives better, and my grandchildren’s lives better.” "I heard our associate administrator say not too long ago, 'We went to the moon 50 years ago. The moon is the same, we are not.' When you think about it like that, we are going back to a place we have been but in a totally different way with totally different desires.” Fifty years ago, the moon was the end goal. In today’s space exploration, it is a stopping point. “The whole approach changes. It's not 'how can I go to the moon and keep someone alive for 7 days', but 'how can I make a habitat on the moon and use that as a jumping off point to go deeper into space.'” The SLS team develops systems that help fly the rocket better. They develop testing capabilities, tracking and data capabilities with the real technological breakthroughs happening after the mission. Beaman makes this point, “People think you automatically develop something and then it applies to a product, but what really happens is they see our team develop new technology for a specific purpose and

Doug Parkinson, SLS Launch Integration in Mission Operations Lead

Mike Nichols Lead Test Engineer

Brent Gaddes, OSA Manager For SLS

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Photo by NASA/Ben Smegelsky

then they think of more unique ways to use it. I think of things like artificial hearts, control systems, and you hear the stories of velcro. You don’t plan a specific technology, you challenge the team to do something and they develop things along the way.” The SLS team just had the most successful rocket launch that has ever happened on the first launch of a system. Beaman was the booster manager during Shuttle and the performance predictions and how it flew were better on this first mission of Artemis than how they were on the last mission for Shuttle. “The performance has been amazing and we are in the middle of assessing. For instance, our insertion velocity, where we target a certain place in space at a certain speed, we delivered Orion at 99.974%

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of our predicted velocity. That prediction itself says we have a fantastic vehicle and we understand that vehicle.” Fifty years ago with the Apollo mission, the computers were not even equivalent to a handheld calculator today that can control and fly the whole vehicle. Beaman considers, “If you think about the progression of science, think about people before von Braun like Sir Isaac Newton. An apple hit him on the head and he asked why. It takes real visionaries to think outside the box and challenge yourself to do something that is a stretch goal. The original Huntsville guys took us to the moon with slide rulers and paper.”

Darrell Bailey Avionics Testing

LH2 Test Stand

Putting the first woman and person of color on the moon and being part of the culture that encourages breaking those socioeconomic boundaries is the ten-year goal for Beaman and the SLS team with its continuing Artemis missions (there are eight planned). “Most of the time you never believe you can do something until you see someone like you doing it. I think about Charlie Blackwell Thompson - she was our launch director for Artemis I - seeing her doing that encourages other young women that they can do it too. We have to break down these socioeconomic walls both locally and globally.”

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events A curated selection of the most intriguing upcoming events in our area.

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Mardi Gras At MidCity

T HE CAMP Celebrate Mardi Gras at The Camp. Delicious NOLA cuisine, authentic Mardi Gras beverages, live Mardi Gras music, beads, king cake, beignets and more!

Conversation With Mozart

MARK C. S MITH CON CERT HA L L | 7 :30 P M Violinist Tai Murray takes the stage to perform Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.3 in a program crowned by Schubert’s Symphony No. 4, the “Tragic,” composed at age nineteen but unheard until decades later.

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Snow White And The 7 Littles

VBC PLAY HOUS E THEATER | 7:0 0 P M Snow White is not waiting for a knight in shining armor! She’s much too busy working to provide clean water for the Littles and all the creatures of the Nysland Woods. When her mission is halted by the Queen, Snow will need the help of her forest friends. Written by Stephen Tyler Davis, Huntsville native, and Fantasy Playhouse Alumni. F E BRUA RY 17TH - 19TH

Huntsville Ballet Company Off-Stage DREAM THEATER | 7:00 PM

The Best of Huntsville Ballet Company will feature pas de deux, variations, and other audience favorites from their repertoire. A new work will also be presented. A question-and-answer session with the dancers and director will follow each performance.

TIME TO MOVE OR IMPROVE? Call Sarah Lauren Kattos to set up a complimentary Love It or List It consultation. (256) 348-2311 · vvwrealtor.com

EVE N TS

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Huntsville Mardi Gras Parade

DOWN TOWN HUN TS VILLE | 1 2:0 0 P M Laissez les bon temps rouler! Grab your crew and head downtown to watch Huntsville's krewes dance and parade in the streets to celebrate the South's biggest carnival, Mardi Gras.

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Huntsville Museum Of Art Gala Luncheon

11:30 AM The 32nd Annual Gala Committee and the Huntsville Museum of Art welcome celebrated entrepreneur and tastemaker Jane Scott Hodges as the Gala Luncheon speaker. Catered by Purveyor. Tickets are $125 per person.

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My Favorite Things February Must-Haves

01 Roberto Coin Verona Bracelet. Beautiful, unique Roberto Coin designer jewelry at Loring & Company. // 02 The Rose Moon Latte. Honest Coffee serves up Huntsville City Lifestyle’s Signature Drink for the month of February. / 03 Custom Floral Painting. Local Artist Rebekah Sanders captures portraits, botanicals, and naturescapes with deep moody hues. / 04 HeartShaped Jewelry Dish. Beautiful ceramics by Alabama artist Susan Gordon. / 05 Stratton Jewelry. Make her day with gorgeous pieces from Stratton. / 06 Antiques from Rivenbark & Roper Antiques Downtown. Long live brown furniture and gorgeous estate pieces. You will marvel at this gem of a store.

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