Homewood Life, Winter 2021

OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE • ARTIST DONNA FIRNBERG • THE GREAT CAROLINA OUTDOORS

SLOW-SMOKED HERITAGE LITTLE DONKEY’S NEW 18TH STREET HOME

SEALED & DELIVERED

EVERYONE’S FAVORITE MAIL CARRIER

high

WINTER 2021 HomewoodLife.com Volume Five | Issue Five $4.95

NOTES

THE PATRIOT BAND’S ROAD TO THE ROSE PARADE HomewoodLife.com 1

HA N D -S E L EC TE D F U R NI S H I NG S , A C C E S S O R I ES & U NI Q U E G I FT S

2921 18TH ST S H OME WOO D 2 0 5 . 8 7 9 .35 10 ATHOME-FURNISHINGS.COM BIRMINGHAM’S BEST FURNITURE STORE 2021

2 Winter 2021

A MASTER CLASS IN THE ART OF COOKING. Step inside Grand Bohemian Hotel Mountain Brook and head to Habitat Cooking School for an unforgettable experience filled with storytelling and fresh ingredients.

Guided by our chef, you’ll learn global techniques, master new skills and uncover the stories behind each dish as you taste your way to a new perspective.

Explore classes and reserve your spot at mountain-brook.classesbykessler.com. grandbohemianmountainbrook.com | @GrandBohemianMountainbrook

BY K ESSLER

HomewoodLife.com 1

HomewoodLife.com 3

4 Winter 2021

HomewoodLife.com 5

6 Winter 2021

HomewoodLife.com 7

FEATURES

64

EVERYONE’S FAVORITE MAILMAN Thomas Russell lights up his postal route with smiles right and left.

72 HIT THE ROAD

THE GREAT CAROLINA OUTDOORS Hike, bike and adventure at these three resorts in the new year.

80 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

What should you buy for friends and loved ones this season?

Look no further than the shops right around you.

8 Winter 2021

PHOTO BY LINDSEY CULVER

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

23

51

PHOTO BY LAUREY GLENN

arts & culture

23 The Draw of Beauty: On the Easel of Artist Donna Firnberg 30 Read This Book: Books for Searchers Recommended by Mark Hart

schools & sports

31 All American Band: On to the Rose Bowl with the Patriots 40 Five Questions For: State Teacher of the Year Alternate Alli Phelps

food

& drink

41 Slow-Smoked Roots: Little Donkey’s Move to 18th Street

in every issue 10 Contributors

13 From the Editor 15 The Question 17 The Guide 86 Chamber Connections 88 Out & About 94 Marketplace 96 My Homewood

50 Five Questions For: Sorelle Café Owner Joy Smith

home

& style

51 Makeover Story: A South Forrest Metamorphosis 60 In Style: Loving Layers

HomewoodLife.com 9

contributors EDITORIAL

Alec Etheredge Meg Herndon Michelle Love Madoline Markham Keith McCoy Emily Sparacino

CONTRIBUTORS

Kathryn Bell James Culver Lindsey Culver Meredith Elder Laurey Glenn Amy Holditch Angie Mosier Melanie Peeples Christiana Roussel Elizabeth Sturgeon Lauren Ustad Sid Warren

Kathryn Bell, Photographer

Kathryn is a freelance photographer with a recent degree in art from the University of Montevallo. Her photography has led her to photograph presidential candidates and create fine arts work inspired by the classics.

She fancies herself a plant lady and enjoys the challenge of keeping rare and difficult plants alive and enjoys exploring Birmingham!

Meredith Elder, Stylist

Meredith is a local content creator sharing her west coast flare on southern style as a freelance stylist and social media specialist. In her free time (what free time?), you can find her loving on her sweet pups and cats, spending time by the water, hanging out with family and friends, or cooking. Connect with her at meredithabigailelder.com to collaborate!

DESIGN

Jamie Dawkins Connor Martin-Lively Kimberly Myers Briana Sansom

MARKETING

Octavia Campbell Evann Campbell Jessica Caudill Kari George Michaela Hancock Rachel Henderson Rhett McCreight Tori Montjoy Viridiana Romero

ADMINISTRATION Hailey Dolbare Mary Jo Eskridge Daniel Holmes Stacey Meadows Tim Prince Brittany Schofield Savana Tarwater

Lindsey Culver, Photographer

Originally from the Midwest, Lindsey is a photographer who lives in Homewood with her husband, Chris, and two mischievous children, Smith and Roland (along with their dachshund puppy, Sweeney Todd).

When not working as a baby and child photographer, she can be found with her hands in the dirt of her flower and vegetable garden, with a cup of coffee in hand around the clock, hosting hot tub parties for her friends and attending every local musical theater performance.

Melanie Peeples, Writer

When Melanie Peeples first moved to Homewood, she couldn’t figure out why so many people were wearing shirts that said “Homewood” on them.

Three years later she wanted to know where she could find one, having fallen deeply in love with the town people compare to living in a Norman Rockwell painting. Before becoming a mostly full-time mom, she covered the South for NPR, writing about everything from the trial of the country’s first school shooter to the 100th anniversary of the MoonPie. She loves travelling to new places (and old places, too) and also coming home.

Homewood Life is published quarterly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051.

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

Homewood Life is mailed to select households throughout Homewood, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit HomewoodLife.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $14.95 plus tax for one year by visiting HomewoodLife.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532.

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

10 Winter 2021

Colonial Christmas Lunch & Tour DECEMBER 6-10 AND 13-17 $35 PER PERSON RESERVE YOUR SEATS BY CALLING

(205) 665-3535 EXT. 1031

3727 HIGHWAY 119 MONTEVALLO, AL 35115 WWW.AMERICANVILLAGE.ORG

HomewoodLife.com 11

12 Winter 2021

from the editor

I

ON THE COVER

High Notes

Olivia Jackson plays trumpet in the Homewood Patriot Band, which will march in the Rose Bowl Parade for the fifth time on Jan. 1, 2022.

Photo by Lindsey Culver Design by Kimberly Myers

In my first job out of college and grad school, I’d take cubicle breaks and step outside for a few minutes. Fresh air is always refreshing, but some fall afternoons I’d get the extra surprise of hearing the beating of drums in a rhythmic cadence.

Any echoes of marching band sounds are nostalgic for me, but over the years to come that I’d cover Homewood as a journalist, I’d learn that this wasn’t just any marching band sound I was hearing from Lakeshore Drive. The Homewood Patriot Band is a force, not just of numbers that are now a full one third (yes, one third) of the student body at Homewood High School, but of musicality and tradition.

The longer I was around Homewood, the more I wondered just how band became so, well, cool in Homewood, and that’s just what I talked to its director Chris Cooper about in our cover story for this issue as the band prepares to go to its FIFTH Rose Bowl Parade this winter— because how could we not put a band story on the cover of a magazine that covers Homewood? (And props to photographer Lindsey Culver for rocking that photo too!) Be sure to give that story a read and plan to tune in to watch the parade on New Year’s Day at 4 p.m. on ESPN. And that’s just the start of this issue’s ode to Homewood as told through the stories of some of its people and places. We’ve got quite the dramatic before and after renovation story of a home on South Forrest that is likely familiar, and speaking of changes, Amy Holditch takes a look at the slow-smoked heritage of Little Donkey and its upcoming move to 18th Street. Further back you’ll find a storybook-like tale of a mailman whose smile lights up each street he visits. Plus, our annual Holiday Gift Guide is full of ideas for those who are both easy and hard to buy for on your list all while shopping local, and our Hit the Road feature this season takes you to three resorts in the Carolinas where you can be active in all kinds of off-the-beaten-path ways.

Oh, and I can’t forget our interviews with Hall-Kent teacher and artist Donna Firnberg, Sorelle Café owner Joy Smith (have you checked out their grab-and-go food on Broadway?) and Shades Cahaba English learner teacher Alli Phelps, who just so happens to be Alabama’s Teacher of the Year Alternate this year.

As football season wraps up and we head into Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year, here’s to all the rich stories that our community will continue to live and that our team at Homewood Life has the pleasure to share with you! Feel free to send ideas for them my way any time.

madoline.markham@homewoodlife.com

HomewoodLife.com 13

T here's no place like

HOME for the holidays

14 Winter 2021

“ ” THE QUESTION

What Homewood nonprofit or cause do you recommend supporting?

Aniah’s Heart because it is the embodiment of the Homewood community. It’s designed to educate and empower people to look out for themselves and for others. #ForeverAniah

The Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama champions economic equality, civic engagement, and social justice for Latino and immigrant families in Alabama.

The Dance Foundation!

Because they help make dance accessible to all people. They offer classes for people of all abilities and ages. My 4 year old is about to start his first class there!

The Sharing Table. Mary Liz Ingram’s baby is all grown up now and helps those in need with food insecurity and so many other needs for our neighbors in our community.

Family Promise of Birmingham works with local churches to provide temporary housing and more to displaced families trying to get back on their feet.

College Choice Foundation. Their work and impact ripples through every community their kids are in now and the communities they’ll be a part of in the future.

-Nikki Lapinsky

-Sarah Smoot

-Sarah Rich

Assistance League Birmingham’s Operation School Bell works with 42 area elementary schools to give their most-in-need students NEW school clothes.

-Jan Kirkendall Service

-Mike Higginbotham

-Erik Henninger

-Justin Limbaugh

Homewood City Schools Foundation! Donated to them since day one that I’ve been teaching in Homewood!

-Celia Deaton Castle

HomewoodLife.com 15

Robotic-Assisted Surgery at Brookwood Baptist Health Life is too short to lose precious time to pain and avoidable health conditions. We’re pleased to offer the benefits of robotic-assisted surgeries to address a variety of health conditions. Minimally invasive surgeries can help you feel better with typically shorter or no hospital stay, less scarring and shorter recovery time.

Find a Doctor at BrookwoodBaptistHealth.com

High Tech Care, Hometown Touch 16 Winter 2021

THE GUIDE

DOWNTOWN HOMEWOOD CHRISTMAS PARADE + STAR LIGHTING DEC. 7 6:30 P.M. Downtown Homewood You can’t get much more Homewood than the lighting of the 18th Street star, and the annual parade is the same night to boot. After the parade ends at City Hall Plaza, a special visitor in a big red suit will arrive, the Homewood High School Band will play and the Christmas tree will be lit.

HomewoodLife.com 17

THE GUIDE HOMEWOOD EVENTS NOV. 20

NOV. 1-30 Fall Reading Program Homewood Public Library

Putt for Pitt Hopkins

NOV. 6 Art in the Lot Trinity United Methodist Church

Highland Park Golf Course Homewood residents Stephanie and Wes Holley and their son John Wesley connected with Chris and Kristen Key from Oxford, Alabama, through the unlikely circumstances of both having a child with a rare genetic disorder called Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, and they decided to come

together for a cause in honor of their sons John Wesley and Brody (pictured). Putt for Pitt Hopkins will benefit the Pitt Hopkins Research Foundation. Register by Nov. 12 at eventbrite.com/e/putt-for-pitt-hopkinstickets-171451485007.

NOV. 4

Holiday Open House Downtown Homewood Shops

Get a head start on holiday shopping season at this annual Homewood Chamber

18 Winter 2021

of Commerce event. Peruse your favorite downtown Homewood shops and enjoy refreshments, hors d’oeuvres, shopping discounts and more.

NOV. 16 Homewood Chamber of Commerce November Membership Luncheon The Club NOV. 20-21 ACT Weekend Workshop Homewood Public Library NOV. 22-26 Homewood City Schools Closed Thanksgiving Break DEC. 4 Miss Heritage Homewood High School

THE GUIDE DEC. 14 Homewood Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting The Club

DEC. 9

Christmas Home Tour

DEC. 14 Birmingham Boys Choir Christmas Concert Samford University Wright Center

10 A.M.-2 P.M. & 4-8 P.M. Tour homes in all their festive glory at this annual event to benefit the Samford Legacy League’s scholarships to Samford University for students with significant financial need and challenging circumstances. For tickets visit samford.edu/legacyleague/.

DEC. 20-JAN. 4 Mid-Winter Holidays Homewood City Schools Closed JAN. 1 Homewood Patriot Band in Rose Parade JAN. 17 MLK Holiday Homewood City Schools Closed JAN. 18 Homewood Chamber of Commerce State of the City The Club

JAN. 29

Salamander Festival

3-5:30 P.M. Homewood Senior Center

It’s time for the spotted salamander to migrate from Homewood Forest Preserve to vernal pools nearby, and it’s time to

celebrate. At this annual event held by Friends of Shades Creek, kids and adults alike can hold salamanders and snakes, enjoy snacks and live music, and learn about other local wildlife. Check shadescreek.org for updates on the event.

HomewoodLife.com 19

THE GUIDE AROUND TOWN THEATRE

NOV. 11 National Veterans Day Parade Downtown Birmingham

ON STAGE Homewood Theatre is back with its 2021-2022 season! All performances will be on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday afternoon matinee at 2:30 p.m. in Brookwood Village’s top-level near the food court. Individual tickets ($20), and season tickets ($120) can be purchased at homewoodtheatre.com. Here’s what to watch for the remainder of this season: Inspecting Carol December 2-5 + 9-12 Bring the family for this classic Stephen Sondheim musical! It’s a different turn on traditional fairy tales set to a wonderful musical score.

The Odd Couple Feb. 10-3 + 17-20 Hilarious Neil Simon comedy that asks the

20 Winter 2021

eternal question, “Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?”

Leading Ladies March 31-April 3 + April 7-10 Two English Shakespearean actors find themselves performing on the Moose Lodge circuit in the Amish country of Pennsylvania… with hilarious results!

A Night at the Cascade Lounge May 5-8 + 12-15 A Vegas-style lounge prepares a fractured nightclub act they think will take the town by storm… the only problem is it’s located 1,831 miles from Las Vegas!

NOV. 11 Samford Legacy League Holiday Gift Market First Church of the Nazarene, Vestavia Hills NOV. 17-20 Market Noel Virtual Marketplace Finley Center, Hoover NOV. 17-JAN. 2 Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience BJCC Exhibition Hall NOV. 21 Handel’s Messiah Presented by Alabama Civic Chorale Riverchase United Methodist Church

THE GUIDE NOV. 25 Sam Lapidus Montclair Run Levite Jewish Community Center

SCHOOLS

Only five schools in Alabama were named 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education, and Hall-Kent Elementary is one of them. Since it began in 1982, Alabama has had 47

NOV. 26-DEC. 24 Christmas Tree Farm Old Baker Farm DEC. 3-19 Holiday Spectacular Red Mountain Theatre Company DEC. 3-22 Holiday Film Series Alabama Theatre DEC. 17-19 & 21-23 Alabama Ballet’s The Nutcracker BJCC Concert Hall JAN. 20-29 Birmingham Restaurant Week Winter Edition

SEEING BLUE

NONPROFIT

TREE OF LIGHTS Community Grief Support is celebrating the lives of those we’ve lost in our community with a Tree of Lights memorial, a 12-foot holiday tree with twinkling lights in Homewood Central Park, in November and December. It’s not just bringing cheer to residents and those

schools receive this honor.

National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation.

To celebrate, students and teachers dressed in blue one day to celebrate. Go HallKent!

who pass by—but honoring those who have passed on. Donors and passersby can sponsor a light and receive gifts in memory of their loved one(s) through donation opportunities. All proceeds go to provide free grief counseling, grief support groups and community grief education programs. For more information, call Community Grief Support at 205-870-8667.

HomewoodLife.com 21

[Newbor n + Child + Family Por traiture] info@apeppermintphoto.com + 205.807.6431 w w w . a p e p p e r m i n t p h o t o . c o m 22 Winter 2021

&CULTURE

ARTS

THE DRAW OF BEAUTY This Hall-Kent kindergarten teacher moonlights in gold and geometric, abstract and expressive.

BY ELIZABETH STURGEON PHOTOS BY LINDSEY CULVER HomewoodLife.com 23

24 Winter 2021

D

walk through hard things, there’s always hope that things will get better,” she says. “It’s part of the human experience.”

Hope is reflected in how Donna names her abstract and expressive paintings: restoration, forgiven, refuge. A beautiful concept deserving of a

Donna Firnberg thinks and feels in Prussian blue.

It’s deep and dark, perhaps a reminder of stardotted skies, satin dresses or distant memories. For Donna, it resembles the ups and downs—or more accurately the downs, then the ups.

“Hope and renewal is a theme. Even though we

e knockout

r with whit

Front cove

I strive to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am. r

Back cove

PREVIEW

E • A TAST

OF CLA

• INSIDE

THOMAS

ANDREW

ART

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

LIFE

Your Stories.

Your Community.

Your Magazine.

H omewo od L ife . com

2021

W E D D IN ebruar y

2021 FEBRUARY JANUARY/ ife.com HomewoodL | Issue One Volume Five $4.95

GS

GS

L WEDDIN

TEN REA

J anuary /f

Visit HomewoodLife.com or call 205-669-3131 to subscribe for $14.95 plus tax (4 issues) a year.

STORIES IC LOVE S PANDEM HAIRSTYLE IC BRIDAL ROMANT

2021

2810 19th Place South, Homewood, AL 35209 StandiferAnimalClinic.com

HOME WOOD

Animal Hospital, Veterinary Care, Boarding & Grooming

EY HOTEL

THE VALL

box

PANY

E COM SSIC WIN

HomewoodLife.com 25

Donna Firnberg started painting about four years ago.

beautiful representation, one that she often surrounds with fluid strokes and adorns in gold.

About four years ago, this Hall-Kent kindergarten teacher began her body of painted work just for herself, and it has now bloomed into a business.

She had always been creative—doodling in her notebooks to stay focused, or painting puns on the high school football game butcher paper—but she

26 Winter 2021

got back into painting at her friend’s house for a Sips N Strokes night.

The women around her painted flowers, beaches, and light, airy nature. Donna took a different, more challenging and personal approach. “I painted fear,” she says. “And I had a blast painting fear. I’ve always loved art, but I didn’t realize the power of painting on larger canvases.”

From there she immediately bought supplies and kept painting. With each new stroke, or new color, she began to embody the Picasso quote that still sticks in her mind: “Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.” Her emotions—no matter how painful or difficult—could develop something that inspires more beauty.

The majority of Donna’s work is abstract, and much of it wears a Gustav Klimt-esque glory—gold and geometric. She often adds squares of real gold leaf in most of her pieces, which stand out against solid or dripping blues or other vibrant colors.

Here, she plays with movement between shapes and the texture of layering.

The rest of her work divides into Donna’s other signatures: Southern cotton fields, slightly abstract and dotted with color; women or genderless figures submerged in color; and some exploratory dark

pieces. She’s recently played with pairing black and a bright red orange with texture coming off the surface and hopes to add clay into her work for a more lifted surface.

Sometimes, especially with commissions, Donna does drift into a softer color palette. She’s also completed some “studies in movement” in her abstract pours, which end up with a marbled, swirling abstract look, often with whites and neutrals.

She’ll even hide words in the paintings, so small and blended with the art you can barely find them, to further demonstrate the feeling or essence of a piece.

Donna is inspired by what she learns about people, as well as by the art around her. “Beauty draws me in, but I love to feel it and touch it, to have that tactile experience,” she says. “I’m drawn to that with some of the art I collect myself.”

Her collection, which started as a series of women alone in paintings, has turned into an eclectic medley of different kinds of art, bound together in the gallery walls around her home.

“The art awakened something within me that just brought joy,” she says. “From creating it, people loving it and purchasing it, I would use those funds to purchase other people’s art.”

Painting also sparked a new level of creativity that Donna adds to her Hall-Kent classroom, as she guides her students to think about art like she does: as something that has the ability to express emotion in a much different way than words can.

During Black History Month, the class studied Louis

2015

2016

2017

HomewoodLife.com 27

WHY YOU SHOULD PAINT Donna has seen it in herself, her friends and her students: everyone has the potential to take on a creative outlet, and it’s never too late to explore what that might be. “There’s a little creative soul in everyone. We just need to keep it, no matter what it is,” she says.

Like the confidence she sees in her kindergarten class, Donna encourages people to not be afraid to make a mistake when first starting to paint or start another form of art. “It’s common to have self-doubt and feel exposed, but you can push through that. Think about what you want to express, and do it just for yourself,” she says. “We’d be a better world if everyone tried some art.”

28 Winter 2021

Armstrong to learn more about his roots in Louisiana (where Donna’s also from) and listen to his music. Then, they explored how the trumpet could connect with what they see and create.

Donna asked them, as they listened, to tell her what colors they heard. “They all giggled, and I could tell they were a little unsure,” she says. “I modeled and told them when I’m hearing yellow—then drawing squiggly lines—and then I’m hearing red. I told them, ‘I want you to close your eyes and listen to see what colors come into your head.’ And they took off.”

Her kindergarteners created rhythmic and abstract pieces, all while learning how sounds and feeling translates into color.

“I want them to be confident that they can draw anything,” she says. Donna has watched them become great illustrators with no fear of drawing what they imagine or filling up blank space, alongside lessons from their art teacher at Hall-Kent, Brooklyn Scoggins.

At the end of the day, her students share her joy. Her time painting is separate from her time in the classroom, but her approach to the creative has added new beauty and peace to her life and the lives of others.

“Not everything is about emotion, but initially it was,” she says. “I am connected to the client and their desires and color palette and what they want to see, and that’s inspiring because I care about people. But left to my own devices, it is about emotion, and it’s about healing.”

Follow Donna’s art on Instagram @donnafirnbergart.

HomewoodLife.com 29

ARTS & CULTURE

READ THIS BOOK

Books for Searchers Recommendations from

J. Mark Hart Lawyer & Author

We are born to be searchers–to seek understanding and knowledge of our world, our purpose and each other, and to share what we have discovered. Since mankind first dabbed pigments on cave walls, we burn to tell stories of our journeys, both in the world and in the mind.

Our stories became books that became libraries that share wisdom across generations. Here are some of those stories through five decades in the 20th century—including one of my own.

The Catcher in the Rye

By J. D. Salinger 1940s. Holden Caulfield is the iconic alienated prep school boarder. When he finds himself expelled from boarding school for failing grades, he grouses that everyone around him is a phony or a slob. He searches to find something or someone real, going to parties and bars and even into the city, but can only find as solace a favorite teacher’s offer of a couch for the night. The book retains a quaintness of the period, yet Holden’s narration creates an eternal story of the loss of childhood and adolescent struggles toward adulthood.

On the Road

By Jack Kerouac 1950s. On the Road captures Kerouac’s experiences along the highways and byways of America from 1947 through 1951, often with Neal Cassidy behind the wheel driving like a madman as they dug bebop joints, hipsters, literature, all night talks and drunken revelries. Through sheer motion and experience they hoped to discover a new vision of American life in counterpoint to mindless conformity and materialism. Kerouac launched the Beat Generation with this quintessential book that inspired youth in the ‘60s to pack their rucksacks and take off for the road.

Fielder’s Choice

By J. Mark Hart 1960s. In 1969 Brad Williams, a high school baseball player, is shocked at the white backlash when he befriends the only black player on his team. He begins to question his world upon becoming unlikely friends with hippie Paxton Summers. Paxton introduces Brad to the ‘60s culture and teaches him conscientious objector status to avoid the Vietnam draft. Finally, as he searches for his path, events force Brad to make hard choices, but with one foot in the past and the other in the future, how does he make the right choice?

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

By Robert Pirsig 1970s. A father and son take a motorcycle trip across the American Northwest that becomes a personal and philosophical inquiry into life, acceptance and how to live better. The book starts by looking at two contrasting approaches to life: romantic (feelings) and classical rationality. The author, however, seeks a middle way he calls “quality,” which accesses all parts of ourselves by recognizing that knowledge also includes intuition and creativity. The book is one of the most iconic of the second half of the century.

The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics

By Gary Zukov 1980s. Mankind’s search to understand our world ranges from peering through powerful telescopes at the vastness of the cosmos to using subatomic particle accelerators to find the building blocks of matter. The book explains the weird worlds of quantum mechanics where light is sometimes a particle and other times a wave, an electron can be at two places at once, and quantum events are only probabilities until we observe them. Understanding how our universe works is a must for an educated mind, and Zukov explains the “new” physics in an interesting and engaging way.

30 Winter 2021

SCHOOL

&SPORTS

ALL AMERICAN BAND Alabama’s largest marching band is heading to its fifth Rose Bowl, and it’s not without its traditions.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY LINDSEY CULVER HomewoodLife.com 31

T

The Homewood Patriot Band is all about tradition.

From the year it debuted in 1972, the school system wanted it to be its shining star, with its All American band uniforms and Rockettes-like dance line, the Star-Spangled Girls. Before long, they were marching in New Orleans in a Mardi Gras parade, and while there, one of the promoters of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade saw them and said, “We’ve got to have that All American band in our parade.”

And soon they did.

Just shy of 50 years later, the band has built on the tradition it started back in 1972 and added cases and cases full of trophies marking all of their contest wins and parade invitations. What has changed the most is its size. At 420 members strong—about a third of the Homewood High School student body— the Homewood Patriot Band is the largest in the state.

The band has nearly tripled in size since Ron Pence started as its director in 1996 and Chris Cooper started as his assistant three years later, and there’s no doubt that growth is strongly tied to their leadership. Last school year, Pence retired after 33 years of directing bands, and Cooper stepped into his role and Terrance Cobb into Cooper’s previous role as his right-hand man. To learn more about the band’s traditions and what’s on deck this season as the band prepares to play at its fifth Rose Bowl Parade, we chatted with Cooper just after the band was formally invited to play the Rose Bowl by Rose Bowl President Bob Miller at the Homewood vs.

Vestavia Hills game on Aug. 27.

Can you tell us about your road to Homewood?

My first job was in Foley, Alabama, and Ron Pence hired me. It was a great match. We stayed for three years, and we grew the band from 140 to 250. We had bigger dreams than the Foley system, so we both decided to leave at the same time. He came here to Homewood in 1996, and I went back home to Orlando where my dad was the band director. He had the largest band in the state of Florida at West Orange High School. It just so ended up that he passed away from cancer when I was there, and to me it was a God thing that I was there and got to say bye. Before he died he saw Ron at an All State competition in Alabama, and he said, “You and Chris need to work together again and finish what you started.” The position as his assistant and leading the middle school in Homewood came up in 1999.

32 Winter 2021

HomewoodLife.com 33

Homewood High School Assistant Director of Bands Terrance Cobb and Director of Bands Chris Cooper stand in front of the band’s new “hype drums” that are played when the football team scores.

34 Winter 2021

When you started at Homewood in 1999, the school hadn’t been to the Rose Bowl Parade How has the band grown since you started in since 1984. What made you want to go back, and where did the band’s journey go from Homewood 22 years ago?

Numbers were way down in Homewood in the late there?

The Rose Bowl is on worldwide TV. It’s a trip the ‘90s. We were marching 130 students when I started.

The year before I got here 17 kids came up from kids will never forget. The parade is very difficult— eighth grade to ninth grade, and you can’t sustain a it’s 6 miles whereas Macy’s is 3 miles. Right after the band with that. After my first year we brought up 2000 Macy’s Parade, we went to the inaugural every student—62 kids—from eighth to ninth grade. parade in 2001, and that’s when Ron and I started We started with 60 sixth graders in 1999, and by the checking off boxes. We went back to the Rose Bowl time they were in eighth grade we had 75. That was in 2003 and then again in 2009 and 2014. We get to one of my goals, to get more kids in the high school do these things because of our uniform and how band. Now one in every three kids in the high school good we are and the things Pat Morrow—the band is in the band, and we brought up about 125 students director from the 1970s to 1990s—put in motion. We from eighth grade to ninth grade this year. We said, “How can we keep it going?” caught onto something—the philosophy of our band You have two Homewood graduates on the is fun, fun, fun! band staff now. Who are they?

We hired Ryan Murrell, who graduated from Students can participate in band AND a sport Homewood in 2003, two years ago. He was about to in the same season at Homewood High take over Gadsden High School, but I called him to School, right?

One thing we do at Homewood is let kids be in be an assistant. It took him about three seconds to everything. The president of the band this year is say, “I’m there.” Everywhere he had been he tried to also captain of the volleyball team. They don’t have replicate what he had experienced at Homewood, but he said it can’t be replicated. Lauren Bearden is to choose, and everywhere else they do.

Ron knew we needed to be together.

r Front cove

L PREVIEW

HO ME WO

EY HOTE

THE VALL

with white

SIC

OF CLAS

E • A TAST

knockout

box

NY

MPA WINE CO

• INSIDE

THOMAS

ANDREW

ART

OD LIF E

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

H ome woo

Your Stories.

Your Community.

Your Magazine.

d L ife . com

2021

WEDDIN J anu ary /f

1

ebr uar y

RY 202 /FEBRUA JANUARY odLife.com Homewo e e | Issue On Volume Fiv $4.95

GS

GS WEDDIN TEN REAL STORIES IC LOVE PANDEM STYLES AL HAIR TIC BRID ROMAN

Visit HomewoodLife.com or call 205-669-3131 to subscribe for $14.95 plus tax (4 issues) a year.

202 1

HomewoodLife.com 35

A CHAT WITH TERRANCE COBB

Homewood Patriot Band Assistant Director + HMS Band Director What was your first impression of the Homewood band when you were interviewing for the job in 2006?

Not being familiar with Alabama, I did my research on the Homewood Patriot Band. I realized I remember seeing that band as a kid on the Macy’s Parade. The look of the band is so iconic and so different from everyone else.

What stood out to you when you first saw the band in action after starting in this position?

It modeled a lot of what we were doing with the marching band at Troy State University at the time with entertainment and fun music and crowd reaction.

It was next level, almost college level.

What is unique about having a band as big as Homewood’s?

When our kids see our crowd react in the way that they do, it makes them have a lot of pride in what they do. There’s no band our size in the state right now, so the next best thing is to model it after what colleges do. Colleges do a great job getting the crowd riled up in these big stadiums, and that’s what we want to do.

What do you tell friends when they ask you about if you’d ever work at a different school?

Between the community of Homewood and how much the school system supports the kids and what we do with band, there’s no other place to go to that does that.

36 Winter 2021

another assistant who was a drum major here. We wanted Homewood people in leadership who know our traditions.

Twenty-two bands usually march in the Rose Bowl Parade. What makes Homewood stand out?

Our look is very distinct. Most bands get new uniforms every six to eight years and change their look completely. Our look has been the same since 1972, and they love that patriot look that we bring.

A notable moment in the half time show is when the whole band turns from facing the visitor’s side to the home side and starts playing. Has the band always done that?

It’s always going to be in our show, and we started it about eight years ago. We want to blow the house down. Dr. Bill Cleveland used to say, “I love it when y’all turn around in the first part of the show. I know it’s coming, but it’s just the best feeling.”

traditions, and I asked parents who were in the Homewood band about it. For the first time in 25 years we are now doing a pregame show before the game starts. We come out on the field, play the Alma Mater and the “Star Spangled Banner,” and form a tunnel for the football team and cheerleaders to run through. We are bringing back an Olympic fanfare they used to play after touchdowns, and one of the football coaches asked me to bring it back.

Is there anything new the band is doing this What else are people seeing from the band this season? year?

I am always thinking about how we can make One thing I wanted to do was bring back more

HomewoodLife.com 37

band, football and cheerleading together. Someone donated three large bass drums, about 7-8 feet high. We are calling them hype drums. When we score, one of the lettermen who paints his chest runs down and hits the drum, and we all go crazy. It’s bring all of us together like at a college game. It’s a tradition we are starting. This year we also started our halftime show with a sound like the Dolby Digital sound on speakers. The crowd went nuts as our announcer came on. He has an iconic voice, and we take him with us to the Rose Parade. Nobody brings their announcer except for Homewood.

Tell us about this year’s half time show.

I wanted to do a show for Ron Pence. We are performing his favorites and calling it “Homewood Tradition.” We open with “Star Trek,” and “Big Noise from Winnetka” is our Star Spangled Girls feature. We end it with “Malaguena.” It’s pure energy.

What else is unique about the show this year?

We always pull over a flyover banner at the very end just before the last big note, and we started putting “Homewood” on it. This year it has the flower from the Rose Bowl logo and the word “Homewood” in the same script at the Rose Bowl. Bob Miller told us, “You know they are going to go crazy for y’all at the Band Fest,” the marching show at the Rose Bowl. Our vision for this show wasn’t just our half time show, it’s for the Rose Parade.

38 Winter 2021

For all your backyard playground needs!!

CALL

205-408-4386 for more info!

NOW ALSO SELLING AY COMMERCIAL PLAY EQUIPMENT! CALL 205-408-4386 86 FOR MORE INFO!

3165 CCahaba h b VValley lle RRoadd Birmingham, AL 35124

www.backyardalabama.com HomewoodLife.com 39

SCHOOLS & SPORTS

5

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Alli Phelps

Alabama Teacher of the Year Alternate + Shades Cahaba Elementary EL Teacher PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Alli Phelps’ name might have gotten media attention after being named Alabama Teacher of the Year Alternate for this school year, but what she is perhaps most excited about as she represents teachers across the state this year is not herself but sharing about her English learner students. “Who my kids are is sometimes unseen, but I think the world of my kids and their families,” she says. “I am excited for them to be seen.” Here she shares some about the road to her new title and what she is passionate about within her role at Shades Cahaba.

Tell us about your students.

I teach English learners, so I work with language and cultural minority students. It takes most people five to seven years to learn a language fluently and three to five for basic communication skills. It is so awesome to see kids give it their all. They love to learn, and they love to learn English.

I think they are amazing—we call them emerging bilinguals—and to have the gift to know two and sometimes three languages is amazing. They blow me away.

One thing I care deeply about is family and community engagement. A few years ago I decided I was going to do home visits with all of my students, and they have made me a better person. I think the world of the kids I teach and the families I work with, and I wish everyone in Homewood could meet them. Equity is also very important to me. Those two facets are the platform I believe in for the way I teach and the way I live. How do we connect with our students?

How do we bridge the gap between home and school?

want to bust up those barriers. I reached out to Little Professor, and we created this partnership called the Book Nook. People can go on their website and shop for books that go directly to my classroom and into the hands of students. I am super excited about that.

Can you share a bit about what your day-to-day looks like?

I teach six grade levels, and I am the only teacher at Shades Cahaba that teaches English learners. What I love about this is I get to see these kids grow. How I can serve What were some highlights of the them could mean I go into a fifth-grade You started a Book Nook in partnership Teacher of the Year selection process?

To have my amazing colleagues say they with Little Professor. Can you tell us classroom during reading and we work on poetry, or that I pull kindergartners out for wanted me to represent them at a school about it? small group instruction in my classroom In the past my students haven’t had level meant so much to me. Once I got to and setup a dining room table, pretend I am immediate access to books they wanted to the Final Four for the state, I went through a 20-person interview, and our school read. I started dreaming about getting their server and they have to ask me for system put me through a mock interview books in my kids’ hands immediately. If my their order. I have a lot of flexibility to give first. I learned so much through the whole own children, who are now grown, wanted the students what they need. They have to to read a book, we would go buy it, and for a take an English test every year, and until experience. lot of families in this school they have that they reach a certain score on that test I work What educational passions did you get kind of accessibility. But my students at with them. I have had as many as 70 to share about when interviewing for Shades Cahaba have language and students that I work with, and last year I socioeconomic barriers with reading, and I had 40. state Teacher of the Year?

40 Winter 2021

&DRINK

FOOD

SLOW-SMOKED ROOTS Joshua Gentry is taking Little Donkey’s Mexican food with Southern soul to 18th Street.

BY AMY HOLDITCH PHOTOS BY ANGIE MOSIER HomewoodLife.com 41

J

Joshua Gentry is busy.

In between running Little Donkey on Central Avenue, he is also hands-on at the Mexican restaurant’s new location under construction on 18th Avenue South and their outposts in Montgomery and Greystone. Each morning he arrives—often by bike—at one of the three restaurants by 9:30 a.m., and while he always has plenty of administrative duties to keep him busy, he can’t stay away from the food itself. “I like to work a little prep because, quite honestly, I like to hang out with the folks in the kitchen,” he says. “Our team is strong and diverse, and I love being with them. They are talented cooks that I’ve learned a lot from, and most of them have worked with us for years.”

Little Donkey’s move to 18th Street is set to take place in November, just a few months shy of its 10th anniversary. “It’s great to have a first-class, new facility in which to work,” Joshua says of the new space. “We will have a large bar, with a dynamic,

42 Winter 2021

refreshed bar program and will of course have a big patio that looks out over 18th Street.”

The interiors will be lively and fresh with lots of greens, desert rose and earth tones as well as golds that nod to the corn that is so important to the restaurant’s ingredients, the food’s heritage and traditional techniques. Wood, tile, metal, glass and leather compliments will add additional texture to the space as well.

Altogether the new location will have almost 17,000 square feet of total space, which will include an outdoor dining area in front of the restaurant.

“The move felt like a great continuation of the neighborhood’s ‘main street,’ and we wanted to be a part of that,” says Joshua.

“My partner, Nick Pihakis, and I met Mike Mouron, who had already been a customer of Little Donkey,” he goes on to explain. “Mike is the visionary who developed that area, starting with the beautiful Valley Hotel. We were inspired by what he was doing

Homewood resident Joshua Gentry has been at the helm of Little Donkey since its first location opened on Central Avenue just shy of 10 years ago.

HomewoodLife.com 43

WHAT WE TREAT

44 Winter 2021

and really wanted to be to be a part of that particular development. So we began talking about it, and we were all eager to work together to do something great for that little part of our city. Now Pihakis Restaurant Group, of which Little Donkey is part of, will also have a Rodney Scott’s BBQ next door.”

The restaurant is an endeavor that he sees as being as much about people as the food itself. “The way I look at the restaurant business is that you work in this team where there are all kinds of folks who come from every walk of life,” he says. “So truly, the cooks and servers that work in Little Donkey are my biggest inspiration. There is something to be learned from every bite of food and every table you sit at.

“Developing that team takes appreciation, respect and trust. One of my mentors, partner Nick Pihakis, instilled that in all of us,” he continues. “All day, every day is one big puzzle with different issues to deal with each day. If you approach all of the problems, issues and good things well with

appreciation, respect and trust it will create a great environment for a team and success.”

With the move to 18th Street will come new menu items that will feature Gulf seafood in small plates and entree selections, but the core of its culinary vision remains. The menu offers authentic Mexican food with a Southern flair, combining traditional Mexican techniques like grinding masa, pressing tortillas by hand and mixing fresh salsas, with the Southern heritage of slow-smoked meats. On it you’ll find award-winning fried chicken, hickorysmoked brisket fajitas, fried catfish tacos, housemade salsa and guacamole, and more. Every flour and corn tortilla is handmade within the restaurant where they soak their corn to prepare it for grinding, and then press and cook on the comal (a flat griddle) in the kitchen. Their corn chips are made from heirloom Mexican corn grown on small farms sourced through Masienda, a company that connects the farmer’s corn to the end user.

But they are always trying new things at the HomewoodLife.com 45

This rendering shows what the new Little Donkey location on 18th Street South and the Rodney Scott’s BBQ next door will look like when they open laster this year.

restaurant too. “We have been working on soft serve ice cream in the restaurant, and it has been really fun,” Joshua says. “Some of the recipes have worked great and some have not, but that’s the fun of working out a recipe.”

With COVID still raging through the South, Joshua told us that the past year “challenged us in so many ways and forced us to get better in the areas that we didn’t execute very well.”

46 Winter 2021

“When you are busy with the day-in-and-day-out duties associated with the restaurant, you sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees or even know that there is a way to streamline operations or come up with a creative way to serve our guests better until you are forced to do it,” he says. “COVID really caused our entire group to assess our way of doing business every day. It not only helped us operationally but allowed us to see the restaurant

SMOKING HOT NEIGHBOR When Little Donkey moves to 18th Street, it will have one of the hottest restaurants in the nation as a neighbor. Pitmaster Rodney Scott has worked barbecue pits cooking traditional Carolina-style whole hog barbecue since he was 11 years old in his family’s restaurant in Hemingway, South Carolina. In 2017, Rodney partnered with Nick Pihakis of the Birmingham-based Pihakis Restaurant Group to open the first location of Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ on King Street in Charleston. Just a year after opening, Rodney was awarded the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Southeast medal.

Rodney loves Birmingham, and in 2019 he and Nick opened a second location in the Avondale neighborhood, where smoke from the wood-fired pits lures diners both local and those passing through. Since then, Rodney has been featured multiple times on national broadcasts like the Today Show where recently along with Al Roker he fed Alabamians who were displaced by recent tornadoes. Netflix produced an episode about Rodney on their popular series Chef’s Table where the pitmaster tells his story with such emotion and authenticity that he has gained fans from all over the globe. Rodney, along with the Little Donkey, Hero Doughnuts and Buns and the team from the Pihakis Restaurant Group, also fed Homewood first responders and construction workers during the recent COVID shutdowns.

HomewoodLife.com 47

Little Donkey’s corn and flour tortillas are handmade at the restaurant.

with new eyes and evaluate the importance of our relationships.”

And indeed Joshua is always attuned to relationships as he starts and ends each day at Little Donkey, in the same neighborhood where he’s lived with his wife, Julie, for more than 20 years. Case in point: Louis Armistead, the younger brother of former employee Ethan Armistead, was eating in the restaurant one day when Joshua came over and

48 Winter 2021

asked him if he wanted to come into the kitchen and make tamales with him. And that’s just what they did. “It was a very cool experience,” Louis says.

“We appreciate our team members, guests and the community at large even more and in a new way,” Joshua adds. “Take care of all of your people—your guests, your staff, your partners, your community.

Once you open your doors, you belong to everyone— it’s like opening your home to people.”

HomewoodLife.com 49

FOOD & DRINK

5

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR

Joy Smith

Sorrelle Café Owner PHOTO BY BANG IMAGES

Need dinner? There’s a new café full of grab-and-go options to eat cold or reheat at home right on Broadway in the former Jojo’s spot next to Gianmarco’s. The menu is ever-changing and comes with dishes in different sizes for different families. To learn more about it, we chatted with owner Joy Smith about the name Sorelle (pronounced “sorell-lay”) and what all we can find inside. Fun fact: Sorelle also has a water cooler, dog bowl and dog treats in front of the café for runners, walkers and passersby. It’s open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

What can we find in your refrigerators today?

We have cold sandwiches and salads that you can sit here and eat, but it’s mainly grab-and-go. Right now we have quiches, frittatas, breakfast casseroles and breakfast puffs. We have appetizers like spinach artichoke dip and creamy mushroom dip. The roasted veggie pesto pasta is delicious just how it is, but you can also heat it up and add shrimp. The corn salad is good how it is or as a dip or as an accompaniment with fish. We have breaded pan-fried chicken breasts with And then what happened?

I have been in the food industry since I rice and a sage cream sauce, chicken was 16, but most recently I was a preschool parmesan, pork tenderloin medallions teacher. I loved it, but I still had the with a mustard-sage sauce and creamy nagging feeling to do this. Five and a half polenta, meatloaf and mashed potatoes. years ago I started feeding people and We have ginger roasted carrots and honey trying recipes. I started catering, and right roasted sweet potatoes; we have done before COVID I started doing grab-and-go broccoli and pan fried corn. We have one food from my commercial kitchen on freezer section and do a chicken pot pie Linden Avenue behind Savage’s. When and a veggie pot pie loaded with root this space came available, I jumped off the vegetables, green beans and peas; all our cliff and did it. I have driven by this spot crusts are handmade. for 17 years, and this has all been a fantasy.

How did Sorelle come to be?

When I was a little girl, we were driving down the road, and there was this shed behind someone’s house. My mom said, “Wouldn’t that be the cutest little restaurant?” That idea stuck with me since I was 7. My mom and I always cooked together, and I always wanted to have a neighborhood café where you can get to know your community. I noticed at a young age that when I fed people, I brought them joy, and it brought me joy.

50 Winter 2021

Where did the name Sorelle come from?

When I was starting this, a friend would remind me to prioritize the most important thing to do here. I realized the most important thing was my girl tribe. I was calling them every five minutes and asking, “What do you think about this? What do you think about that?” That’s what we do, right? Where would be without each other?

Sorelle means sisters in Italian. It’s feminine and it’s delicate, but it’s strong, which is exactly what we are. Our tagline is “good for your soul” because while some of things are healthier options, it’s about balance.

What new things will we see in the café later this year?

Fanoula Gulas, The Greek Kouzina, makes melt-in-your-mouth baklava and spanakopita that we will have soon, and she will sublease from me. I will start selling Beehive Bakery muffins and breakfast cookies soon, and we might sell little charcuteries for a cocktail hour 5-7 p.m.

&STYLE

HOME

A MAKEOVER STORY

This South Forrest home’s metamorphosis was nothing short of dramatic both inside and out.

BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY LAUREY GLENN HomewoodLife.com 51

Before

T

There was a reason the house on South Forrest had been on the market almost a year when Kevin and Leigh Misso first looked at it. It had been acting as a split-level home with a garage and partially unfinished spaces on the first level and all living spaces upstairs, but when Leigh walked in, she quickly envisioned it as a traditional two-story home.

Leigh’s husband and partner in River Brook Design & Construction, Kevin, wasn’t sure at first, but he soon came around and they set to work to bring a fresh look to the 1950s design, which sits up on a hill on a large lot, at least for Homewood.

Six months later, the inside of the home had been gutted, the exterior felt brand-new, and everyone who walked in assumed the house had been designed as a two-story home. To get there, the Missos built a brand-new kitchen and living room on the left side of the first floor that had previously been partially finished wood-paneled rooms, and in place of the garage on the right side of the first floor, they created a light-filled living room with storage behind it.

Upstairs they simply painted and brought in new flooring for the three original bedrooms and updated the two existing bathrooms. On the other side of the floor though, they added a large master suite, plus a small living room, in place of the original living room and kitchen.

Essentially, the 3,000-square-foot home is brand new inside today. Everything was gutted down to the studs, and then all things electrical, mechanical and plumbing plus drywall and new doors and windows were put up. But it all still has a classic look that is true to its decade of origin, now all ready for a new generation of memories to be made inside and out.

52 Winter 2021

Exterior To give the home a dramatically updated new look, the Missos created a Colonial style exterior with a lot of white paint and structural updates. They put up new thicker columns, took down the existing floorless second story porch, replaced the vinyl siding with hardy board and added a dormer window to the top.

To complete the exterior appeal, they added custom black shutters and double front doors to the design.

HomewoodLife.com 53

18 years and counting...

2823 18TH STREET SOUTH

SHOEFLYHOMEWOOD

MAKE TIME FOR YOU

100 BROADWAY ST. THEPLACETOESCAPE.COM

54 Winter 2021

Before

Kitchen Glass paneling on the cabinets gives this space an airy feel even though there are no windows in the room, and you’ll also find extra storage in the island behind the acrylic barstools.

Dining Room Light from the windows on the front left of the home shines into the first-floor dining area in front of the kitchen, where a metallic chandelier from Mayer Lighting gives it extra character.

An antique pantry door adds extra character to the kitchen.

HomewoodLife.com 55

Back Patio The pillows add a pop of color to this outdoor living area off the Upstairs Living Room, where the home has plenty of privacy.

Entryway One of the most dramatic changes in the house is the staircase in the entryway, where shag carpet came up, hardwoods were painted and a new dark iron railing was added.

56 Winter 2021

Upstairs Living Room The home’s original living room upstairs was converted into a large new master bedroom as well as this smaller living room that opens up to the back patio. The Missos added a larger window and French door with window panes to bring more natural light into the space.

Living Room The home’s original downstairs garage is now this airy living room, with light coming in through the doors that the Missos were sure to add to the design.

Before

HomewoodLife.com 57

Upstairs Bathrooms Powder Room The Missos like to use European antique pieces from Charles Phillips Antiques in Mobile like this vanity to make their renovation projects unique.

58 Winter 2021

The Missos added a splash of color to the house when they renovated the two existing upstairs bathrooms, one off the hallway and one off the original master bedroom.

Master Bathroom Marble subway tile and countertops and Revere Pewter cabinets create a neutral base for this bathroom design, with brass accents and crystal door pulls completing the design.

We help navigate the mental health system for teens and children.

Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC)

Master Bedroom The home’s former living room upstairs is now a larger master bedroom, and its former kitchen is now a large bathroom and closet.

205- 638-PIRC (7472)

PIRC is a confidential phone response center linking adult callers to mental health resources for children and teens.

Service is provided by licensed mental health professionals who educate callers and recommend the most appropriate treatment options.

PIRC hours are 8:00 am — 11:00 pm, 7 days a week.

PIRC is NOT a crisis or suicide hotline. Call for mental health resources.

The PIRC is generously supported by funding from the Anne B. LaRussa Foundation of Hope, Brasfield and Gorrie, LLC, the Daniel Foundation of Alabama, the Hill Crest Foundation, the Gorrie family, and the Walker Area Community Foundation.

HomewoodLife.com 59 PIRC-0001_PIRC_Ad_Shelby_Living-3.5x9.75.indd 1

10/1/21 3:51 PM

IN STYLE

loving LAYERS

BY MEREDITH ELDER PHOTOS BY LAUREN USTAD

1 2 Meredith Elder is a local content creator sharing her west coast flare on southern style as a freelance stylist and social media specialist.

LOOK 1 1. FATE FUNNEL NECK SWEATER We’ll take one of these sweaters in every color.

Shoefly | $50

2. PLAID SHIRT JACKET Cozy up in this trendy plaid “shacket.”

The Pink Tulip | $68

3. SPANX FAUX LEATHER LEGGINGS You can never go wrong with a classic legging.

Shoefly | $98

3 5

4. SOREL JOAN ARCTIC WEDGE When cute meets comfort.

Shoefly | $200

5. HAMMITT NATURAL COOPER BAG This bag is functional and stylish.

Theadora | $395

4

60 Winter 2021

1. LISA TODD MAD LOVE SWEATER We’re madly in love with this sweater.

Theadora | $205

2

2. MARIE OLIVER LENNOX JACKET This jacket is such an easy addition to any winter look, and how can you not love those ruffles?

Theadora | $298

3. PRINCIPLE MAMA MIA JEANS A classic pair of blue jeans is always a must.

Theadora | $149

4. ANTELOPE GREY SUEDE CLOGS

1

Thank us later for these comfy, furry clogs.

Abbeyluxe | $198

LOOK 2

5. HEY JUDY DANGLE EARRING Handcrafted clay earrings add the perfect pop to this outfit.

Shoefly | $38

4 3

5

ACCESSORIES 1. EMBER EARRING Theadora | $65

1

2

3

2. DUAL COPPER BANGLES Theadora | $70

3. “H” CLIC BRACELET Shoefly | $46

HomewoodLife.com 61

Everyone’s Favorite

Thomas Russell lights up his postal route with smiles right and left.

BY MELANIE PEEPLES PHOTOS BY KATHRYN BELL 64 Winter 2021

Mailman

HomewoodLife.com 65

N

Neither snow nor rain nor heat keeps Thomas Russell from his appointed rounds. Yes, he’s delivered mail in the snow before, trudging up and down the parts of his route that must be walked. Of course, there was that one time he got snowed in at the post office before he could even get the mail to the truck, and he ended up spending the night at the post office, like a lot of other letter carriers. (You might remember that storm, too.)

But Monday through Saturday he’s here in Homewood, walking up and down Roseland Drive and the Glenwoods, and Linwood. Part of the route he can do in his mail truck, but there are some stretches where the mailboxes are mounted on houses instead of on posts on the street.

So, he puts his mail truck in park, grabs a handful of pre-sorted mail, and starts up the lawn. “This is the fun part,” he says. “You get to meet everybody.”

He sees the toddlers who stand and wave from the glass paneled front doors. He knows who works from home, and who has the best swing on the street. (Fran Chaiprokab.) “That’s where she’s at all the time,” he says. He knows Jessica Parris’ son flies on a skateboard with his friends. “They come down the street all kind of ways.”

He knows sure as anything that when Kelly Weekley gets home from school with her two kids in the car, her 2-and-a-half year-old daughter will escape, and Kelley will end up having to chase her. Russell has nicknamed her Speedy.

Russell, too, likes to keep moving. His route takes him anywhere from five to eight hours to complete, depending on the time of year and amount of mail. As he climbs the steps to Roger White’s house, Roger makes a beeline for the door, never missing a chance to give Russell a hard time. “He always brings me bills,” Roger says. “That’s where all these bills come from. It’s Russell!” Russell just chuckles, and it’s clear he’s a part of this community as much as if he lived on this street.

Everyone wants to ask him how far he walks every day, but he doesn’t want to know. His sister tried to buy him a watch to track it, even told him to use his cell phone to figure it out, but he’d rather NOT know. “I just don’t think about it,” he says. “See people, laugh, have fun. See how everybody’s doing—that’s the part I like.”

Russell does not care about the weather either. “No, if you’re gonna be a mailman, you might as well throw that

66 Winter 2021

THE POST OFFICE’S UNOFFICIAL MOTTO Most people think the United States Post Office has a motto that goes something like, “Neither rain, nor snow, nor gloom of night shall keep them from their rounds.” But that’s not quite right. Although the words have long been associated with The U.S. Post Office, it actually has NO official motto.

So, where did this idea come from?

You have to go back to around 430 BC and a Greek philosopher and historian named Herodotus. When he described the ancient Persian couriers, he wrote: “It is said that as many days as there are in the whole journey, so many are the men and horses that stand along the road, each horse and man at the interval of a day’s journey; and these are stayed neither by snow nor rain nor heat nor darkness from accomplishing their appointed course with all speed.”

Fast-forward a couple thousand years, and architects were designing the New York City General Post Office.

The chief architect was the son of a classics scholar and read Greek for fun.

He had the idea to engrave a modern translation of Herodotus’ words all around the outside of the building: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

Those words seemed to clarify the letter carrier’s mission, and they remain today.

HomewoodLife.com 67

Thomas Russell poses with some of the families on his postal route that he interacts with.

68 Winter 2021

out. Weather does not make no difference,” he says.

“If you’re thinking about it, you need to quit.”

Because, he says, you’re not gonna make it.

There’s not just the mail to deliver. There are the packages. Amazon and FedEx use the Postal Service, too. And in this pandemic, there are a lot of extra packages. He hefts one up on his shoulder and heads for the front door. A dog jumps behind a window, and Russell gives a wave. I ask if he’s waving at the dog. “No, I’m waving at her,” he says, about a woman I can’t see. But Russell sees her.

“She just had a baby,” he explains. And the parcel he just left on her doorstep—it looked like a babyentertaining or containment system—could be the difference in whether this new mom’s day ends in tears or smiles.

For many people, especially during the pandemic, Russell is the only person they see on a daily basis.

In fact, the Postal Service has a program to train carriers to notice if an elderly person stops collecting mail or coming to the door, so he keeps his eyes and ears open. If a house gets too quiet, he talks to the neighbors.

Well, he talks to neighbors anyway. In fact, the people on his route have heard him mention he might be retiring soon. He’s already put in enough

He just has the most joyful, happy, spirit. It’s like, if you see Russell, you just know you’re going to have a great day.

-Kristen Snell r Front cove

L PREVIEW

HO ME WO

EY HOTE

THE VALL

with white

SIC

OF CLAS

E • A TAST

knockout

box

NY

MPA WINE CO

• INSIDE

THOMAS

ANDREW

ART

OD LIF E

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

H ome woo

Your Stories.

Your Community.

Your Magazine.

d L ife . com

2021

WEDDIN J anu ary /f

1

ebr uar y

RY 202 /FEBRUA JANUARY odLife.com Homewo e e | Issue On Volume Fiv $4.95

GS

GS WEDDIN TEN REAL STORIES IC LOVE PANDEM STYLES AL HAIR TIC BRID ROMAN

Visit HomewoodLife.com or call 205-669-3131 to subscribe for $14.95 plus tax (4 issues) a year.

202 1

HomewoodLife.com 69

Thomas Russell took a photo with Kristen Snell and her family on the Saturday that he hand delivered a card to her after her brain surgery and stayed for a quick visit.

70 Winter 2021

years for a pension, but he’s still going, and says he’ll keep going as long as he feels like it. He’s been delivering mail for 20 years, and at 57, he’s still doing fine. He says this is the best route with the best people that he’s ever had.

People have started to worry that he might actually retire. So, just in case, they’ve decided to throw a party for their favorite mailman. Even people who have moved away from his route are helping. People like Kristen Snell. “He just has the most joyful, happy, spirit,” she says. “It’s like, if you see Russell, you just know you’re going to have a great day.”

She jokes that she doesn’t know how he manages to get his route done in time, with everyone wanting to talk to him, but he does. He’s the kind of mailman who took the time to get the entire post office to sign a get-well card to her after she had brain surgery earlier this year.

“He makes a connection with everyone,” says Kelly Weekley. “He just really helps unite our community. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when he actually does retire. I hope they have a great replacement because he’ll have some big shoes to fill.”

SUBSCRIBE NOW! EVERYTHING SHELBY COUNTY. ALL YEAR LONG. Visit ShelbyLiving.com and subscribe for $14.95 plus tax a year, or call 205-669-3131. @shelbylivingmagazine @shelbylivingmagazine Back cover

Front cover with

PAINTIN

GS BY MELISSA

with white

knockout

Front cover with

box

Back cover

MCMUR

RAY • THE ANVIL

PUB & GRILL

• TIPS FOR

BRINGIN

G ORDER

TECH CANDY'S

URS • JOHN

ENTREPRENE

white knockout

box

Front cover

PASSION FOR POCOPANNI'S

GIFT ART • HOLIDAY

GUIDE

LE CHAT

LIVING

HELENA NUTRITION

SHELBY

• CRAVE

Front cover • A TASTE OF

SHELBY LIVING

BY SUGAR BAKINGS

Back cover

box

CANDLES FRAGRANCES

LIVING

SHELBY LIVING

COOKIE ART

white knockout

SHELBY

Back cover

SOURIANT

PATISSE

RIE • TEACHE

with white

R OF THE

knockout

YEAR CELIA

TO CHAOS

box

DOZIER

• OAK MOUNT AIN BREWIN

G

THE PATH OF HEALIN G

ALSANA’S APPROACH TO EATIN G DISOR DERS

REFINED COMFORT BEHIND

THE ENC

. com

. com

THE CHEF HELENA'S NEW ANT TO-GO RESTAUR

S helby l iving

S helby l iving

OURAGER

JULIE YEAG ER’S LEGA CHELSEA CY AT MIDDLE SCHOOL

S helby l iving . com

S helby l iving . com

BEST OF BEST WINTHE NER

S

YOU VOTE D. WE TALLIE SEE WHO D. WON.

2021 pril

ru nn in g FREE

CAPTURING THE OF HORSES SUNRISE MAGIC IN MONTEVA LLO

PROVING YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD RE FOR AN ADVENTU

2020

2021

$4.95

PRIL 2021 ShelbyLivin g.com Volume 13 | Issue 2 $4.95

Ant ique Mee ts

MO DE RN TTS' INSIDE THE PRICKE MT LAUREL HOME 2021

2021

J anuary /F ebruary

UARY 2021 JANUARY/FEBR ShelbyLiving.com 1 Volume 12 | Issue

MARCH/A

n ovember /D ecember

S EIGHT REAL WEDDING STORIES PANDEMIC LOVE HAIRSTYLES ROMANTIC BRIDAL

m ay /J une

m arch /a

WE DD ING S

MEET JIUJITSU GRANDMA

CEMBER 2020 NOVEMBER/DE ShelbyLiving.com 6 Volume 11 | Issue $4.95

JUST THE HOME STYIR LE

INSIDE A MEAD BROOK RENO OW VATIO

N

MAY/JUNE 2021 ShelbyLivin g.com Volume 13 | Issue 3 $4.95

for the love

GAME

of the

MEET THIS

MLB-PLA TURNED-C YEROACH

HomewoodLife.com 71

The Great Carolina Outdoors Hike, bike and adventure at these three resorts in the new year.

By Christiana Roussel | Photos Contributed

Once the holidays are in our collective rearview mirror, most of us look at the new year as a fresh start—a time to refresh, set new goals, and embrace new habits.

We vow to eat better, exercise more and maybe indulge a little less. With those goals in mind, why not ease into things with a vacation geared to healthier habits? After all, there’s no rule saying that these mindful changes have to be monastic or arduous or even not fun. With a vacation to any one of these resorts, you might just fall in love with being the healthiest version of yourself.

72 Winter 2021

choose-your-own

Lowcountry Adventure Palmetto Bluff | Bluffton, South Carolina Situated on the bucolic South Carolina coast, Palmetto Bluff is a destination that combines worldclass hospitality with impeccable cuisine, set against a backdrop of Spanish moss-laden trees, sandy walkways and plough mud teeming with activity. Guests at the resort can choose to stay at the signature Montage Resort on property or at one of the private homes available. No matter where you lay your head at night, you’ll be ensconced in comfort and graceful hospitality, ensuring you’re plenty rested for days filled with outdoor adventure.

Getting There Hopping a flight to Savannah is the fastest way to get to the Lowcountry, but there are plenty of guests who opt to drive. From the airport, it is a quick car ride to the resort.

HomewoodLife.com 73

HIT THE ROAD

What To Do Honestly, there are not enough hours in the day to explore everything Palmetto Bluff has to offer, but we suggest you try. Start by picking up complimentary bicycles and Bike the Bluff—a 6-7-mile ride through Palmetto Bluff’s 20,000 acres including historic architecture, wildlife and views of the May River—just to get the lay of the land. From there, you may decide to hike, shoot sporting clays, swim, play tennis, paddleboard, fish, canoe, ride horses, play golf or go boating.

Or maybe this is the vacation where you try something totally new—pickleball. As the fastest growing sport in the world, there are pickleball courts popping up in cities from coast to coast. Easy for beginners to learn, fast-paced and fun, the pickleball “addiction” is being embraced across generations. Six pickleball courts at Palmetto Bluff’s Wilson Lawn and Racquet Club make this the ideal spot to give it a go.

Where To Eat All of that exertion is bound to spark a strong appetite.

On property, there are numerous dining options, from casual to white tablecloth, to satiate yourself. The town of Bluffton certainly merits a visit if you are in the area, and dining at FARM might be the best reason of all. Chef Brandon Carter uses fresh blue crab, hand-picked by local Gullah women at the nearby Bluffton Oyster Company, in his blue crab rice dish (pictured on right). Anson Mills rice provides the base for this dish while sofrito and fried shallots round out its savoriness.

74 Winter 2021

Hiking Among the Smokies

The Swag | Waynesville, North Carolina Named for the space between two mountains, The Swag resort’s 250-acres nestle up against the Great Smoky Mountains in westernmost North Carolina, making it the perfect getaway for hikers and families who enjoy intergenerational active travel. This mountaintop idyll began as a private getaway for Deener and Dan Matthews, a couple who enjoyed hosting friends from nearby Knoxville. In 2018, The Swag was purchased by Annie and David Colquitt, who had honeymooned at The Swag and fallen in love with the destination. The Colquitts’ adoration is apparent in the very thoughtful updates they’ve added since taking the helm—a cozy spa, more lawn games, outdoor patio dining and an experts-in-residence program.

Getting There The journey to The Swag is almost as lovely as the destination itself. From Birmingham, you can either go through Atlanta and head north, or skip that inevitable traffic and go through Chattanooga and Knoxville, a far prettier and less snarled drive for sure. Make sure you savor the final part of the journey up The Swag’s driveway. It is fun to watch the thermometer on your car drop several degrees as you traverse the switchbacks to reach the resort. The resort operates mid-April to Thanksgiving.

HomewoodLife.com 75

HIT THE ROAD

What To Do At the core of The Swag is rest. For some, this looks like solo hikes out to beloved knobs with epic views.

For others, it means stashing the cell phone and laptop for days on end, reconnecting with family and making new friends in fellow travelers. Badminton, croquet, horseback riding and plenty of swanky Stave puzzles round out the offerings which only serve to switch off the digital brain, resetting your mental bandwidth. Picnics are happily packed for those wishing to be off exploring for the day, and the only traffic jam you’ll find is at the multitude of hummingbird feeders that dot the expansive porch.

Another popular activity at The Swag are naturally intimate weddings held out on Gooseberry Knob. Some weddings have even been so small as to necessitate the asking of the innkeeper to serve as witness to the union. Full buyouts of the resort for a wedding, anniversary or family reunion can make any occasion that much more private and special.

Where To Eat The Swag is truly a destination away from it all and as an all-inclusive resort your stay includes all meals, which can be enjoyed family style with other guests (a fantastic way to make new friends) or at private tables. “Social Hour” precedes dinner each evening, allowing guests to mingle in a treasured and convivial setting, sharing stories of the day and settling into a relaxed evening.

76 Winter 2021

Cycling Through Europe

(or so it feels)

Hotel Domestique | Traveler’s Rest, South Carolina Named for the racing position professional cyclist George Hincapie held in his Tour de France career, the Hotel Domestique provides an elevated biking experience in a bucolic mountain setting. Located just outside Greenville, South Carolina, the resort has the look and feel of something straight out of the Italian countryside. Tall slender cypress trees line the terrace of the barrel-tiled roof with stucco-façade. The muted palette of the décor is punctuated by a punchy orange which feels richly Mediterranean.

Getting There From Birmingham, take I-20 East to Atlanta and then go north on I-85 toward Greenville. Travelers Rest is located about 30 minutes east of downtown Greenville.

What To Do The main draw for Hotel Domestique is, quite simply, biking. The surrounding area is replete with enough hills and straightaways to engage riders of all skill levels. The Swamp Rabbit Trail in nearby downtown Travelers Rest is a popular trail and easy to navigate. Avid cyclists often arrive with their own bikes, but the hotel has a small fleet to accommodate riders as well. High-end road bikes, gravel bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes are all available to rent for the day. The front desk has a thick binder, full of area rides, broken down by distance. You may also access local rides online at ridewithgps. com. Guests looking for a local guide should reach out to Justin Creech of Blue Ridge Bike Tours at 864-448-4184.

Aside from two-wheeled challenges, Hotel Domestique boasts a serene pool and jacuzzi, perfect for recovering from a ride or just enjoying some much-needed downtime.

The fountained terrace and adjacent firepit make ideal settings for an afternoon glass of wine or nightcap. Guest rooms are well-appointed and each comes with a Hypervolt percussion massager, to really get the kinks out after a long bike—or car—ride.

HomewoodLife.com 77

HIT THE ROAD

Where to Eat Restaurant 17 (so named for the number of times George Hincapie competed in the Tour de France) is the hotel’s on-site restaurant where Chef Haydn Shaak’s seasonal menu is as inspired as it is wow-inducing. Guests looking to dine off-site should head to Camp in downtown Greenville, where Chef Drew Erickson is stunning diners with his world-class cuisine that employs techniques garnered working with Chef Thomas Keller in Yountville, California’s, famous French Laundry. Come hungry and adventurous.

78 Winter 2021

Meet Your Travel Guide Proud to call Birmingham home, Christiana Roussel loves discovering every corner of the Magic City. But the road beckons often. She’s been known to make a wrong turn into the right choice, dig in with the locals and try to talk her way out of a speeding ticket or two. Curiosity drives her and finding connection is her passion.

HomewoodLife.com 79

holiday 1

SPECIAL ADVERTISING

GIF T GUIDE 2

1. Gift Sets Have a glass of wine from our vast selection while you shop for the perfect gift this holiday season.

Also, shop glass art, pottery, candles, jewelry and other unique items from local artists. Prices vary.

Just a Tish. 115 W. College Street, Columbiana, AL 35051. (205) 671-5267. justatishwine.com.

3 4

2. Flameware Pottery Handmade by Terry Silverman at The Pottery Works in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, this cookware suits the needs of everyone in the kitchen, from the gourmet chef to the everyday cook. Prices vary. The Cook Store. 2841 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.

(205) 879-5277. thecookstoremtnbrook.com.

3. Pop Its! Find these Pop Its!—flexible silicone toys that resembles bubble wrap—plus other fashion and gift items for girls sizes 7-16. $8-$29. Sgt. Peppers by Dear Prudence. 4441 Creekside Avenue, Suite 117, Hoover, AL 35244. (205) 4077523. sgtpeppersbydp.com.

4. Annual Children’s of Alabama Ornament Christopher Radko Toting Treasure Teddies Wishing you a bear-y Christmas! These teddies are riding in style on their little red wagon piled high with toys and holiday joy. $64. Bromberg’s.

2800 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.

(205) 871-3276. brombergs.com.

5. Estelle Colored Wine Glasses These colored glasses are inspired by the designer’s grandmother Estelle, who loved antiques. $27 stemless, $29 stems. A’mano. 281 Rele Street, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.

(205) 871-9093. shopamanogifts.com.

80 Winter 2021

5

8 7. Custom Gift Boxes Looking for a unique holiday experience for yourself or as a gift?

Curate a collection of gifts and greenery at Plant that will arrive beautifully packed from the shop to the front door. The store customizes for any holiday and occasion and takes online orders. Customizable pricing. Plant. 10876 AL-25, Calera, AL 35040. (205) 319-7071. plantcalera.com.

7

8. ‘50s Swimming Pool Print This digitalized enhanced photo comes in a distressed teal frame. $110. Vintage Interiors.

2838 Pelham Parkway, Pelham, AL 35124. (205) 620-1900. vintageinteriorsal.com.

9. Classic Camo Carryall

10

This heavy-duty, 14-ounce waxed cotton canvas is inspired by vintage patterns proven in the field with an updated color palette for the hardwood bottoms and marshes the brand calls home for three seasons each year. $195. Tom Beckbe.

2423 Canterbury Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35223. (205) 286-8203. tombeckbe.com

9

10. Shacket Shackets—a combination of a shirt and a jacket—are the item of the season, and Dear Prudence at Patton Creek and The Summit has lots of them to choose from. $60.

Dear Prudence.Patton Creek and The Summit. dearprudence.com.

11. Custom Gift Boxes Fill a basket with laundry soap, soap bars, bath bombs and even flamingo soap that in partnership with the Birmingham Zoo give back $1 for each flamingo bar sold.

Various Prices. Buff City Soap.

Hoover, Greystone and Mountain Brook. buffcitysoap.com.

12

11

12. Alabama Flag Charcuterie Board This charcuterie board was crafted in Huntsville specially for Alabama Goods. The channels on the board represent Alabama’s state flag, and the middle of the board is designed for food or a bowl. Plus, the board is made from bamboo that is water-resistant, durable, resistant to bacteria and hard (even though it is lightweight). $59.99.

Alabama Goods. 2933 18th Street S., Homewood, AL 35209.

(205) 803-3900. alabamagoods.com.

HomewoodLife.com 81

13. Kent Stetson Handbags These handmade handbags created by Rhode Island designer Kent Stetson are “a great way to spark fun conversations, producing moments when life and art fuse together,” Stetson says. $210.

Wallace-Burke. 1811 29th Avenue S., Homewood, AL 35209. (205) 874-1044. wallaceburke.com.

14

13

14. Nutcracker Soldier Add this painted metal nutcracker to your holiday décor collection. $68.95.

Sweet Peas Garden Shop. 2829 Linden Avenue, Homewood, AL 35209.

(205) 879-3839. sweetpeasgardenshop.com.

15. Pink Hat Inspired by vintage men’s styles, this hat is designed to make a statement. $135. Hemline. 1802 29th Avenue S., Homewood, AL 35209. (205) 802-9252. shophemline.com.

16. Myra Double Wine Carrier A best-selling gift item for the wine lover, this unique wine carrier pairs well with a bottle of wine or other gift items for your sassy friend. Download the store’s app and follow @lovethesassyshopper. $38. The Sassy Shopper. 224 Kent Stone Way, Suite 200, Alabaster, AL 35007.

(205) 624-4084. thesassyshopper.com.

15

17. Cocoa Bombs Try different flavored cocoa bombs for everyone’s liking: cookies and cream, mint chocolate, peppermint, strawberry, caramel macchiato and many others.

Stop by the shop for a special treat this holiday season! $5-6. Creations Galore and Moore. 8261 US-31, Calera, AL 35040. (205) 690-8399. creationsgaloreandmoore.com.

16

18. Lala Skirt This fun tiered ruffle skirt is made of 100 percent silk, has a drawstring waist and comes in multiple different colors. $299. Dukes Clothier. 53 Church Street, Mountain Brook, AL 35213.

(205) 739-2244. dukesclothier.com.

17

18

82 Winter 2021

20

19

19. Gift Card & Home Spa Supplies Pair high-quality candles, bath and body products, and other local gift items with a gift certificate for one of Absolute’s services to create the perfect gift. Call for pricing details. Absolute Health and Wellness. 8919 Highway 119, Suite 102, Alabaster, AL 35007.

(205) 624-3605. absolutehealthwellness.com.

22

20. Serving Tray This tray was made by Becky Bolton of Calera, Alabama, in her signature blue glaze with fish around the inner circle and a ruffled edge. $50. Blue Phrog. 955 Main Street, Montevallo, AL 35115. (205) 665-3766. bluephroggallery.com.

21

21. Red Coat This lightweight, wool-blend coat is perfect for winters in the South. Select from a variety of colors and check out the store’s trendy boutique items, furniture and home decor selection while you’re at it. $69. Collective and Co. Home.

251 Buck Creek Plaza, Alabaster, AL 35007.

(205) 624-3102. collectiveandcompany.com.

22. 14-Karat Diamond Fashion Set

24

The best gifts come in small packages. This 14-karat yellow gold chain link diamond fashion set includes a bangle, ring, necklace and earrings. After all, ‘tis the season to sparkle, shine and shop local. Starting at $1,465. Southeastern Jewelers. 5299 Valleydale Road, Birmingham, AL 35242.

(205) 980-9030. southeasternjewelers.net.

23. Diba True NirVana Boots

23

You’ll be walking on cloud nine in these boots featuring a comfy wedge for a height that instantly boosts your style.

Its urban chic silhouette is covered in suede with a side gore panel and a rear pull tab lofted by a molded rubber lug sole. $96. Oh My Sole. 4045 Helena Road, Helena, AL 35080. (205) 406-5602. ohmysoulboutique.com.

24. BuDhaGirl, Myra Bag & Vintage Havana Sneaker Step 1: Add BuDhaGirl Bracelets to any outfit ($125). Step 2: Pick out a Myra Bag to carry all your essentials ($59$96). Step 3: Complete your outfit with a sneaker from Vintage Havana ($139). $59 - $139. Hami Boutique. 300 Carlow Lane, Suite 101, Birmingham, AL 35242.

(205) 834-8833. shophamiboutique.com.

HomewoodLife.com 83

26

25

25. 14-Karat Yellow & White Gold Stackable Diamond Bracelets Shay’s has many stackable diamond bracelet styles in stock now, so shop early for the holidays. Prices start around $1,300. Shay’s Jewelry. 1678 Montgomery Highway, 103C, Hoover, AL 35216. (205) 978-5880. shaysjewelers.com.

26. Cocktail Books Brush up on your knowledge with these spirited titles. $15-$35. At Home Furnishings.

2921 18th Street S., Homewood, AL 35209.

(205) 879-3510. athome-furnishings.com.

27

27. Neoprene Tote + Hat The perfect carry-all tote can’t wait to join you on your weekend travels, brunch or girls night out! It is lightweight yet durable with a dash of contrasting color and finished with a removable wristlet pouch and hard bottom liner. Gift it along with this tan brim hat that funs up any outfit. $65 tote, $30 hat. High Cotton Boutique. 415 Chelsea Crossroads, Chelsea, AL 35043. (205) 677-2200. highcottonboutique.com.

29

28. Mini Drones This is the toy this season! Choose from the blue hand-operated drone for indoor and outdoor play or the red globe-shaped drone with a magic controller and built-in lights. $19.99 blue, $35 red. Homewood Toy & Hobby Shop. 2830 18th Street S., Homewood, AL 35209. (205) 879-3986. homewoodtoy-hobby.com.

28

29. Kids Boutique Sets Cute, comfortable and easy fitting—these kids boutique sets are always a big hit with selections for every season, and they always come with a free bow of your choice. $24 $32. Consigned Design. 72 Fulton Springs Road, Alabaster, AL 35007. (205) 664-7540. consigned.design.

30. Kendra Scott’s Holiday Set All three of these pieces are sure to dazzle: Alex Gunmetal pendant necklace in emerald cat’s eye, Alex gunmetal drop earrings in emerald cat’s eye and Elora gunmetal hoop earrings in emerald cat’s eye. Complimentary gift wrapping is available. $65, $55, $70.

Cahaba Lily South. 5479 US-280. Suite 117, Birmingham, AL 35242. (205) 490-6210. cahabalilysouth.com.

84 Winter 2021

30

31. Sorel Mate’riaux

31

This modern, versatile wedge has waterproof suede to boot. $250.

ShoeFly. 823 18th Street S., Homewood, AL 35209.

(205) 870-7131.

32. Nest Candles

32

Mantooth Interiors is your home for all Nest collections and fragrances. Its large selection of holiday scents make a great gift for friends and family. $49.

Mantooth Interiors. 2813 18th Street S., Homewood, AL 35209.

(205) 879-5474. mantoothinteriors.com.

33. Beanies These hand-knit cashmere beanies

by Brazeau Tricot each have a crown motif. $134. B. Prince. 271 Rele Street, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.

(205) 871-1965. shopbprince.com.

34. Bogg Brrr and a Half Cooler The half cooler takes up half the space, leaving plenty is room for towels, sunscreen, books, and more. $32.95. Village Drug. 300 Carlow Lane, Suite 116, Birmingham, AL 35242. (205) 713-8393. villagedrugco.com.

33 34

35. Watercolor Painting This beautifully framed c. 1870 English watercolor measures 14.75 by 11.5 inches, and you can find more art and treasured finds on the store’s website or Instagram handle @printscharmingsohonyc. $245.

Prints Charming. 1903 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35223.

(571) 214-9586. printscharmingsoho.com.

36. Cookie Dough + Skillet Gift someone Cookie Fix Frozen Dough To-Go and pair it with a 5-inch Lodge skillet they can bake it in. Frozen Dough $20, Skillet $11.25. Cookie Fix. Cahaba Heights and Homewood. (205) 582-2623. cookiefix.com.

35 36

HomewoodLife.com 85

Homewood Chamber of Commerce C O N N E C T I O N S

Recent Events

Upcoming events

June 22nd

June 29th

Ribbon Cutting

Ribbon Cutting

CPR Cell Phone Repair

Edgar’s

Save the Date!

Holiday Open House November 4th November Membership Luncheon November 16th at The Club Small Business Saturday November 27th Homewood Parade December 7th

June 29th

Robertson Bank Groundbreaking

July 9th

Neighbors West Homewood Ribbon Cutting

December Annual Meeting with World Games CEO Nick Sellers December 14th at The Club State of the City Luncheon with Mayor Patrick McClusky January 18th, 2022

Gift Cards

July 19th

Riverbrook Construction & Design

Did you know you can purchase gift cards that can be redeemed at 44 participating Homewood merchants? Buy Local Homewood instantly available gift cards can be emailed as gifts and redeemed from your mobile phone. They look great, make great gifts and never expire! Purchase them at buylocalhomewood.instagift.com.

7 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD 86 Winter 2021

Ribbon Cutting

HOMEWOOD, ALABAMA 35209

F i n d U s O n l i ne

Sign up for our weekly newsletter | Access our member directory Purchase Buy Local Homewood eGift Cards

Recent Events July 24th

Homewood Carpet & Flooring Ribbon Cutting

August 3rd

Canvas by Carrie Pittman Hill Grand Opening

August 17th

Membership Luncheon at Samford University Speakers - President Dr. Beck Taylor & Athletics Director Martin Newton

New Members Therapy South ClearVision Eye Center FIT4MOM Edgar’s Bakery Neighbors West Homewood Canvas by Carrie Pittman Hill The Hill Apartments Dynamic Discs Iron City Lakeshore Benefit Alliance Focus Creative Snowood MV Entertainment Eye Surgery Center of West Homewood

Join the Chamber!

August 23rd

September 8th

Homewood School Supply Drive

Retailer of the Year Award

Business After Hours

Alabama Goods

205 - 871 - 5631

Chamber membership could be just what your business needs for a boost this year! Work, live or do business in Homewood?

Apply for membership at homewoodchamber.org and start taking advantage of the many benefits that come with membership!

WWW.HOMEWOODCHAMBER.ORG HomewoodLife.com 87

OUT & ABOUT

1

FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVAL

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

PHOTOS BY JAMES CULVER

Rides, inflatables, a DJ and more festivities took place in downtown Homewood on July 4.

1. Mary McWilliams, Amilia Daviston, Brant Simmons and Bella Roberts 2. The Hayes Family 3. Mary Wright and Carter Jamison 4. Grant McGuffey, Kim Thomas, Nash McGuffey, Scott Thomas and Mayer 5. The Cruz Family 6. The Chatman Family 7. Alex McCain, Sophia McCain, Quinn Smith, Haley Smith and Piper Smith 8. Lori and Skylar Sills, and Adam, Tim and Elliot Guan 9. The Phillips Family 10. Blakely Moran, Palmer Moran, Addlin Glover and Judson Moran 11. Susanna Busbee, Camilla Busbee, Ruby Frances, Lainey Milner and Callie Culver 12. Homewood Patriots Baseball players 13. Austin, Mary, Austin, Jules and Al Adams

88 Winter 2021

OUT & ABOUT

10

12

11

13

HomewoodLife.com 89

OUT & ABOUT

1

DOWNTOWN HOMEWOOD SIDEWALK SALE

2

3

4

PHOTOS BY JAMES CULVER

Shops on 18th Street and beyond set out sale items on their sidewalks and indoors on July 31 for this annual Homewood Chamber of Commerce event.

1. Jean Carnes, Nancy Purvis and Christy McAlister 2. Blanche Kronzer and Emily Mart

5

6

7

8

3. The West Family 4. Kylie and Benjamin Reagan, and Heather Hastings 5. The Umarvadia Family 6. Sandy and Virginia Sprague, and Glenn Draper 7. Stacey Ezelle and Ashley Barahona 8. The Downer Family 9. The Houston Family 10. Adrienne Carter, Cecelia Sims, Yocunda Clayton and Monica Washington 11. Jennie Shewmake and Rachel Haney 12. The Jordan Family

90 Winter 2021

OUT & ABOUT

9

11

10

12

HomewoodLife.com 91

OUT & ABOUT

1

BACK TO SCHOOL BASH

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

PHOTOS BY SID WARREN

The new school year kicked off with rides, bounce houses, food and live entertainment at Patriot Park. Proceeds from the wristband sales benefited the Homewood High School Band.

1. Rex and Luke Wolfe, and Camden Smith 2. The Potts Family 3. The Schrimpf Family 4. The Thomason Family 5. Terrance Cobb, Chris Cooper and Ryan Murrell 6. The Cherry Family 7. Kirk and Sam Mills 8. The Greggs Family 9. The Szynkiewicz Family 10. Troop 95 11. Homewood Parks and Rec staff 12. The Shull Family 13. Tiye Jamison, Breanna Smith, Romelo Blackman and Kennedy Bowman

92 Winter 2021

OUT & ABOUT

10

LEGACY PERSONAL INSURANCE 11

Our Personal Insurance division works with affluent families from across the country. Our team of personal advocates are insurance professionals, committed to providing exceptional client service and customized solutions that are as simple to manage as possible.

Our strong market relationships help us provide you solutions that fit your unique needs and budget.

PRIMARY COVERAGE AREAS AIRCRAFT

FLOOD/EXCESS FLOOD

AUTOMOBILE

HOMEOWNER’S (Primary & Secondary)

BUILDER’S RISK

12

COLLECTIONS

INDIVIDUAL LIFE INSURANCE

EQUINE

WATERCRAFT / YACHT

EXCESS LIABILITY

Cobbs Allen. Always Out Front.

MARGARET ANN PYBURN mpyburn@cobbsallen.com

13

MARGARET BROOKE mbrooke@cobbsallen.com BILLY WALKER bwalker@cobbsallen.com Birmingham, AL | Columbus, OH | Gadsden, AL Houston, TX | Kansas City, KS | Mobile, AL New Orleans, LA | Tulsa, OK www.cobbsallen.com © 2021 Cobbs Allen | All Rights Reserved HomewoodLife.com 93

MARKETPLACE

Marketplace Homewood Life Magazine • 205.669.3131

Automation Personnel Services Hiring IMMEDIATELY For: Automotive Assembly, General Labor, Production, Clerical, Machine Operator, Quality, Carpentry, Welder, Foundry.

Positions In: Calera, Clanton, Pelham, Bessemer, McCalla. Walkin applications accepted.

Clanton (205)280-0002.

Pelham (205)444-9774.

Bama Concrete Now Hiring: Diesel Mechanic 4 Years Minimum Experience. CDL Preferred. Competitive Pay. Great Benefits. Apply in person: 2180 Hwy 87 Alabaster, 35007 Beelman Truck Co Now Hiring Experienced Drivers and Recent Grads. Great pay. Great benefits. More home time. Apply online at beelman.com or call 205665-5507 Boise Cascade Now Hiring for Utility Positions. Starting pay $14/hour. Must be able to pass background screen.

Please apply at www.bc.com $80,000+ Yearly Potential Sales positions available at Burton Campers. Please call Mickey Price for phone interview: 205-668-0075 Comfort Keepers NOW HIRING. Job requirements: A caring spirit and passion for helping others. For more information visit: www.comfortkeepers.com or Call 205-338-7909.

94 Winter 2021

HomewoodLife.com

Lancaster Place Apartments. Location, community & quality living in Calera, AL. 1, 2, & 3 bedroom apartments available. Call today for specials!! 205-668-6871.

Or visit hpilancasterplace.com

South Haven Health & Rehab NOW HIRING!!!

•LPN’s & RN’s -$5,000 Sign-on Bonus for Full-Time shift •CNA’s Apply in person: 3141 Old Columbiana Rd Birmingham,AL -35266

WELDER NEEDED MIG & TIG •Light gauge stainless, aluminized, galvanized Manufacturing and Assembly Helpers Needed •Paid Holidays •Typical Shifts 6:00am2:30pm Call RICK: 205761-3975

Land for Sale Covington County-46 Acres $184,000 -Located on Booth Rd. West of Florala -Potential Country Homesite, Recreational Getaway -Power Available Contact Clay Baker: 251-895-6460 claybaker@speaksland.com

Marble Valley Manor.

Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments for Elderly & Disabled. Many on-site services! 2115 Motes Rd, Sylacauga.

256-245-6500 •TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) • 800-548-2546(T/A). Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/Employer Oxford Healthcare in Montgomery currently hiring certified CNA’s and/or Home Health aides in the Clanton, Marbury and Maplesville areas. Must be able to pass complete background check, have reliable transportation and have a strong work ethic. Serious inquiries only. Call 334-409-0035 or apply on-line at www.

Oxfordhealthcare.com LAND FOR SALE 180 acres, located on Walnut Creek. Will not divide property. Call for more information: 205-369-5641

Land for Sale Shelby County-36 Acres $5950/ acre -Located on County Road 51 near Wilsonville -Recently Thinned -Potential Homesite or Mini-Farm Contact Clay Baker: 251-895-6460 claybaker@speaksland.com CLOCK REPAIR SVS. * Setup * Repair * Maintenance. I can fix your Mother’s clock.

Alabaster/Pelham. Call Stephen (205)663-2822 Electrician - FT Supreme Electric, local-based company in Pelham.

Must be willing to learn & work hard. Go to: supremeelectric-al. com Print employment application under Contact Us. Mail to: Supreme Electric 231 Commerce Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124 or call 205-453-9327.

Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstonedental assisting.com or call (205)561-8118 and get your career started!

Now hiring RN’s and LPN’s throughout Alabama! $250 community referral bonus for RN’s and LPN’s. Signon Bonuses available at select locations! For more information please contact: Paige Gandolfi Call/text: 724-691-7474 pgandolfi@wexfordhealth. com

Opportunity Employer.

Females & Minorities encouraged to apply.

Drug Free Workplace.

E-Verify Employer.

CUSTARD DOG TRAINING Obedience & Attack 334-231-0334 JOIN OUR TEAM! Just Plumbing & Gas Now Hiring PLUMBERS & HELPERS Apprentice $18/ hour, Journeyman $25/ hour with certification cards. Must have driver’s license. Full-Time Monday-Friday (Weekend work available). In-town work. SIGN-ON BONUS AFTER 90 DAYS! Call Tommy: 205-296-0294

Experienced Termite Technician or someone experienced in routeservice work and wants to learn new profession.

Work-vehicle/equipment provided. Must drive straight-shift, have clean driving record/be 21/ pass background/drug test. Training provided.

Insurance/401K offered.

M-F 7:00-4:30 + 1 Saturday/month. Pay $13hr. Send resume to facsmith@charter.net

WHATLEY PLUMBING - PLUMBERS WANTED Located in Chilton County Since 2011. Skills Needed: Dependability, Honesty, Teamwork, Eagerness to Learn.

Valid driver’s license required. To apply, email: whatleyplumbing 7558555@gmail.com 205-755-8555 High Expectations Cleaning 205-728-8854 highexpertcleaning.com Wright Brothers Construction Co., Inc. seeking Carpenters and a Crane Operator in the Helena area. Please apply online: www.wbcci. com/careers/apply-now Or send resume: hr@ wbcci.com Please call 423-336-2261 with any questions. Equal

Acceptance Loan Company, Inc. Personal loans! Let us pay off your title loans! 224 Cahaba Valley Rd, Pelham 205-663-5821

Southeastern Sealcoating Seeking hardworking team members to join our paving crew. •Paving Operators •Screw Operators •Rake Man Full-Time $15-$20/hour 401(k), Health/dental/ vision insurance, & paid time off! Apply in person: 1330 Adamsville Industrial Parkway, Birmingham PAINTERS WANTED Must have: •5 years painting & construction experience •Dependable transportation •Clean, neat appearance •Drug and alcohol free •Previous work history (References) •Carpentry skills a plus.

Good pay for right people! Call 205-6212627

HA N D -S E L EC T ED F U R NI S H I N GS , ACCESSORIES & U NI Q U E G I F TS

2921 18TH ST S H OM E WOOD 2 0 5 . 8 7 9 . 351 0 ATHOME-FURNISHINGS.COM HomewoodLife.com 95

MY HOMEWOOD NICK SIMS

Homewood City Council Representative

Learning + Giving

Little Free Libraries I love all of the Little Free Libraries throughout town. It’s such a great amenity whether they are at a park or along a walking route. I see them as a symbol of learning and giving, which to me embodies the spirit of Homewood. My favorite is the Anti-Racist Little Library at 1418 Clermont Drive that Kristen Berthiaume started.

In the Garden

Sims Garden Events Cooler weather brings two of my favorite events to Sims Garden (no relation!). The Pumpkin Patch (& Mum) sale at the garden and Photos with Santa are two great ways to experience the garden.

It’s open daily, but check it out on weekdays too to enjoy its beauty in solitude.

Shop Local

Downtown Homewood Stores In a pinch I can swing through B. Bayer and Wild Things and cover for almost any last minute gift for my wife. Also, I love holiday shopping downtown with favorites from Santa’s list normally found at either Little Professor or Homewood Toy and Hobby.

Meals + More Meals

The Green Springs Food Trail Nowhere else can compete with the variety of restaurants and markets available along Green Springs Food Trail. From chorizo tacos at Los Valedores, wings at Purple Onion, egg rolls from Chop Suey, calamari from Gianmarco’s, locally roasted coffee from Seeds, fish and chips at Little London, and the list goes on and on. We need more meals in the day! All are so delicious and run locally too.

Play Time

Homewood Central Park I love heading to Homewood Central Park on Saturday mornings to play in Griffin Creek with my son, Jackson, who is 4.

We play in the stream with construction trucks, catch fish in nets, watch birds and find surprise treasures. The whole experience pairs great with a cup of coffee and Hero doughnuts.

96 Winter 2021

HomewoodLife.com 97

98 Winter 2021