Spring 2024

ROOTSAUBURN.COM 

ALL THAT IS GOLD DOES NOT GLITTER, 

NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST; 

THE OLD THAT IS STRONG DOES NOT WITHER, 

DEEP ROOTS ARE NOT REACHED BY THE FROST. 

EAST ALABAMA LIVING 1

Alabama's First & Only AAA Five Diamond Hotel 

Southern Living’s “Alabama's Best New Restaurant 2024” 

Wine Spectator's “10 Latest & Greatest Wine Restaurants” 

1856 Auburn 

2 EAST ALABAMA LIVING 

The Laurel Hotel & Spa 

@1856auburn 

@thelaurelhotelandspa 

auburn1856.com 

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FEATURES 

SPRING 2024 

10 

16 

26 

62 

BUILDING A 

STRONGER 

COMMUNITY 

CHAPPY 

JACK 

FELTON LITTLE 

PARK 

KEEP GETTING 

IN LINE: 

ADDISON GARNER 

44 SILVER LININGS: THE GALLERY REOPENS 


From the 

EDITOR 

When the pecan tree begins to leaf out, I know it’s time to plant my spring 

garden. It is an old wives tale that the pecan tree instinctively knows when the 

last frost has occurred. Once the leaves are out on the pecan trees, it is safe to 

plant. 

Once the tomatoes plants are in the ground, it becomes a dance of will it rain, 

should I water, do I need to weed or prune? All valid questions that have to work 

in tandem in order to grow those perfect summer tomatoes. 

The spring issue of East Alabama Living is also a dance of pulling together the 

right stories to entice you, the reader, to delve further into the experiences 

shared on the following pages. Will you travel to the Cahaba Refuge to see the 

lilies in person? Are you intrigued to create a summer dish with asparagus as 

the main feature? Will that dish make its debut on the porch with your closest 

friends sharing a moment of praise for your successful attempt? Will you grab a 

copy of Jack Layfield’s new book? 

I hope you will find a bit of inspiration in these pages. Maybe you will be 

encouraged to help build a better community by volunteering with Habitat for 

Humanity. Maybe you will visit The Gallery in downtown Opelika to support 

their reopening after a fire in 2022 nearly destroyed several historic buildings. 

Maybe just maybe, you will take an early evening stroll through the new 

Creekline Trails in Opelika or stop by Felton Little Park in Auburn for a youth 

baseball game just as they did in 1949. 

I hope to see you out and about in East Alabama when I am not tending to my 

garden. 

Play your best! 

Beth 

4 EAST ALABAMA LIVING

Your home for the 

arts in Alabama 

Learn more about upcoming season performances 

and purchase tickets online. 

334.844.TIXS (8497) • GOGUECENTER.AUBURN.EDU 


BUILT ON COMMUNITY 

Investing in tomorrow 

AuburnBank was built on a foundation of caring for our 

neighbors and promoting the communities we serve, and 

this special relationship is what keeps us strong. Since 

1907, we have worked to help our customers achieve their 

financial goals, while simultaneously joining forces with 

others to make our communities better places to live. 

Recently David Warren, AuburnBank Senior Vice President 

and Auburn City Schools Board member, spent the 

morning teaching first graders about how a bank works. 

Participating in the education of the next generation is just 

one way we invest in our community. It’s not just what we 

do, but who we are. 

Member FDIC | AuburnBank.com 


COMPLIMENTARY 

CONTENTS 

22 THE CREEKLINE TRAILS PROJECT 

32 DAY TRIP – EXPLORE CAHABA 

34 GETAWAY – ST. PETE 

48 RECIPES – ASPARAGUS 

54 EAL EATS – SUPPER ON THE PORCH 

68 WHAT’S GOING ON – CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

70 AN AUBURN STAPLE EXPANDS: 

AMSTERDAM CAFÉ 

76 ART – UNDER THE MULBERRY TREE 

84 CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH 

90 KITTY GREENE 

95 COMMUNITY – FACES OF EAST ALABAMA 

96 THE WRITE PURPOSE 

Publisher 

Lee Perryman 

Managing Editor 

Beth Witten 

Art Director 

Stephanie McGinn 

Craftmaster Printers 

Copy Editor 

Christy Truitt 

Contributing Writers 

Ann Cipperly 

Christy Kyser 

Jess Margeson 

Vice President and 

Market Manager 

Steve Witten 

Director of Marketing 

Ashley James 

Advertising Sales 

John Bodiford 

Miranda McHale 

Jordyn Dawson Mills 

Allison Mull 

Ben Taylor 

Administrator 

Tracy Ledbetter 

Production Coordinator 

Barry Whatley 

Printing 

Craftmaster Printers, Inc. 

Auburn, Alabama 

East Alabama Living 

P.O. Box 3408 

Auburn, Alabama 36831 

334-826-2929 

eastalabamaliving.com 

editor@eastalabamaliving.com 

SPRING 2024 

Cover Photo: 

The Gallery on Railroad 

Photography by Claire 

Hodges 

East Alabama Weddings is published annually and 

East Alabama Living is published quarterly by Auburn 

Networks, LLC. The cover and contents are copyrighted 

and may not be reproduced without written consent of 

the publisher. Reader correspondence and editorial submissions 

are welcome. However, we reserve the right to 

edit, reject or comment editorially on all contributed 

material. Advertising rates are available upon request. 

Subscriptions are free, just pay shipping & handling. 

Visit eastalabamaliving.com. 


LEE-RUSSELL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS 

AREA AGENCY ON AGING 

SENIORS: CALLING THIS 

NUMBER COULD CHANGE 

YOUR LIFE. 

334.749.5264 

If you’re a senior age 60 or older, or 

have disabilities, LRCOG Area Agency on Aging may have 

programs for you. Do you or someone you know need help around the home or to 

save money on prescription drugs? Just look at some of the programs we provide 

to bring help and comfort: 

• Home-Delivered Meals 

• Medicaid Waiver Program 

• Senior Centers 

• SenioRx Prescription Drug 

• Alabama Cares for Caregivers 

• Senior Workers (55 +) 

• Health Insurance Counseling 

• Alzheimer’s Support 

• Omsbudman / Legal Assistance 

• Lee-Russell Aging Foundation 

LRCOG may be able to change your life. But you won’t know until you make the call. 

334.749.5264 

www.facebook.com/LRCouncil 

2207 Gateway Drive – Opelika AL 


© EHA 2023 - LRCG -233

When it comes to bone 

and joint problems, 

The Orthopaedic Clinic 

has got you covered. Our 

doctors have specialized 

fellowship training in all 

of the major areas of 

orthopedic surgery; hand 

and wrist, foot and ankle, 

sports medicine, back and 

neck and joint replacement. 

They bring their skill, 

expertise and experience 

from some of the most 

prestigious institutions 

across the country to East 

Alabama to provide 

excellent orthopedic care 

to our region. 

Although the Achilles tendon 

can withstand great stresses 

from running and jumping, it is 

also prone to tendinitis, a condition associated 

with overuse and degeneration. 

Simply defined, tendinitis is 

inflammation of a tendon. Inflammation 

is the body’s natural response to 

injury or disease, and often causes 

swelling, pain, or irritation. Achilles 

tendinitis is a common condition that 

causes pain along the back of the leg 

near the heel. 

Achilles tendinitis is typically not 

related to a specific injury. The problem 

results from repetitive stress to 

the tendon. This often happens 

when we push our bodies to do too 

much, too soon, but other factors 

can make it more likely to develop 

tendinitis, including: 

• Sudden increase in the amount or 

intensity of exercise activity 

• Tight calf muscles 

• Bone spurs on the heel 

Common symptoms of Achilles 

tendinitis include: 

• Pain and stiffness along the Achilles 

tendon in the morning 

• Thickening of the tendon 

• Pain along the tendon or back of 

the heel that worsens with activity 

• Bone spurs 

If you have experienced a sudden 

“pop” in the back of your calf or heel, 

you may have torn your Achilles tendon. 

See an Orthopaedic Clinic Doctor 

immediately if you think you may 

have torn your tendon. 

When you visit The Orthopaedic 

Clinic, one of our doctors will examine 

your foot and ankle. They may 

order imaging tests to make sure 

your symptoms are caused by 

Achilles tendinitis. 

In most cases, nonsurgical treatment 

options will provide pain relief, 

although it may take months for 

symptoms to completely subside. 

Even with early treatment, the pain 

may last longer than three months. 

The first step in reducing pain is to decrease 

or even stop the activities that 

make the pain worse. Placing ice on 

the most painful area of the Achilles 

tendon is helpful. Drugs such as 

ibuprofen and naproxen reduce pain 

and swelling. They do not, however, 

reduce the thickening of the degenerated 

tendon. Stretching and exercise 

can help to strengthen the calf muscles 

and reduce stress on the Achilles 

tendon. Physical therapy is very helpful 

in treating Achilles tendinitis. Cortisone, 

a type of steroid, is a powerful 

anti-inflammatory medication. Cortisone 

injections into the Achilles tendon 

are rarely recommended 

because they can cause the tendon 

to rupture (tear). Pain from Achilles 

tendinitis is often helped by certain 

shoes, heel lifts and orthotic devices. 

Surgery should be considered to relieve 

Achilles tendinitis only if the pain 

does not improve after a long course 

of nonsurgical treatment. The specific 

type of surgery depends on the location 

of the tendinitis and the amount 

of damage to the tendon. Depending 

on the extent of damage to the tendon, 

some patients may not be able 

to return to competitive sports or running. 

Most patients have good results 

from surgery. The main factor in surgical 

recovery is the amount of damage 

to the tendon. Many patients require 

12 months of rehabilitation before 

they are pain-free. 

Our surgeons at The Orthopaedic 

Clinic have years of experience in 

treating Achilles tendinitis both 

surgically and non-surgically. n 

Adam C. Dooley, MD Frazier K. Jones, MD Ryan C. Palmer, MD Todd Michael Sheils, MD Trent Wilson, MD 

If you are experiencing these symptoms, let us 

help get you back on your feet. 

Call (334) 749-8303 to schedule an appointment. 

theorthoclinic.com The Orthopaedic Clinic @the_orthoclinic the_orthoclinic 

R E G I O N A L O R T H O P A E D I C E X C E L L E N C E 

VENUE @fountainviewmansion 

EAST ALABAMA LIVING 9 

PHOTOGRAPHER @alexanddylanphoto

LOCAL LOVE 

Continuing to Build Homes 

in the Community 

By Ann Cipperly 

While many homeowners plan to spruce up their home during the spring, many families 

in the community merely dream of owning a home. Their only hope of a decent home 

is the Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity. Without a nonprofit organization like 

Habitat, many families would not enjoy a safe and secure home. Helping families meet that basic 

need improves other family situations and builds our community. 


is a tremendous need for 

affordable housing for hardworking 

families in all “There 

communities,” 

says Mark Grantham, executive 

director of the Auburn Opelika Habitat 

for Humanity. “The mission of Habitat 

is to partner with others to build homes, 

community and hope. Most of us take our 

home for granted since we have always had 

one, but there are a lot of families that have 

never had a secure environment for their 

family.” 

Mark grew up in Ozark where he was 

involved in church ministries at an early 

age. After high school, he graduated from 

the University of Alabama and accepted 

a position in management with Walmart 

stores and worked throughout the state. 

In 1996, Mark and his family moved to 

Opelika for him to work at the Walmart 

store. He was strongly influenced by Sam 

Walton’s leadership. The founder of the 

business expected managers to be engaged 

and involved in their communities. “He 

modeled and expected excellent service 

towards customers, associates and your 

community,” says Mark, who became active 

in many organizations, including the board 

of directors for Habitat. 

After more than 25 years in management, 

Mark made a career change and 

spent two years in mortgage banking with 

a friend at Wells Fargo. He was soon led 

back to Habitat for Humanity in 2008 to 

serve as executive director. He partnered 

with the board of directors to rebuild the 

volunteer, donor, construction and support 

base for Habitat. 

An affiliate of Habitat for Humanity 

International, the Auburn Opelika Habitat 

for Humanity was founded in 1989. It is a 

nonprofit Christian housing organization 

governed by a local board of directors. The 

Lee County program was formed to help 

eliminate poverty housing in the community. 

Since then, the local affiliate has built 

77 homes. 

“Habitat offers partnership, community 

building and a hand up to hardworking 

families,” explains Mark. “We build homes 

in partnership with sponsors, volunteers 

and the partner family, and then sell the 

home to the family at a nonprofit mortgage 

payment. That makes the payment affordable 

for the family. These payments are 

recycled to help build more homes.” 

To qualify, the partner families work hard 

to save a down-payment, volunteer 500 

hours on their homes and other houses, as 

well as be able to afford a monthly house 

Our Team Works 

For You. 

Greg King 

1451 Gateway Dr. Ste. B 

Opelika, AL 36801-5463 

(334) 559-1887 

GKing@alfains.com 


payment. Families also complete home 

ownership and financial management 

workshops. 

Habitat is a volunteer driven organization. 

“The volunteers and leaders are 

important to the success of the organization,” 

says Mark. “Every home is built in 

partnership with a local builder. Volunteer 

construction leaders also lead construction 

on homes. Each home is built to a high 

standard of quality.” 

Many of the volunteers are retired military, 

educators, professionals, students, 

builders and engineers, among others. 

M. Gatz Riddell, DVM, serves as Habitat’s 

superintendent in construction and leads 

volunteers in building. Gatz is retired from 

Auburn University College of Veterinary 

Medicine. Board president Major Daniel 

P. Hatcher, USA Retired, and board vice 

president Lt. Colonel MC McCarthy, USAF 

Retired, lead and serve from an engineering 

and military background. 

Habitat has worked with many 

churches, groups and individuals over the 

years to sponsor homes. “Individuals and 

groups donate money, labor, construction 

materials and supplies,” adds Mark. 

“Grass roots support shows acceptance of 

our mission across all races, religions and 

income levels.” 

In December 2022, Habitat completed 

home number 72, which was sponsored 

and built by the Stone Martin Builders 

Team (SMB) and their trade partners. “Our 

past president, Karen Turner, had a goal 

of a ‘Habitat Home for Christmas,’” says 

Mark. “This partnership with Stone Martin 

Builders began a tradition.” 

Last year home number 73 was sponsored 

by the Jones family and built in 

partnership with Auburn University 

Building Science, Architecture and AU 

Panhellenic. Auburn University College 

of Architecture, Design and Construction 

and the McWhorter School of Building 

Science partner with Habitat, which 

allows them to build better, more energy 

efficient and sustainable homes. 

Owners will have lower energy bills and 

lower insurance cost because the homes 

are built to higher energy and sustainability 

standards. 

Habitat home numbers 74, 75, 76 on 

Cherry Avenue in Opelika were built in 

partnership with the City of Opelika, West 

Fraser Lumber and Stone Martin Builders. 

“The SMB team and amazing group of trade 

partners planned and built three homes for 

Christmas 2023 in only three months,” says 

Mark. “These three homes were built to an 

Energy Star Certification with fortified roof 

system for three hardworking families.” 

Home number 77 is being constructed in 

Auburn in partnership with AU Building 

Science, AU Panhellenic and WeHelp 

Coalition Churches. 

“The leadership in Opelika and Auburn 

strongly support affordable housing for 

hard working families in our community,” 

says Mark. “Both cities support the work 

of nonprofit affordable housing providers 

like Habitat for Humanity and The Fuller 

Center for Housing. We are blessed with 

good working relationships with mayors 

and city councils in both cities.” 

Auburn Opelika Habitat is continuing 

to build community through relationships 

with Auburn University Architecture, 

Building Science, Stone Martin Builders, 

Auburn Blower Door and others. Together 

they seek out ways to build more sustainable 

and efficient homes. 

Another one of those many partners in 

the building industry is Holland Homes. 

Daniel Holland has given back since forming 

his company, Holland Homes. He built 

alongside Habitat in the early days, and his 

company’s current partnership helps many 

nonprofits in our community with thousands 

of dollars each year. 


Habitat is actively looking for donated land and sponsors 

to help build the next home. Donated property should be 

tax deductible. Donations of any amount are appreciated. 

To help, contact Auburn Opelika Habitat for Humanity at 

334.745.2123 or mark.a.grantham310@gmail.com. 

“We don’t take for granted the partnerships 

with our many community partners,” 

Mark says. “If it were not for Habitat and 

our partnerships with so many groups and 

individuals, then many hard-working families 

would not know the dream and responsibility 

of owning a home.” 

Habitat’s Restore in Opelika generates 

money to build more homes and also 

reduces cost for home goods. At ReStore 

people can donate, recycle and purchase 

home goods. 

For his outstanding work leading Habitat, 

Mark received the Arthur Hill Community 

Service Award from People of Action for 

Community Enrichment (PACE) award in 

January this year. The award is given to a 

deserving member of the community who 

is making significant contributions to the 

community through his/her time, actions, 

talents and dedication. 

“It is such a blessing to be able to help 

a family realize home ownership for the 

first time,” says Mark. “We have families 

excited and waiting right now. We want to 

help them. 

“Habitat’s mission is seeking to put God’s 

love into action by bringing people together 

to build homes, communities and hope.” 

Those wishing to apply for a Habitat 

home can attend an application meeting in 

the spring. The details are posted early each 

year on the Habitat website and Facebook 

page. The basic information and income 

guidelines are on the website. The entire 

process takes approximately two years. 

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THE MOUNTAINS 

ARE CALLING 

AND I MUST GO. 

~John Muir 


Chappy Jack 


After learning he was in poor physical shape, Jack Layfield 

decided to improve his health and began walking. As he took 

interest in places to hike, he set a goal to walk the Appalachian 

Trail. In pursuing his dream, he discovered a program for serving as a 

chaplain on the trail, which led to writing a devotional book recording 

his adventures on hiking 2,192 miles at 67 years of age. 

Growing up in Phenix City, Jack developed a love of the outdoors at an early age. He 

enjoyed fishing in the streams near his home and later hunting. After graduating from 

Auburn University, he worked in sales for Hallmark Cards in Atlanta, Ga. Five years later, 

he was transferred to Pensacola, Fla., where he received a master’s degree in counseling. 

Jack changed careers and worked in the mental health field, becoming head of rehabilitation 

for patients and staff training. Later, he served as director at a facility for children 

with emotional problems. 

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In 2010, Jack attended a health fair and 

was told his blood pressure was very high 

and that he was in terrible shape. He was 60 

years old and began going to the gym, walking 

and running. 

As he was looking for places to hike, he 

saw an article on the Appalachian Trail that 

interested him. Years earlier, when he was 

camping and hiking with his parents in 

sweetascakesauburn@gmail.com 

www.sweetascakesauburn.com 

801-521-0328 

the Smoky Mountains, he heard about hikers 

walking the entire Appalachian Trail. 

At the time, he dreamed of doing it, but 

thought it would never happen. However, 

as he neared retirement it seemed possible. 

After Jack and his wife Marty retired, they 

moved to Opelika. He continued to plan his 

dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail and 

was walking 10 miles a day. “When I told 

My name is Tania and I am the baker, 

decorator, and owner of Sweet as Cakes. 

I started my business more than 14 years 

ago as my five kids grew up and we 

settled into life in Auburn, Alabama from 

Australia. Australia is very much a part 

of my baking, creating a simple, elegant, 

and classic design with a focus on fresh 

ingredients. I believe the end product 

should taste as good as it looks! Browse 

our website and follow on instagram 

to be inspired for your next holiday, 

birthday, anniversary, or party! 

Marty about my dream,” Jack says, “she 

thought it was a crazy idea.” 

Jack felt guilty about taking on the project. 

His parents were older and needed 

help, and it meant leaving Marty for six 

months to handle everything on her own. 

He had always paid the bills, and she would 

be taking over that as well as seeing about 

his parents. They had grandkids, and he 

had responsibilities at his church. 

While praying about hiking the trail, 

he had a memory of reading about the 

Methodist church program for chaplains 

while researching the trail. “I really think 

God put that in my heart,” he says. “I went 

to the computer and searched for information 

on the program. I called the co-founder 

of the Appalachian Trail Chaplaincy, Rev. 

Alan Ashworth, who lives in Bland, Va.” 

Jack learned that the Holston Conference 

of the United Methodist Church selected a 

chaplain to hike the trail as a ministry every 

year. He interviewed and became the 2019 

Appalachian Trail Chaplain. Even though 

Marty had many fears, and she thought 

Jack was “crazy,” she fully supported his 

dream. While on the trail, he would help 

hikers with their spiritual and emotional 

needs, especially with problems associated 

with anxiety, depression and addiction. 

Jack prepared for three years before 

taking on the project. He hiked trails and 

learned how to backpack. It cost $1,500 to 

$2,000 to purchase the correct gear. His 

fully loaded pack weighed 32 pounds. It 

contained a sleeping bag, tent, raingear, 

extra set of clothes, extra shoes, a cook 

stove with a gas canister, cooking utensils, 

headlamp, a GPS, food, knife and personal 

supplies. 

“People think the trail is nothing but 

wilderness for over 2,000 miles,” he says, 

“but actually it winds through small towns 

and crosses roads and interstates, so it is 

not total wilderness. Marty was concerned 

about snakes and bears.” 



Finally, the day arrived for Jack to begin 

hiking the Appalachian Trail. Co-founder 

Alan Ashworth became his “trail boss.” Jack 

would update him weekly, and they would 

work through problems as they arose. 

The adventure began at Springer 

Mountain, Ga, the southern terminus of the 

trail, on March 3, 2019. There was ice on the 

mountain, and that night the temperature 

fell to 12 degrees. His gear kept him warm, 

and his faith increased the following days. 

Jack wore a badge stating he was a chaplain. 

“When I introduced myself on the trail 

as ‘Chappy Jack,’ hikers would ask how I 

got that name. Some would ask for prayer, 

and others wanted to sit and talk. I would 

encourage other hikers.” 

Jack had a cell phone and called Marty 

every day. If he couldn’t get a good connection, 

he would wait until being on the top of 

a mountain or in a town. 

Since Jack was carrying his food on the 

trail, he would go into towns to replenish 

his supplies. Some small towns had hostels 

where hikers could stay, or they would stay 

in an inexpensive motel. Along with replenishing 

his food, he washed his clothes, took 

showers and enjoyed hot meals in a restaurant. 

He would look for ones that offered an 

all you can eat buffet. 

“When hikers go into a town and take the 

entire day off,” Jack says, “that is called ‘a 

zero.’ I thought that would be a day of rest, 

but by the time I shopped and did laundry 

there was not much time to rest.” 

Shoes are important for hiking. When 

he needed a new pair, Marty would mail 

them to a town on the trail. Post offices at 

towns along the trail will keep packages for 

hikers, and some hostels would hold them. 

Towns along the trail are hiker friendly. 

Some hikers would have their food shipped 

on the trail. 

Jack started his day with a cup of coffee 

and a package of instant oatmeal. He had a 

small filter to pour water through for heating 

on a camp stove. He felt coffee was his 

luxury item. 

For lunch and supper, he would rotate 

either peanut butter, a tuna or chicken 

packet. At lunch, he put one of the fillings 

in a flour tortilla, while for supper he served 

it with ramen noodles. “I love good food,” 

he says, “but now I can eat the same thing 

over and over.” 

The weather varied from freezing rain, 

snow and ice to extreme heat. The worst 

weather he experienced was in New York 

in a two-week heat wave, and he felt like 

quitting. He would hike all day carrying the 

backpack and then was so hot in the sleeping 

bag. 

At places where the trail crossed a road, 

there would be “Trail Angels,” who set up 

food and beverages. In the heat wave in 

New York, a lady on the side of the road was 

serving iced beverages. She had a chair, 

which was wonderful for Jack to sit and sip 

the cold beverage. “As I sat on the side of 

the highway,” Jack remembers, “I thought 

about sticking out my thumb and catching 

a ride to town, but I didn’t. 

“You have to keep telling yourself to 

never quit on a bad day. If you are going to 

quit, do it on a good day looking at a beautiful 

view. So, I hiked on and was struggling to 

hike a mountain when I saw hiker Sarasota 

Scott. He was older, and I always hiked past 

him, but on this day, he walked past me. I 

decided then I was not going to quit.” 

Marty visited Jack at one of the towns 

halfway through the journey and met other 

hikers. 

While on the trail Jack had not thought of 

writing a book. He had started a blog before 

he left home and had planned to continue it 

on the trail, but it was too difficult to write 

on his phone. As he was getting nearer to 

finishing the trail, he began to think about 

a book. 

Jack completed his adventure on Sept. 

23 at Baxter Park, Maine, the northern terminus 

of the trail. His trail boss picked him 

up and took him to Viriginia, then Jack flew 

home to Opelika. 


Once he was home, Jack began writing 

the book about his experiences on the trail. 

While he had never considered himself a 

writer, he had taken a writing class from 

David Housel when he attended Auburn 

University. Jack held a zoom meeting with 

his trail boss and a consultant every week. 

It took about eight months to finish, “On 

the Trail with Chappy Jack, Devotions for 

the Path You’re On.” 

The book is interesting whether one is a 

hiker or not. It is especially helpful to anyone 

who enjoys hiking and camping or is 

interested in starting. 

“When I first heard about the trail,” Jack 

says, “I kept it in the back of my mind and 

over time it became a desire. I still can’t 

believe I did it. There are so many younger 

people in better shape who give up. I can’t 

believe I had the opportunity.” 

Every year, about five million people visit 

some part of the trail. Some people just 

want to walk a short distance, while others 

have weekend hikes. About five thousand 

people attempt to walk the entire trail every 

year, but only 20 percent succeed. 

Jack Layfield’s book. “On the Trail with 

Chappy Jack, Devotions for The Path You’re 

On” is available at Amazon.com. 

tlrclothiers.com | Auburn & Montgomery | . 

LR01-57146-East AL Living 2/3Pg.indd 1 

4/5/24 11:26 AM 


THE CREEKLINE 

TRAILS PROJECT 


With its Indian name, “Big Swamp,” Opelika has 

numerous creeks and lakes in natural settings for 

outdoor enthusiasts to explore. Some of the creeks 

are hidden in nature with scenic views and are being uncovered 

by Creekline Trails for everyone in the community to enjoy walks 

with places along the paths to relax and savor the natural beauty. 

As the first trail mile on Pepperell Branch Creek along Waverly 

Parkway is nearing completion this spring, it will provide green 

spaces with pocket parks for picnics and a newly built bridge. 

Other trails are planned for future projects. 

In 2018, two outdoor adventurers, Shealy and 

Rocky Langley, were exploring areas in the community 

for nature trails and realized they were discovering 

many areas along the creeks that most people 

don’t see. This led to the formation of the Creekline 

Trails advisory board in 2019 to collaborate with 

the City of Opelika to develop trails and pocket 

parks, with Envision Opelika Foundation, Inc. as the 

sponsor. 

“We began to talk about what we could do to have 

more access to trails and creeks,” says Mike Akins, 

chairman of the advisory board. “Others were planning 

trail possibilities in different areas.” 

The Creekline Trails project is focused on three 

main purposes: outdoor recreation for fitness, 

health and fun; alternative transportation for pedestrians 

and cyclists; and watershed and greenway 


conservation, protection and restoration. 

Their theme is “Connecting Neighbors with 

Nature.” 

Last year, construction began on the first 

mile of the trail “Pepperell Branch-Waverly 

Parkway.” This is the first of nine qualified 

segments. “When we started digging 

through the overgrowth,” Mike says, “what 

we uncovered was stunning. It was like we 

Photos by Nathan Diehl 

were discovering a new area of the city that 

was amazing.” 

Paving is completed along the main trail 

that provides a 10-foot wide asphalt surface 

for walking and biking. A new wooden 

bridge has also been recently completed, 

and one of the first pocket parks is currently 

under construction. 

“This is a model example of a full-use 

paved trail that covers a mile,” says Mike. “It 

is going to have side trails and several areas 

along that mile that will be stopping points 

for pocket parks.” 

A special pocket park, “Sandy Point,” 

offers a viewing deck, pergola, benches, 

picnic tables with total accessibility and 

landscaping. It is being developed with help 

from Creekline volunteers and supporters. 

The park was funded by a grant from the F. 

Allen and Lousie K. Turner Foundation and 

private donations made during the 2023 

Opelika Giving Day. 

“The pocket parks and viewing areas are 

a combination of small areas providing 

resting places or educational opportunities,” 

says Dani Nelson, board member and 

designer of the trail amenities. “The trail is 

ADA accessible on each end with ramps, 

and the entire length of the trail is no more 

than five percent grade. This means it is 

a trail for every person, including moms 

pushing strollers and those in manual 

wheelchairs.” 

Dani explains that if someone enjoys 

walking, but their knees don’t allow them 

to take many steps, this is going to be the 

trail for them. “This is the mile of trail created 

for everyone,” she adds. “We want 

people to think of these outdoor areas as an 

extension of their homes.” 

When Dani was living in California, she 

joined a conservation board, and for the 

next decade she worked for the forestry 

service, park service and state and municipal 

organizations doing trail work. She 

also taught and facilitated other programs. 

Her experience has been helpful for the 

Creekline project. 

Creekline Trails is also working with 

the Lee County Master Gardeners, who 

have invested a great deal of work into the 

Caroline Dean Wildflower Garden covering 


three acres. Mike and his wife, Betsy, have 

worked on that project, as well as Dani, who 

is a Master Gardener. 

“We are trying to change the lifestyle of 

the city,” Dani adds. “We want to be sure 

these green spaces are here a century from 

now. The idea is these spaces are so much 

a part of the community for generations 

to come. If we don’t create those spaces 

now, there is no going back. Once you have 

paved over a nature area, it is gone.” 

“It is so easy to forget how important 

the natural areas are,” adds Mike. “People 

really appreciate a community that cares 

enough not to forget the natural space that 

adds a lot of the feeling of a healthy, vibrant 

community. 

“As the city is paying more attention to 

protecting our trees and green spaces,” he 

states, “we want to connect neighbors with 

green spaces for a healthier lifestyle we 

can all enjoy. Building more public trails is 

a great way to make that happen.” 

Dr. Shirley Lazenby, who has been 

involved in creating bicycle trails over the 

years, adds, “I personally and the Opelika 

Bicycle Advisory Committee are grateful 

for Rocky and Shealey’s gift of visualizing 

a way to celebrate and reclaim Opelika’s 

natural beauty. Creekline put the wind 

back in our sails or I should I say power 

back in our pedals!” 

The Pepperell Branch-Waverly Parkway 

Trail’s new trailhead will be near Waverly 

Parkway and Highway 280. Another 

trailhead access will be across from 

the entrance to the Wood Duck Nature 

Preserve. 

The Creekline board collaborates with 

the Opelika Advisory Bicycle Committee 

and the City of Opelika to create more 

trails and lanes for walking and bicycling. 

The City of Auburn also has a bicycle 

committee. 

A grant from the National Park Service 

(NPS) created the initial masterplan 

for the group, and a Memorandum of 

Understanding (MOU) with the City of 

Opelika gave the group the financial and 

administrative support of the City of 

Opelika to move forward. 

A grant from Alabama Department 

of Transportation (ALDOT) funded a 

Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan that 

was adopted by the City Council in 2021. 

“We learned from them,” Mike says, “and 

modeled our recently completed master 

plan for trails to synch up with their master 

plan.” 

Through many attempts to create the 

first trail system in the city, in April of 2022 

the City of Opelika was awarded a grant 

from Alabama Department of Economic 

and Community Affairs (ADECA) to construct 

Creekline as Opelika’s first paved 

trail. 

The Opelika Industrial Development 

Authority (OIDA) had purchased land 

between Veterans Parkway, Waverly 

Parkway and Birmingham Highway for 

the location of the Opelika Innovative 

Technology Park. This park had a section 

of Pepperell Branch flowing through the 

middle of it. 

In exploring this area, they realized it 

had probably never been touched, and 

nobody could see the creek since it was 

not visible from the road. John Sweatman 

with the City Economic Development 

Department asked the board if they would 

be interested in using the flood plain for a 

Creekline project, as they were not going to 

be used for development. 

Scott Parker of the Opelika Engineering 

Department designed the new trail and is 

currently managing the construction of the 

project. This section of trail is designed to 

be completely accessible for all individuals. 

Creekline Trails of Opelika is under the 

direction of a volunteer advisory board 

working in close collaboration with the 

City of Opelika and sponsored by the 

Envision Opelika Foundation, Inc. The 

foundation serves as the project’s 501(c)(3) 

umbrella and fiscal sponsor. 

For further information visit creeklineopelika.org 


Thank You Auburn for 

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AUBURN’S OLDEST PARK 


Felton Little Park has been the heart 

of Auburn, Ala., literally and figuratively, 

since its inception in 1948. 

The C. Felton Little family, for the sum of 

one dollar, deeded the 7.93 acres located 

off Glenn Ave. for the "establishment and 

maintenance of a public park, for the benefit 

of the public," as noted in the recording. 

Since then, the park has served as a 

testimonial to the long-standing dedication, 

support, and hard work of many staff, 

players, families, volunteer workers, and 

coaches. If you played baseball or softball 

in this community at an early age, you did 

so at Felton Little Park. 

Long-time resident Steve Cosgrove and 

countless citizens set out to preserve the 

humble history of the park and document 

a historical timeline. Through meaningful 

conversations with community members, 

Steve writes, "The storied history of Felton 

Little Park, recognized as Auburn's oldest 

park, deserves to be preserved and told." 

Stadium. Trey Johnston, owner of J&M 

Bookstore, scored AHS's last touchdown at 

Felton Little Park," states Steve. 

Two temporary baseball/softball fields 

were established, including wooden collapsible 

picket fences securing the outfields 

within the perimeter of the football field, 

allowing games in the spring and summer 

months of 1950-1969, primarily for youth 

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ages 5-12. In the evenings, adult pickup and 

league softball games were held. Auburn 

University student softball and flag football 

games also occurred. "More often than not, 

a homerun would extend over the creek 

and railroad tracks," recalls Steve. 

1949-LATE 1960S: BEASLEY'S PASTURE 

Baseball and softball team practices 

took place in what was known as Beasley's 

1949-1968: EARLY KNOWN USES OF 

FELTON LITTLE PARK 

The park held high school football games 

for both Auburn High School and J.F. Drake 

High School. Drake games were played on 

Tuesday nights, while Friday nights were 

reserved for AHS games. "It is a common, 

vivid memory that the local community 

would fill the stands to watch and cheer 

their teams, players, and lively action. 

Auburn University students were in visible 

attendance. In the mid-season of 1968, AHS 

football games moved to Duck Samford 

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-STEVE COSGROVE 

Pasture. Mary Luda Beasley, Alice (Beasley) Bidez, her husband, 

P.R. "Bede" Bidez, and the Beasley family owned the 

property across Glenn Ave., extending the length of the west 

side of Ross St. to Magnolia Ave. Five to six practice fields 

occupied the pasture. Estelle Mae Wittel and her husband, 

S.S. Wittel, acquired Beasley's Pasture. While not their initial 

intended use of the property, the Wittel's agreed to sell the 7.11 

acres to the city on March 28, 1951. George H. "Monk" Wright 

was mayor. In 1964, the city began developing a municipal 

complex to house Fire Station #1 first, then a police station 

and city offices followed. 

1949-PRESENT: FELTON LITTLE PARK 

Playground equipment and picnic areas continue today 

for community use, as when the Park was first opened on 

September 5, 1949. Over the decades, Little League Baseball 

and Dixie Youth Baseball and Softball programs were conducted 

within the three permanent Felton Little Park fields. 


Just 30 miles from Auburn, 

affordable lake living is closer than you thnk. 

The Trails is the newest waterfront enclave in The Village at Lake Martin. 

With HOA-managed perks like lawn care and on-site trash disposal, 

residents can spend their time enjoying the other amenities like swimming 

pools, nature trails, a fitness center and community boat ramp. 

Dedicated boat slips are available for purchase. 

For info, contact Kira Woodall at 256.625.1714 

VILLAGETRAILSLAKEMARTIN.COM 


The City of Auburn Parks and Recreation 

provided programs for countless families 

and team play, creating abundant joy and 

excitement of the games. These three fields 

were first built in mid-1969 and continue in 

use today. The annual season-opening Play 

Day introduced all newly-suited-up players 

and age-group teams (ages 5-12). The event 

included a barbecue cookout provided by 

the War Eagle Lions Club, with each team 

playing a game. The day sets the tone for 

the upcoming season and promotes the 

standards for exemplary sportsmanship 

expected of all. 

The 1955 and 1956 Auburn Little League 

All-Stars grew up learning and playing 

the game of baseball at Felton Little 

Park. These two teams won the Alabama 

State Championship. They advanced to 

and won the Southeast Regional Little 

League Tournament in Rome, Ga., earning 

a trip to the Little League World Series 

in Williamsport, Pa. All of this started at 

Felton Little Park in Auburn, Ala., and continues 

to this day. Little League and Dixie 

Youth Baseball player skill development, 

team/program activities, and accomplishments 

over the years all had one common 

denominator: Felton Little Park. 

TRAINS PASSING BY 

A unique feature of ball games at bucolic 

Felton Little Park occurs when plays stop 

due to a passing train. Whenever the trains 

pass by the near-North end right-of-way of 

Felton Little Park, kids, coaches, umpires, 

and fans take the obligatory pause in action 

as the engineers, head brakemen, and 

firemen often blow the standard railroad 

"two longs, short and extra-long" whistle 

bursts to the kids' pumping arms and fists 

in the air. The Central Pacific Railroad 

first stopped at the then-original Auburn 

Railroad Depot on May 13, 1865. That tradition 

continues today. 

PARKING 

Parking proved a challenge in the early 

years until the City of Auburn became the 

beneficiary of a land strip perpendicular 

to the park, extending to Ross Street. This 

.359-acre parcel was granted to the city in 

October 1986 by Aileen (Samford) Walpole 

and her husband, B. Legare Walpole, for 

the sum of $10.00. This tract still serves the 

parking demands for Felton Little Park. 


MEMORY JOGGERS 

Steve provides moments that transcend 

time in a list of tidbits and memory joggers. 

Most parkgoers over the years remember 

the playground, including a teeter-totter, 

monkey bars, whirley wheel, and merry-goround, 

which spun kids for over 44 years. 

The original 1949 merry-go-round now 

resides with Steve and his wife Sherry on 

the side of their yard in Asheton Park, with 

a welcome sign for anyone to enjoy. 

Felton Little Park's hallowed grounds 

have always been considered and supported 

by the City of Auburn and the Auburn Parks 

and Recreation Department. A collective 

effort on many fronts. "That value of municipal 

and departmental supportive engagement 

cannot be overstated," states Steve. 

Whether in the bitter cold of player tryouts, 

rainy days of spring, or the toll of sweltering 

summer heat, Felton Little Park was 

and still is a place where kids can gather, 

play ball, and have the best time of their 

young lives. 

"This is the stuff that childhood memories 

and friendships are made of…this is 

Felton Little Park," says Steve. 

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AUBURN, AL 36830 

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Explore 

Cahaba 

by Ann Cipperly 


When the 18th century naturalist 

William Bartram discovered 

the shoal lily, now known 

as the Cahaba Lily, in 1773, he proclaimed, 

“Nothing in vegetable nature is more 

pleasing.” The clusters of three-inch wide 

blooms flourish during spring along the 

rocky shoals at the Cahaba River National 

Wildlife Refuge in Bibb County. The unique 

plant is honored in May at the Cahaba Lily 

Festival, while crowds gather at the refuge 

to view the blooms and explore the wildlife 

and natural beauty covering 3,500 acres. 

The Cahaba River National Wildlife 

Refuge was established Sept. 25, 2002, to 

protect and manage a distinctive section 

of the river and land adjacent to it. Steven 

Trull, a wildlife specialist, is the refuge 

manager. “The refuge habitat is a special 

place that is still undeveloped,” he says, 

“but provides a location for people to enjoy 

fishing, wildlife and plants that are native 

to the area, such as the Cahaba Lily.” 

The earlier spelling of “Cahaba” was 

”Cahawba” that is believed to be the 

Choctaw Indians’ meaning of “water 

above.” The Choctaw and Creek Indians 

occupied the land with the river being the 

dividing line, with the Choctaw on the west 

and Creeks on the east. 

During the Civil War, coal from mines 

on the northeastern part of the refuge was 

used to fuel iron furnaces and later the steel 

mills in Birmingham. The town of Piper, 

named after the owner of the Little Cahaba 

Coal Company, grew with workers going 

into the mines. 

In 1906, an explosion killed a dozen 

men, and half a dozen were asphyxiated 20 

years later. The Alabama National Guard 

was called in for a strike in 1934. After the 

mines closed, an industrial timber company 

planted rows of loblolly pines on the 

land. The loblolly and longleaf pines are 

mixed with hardwoods. 

“We have had a coal mine reclamation,” 

Steven says, “and are in the last phase of 

cleanup. The water in small ponds goes 

through natural stone and granite to purify 

and be cleaner.” 

The Cahaba River is abundant with 

largemouth bass, catfish and sunfish. Of 

the 131 fish species, 18 are found only in the 

river and Mobile River Basin, including 27 

mussel species. 

Photos by David Butler 

Visitors can fish from the bank. A ramp 

is available for non-motorized boating. 

The river can be explored in a canoe or 

kayak, which is also good for viewing the 

Cahaba Lilies. 

Cahaba Lilies only grow in Alabama, 

Georgia, South Carolina and North 

Carolina. The plant requires a certain habitat 

with swiftly flowing water over rocks 

on shoal areas. It blooms from mid-May to 

mid-June. The largest and best site to view 

the lilies is at the refuge. The plant produces 

multi-blooms. The seeds fall into 

the rocks, and it needs the steady flow of 

water to grow properly. 

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“While the lilies are not endangered,” says 

Steven, “they are protected on the refuge 

since people are not allowed to take anything 

from there. People are not allowed to take the 

seeds. The flower blooms at night and mornings 

with multi-blooms at different stages.” 

While visitors are not supposed to take the 

seeds, sometimes they do. “It is a major problem 

as people think they can grow the lilies 

in their yard,” says David Butler, staff attorney 

and riverkeeper at Cahaba River and 

president of the Friends of the Cahaba River 

National Wildlife Refuge. “The lily is similar 

to the Swamp Lily that grows in dirt, but the 

Cahaba Lily will not. 

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with food provided by residents in the 

community. Donations are accepted for 

the meal. In the afternoon shuttles will 

be provided from the center to the refuge. 

The festival is hosted by the West Blocton 

Improvement Committee. 

The Miss Cahaba Lily pageant is held 

during the festival. This is the first year the 

pageant is open to girls living outside of 

West Blocton. 

After the Lily Festival is over, the town 

of Woodstock is hosting the Woodstock 

Music Festival. 

“Some people take the seeds thinking 

they can grow them,” he adds, “but if everyone 

did that, we wouldn’t have any lilies in 

the river. Some people take the seeds and 

try to sell them. At one time, the lilies grew 

in other rivers in Alabama, but those rivers 

have been dammed. The Cahaba River has 

the largest group of lilies.” 

Some visitors take photos of the lilies 

from the riverbanks, while others will walk 

in the river. “It is not easy,” says David. “The 

river is not deep, but the rocks are slippery, 

so they need to be careful.” 

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Visitors should be aware that there can 

be crowds to see the lilies, and they need 

to be prepared to walk from parking to see 

the lilies. 

CAHABA LILY FESTIVAL IN MAY 

A Cahaba Lily Festival is held every year 

the third Saturday in May. This year the 

event will be on May 18 from 9 a.m. until 

dark on Main Street in West Blocton. 

The festival will feature a morning program 

with speaker Dr. Larry Davenport, 

food and craft vendors, a children’s play 

area and lunch at the Cahaba Lily Center 

REFUGE TRAILS 

The refuge has over 6.5 miles of trails. 

The most popular trail is the Piper Trail 

located off County Road 24. Friends of the 

Cahaba River group built the trail on a former 

railroad bed, and it features two overlooks 

that provide stunning views of the 

Cahaba River. 

Bicycling is allowed on any road open to 

vehicle traffic. 

PICNICS 

While there are areas with scenic views 

and shorelines where people can spread a 

cloth for a picnic, the refuge does not have 

picnic tables. Note that there are not any 

restroom facilities at the refuge. Restrooms 

are available at the Cahaba Lily Center and 

the Coke Ovens Park in West Brocton. 

“The refuge is in a natural state,” says 

Steven, “and it is still growing in public 

access. 

“The US Fish and Wildlife Service, 

especially Cahaba River National Wildlife 

Refuge, is very fortunate to have partners 

such as the Friends of the Cahaba River 

National Wildlife Refuge and volunteers 

to assist with maintaining a clean environment 

for the community to enjoy. 

“Many people come to the refuge each 

year to enjoy solitude and to commune 

with nature,” adds Steven, “as well as share 

the joy of wildlife with family and friends.” 

The Cahaba River National Wildlife 

Refuge is located approximately six miles 

east of West Blocton on County Road 24 

in Bibb County. The Cahaba Lily Center is 

located at 1012 Main Street, West Blocton. 

For more information go to fws.gov/refuge/ 

cahaba-river. 


Two Key Home Care Benefits for Veterans 

The prospect of aging comfortably and safely at home becomes more feasible for senior veterans through two key VA 

benefits: the VA Aid and Attendance Benefit and the VA Homemaker Benefit. These benefits are vital lifelines for those 

requiring assistance with daily activities due to medical conditions. With over 11 million veterans aged 60 and above, 

many are eligible for these benefits, providing crucial support in their later years. 

The Aid and Attendance Benefit and the Homemaker Benefit address veterans’ needs, ensuring they receive appropriate 

care in their preferred environment. Eligibility for both benefits is primarily determined by the veteran’s military service 

and income level. To qualify, veterans must have a minimum of 90 days of active duty, including at least one day served 

during wartime, with an honorable discharge. Additionally, surviving spouses may also be eligible, provided the marriage 

ended with the veteran’s death. 

The Aid and Attendance Benefit focuses on providing assistance to veterans who require aid with activities of daily 

living (ADLs) or are significantly bedbound due to illness or medical conditions. It also caters to those residing in skilled 

nursing facilities or experiencing severe visual impairment. Financial eligibility for this benefit considers the veteran’s 

income and assets, ensuring support reaches those in genuine need. 

In contrast, the Homemaker Benefit prioritizes clinical need over financial status. Veterans seeking this benefit 

must obtain authorization from a physician within the VA system, highlighting their requirement for in-home care. 

While financial requisites do not dictate eligibility, the veteran’s medical condition and caregiving needs are primary 

determinants. 

The benefits extend beyond veterans themselves to encompass their surviving spouses, offering essential support during 

their later years. For many surviving spouses, the Survivor’s Pension is a revelation, providing financial assistance for inhome 

care. This benefit can significantly alleviate financial burdens and ensure access to necessary support services. 

However, navigating the application process for VA benefits can be complex and time-consuming. The approval process 

may take up to six months, posing challenges for those needing assistance. Nonetheless, expedited approval is possible, 

particularly for the Homemaker Benefit, with some cases processed within weeks. Amada Senior Care of Auburn and 

Montgomery partners with VetAssist, a private company specializing in VA benefit assistance that streamlines the 

application and approval stages. 

Ultimately, these benefits serve as a lifeline for veterans and their families, empowering them to age with dignity and 

independence in their own homes. By providing essential support services and financial assistance, the VA aids in 

fulfilling its commitment to caring for those who served their country. For veterans and their loved ones, these benefits 

represent more than just financial aid; they embody a recognition of their sacrifices and a commitment to honoring their 

service throughout their later years. 

“Our veterans took on the responsibility to defend America, and it’s our pleasure to be a resource to them in multiple 

ways,” says Kinnon Fisher, owner of Amada Senior Care of Auburn and Montgomery. “In-home care can be life-changing 

for everyone, veterans and their families.” Through benefits like the Aid and Attendance Benefit and the Homemaker 

Benefit, Amada Senior Care of Auburn and Montgomery with the VA strives to honor veterans’ sacrifices by ensuring they 

receive the care and assistance they need to age with dignity and comfort. 

1280 Moores Mill Road, Suite 214, Auburn, AL 36830 | Phone: (334) 509-5500 


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GETAWAY 

St. Pete 

Sunsets are legendary along the coast in 

St. Petersburg, “St. Pete,” Florida, stretching to 

beaches in Tampa and Clearwater. Sparkling 

waters beckon with sun-drenched days on 

top-notch beaches and numerous attractions, 

including the new Pier District. With 26 

acres on the waterfront, the Pier offers parks, 

beaches, concerts, restaurants, a discovery 

center and numerous activities for an 

exciting family getaway. 


At the entrance to the Pier District, a floating 

arial sculpture soars 72 feet and spans 425 feet 

wide. Blending Arc is composed of 1,662,528 

knots and 180 miles of twine. Janet Echelman’s 

permanent sculpture creates changing shape 

according to the wind, as well as brilliant violet 

and magenta colors lighting the night sky. 

A complimentary tram takes visitors from 

one end of the Pier to the other with drop-offs 

along the way. Parking is also available. 

Located between the sculpture and Majeed 

Foundation Splash Pad, the nautical-themed 

Glazer Family Playground offers children 

swings, climbing structures and assorted 

activities. The park is an ideal spot for a picnic, 

and events are held in this area. 

A highlight of the Pier is the Tampa Bay 

Watch Discovery Center. Visitors will enjoy 

viewing the 1,800-gallon estuary habitat that 

replicates living habitat of many species in 

the local waters. Interactive exhibits and programs 

are offered, as well as boat eco tours. 

While there are many beaches in St. Pete on 

the Gulf, Spa Beach is downtown at the Pier 

District with a naturalized shoreline. Enjoy 

activities on the beach including paddleboarding, 

kayaks and volleyball. While at Spa 

Beach, try the Spa Beach Bistro for a snack 

and beverage or get grab-and-go food items. 

The Pier also has a fishing platform with 

a fish-cleaning station located on the dock. 

Take your own fishing gear or get equipment 

at Jim’s Tackle on the Pier. 

While at the Pier District, learn about 

local history at the St. Petersburg Museum of 

History going back 100 years. The museum 


also has unusual items such as a 3,000 year 

old Egyptian mummy. Baseball fans will be 

interested in Schrader’s Little Cooperstown. 

PIER RESTAURANTS 

At Pier Point, restaurants include Teak 

Restaurant with upscale casual dining, featuring 

Florida style cuisine. Pier Teaki on 

the rooftop is a contemporary tiki bar. On 

the ground level, Driftwood Café serves ice 

cream and snacks. 

Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille is another 

option at Pier Point. The lively setting offers 

a menu with Caribbean flavors. Sit outside 

and savor the view, watch boats go by and 

planes land at the small airport. The Grille 

has three other restaurants in the Tampa 

Bay area. 

SUNCOAST SITES 

Enjoy a ride from St. Pete to Tampa on 

the Cross Bay Ferry with affordable rates 

Wednesday through Sunday and special 

Monday and Tuesday service on Tampa Bay 

Lightning game days. Visit the website for 

rates and schedule. 

thecrossbayferry.com 

DALI MUSEUM AND CAFÉ GALA, 

ST. PETE 

Salvador Dali is known for his surrealist 

works of art. The Dali Museum houses 

many of his famous works. Last year, the 

museum opened a permanent experience 

for visitors with “Dali Alive 360,” as the 

multisensory journey maps out his life 

accomplishments. 

While touring the museum, plan to have 

breakfast or lunch at Café Gala, named after 

Dali’s wife. The café serves Spanish food 

with tapas, soups, salads, sandwiches and 

desserts. Try a special coffee or their signature 

Spanish rose champagne. Visitors can 

dine indoors or on the Avanti-garden patio. 

One Dali Blvd., St. Pete. 727.823.3767, 

www.thedali.org 

SUNKEN GARDENS, ST. PETE 

The 100-year-old Sunken Gardens attraction 

is St. Pete’s oldest living museum with 

paths through thousands of tropical plants, 

flowers and waterfalls. Flamingos and 

other tropical birds can be viewed along 

the paths. Programs are offered throughout 

the year. 

825 4th Street N., St. Petersburg 727.551.2102, 

www.stpete.org/visitors/sunken_gardens.php 

FLORIDA AQUARIUM, TAMPA 

View more than 5,000 aquatic plants 

and 20,000 sea creatures at the Florida 

Aquarium in the scene 2,000 feet below 

the Gulf of Mexico. The complex includes 

a kid-friendly water park and a coral reef 

tank. Daily shows and exhibits are featured 

as well as a Wild Dolphin Cruise. 

701 Channelside Dr., Tampa. 

www.flaquarium.org 

Let Our Family Take Care Of Your Family! 

334-275-3187 


TAMPA MUSEUM OF ART 

The museum provides public programs 

and has a focus on antiquities and modern 

and contemporary art. 

120 W Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa 813. 274.8130 

YBOR CITY 

With brick streets and the iron balconies, 

Ybor City has its roots in Tampa Bay’s Cuban 

and Spanish immigrant communities. 

From 1885 until the mid-20th Century, 

hundreds of cigar factories produced millions 

of hand-rolled cigars each year, 

becoming the Cigar Capital of the World. 

www.visittampabay.com/unlock-tampa-bay/ 

districts/ybor-city/ 

Food Markets 

and Restaurants 

SATURDAY MORNING FARMERS 

MARKET, ST. PETE 

Located near the Pier District, a large 

farmers market is held with fresh produce 

and vendors offering a variety of foods. 

Aromas of baking pizzas mingle with other 

scents as vendors prepare their specialties. 

Tables are located near the live music. 

MAZZARO ITALIAN MARKET, ST. 

PETE 

The Italian Market has been in business 

for over 30 years in St. Pete. Along with 

being a great place for lunch, the spacious 

market is excellent with a fresh pasta section 

offering their house-made sauces and 

meatballs, along with other pre-made food. 

Other sections include a bakery, freshly 

made gelato, a cheese room, fresh produce, 

seafood and meat market and wine room, 

among others. 

2909 22nd Ave. N., St. Petersburg 

DATZ, ST. PETE 

Datz was recently recognized as runnerup 

for the Best Deli/Sandwich Shop by 

Tampa Magazine for 2024. The restaurant 

serves hearty breakfast and weekend 

brunch choices. An assortment of delectable 

sandwiches and burgers are available 

for lunch, as well as salads and tacos. 

Favorites for dinner include shrimp and 

grits, ribs and stuffed meat loaf, among 

other dishes. 

Appetizers are half price Monday 

through Friday from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. 

180 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, 727-202-1182, 

datztampa.com 

CEVICHE, ST. PETE 

Inspired by Barcelona, Ceviche is a 

Spanish restaurant offering flavorful 

dishes. For an appetizer, try a cheese and 

charcuterie board or tasty tapas. The specialties 

include paellas. Tapas Tuesdays are 

popular. 

332 Beach Dr. NE., St. Petersburg, 727.209.2299, 

www.ceviche.com 

CASUAL OPTIONS TO EXPLORE, 

ST. PETE 

For a good burger, go to El Cap that is well 

known for their burgers. While it is a little 

“hole in the wall” place, the burgers are 

considered among the best in town. 

For breakfast, try Trip’s Diner for good 

food at reasonable prices. Another option 

is St. Pete Bagel Co. for breakfast or lunch. 

Try an apple fritter. 

The Library serves breakfast and brunch. 

It is interesting with little nooks set with 

books and comfortable booths. 

Open since 1984, the Fourth Street 

Shrimp Store offers seafood in a casual 

setting. 

COLUMBIA RESTAURANT, THREE 

LOCATIONS 

While the Columbia Restaurant closed in 

St. Pete when the pier was rebuilt, there are 

others along the Suncoast. 

The most famous Spanish restaurant in 

the area is also the oldest. The landmark 

Columbia restaurant first opened in Ybor 

City in 1905 as a corner café for cigar workers. 

While the restaurant offers an extensive 

menu, don’t miss the 1905 salad prepared 

tableside and the Cuban sandwich. 

Ybor City Historic District, 2117 E. 7th Ave., 

813.248.4961; Clearwater at 1241 Gulf Boulevard; 

Columbia Café at Tampa Bay History Center 


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BERN'S STEAK HOUSE, TAMPA 

Considered one of the best restaurants in 

the country, Bern’s Steak House has eight 

dining rooms with each one decorated 

differently. 

Dinner at Bern’s is an occasion to celebrate. 

The restaurant serves fresh vegetables 

from their farm and aged steaks cut 

after orders are placed. A favorite is tender, 

flavorsome chateaubriand for two served in 

courses, with an appetizer, soup and salad. 

After dinner, take a tour of the kitchen 

and wine cellar. The wine cellar is incredible 

with 500,000 bottles in-house and 

750,000 in the warehouse, which is the 

largest privately held collection in the 

world. 

Don’t miss the Harry Waugh Dessert 

Room, which was built using redwood wine 

casks to create 48 private rooms. For dessert, 

try sublime banana cream pie or decadent 

peanut butter and chocolate torte. 

Linger over coffee or a special beverage to 

cap the evening. 

1208 S. Howard Ave. Tampa 813.251.2421. 

ULELE, TAMPA 

Perched at the bend in the Hillsborough 

River, Ulele features farm and water fusion 

dishes. Many menu items are cooked over 

an open flame on a barbacoa grill. 

Try crispy okra fries and alligator hush 

puppies with an excellent grouper or snapper. 

Desserts are yummy, especially the signature 

homemade coconut ice cream in a 

coconut shell. 

Ulele is open for lunch and dinner. 

1810 W. Highland Ave. Tampa, 813.999.4952 

FRENCHY’S CLEARWATER 

If you are spending the day at Clearwater 

Beach, be sure to try Frenchy’s for 

lunch. One is located on the beach, while 

Frenchy’s Rockaway Grill is located on 

Rockaway Street. 

The restaurant has their own fishing 

boats, and the crispy grouper sandwich 

is superb. 

SALT ROCK GRILL, INDIAN SHORES 

A favorite for many years, Salt Rock Grill 

has a lively setting with indoor and outdoor 

seating. 

The steaks are aged on the premises and 

grilled over an oak and citrus wood pit. 

The menu also offers plenty of seafood and 

other specialties. 

The restaurant has their own fishermen 

to provide red grouper, red snapper and 

other fresh fish. 

19325 Gulf Boulevard, Indian Shores. 

727-593-7625 

BON APPETIT RESTAURANT, 

DUNEDIN 

Relax over a leisurely lunch or dinner on 

the waterfront serving seafood, steaks and 

other Florida specialties. At lunch, try the 

lobster roll. 

148 Marina Plaza, Dunedin, 727.733.2151 

Where to Stay 

While there is a wide selection of accommodations 

along the coast, two upscale 

hotels are the Don CeSar Beach Resort, 

long known as the “Pink Palace,” at St. Pete 

Beach, and the Vinoy Renaissance Resort 

and Golf Club in St. Pete. Both offer fine 

amenities and dining options for a restful 

getaway. 

If a new hotel is preferred, check out The 

Moxy Hotel in St. Pete with quirky wall 

art and bold colors. The Sparrow Rooftop 

lounge provides scenic views of downtown. 

On Clearwater Beach, The Hiatus is a new 

luxurious, boutique hotel. Relax on the 

rooftop bar and restaurant and savor stunning 

beach views. 

This spring or summer, plan a getaway to 

the Suncoast and enjoy toes in the sand at 

amazing beaches, wonderful seafood and 

an array of attractions to suit any taste. 


White Oak Landing 

is a collection of attractively priced, turn-key lakefront cottages. 

With nine cottage-style plans to choose from, the large, wooded, waterfront 

homesites are conveniently located on the north end of Lake Martin offering easy 

MODEL HOMES 

now under 

construction by 

access to Highway 280, golf, dining, shopping, marina and medical care. 


Silver Linings: 

The Gallery Reopens 


In the early hours of July 21, 2022, a 

fire swept through Mafia’s restaurant 

in downtown Opelika, damaging one 

adjoining business and filling The Gallery 

on Railroad with smoke. After over a year of 

renovations, The Gallery has been restored 

and is open with a new selection of home 

decor, accessories, paintings and custom 

framing. The sturdy 1865 building with 

three layers of brick firewall has a lively history 

of a wild, settling railroad town. 

In its early history, the building was a 

saloon with a brothel upstairs. As the trains 

passed through town, passengers were told 

to duck below window level as patrons 

from the saloon would have contests to see 

who could shoot out the most train windows. 

Originally, the building had two full 

floors with a staircase in the center. In the 

1880s, the building had its first fire, and the 

mezzanine balcony was constructed during 

the restoration. 

The Gallery on Railroad is one of the 

longest operating shops in downtown 

Opelika. Owner Debbie Purves and her 

mother, Carolyn Strother, opened the business 

43 years ago. “I was coming home from 

church with Mama and Daddy one Sunday 

afternoon,” remembers Debbie, “and Daddy 

asked me what I thought about opening a 

frame shop. I had always been interested in 

art and was thinking an art gallery sounded 

like a good idea.” 

The following day, her father, Dr. Ken 

Strother, purchased the building in downtown 

Opelika. He had always admired the 

space and was interested in owning and 

renovating the building. 


Debbie and her mother attended framing 

classes and purchased paintings from an 

art dealer. Once the building was renovated 

in May 1980, they opened the custom framing 

business along with a good selection of 

art and English antiques. After her parents 

moved to the lake, Debbie began running 

the shop on her own. The business became 

more well known over the years for her 

artistic custom framing. 

After Debbie and her husband, Dr. 

George Purves, married, she thought of 

retiring. George grew up in England, was on 

staff in hospitals at Harvard and in Houston 

before coming to Opelika as an anesthesiologist 

for East Alabama Health. He talked 

his wife out of retiring. 

“I thought if I was going to be at the shop, 

then I wanted to see lots of pretty things 

along with the art gallery,” Debbie says. “I 

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purchased items that I would like to have in 

my home, and they sold.” 

Debbie began adding more home decor 

and accessories, then expanded into jewelry, 

gourmet foods, lamps and other home 

items. When her sister-in-law, Sherry 

Strother, began helping her, they added 

dresses and purses. She also began carrying 

local artists’ work. 

On the night of the fire, a neighbor texted 

George to tell him there was a fire downtown, 

but he didn’t see the message until 

morning. When he saw it, he told Debbie 

that she might want to go check on the 

shop. She left immediately. 

“When I came down to the shop,” she 

remembers, “it was like a war zone. I think I 

was in shock. My building didn’t look damaged, 

so I asked the assistant fire chief if I 

could open my shop after lunch. He looked 

at me and said there wasn’t any power. I 

asked about the next day, and he told me to 

come back later that day so I could see the 

inside of the building. 

“The smoke smell got worse in the following 

days,” Debbie recalls. “There had 

been so much smoke in the shop that the 

fireman had to chisel into the brick to be 

sure there wasn’t a fire. I was lucky. The 

walls are three layers of brick firewall. It 

wasn’t hot in the shop and candles on the 

shelves did not melt. While we had total 

smoke damage, we are grateful it was not 

structural.” 

Debbie was touched by so many in the 

area who reached out to check on her. 

People would tell her they were praying for 

her. “I love this town,” she says. 

With the help of others, Debbie conducted 

an inventory that took three weeks. 

Most of the items in the shop were good. 

The items needed washing, but she couldn’t 

sell them as new. She decided to have a fire 

sale, and the community was supportive. 

A day before the fire, Graham Hage at 

Zazu Gastropub had purchased the Eighth 

and Rail building next door to The Gallery. 

He offered the space to Debbie while her 

shop was being restored. She opened her 

business in that building temporarily in 

October 2022 and quickly began to rebuild 

her inventory. 

Debbie was also able to continue the 

framing business with the help of Charles 

Jernigan’s studio. She would go through the 

back door of her shop to select the frame 

and matting, then go to the studio to put 

the framing together. 

Once The Gallery was restored, it 

reopened in November 2023. The restored 

building has timeless beauty with rich 

wood patina, old brick from the original 

fireplace and other stunning details. The 

staircase and railing on the mezzanine 

received a fresh coat of olive toned paint, 

while wood framed arches accentuate the 

back wall. The ceiling has exposed beams 

in one area and tin in another section. 

The chandeliers were replaced with 

sparking crystal bloom patterned lights. 

The cashier area moved to the center with 

French antiques. While the top floor has the 

original hardwood flooring, the downstairs 

carpeting was replaced with new heart pine 

flooring. Debbie plans to refresh the front 

of the building in the coming year. 

The restored shop is brimming with 

home decor, assorted dishes and barware, 

lamps, small furniture, pottery from 

regional potters, gourmet food items, 

accessories, jewelry, purses, clothes and an 

assortment of artwork. The framing selection 

area has been redesigned for a fresh 

and professional experience for clients. 

A variety of paintings by local artists are 

featured. “I have always loved to promote 

the talent we have in our area,” Debbie says. 

“Kathy Miller Lowe was one of the first local 

artists I represented and still offer a great 

selection of her work. People like to support 

local, and The Gallery is proud to be 

able to show off the talent we have in our 

community.” 

The shop also carries paintings from 

regional and European artists. When 

Debbie and George travel, they look for art 

to bring back to the shop and have plans to 

start hosting art shows again. 

The gallery offers a wide selection of 

barware. One of the collections offered is 

Estelle Colored Glassware. The brilliant colors 

of the glassware are a perfect complement 

to the art in the shop. 

The Gallery carries items that represent 

the area. “I love promoting Opelika and 

Auburn,” Debbie says, as she has customers 

who are visiting for golf, pickleball and 

sports events. 

Now that the shop has reopened, Debbie 

is looking forward to showing off the beautifully 

restored, historic building and the 

eclectic variety the shop has to offer. 

Looking back since the fire, she is grateful 

for things that didn’t happen and did 

happen. “I am ready to look ahead,” Debbie 

says. “I am totally grateful for our community 

and our amazing fire department. The 

response of the fire department was lightning 

fast and because of their heroic skill, 

the fire was contained to the footprint of 

Mafia’s. 

“Everything has a silver lining,” Debbie 

adds. “You just have to wait for it!” 

The Gallery on Railroad is locate 809 South 

Railroad Avenue in historic downtown Opelika. 

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through 

Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. 


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RECIPES 

Asparagus! 



Whether steamed, boiled, grilled, baked or roasted, fresh asparagus 

is one of the favorite spring season vegetables. The versatile 

vegetable is good simply prepared or can be enhanced with 

sauces and toppings, baked in tarts, tossed in a salad or used in soups. 

While asparagus wasn’t grown commercially until the 1860s, it came to 

North American from France in the 1600s and 1700s. Originally, it grew 

wild along seashores and in riverbanks in Europe, Asia and North Africia. 

In this country, the plant can be found in several states growing wild along 

beaches on the coast. 

Asparagus can be green, purple or white. Green is the most commonly 

found in markets. Purple asparagus was developed in Italy and has a higher 

sugar level than the others. Since it is sensitive to heat, it can turn green 

while being cooked. 

White asparagus is more popular in Europe, and it is generally found in 

cans rather than fresh in this country. The shoots of the plants are covered 

with soil to prevent them from receiving sunlight, which keeps the asparagus 

white. With this method, the asparagus is milder in flavor than the 

others. 

When buying asparagus, select firm spears with the tops tightly closed 

and dry. The tops may have a purplish hint, and the spears can be thin or 

thick. Plan to cook the vegetable shortly after purchasing. If you need to 

store it a few days, cut a small amount off the bottom of the stalk and place 

in a shallow container or a jar with water. 

Cooking 

To prepare asparagus, remove the end, as it is tough. To find the correct 

spot to break it off, simply bend the stalk near the base. 

Asparagus can be quickly cooked in a variety of ways. It can be boiled in 

salted water until spears are easily pierced with a fork. If cooking it ahead 

of time, place asparagus in ice water to quickly stop cooking and to keep the 

spears bright green. For salads, cut the spears into bite-size pieces before 

cooking. 

For steaming, place spears in the top of a steamer basket and cook until 

crisp-tender. Tall narrow pots are available that hold the asparagus upright 

to steam while the base is in water. Hollandaise sauce is a classic accompaniment 

to steamed asparagus. 

Spears can also be grilled by simply placing them across the grill or in a 

basket for grilling. Turn them often and watch carefully to prevent burning. 

Salt the vegetable and toss in olive oil or melted butter. 

Oven roasting is easy. Place spears on a sheet pan, then drizzle olive 

oil over the spears and sprinkle salt on top. Bake asparagus in a 425 oven 

for about 10 minutes, depending on thickness of the stalk. Can also bake 

spears at a lower temperature for a longer time. Test with a fork for being 

crisp-tender. 

While asparagus is available year round, fresh bunches arrive in markets 

during the spring months through mid-summer. Look over the following 

recipes for creating scrumptious asparagus dishes for your family. 

Recipes 

ASPARAGUS WITH SPRING ONIONS 

AND GOAT CHEESE 

Peggy Dyar 

• 1/4 cup olive oil 

• 2 tsp. grated lemon zest 

• 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice 

• 1 3/4 tsp. salt 

• 1/4 tsp. black pepper 

• Spring onions, white parts only, sliced 

• 1 lb. fresh asparagus, ends trimmed 

• 4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled 

To prepare vinaigrette, whisk together 

olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and 

pepper. Stir in sliced onions. Set aside for 

30 minutes or chill for longer time. 

In a skillet, bring about two inches of 

water to boil; add asparagus and cook 

about three minutes or until crisp tender. 

Remove asparagus to a bowl of water and 

ice to stop cooking; drain. 

Arrange asparagus on individual plates 

or a platter. Drizzle vinaigrette over top. 

Sprinkle goat cheese over asparagus. 

JANET’S ASPARAGUS WITH 

TOMATO VINAIGRETTE 

Nancy Whatley 

• 1 lb. large fresh asparagus 

• ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil 

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar 

• 1 small tomato, finely chopped 

• ¼ green pepper, finely chopped 

• 1 green onion, finely chopped 

• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley 

Cook asparagus for about five minutes 

or until just tender; drain. Refresh under 

cold water; drain. Arrange asparagus on a 

platter. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. 

Whisk oil and vinegar together; add 

remaining ingredients. Season with salt 

and pepper to taste. Can be prepared three 

hours ahead. Spoon half of vinaigrette 

over asparagus; serve remaining on the 

side. Serves four. 


Blanche Lazzell (American, 1878–1956), Landscape, Woodwork, ca. 1917, oil on canvas. 

Museum purchase with funds provided by Gerald and Emily Leischuck 

@TheJuleMuseum 


ASPARAGUS RECIPES 

CHILLED MARINATED ASPARAGUS WITH 

PECANS 

Nancy Paterson, a former restaurant owner, has 

her special dishes available at the Moores Mill 

Market at 1899 Ogletree Road, Auburn. 

• 1½ lb. fresh asparagus, as young and tender 

as possible 

• ¾ cup finely chopped pecans 

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 

• ¼ cup cider vinegar 

• ¼ cup soy sauce 

• ¼ cup sugar 

• Pepper to taste 

Cook asparagus in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. 

Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain 

on paper towels. Arrange in container. 

Mix remaining ingredients together and 

pour over asparagus. Sprinkle black pepper 

over spears. May be marinated up to 36 hours 

before serving. Serves six to eight. 

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH SHAVED 

PARMESAN 

Sally Sheehan 

• 1½ lb. fresh asparagus 

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 

• ½ tsp. kosher salt, divided 

• ¼ tsp, freshly ground pepper 

• ½ lemon 

• ¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese 

• Snap off and discard tough ends of asparagus. 

Place asparagus in a shallow dish; add oil and 

¼ tsp salt; toss well to coat. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or 

until crisp-tender. Add pepper and remaining 

salt. Place asparagus on a platter. Squeeze 

juice from lemon over asparagus; sprinkle 

cheese over top. 

ASPARAGUS AND FETTUCCINE 

Cathy Dozier 

This is a wonderful meal addition to serve on one 

of those days when you want to add a colorful 

choice to your menu. 

• ½ cup butter 

• 4 cloves garlic (remove after sautéing in 

butter) 

• 1 lb. fresh asparagus, cut into one-inch 

pieces) 

• 1 lb. fettuccine, cooked 

• 8 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained (or use 

chopped fresh tomatoes) 

• 4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled, or cheese of 

choice 

Melt butter in a skillet and sauté garlic; set 

aside. Cook asparagus in the microwave or 

boil until crisp-tender. 

Combine all the ingredients together, tossing 

well. This can be served hot or cold. 

ASPARAGUS WITH DIJON MUSTARD 

SAUCE 

Cissy Yarbrough 

• 1 ½ lb. fresh asparagus 

• Dijon Mustard Sauce: 


• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 

• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 

• 2 tsp. chopped parsley 

• 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon 

Topping: 

• 2 grated boiled eggs 

Steam asparagus in a double boiler. Cook to 

your liking, paying attention to the thickness 

of the spears. 

Combine ingredients for the Dijon Mustard 

Sauce. When asparagus is cooked, arrange 

on a serving dish. Pour sauce over top, then 

sprinkle grated boiled eggs on top. 


ASPARAGUS RECIPES 

ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH ASSORTED 

TOPPINGS 

Ann Cipperly 

• 1 lb. fresh asparagus 

Dressing: 

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 

• 2 tsp. salt 



• 1½ tsp. sugar 

• ½ tsp. Tabasco, optional 

• 3 Tbsp. chopped green onions 

• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 


• Dash of pepper 

For serving: 

• leaf lettuce 

Topping options: ¼ cup sliced pimiento 

stuffed green olives, 

chopped pimiento, fresh chopped tomatoes or 

sliced boiled eggs with parsley for garnish 

Steam or boil asparagus until just tender; 

plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Set 

aside. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, salt 

and mustard. Slowly add oil, beating well. 

Add remaining ingredients. Pour over asparagus; 

refrigerate overnight. 

When ready to serve, line platter with leaf 

lettuce. Arrange asparagus on lettuce and 

garnish with toppings of choice. Can serve 

remaining dressing on the side, if desired. 

Serves 6. 

ASPARAGUS ROLLUPS 

Trudy Baker 

• 24 fresh asparagus spears 

• 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature 

• 4 oz. pkg. crumbled blue cheese 

• 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise 

• 1 Tbsp. fresh-chopped chives 

• 12 bread slices, trimmed 

• 12 thinly ham slices 

• ¼ cup butter, melted 

• Paprika 

Snap off tough ends of asparagus and remove 

scales from stalks with a vegetable peeler, if 

desired. Steam asparagus over boiling water 

for four to six minutes or until crisp-tender. 

Remove from steamer; cool on paper towels. 

Combine cream cheese with next three 

ingredients. 

Roll each bread slice with a rolling pin to 

flatten. Spread one side of each with 2 Tbsp. 

cream cheese mixture; top each with a ham 

slice. 

Place 2 asparagus spears, tips pointing toward 

opposite ends, on 1 end of each bread slice; 

roll up. Place seam side down on baking 

sheet; brush with butter and sprinkle with 

paprika. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until 

golden brown. Serve immediately. 

Can freeze unbaked rollups for 1 month in 

airtight container. Thaw in refrigerator and 

bake as directed. 

ASPARAGUS, TOMATO AND 

ARTICHOKE SALAD 

Debbie Sanders 

• 2 lb. fresh asparagus, cut in 1-inch pieces 

• 3 cups grape tomatoes 

• 3 cups (2 cans) quartered artichoke hearts, 

drained 

• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 

• ½ tsp. salt 

• ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

Cook asparagus pieces in boiling water for 

two minutes. Drain and plunge in ice water to 

cool. Drain. 

Add remaining ingredients and toss. Serve or 

refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Fresh Asparagus Bisque 

Sissy Eason, owner of the former Village Cookery in Auburn 

• ¼ cup butter 

• ½ cup chopped onion 

• ½ cup chopped celery 

• 3 Tbsp. flour 

• 1 Tbsp. tarragon, fresh or dried, minced (if using dried, start 

with half as much) 

• ¼ tsp. salt 

• 4 cups chicken stock or broth 

• 2 bunches fresh asparagus, cut in1 inch pieces 

• 1 ½ cups half and half 

• 1 cup sour cream 

Melt butter; add onion and celery. Cook until tender. Add 

flour; tarragon and salt, stirring constantly. Add chicken 

broth and asparagus. 

Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 

10 minutes. Process asparagus mixture in batches until 

smooth. 

Return mixture to pot and add half and half. Cook for 15 minutes 

over medium heat. Add sour cream. Garnish, if desired. 


GARLICKY ASPARAGUS FLATBREAD 

Leesa Street 

• 1 lb. loaf frozen pizza dough, thawed 

• 2 Tbsp. butter 


• 1 cup milk 

• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese 

• 6 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced or grated 

• 1-1 1/4 lb. fresh green, white, and/or purple 

asparagus, trimmed and cut in 3-inch lengths 

• 1 medium yellow squash, sliced, optional 

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided 

• 5 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions 

• Honey, optional 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease two 15 

x 10 x l-inch baking pans; set aside. For flatbreads, 

cut thawed dough in half. On a lightly 

floured surface, roll each half to a 15 x 10-inch 

rectangle. (If dough becomes difficult to roll, 

let rest for five minutes, then resume rolling.) 

Press dough into prepared pans, pressing to 

sides of pans. Prick dough all over with a fork. 

Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until very lightly 

browned. 

Meanwhile, make white sauce in a small 

saucepan. Melt butter over medium heat; stir 

in flour. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Slowly 

whisk in milk. Cook and stir until thickened 

and bubbly. Add Parmesan cheese; cook for 1 

minute. 

Spread white sauce within 1/2 inch of dough 

edges. Top with mozzarella. Lightly toss 

asparagus and squash with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. 

Spread asparagus on cheese layer. Bake for 10 

minutes, until browned. Cool slightly. 

In a small skillet heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil 

over medium heat. Cook sliced garlic in oil, 

stirring frequently, until tender and beginning 

to brown. Remove from heat. Spoon 

garlic and oil evenly on flatbreads. 

Sprinkle with green onions. Pass honey, if 

desired. 


EAL EATS 

Supper 

on thePorch 

The MENU 

• SPRING SALAD WITH STRAWBERRY DRESSING 

• CHICKEN SCAMPI OVER NOODLES 

• CREAMY LEMON PIE 

The Tablescape 

On a perfect spring day when flowers are at their peak in a rainbow 

of colors, plan a supper on the porch featuring an easy 

menu for savoring the season with family. Create a menu from 

the following recipes with fresh spring ingredients in an assortment 

of scrumptious dishes. 

Janine Simmons enjoys gathering with family and friends on her 

spacious back porch overlooking a lake. Twice a year, Janine gets 

together with a group of 10 of her college girlfriends. When they come 

to her home, Janine serves a supper on her porch. 

“The Baked Orzo Pasta has been a great dish to serve for dinner,” 

says Janine. “It is all you need plus a favorite wine. You can add cooked 

As spring’s pageantry of colors unfolds in East Alabama, 

relax with supper on the porch with family to enjoy time 

together on a lovely evening. Cover a table with a cloth 

reflecting the fresh greens of spring and pick hydrangeas 

or other flowers from the garden to accent the setting. 

Linger until fireflies light up the yard, with each family 

member sharing experiences of the day. 

Story, food preparation and photography by 

ANN CIPPERLY 

Table design by TIFFANY DENSON 

Location THE 1913 HOME OF TIFFANY AND RUSH 

DENSON IN THE OPELIKA HISTORIC DISTRICT 


Michelle is sharing a recipe for Roasted 

Fish with Tomatoes. She purchases fresh 

fish from a local butcher shop. While she 

has made it with different fish, she says any 

white flaky fish will work. She serves it over 

rice pilaf. 

One of Sherry Freeman’s favorite seafood 

dishes is Shrimp Remoulade Salad. It is a 

dish her mother served when Sherry was 

growing up along the Mississippi Gulf coast. 

Dee Dee Harper’s go-to dish is Shrimp 

and Pasta. It can be quickly assembled and 

is good for a family meal and entertaining. 

Look over the recipes with salads, entrees 

and desserts for assembling menus your 

family and friends will enjoy for serving 

on the porch or a patio. To save time and 

for flavors to blend together, prepare salad 

dressings ahead. The easy desserts can be 

prepared the day ahead, and the Creamy 

Lemon Pie can be frozen. 

When the temperature is ideal on a spring 

day, gather dishes and set a table on the 

porch. If there are flowers in the garden, clip 

a bunch for the table. Create a special evening 

at home with family around the table 

making lasting memories of time together. 

chicken or shrimp near the end of the baking 

time. We all enjoy a delicious, easy 

meal on the back porch enjoying the lake.” 

If a salad is needed, Janine serves an 

easy to assemble salad with romaine 

and red leaf lettuce tossed with Helen’s 

Chapon Dressing. 

Janine and her husband, Johnny, enjoy 

having family and friends for meals. 

Johnny played football for Auburn 

University and was on the football team in 

the 17-16 game against Alabama. 

Dr. Michelle Reed, who is president 

of Campus Club, and her husband, John, 

also enjoy entertaining. Michelle hosted a 

Campus Club garden party at their home 

where guests meandered through the 

garden, relaxed on the porch or at a table 

under the pergola covered with jasmine. 

Vases of fresh flowers accented tables, 

and potted blooming plants were banked 

against each side of the porch steps. 

“We have just added a courtyard to the 

side of our house,” says Michelle. “It will 

be accessed through the kitchen. I can’t 

wait for spring.” 

Leeatra Vaughn 

associate broker, abr, rsps 

•AUBURN/OPELIKA 

•LAKE MARTIN 

& SURROUNDING AREAS 

Interested in property 

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term rental in the 

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EAL EATS 

SPRING SALAD WITH STRAWBERRY DRESSING 

Terri Zackman 

Strawberry Dressing: 

• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 

• 1 Tbsp. finely chopped 

shallots 

• 1 ½ tsp. honey 

• ½ tsp. Dijon mustard 

• 1 cup sliced strawberries 

• ¼ tsp. kosher salt 

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

Salad: 

• 5 cups baby spring mix or two 5 oz. packages 

• 4 oz. feta cheese block, crumbled 

• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced lengthwise, 

optional 

• 1 cup yellow and/or cherry tomatoes, halved 

• 8 bacon slices, cooked and coarsely chopped 

• 2 cups sliced strawberries 

• Kalamata Greek olives, optional 

To make dressing, place red wine vinegar, finely chopped shallot, honey, 

Dijon mustard, 1 cup sliced strawberries and salt in a blender. Process until 

smooth, about 30 seconds. With blender running, gradually drizzle in oil, 

processing until smooth and combined, about 30 seconds. 

Arrange spring mix on a large platter. Top with feta, sliced shallot, tomatoes, 

bacon and remaining strawberries and olives, if using. 

Drizzle dressing over salad or serve on the side. Serves 6. 

SHRIMP REMOULADE SALAD 

Sherry Freeman 

Sherry grew up along the Mississippi Gulf coast 

between Mobile and Biloxi. One of her favorite 

seafood dishes from childhood is Shrimp 

Remoulade Salad. 

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise 

• 2 Tbsp. Creole mustard 

• 1 Tbsp. horseradish 

• 1½ tsp. chili sauce 

• 1½ Tbsp. dill pickle relish 

• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 

• 1 tsp. capers, finely chopped 

• 1 Tbsp. tarragon vinegar 

• ½ tsp. chopped garlic 

• 2 drops Tabasco 

• 4 boiled eggs, crumbled 

• 2 lbs. boiled, shelled shrimp 

• Shredded lettuce 

Mix first 10 ingredients. Carefully toss boiled 

eggs and shrimp in a bowl. Add sauce and 

mix until well coated. Serve on beds of lettuce 

with crackers, if desired. Serves 8. 

ROASTED FISH WITH TOMATOES 

Dr. Michelle Reed, president of Campus Club 

Any white flaky fish is fine to use for this recipe. 

Michelle and her husband enjoy dining outdoors 

when the weather is nice. 

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided 

• 1 shallot, diced 

• 4 garlic cloves, diced 

• 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour for dredging 

• Salt, black pepper, garlic seasoning (we use 

Southern Flavor from Selma) 

• 1 lb. white flaky fish of choice, filleted 

• 1 small jar capers, drained and rinsed 

• 14 oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes 

• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 

• ½ cup dry white wine 

• ½ cup fresh basil, shredded 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Add one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to a 

large ovenproof nonstick skillet. Sauté shallot 

until soft and golden. Add garlic and continue 

to cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove shallot 

and garlic from pan, transferring them to a 

medium sized bowl. Reserve the skillet with 

remaining oil. 

Season flour with salt, pepper and garlic 

seasoning. Dredge fish fillets in seasoned 

flour and sauté in the reserved skillet, adding 

additional olive oil, if needed. Lightly brown 

fish; it will continue cooking in the oven. 

To the bowl holding shallots and garlic, add 

capers, tomatoes, remaining one tablespoon 

olive oil, balsamic vinegar, wine and basil. 

Mix and pour over fish in skillet. Cook for 2-3 

minutes, then transfer skillet to the oven. 

Bake fish for 15 minutes, or until cooked 

through. If desired, place crusty bread to the 

oven for “sopping” during last 2-3 minutes of 

cooking. 

Serve over rice of your choice. Michelle serves 

it with rice pilaf. 

BAKED ORZO PASTA 

Janine Simmons 

You can add cooked chicken or shrimp near the 

end of baking time. 

I always have time with friends for back porch 

time. This orzo pasta dish has been a great one to 

serve for dinner on the back porch enjoying the 

lake. When I want a salad with the orzo, I mix 

romaine or red leaf lettuce with Helen’s Chapon 

Dressing. It is delicious. 

• 1 Boursin cheese in a box (5.2 oz.) 

• 2 cups uncooked orzo pasta 

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 

• ½ cup Kalamata olives, chopped 

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil 

• 4 cups vegetable stock (32 oz. carton) 

• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes 

• ½ tsp. dried oregano 

• ½ tsp. dried thyme 

• ¼ tsp. salt 

• ¼ tsp. black pepper 

• 2 cups fresh spinach, optional 

• ½ cup Parmesan cheese 

• ½ cup heavy cream or half and half 


In a large baking dish, place the Boursin 

cheese in the center. Add uncooked orzo, 

chopped garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and 

Kalamata olives to the baking dish. Drizzle 2 

tablespoons olive oil on top. 

In a large bowl, combine vegetable stock, red 

pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. 

Pour stock mixture over the orzo in the 

baking dish. 

Cover baking dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, 

stirring pasta after 15 minutes. 

At the end of 30 minutes, remove foil and stir 

in fresh spinach, Parmesan cheese and cream. 

Return uncovered dish to oven and bake 5 to 

10 minutes longer or until spinach wilts and 

cheese and cream are fully incorporated. If 

you are adding cooked chicken or shrimp, 

add them now or serve on the side. 

Can store orzo dish in in the refrigerator up to 

three days. 

ROMAINE AND RED LEAF SALAD WITH 

HELEN’S CHAPON DRESSING 

Janine Simmons 

Janine serves this salad with the Baked Orzo 

Pasta. 

• ¾ cup salad oil 

• ¼ cup white wine vinegar 

• 1 Tbsp. salt or to taste 

• Black pepper, generous amount 

• 1 clove pressed garlic 

Place dressing ingredients in a jar and shake 

to combine well. Serve over romaine and red 

lettuce. 


CHICKEN SCAMPI 

Julie Folmar 


• ¼ cup olive oil 

• ¼ cup finely chopped green onions 

• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 

• Juice of 1 lemon 

• 2 lb. chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and cut 

into 1/2-inch pieces or chicken strips 


• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley 

• 1 tomato, chopped 

• Buttered noodles or cooked rice 

In a skillet, heat together butter and olive oil 

and sauté 

green onions and garlic. Add lemon juice, 

chicken, salt, pepper and parsley. Continue 

cooking, stirring constantly, for 5-8 minutes 

or until chicken is done. Add tomatoes and 

heat through. 

Serve over buttered noodles or hot rice. 

Makes 4 to 6 serving. 

ALLISON’S GOAT CHEESE STUFFED 

CHICKEN 

Cheese Stuffing: 

• 1 egg 

• 4 oz. goat cheese 

• 4 oz. feta cheese 

• 2 cloves garlic, minced 

• ½ tsp. each parsley, tarragon, thyme 


• 2 large chicken breasts (or 4 small ones), 

flattened out 

• Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. 

Mix all ingredients for cheese stuffing 

together in a small bowl. Add about half 

of the mixture to one side of each chicken 

breast. Fold over chicken breast and secure 

with a few toothpicks, if needed. 

In a cast iron skillet, drizzle about 1-2 

teaspoons of canola oil. Pan sear both sides 

of chicken for about 3-4 minutes each side. 

Place chicken in 375 degree oven for about 

20-25 minutes or until center reaches 165 

degrees. 

TAILGATING PACKAGES AVAILABLE, LUNCH 

SPECIALS, CATERING, AND GIFT BASKETS. 

2459 E GLENN AVE, AUBURN, AL 36830 

334- 209-0687 


EAL EATS 

SPRING LAMB CHOPS 

Lucy Whatley 

• Lamb chops 

• Make a paste of the following: 


• 3 Tbsp. brown or Dijon mustard 

• 3 large cloves garlic, pressed 

• 1 ½ Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped 

• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce 

• Garlic salt, black pepper 

Spread paste on lamb. Let sit at room temperature 

for 30 minutes, or an hour or more in 

refrigerator. Grill over medium coals, or roast 

in 350 degree oven until internal temperature 

is 140 degrees for rare, and 150 for medium 

rare. Remember it will continue cooking after 

it is removed from fire or oven. 

Great served with white rice tossed with 

chopped fresh mint leaves and crumbled feta 

cheese. 

CREAMY LEMON PIE 

Ann Cipperly 

Piecrust: 

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs 

• 2 Tbsp. sugar 

• 6 Tbsp. butter, melted 

Filling: 

• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 

• 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 

• 1/3 cup or more lemon juice 

• Zest of 1 lemon 

• 1 cup whipped cream 

• For garnishes: extra whipped cream, 

lemon slices and fresh mint 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 

crust ingredients. Using the back of a 

spoon, press mixture into a 9-inch pie 

plate. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until 

lightly brown. Cool completely on a wire 

rack. 

When crust is cooled, prepare the filling. 

In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese 

and condensed milk until creamy. Add 

lemon juice and zest; beat until well 

combined. Fold in 1 cup whipped cream. 

Pour filling into piecrust. Chill until 

ready to serve. Garnish with extra 

whipped cream, lemon slices and fresh 

mint. 

CAROL DAVIS’S LITTLE BISCUITS 

Dell Chester 

• 1 stick butter 

• 3 oz. cream cheese 

• 1 cup self-rising flour 

Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature; 

blend. Add self-rising flour; roll into a 

log. Wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate 24 hours. 

Slice and place on baking sheet pan. Bake at 

400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn with a 

spatula halfway through. Makes about 12. This 

recipe is easy to double. 

HONEY BOURBON STEAK TIPS 

Jennifer Collins 

Jennnifer and her husband Jim have a ranch in 

Cusseta. 

• 1/3 cup honey 

• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar 

• 1/3 cup bourbon 

• ¼ cup soy sauce 

• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce 

• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes 

• 2 cloves garlic, minced 

• 2 lb. steak (ribeye, sirloin or filet) cut into 

chunks 

• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 

• 3 Tbsp. butter, divided 

• 16-oz. pkg. fresh mushrooms cut in quarters 

In medium bowl, whisk together honey, brown 

sugar, bourbon, soy sauce, Worcestershire 

sauce, red pepper flakes and garlic. Pour into 

large zip top bag; add steak and refrigerate for 

2 to 4 hours. 

Heat vegetable oil and 2 Tbsp. butter in a cast 

iron pan over medium heat. Add steak to pan; 

you will probably want to cook it in two batches 

as to not crowd the pan. Cook meat until seared 

on all sides. Remove meat from pan. 

Add remaining butter and cook mushrooms 

until browned, then serve along with steak tips. 

CHICKEN SCAMPI 

Julie Folmar 


• ¼ cup olive oil 

• ¼ cup finely chopped green onions 

• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 

• Juice of 1 lemon 

• 2 lb. chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and cut 

into 1/2-inch pieces 


• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 

• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley 

• 1 tomato, chopped 

• Buttered noodles or cooked rice 

In a skillet, heat together butter and olive oil 

and sauté 

green onions and garlic. Add lemon juice, 

chicken, salt, pepper and parsley. Continue 

cooking, stirring constantly, for 5-8 minutes or 

until chicken is done. Add tomatoes and heat 

through. 

Serve over buttered noodles or hot rice. Makes 

4 to 6 serving. 

FRESH SALMON CAKES WITH 

CUCUMBER SAUCE 

Page Adams 

• 1 large salmon filet, sautéed until just cooked 

• ½ Vidalia onion, chopped 

• 1 large egg, beaten slightly 

• 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers or enough to bind 

mixture 

• 4 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped 

• Salt and pepper to taste 


Flake salmon in large bowl and mix in other 

ingredients except olive oil, and shape the 

mixture by handful into thick medium hamburger 

shape until all mixture is used. This 

should make about 6 or 7 cakes. 

Heat olive oil in medium hot skillet or sauté 

pan, and fry until lightly browned on both 

sides. Place in 350 degree oven for about 10 

minutes. Serve hot with cucumber sauce. 

Cucumber Sauce: 

• 1 large cucumber: peeled, seeded and 

coarsely chopped 

• ½ cup low fat sour cream 

• 3 Tbsp. Kraft Miracle Whip or mayonnaise of 

choice 

• 3 green scallions, coarsely chopped 

• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 


• Salt and pepper to taste 

Place all ingredients in food processor and 

pulse until mixture is a fine chop. Pour into 

a bowl and garnish with additional parsley. 

Refrigerate. Can be made at least one day 

ahead. 

SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK PIE 

Tiffany Denson 

• 1 refrigerated pie crust or homemade crust 

• 1/2 cup buttermilk 

• 3 eggs 

• 1 1/2 cups sugar 


• 1 Tbsp. vanilla 

• 1 stick butter, melted 

• Fresh raspberries and mint for serving, 

optional 


Unroll pie crust and press into pie pan; set 

aside. 

In a blender, put buttermilk, eggs, sugar, flour 

and vanilla (not butter). Blend on medium-on 

high for 4 minutes. 

Add butter; blend for a few seconds until 

incorporated. 

Pour filling into pie crust. 

Bake for 40 minutes or until just set (will not 

jiggle when pan is shaken). 

Allow to cool before cutting, preferably several 

hours. Serve pie with fresh raspberries 

and mint, if desired. 


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THIS COULD BECOME YOUR FAVORITE PLACE 

TO PICK UP EAST ALABAMA LIVING MAGAZINE 

You can grab your complimentary copy of 

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right to your home? 

Five issues per year can be delivered to you for just 

$20 - which covers the cost of shipping and handling. 

A subscription to East Alabama Living is also the perfect 

gift for friends and loved ones who would enjoy a deeper 

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For more information, call 334.826.2929 

To subscribe, visit eastalabamaliving.com 


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KEEP 

GETTING 

IN LINE 

By Christy K. Truitt 


Addison Garner, formerly of Opelika, would wake each morning in her small 

New York City apartment at 5 a.m. She’d hurry to a theater casting call, wait in 

line for hours only to be told at the end of the day to come back tomorrow. 

Disappointed, she’d return home, only to wake the next day to do it all again. 

“I told her to keep getting in line. No matter what 

anyone tells her. No matter how frustrating. Just keep 

getting in line,” says her father Trip Garner. She did. 

And now those hours in line have turned into hours 

on stages all over the world. 

Tamera Garner doesn’t remember a time her 

daughter didn’t perform. “She was always playing 

dress-up. This was during a time without a lot of 

technology, so Addie was always creating. She loved 

to play waitress and take everybody’s orders. She was 

an only child for four years, but things changed when 

her younger siblings were born. I walked in one day 

to her brother Ben dressed up in a Snow White costume,” 

says Tamera, laughing. “But it was her performance 

in the Andalusia Community Theater that 

really lit the fire.” Addison played the lead role in 

“Annie” when she was in the fifth grade. 

Trip remembers sitting in the back of the theater 

watching rehearsal, when his daughter climbed up 

on a table and belted out “The Sun Will Come Out 

Tomorrow,” marveling that this was his little girl. “I 

teared up,” says Trip. 

“I will always look back on my first production with 

the fondest of memories. My mom and sister were 

also in the production, and it was a sweet communitywide 

event. I fell in love with theater when I was 10 

years old and knew I felt most at home on stage,” says 

Addison, 31. 

A fuse lit in a community-stage production grew 

when the family returned to Opelika. Addison participated 

in all things performance oriented from 

playing the flute in the marching band to her time 

as a majorette. Addison was drawn to Opelika High 

School’s award-winning show choir team as well as 

participating in the Opelika High School Theater 

Society under the direction of teacher Revel Gholston. 

“I will forever be grateful for my time at Opelika High 

School and the performing opportunities I was able 

to take part in,” says Addison. “I absolutely love being 

able to call Opelika home and will always appreciate 

the beautiful family-oriented upbringing my parents 

provided.” Addison continued her studies at the 

University of Mobile where she majored in, of course, 

musical theater. 


"There I am, driving down Hollywood Boulevard, 

and I see a poster of my daughter. Right there an 

entire country away from our home in Opelika. I 

almost had to pinch myself." ~ Tamera Garner 

costumes. In total, we learn an entire 

show in a month.” 

Despite a lifetime of performing, 

Addison still gets a rush of nerves 

and adrenaline. “My stomach is full of 

butterflies. I love to start my show day 

with an early morning run followed 

by a yummy cup of local coffee. After 

resting, I head to the theater to warm 

up and get myself ready for the show. 

I like to arrive at least an hour before 

show time so that I never feel rushed,” 

she says. 

Trip and Tamera facetime often 

with Addison. Tamera keeps a calendar 

of Addison’s tour dates, and the 

family sends flowers and balloons. 

“We miss her, but try to get to as many 

performances as we can. When we 

can’t, we make sure she knows we 

support her,” says Trip. 

Recently, Tamera visited Addison 

in Los Angeles for Addison’s performance 

as Velma in Hairspray at the 

Dolby Theatre. “There I am, driving 

down Hollywood Boulevard, and I 

see a poster of my daughter. Right 

there an entire country away from 

our home in Opelika. I almost had to 

pinch myself. As a parent, you worry 

about your children’s future. When 

Addison told me she wanted to make 

a career in musical theater, I encouraged 

her to use that dream as Plan B. 

to make 

a difference? 

VCOM-Auburn was inspired by a 

vision to bring physicians to medically 

underserved areas in rural Alabama and 

beyond. VCOM partners with Auburn 

University for student activities, shared 

learning experiences and research 

opportunities. Our students are inspired 

by the VCOM mission to provide 

care for those most in need. 

Visit us online to find out how 

you will be inspired... 

Please visit our website at www.vcom.edu/outcomes for a copy of our Outcomes Report. 

www.vcom.edu 

©2024 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. All rights reserved. 


For reservations and private 

dining events call 

(334) 521-5128 

Walk-in’s welcome 

2298 E. University Dr. 

Auburn, Alabama 

(334) 521-5128 


I didn’t think you could make a life in entertainment,” 

says Tamera. “Boy, she sure did 

prove me wrong.” 

East Alabamians will line up once again 

at the Gogue Performing Arts Center on 

June 18 and June 20 when Addison returns 

to the local stage. “We are ecstatic to have 

Addison return in this national touring 

production of Come From Away. The Gogue 

Center and our patrons are always excited 

anytime our exceptional, home-grown talent 

returns to perform,” says Christopher 

Heacox, executive director of The Gogue 

Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available 

at goguecenter.auburn.edu or call 

334-844-8497. 


Studio 3:19 is a women’s size-inclusive boutique, 

where beauty comes in every shape and size! We 

believe that fashion should be for everyone, which 

is why we offer a curated collection of stylish and 

trendy clothing designed to flatter and celebrate all 

bodies. From casual wear to special occasion wear, 

our boutique is about ensuring that every customer 

finds pieces that make them feel confident and 

fabulous. Experience the joy of shopping without 

limitations and discover your perfect fit with us. 

Discover us nestled in the charming historic 

district of downtown Opelika, Alabama, mere 

moments from Auburn. Immerse yourself in our 

vibrant, artistic community, where captivating 

shopping, delectable dining, and warm friendships 

await around every corner. 

STUDIO 3:19 AND DESIGNER’S WAREHOUSE ARE LOCATED AT 

804 N RAILROAD AVE. OPELIKA, AL 36801 

Designer’s Warehouse offers interior design services to 

Auburn, Opelika, and the surrounding areas. We offer a 

wide range of services including residential and commercial 

interior design services, custom window treatments, interior 

and exterior finishes, furnishings, accessories, and “by the 

hour” pricing for new construction selections. Our goal is to 

simplify the design process and create a customized look 

that reflects your style. The goal is that our clients leave each 

consultation with a sense of vision, direction, and inspiration! 

Our beautiful storefront offers everything you need for your 

home - art, lamps, rugs, furniture, and home decor accessories. 

Inside, you will find our Design Center where you 

can immerse yourself in designer fabrics, rug samples, and 

custom upholstery. In addition, browse our showroom for delightful 

gift ideas that can add charm and style to any living 

space. From aromatic home scents, to entertaining serveware, 

we have you covered. 

(334) 363-2818 

www.designerswarehouseauburn.com 


WHAT’S GOING ON 

AUBURN-OPELIKA TOURISM presents 

MAY 

THRU 

JULY 

May 7, 14, 21, 28, June 4, 11, 18, 25, July 2, 

9, 16, 23, 30 

Summer Swing Concert Series 

Opelika Municipal Park 

7 p.m. 

The 2023 Summer Swing Series is taking 

place every Tuesday for the summer. 

This event is free and open to the public. 

The Opelika Band Boosters will prepare 

hamburgers and hotdogs for a nominal 

fee from 6:15-7:30 p.m., ideal for a family 

picnic. The Rocky Brook Rocket, a vintage 

train with long, rich history gives complimentary 

rides from 6:30-7:00 p.m. Come 

out early! Bring the whole family, a quilt or 

lawn chair and relax on the bank of Rocky 

Brook Creek for an evening of musical fun, 

fellowship and relaxation. 

May 9, 16, 23, & 30 

Spring Sundown Concert Series 

Kiesel Park 

6 – 7:30 p.m. 

Join Auburn Parks and Rec for an evening 

of music and fun at Kiesel Park. Food and 

sweet treats will be available for purchase 

from the CHILL SPOT. Bring your lawn 

chair, blanket, and come enjoy great 

music. This event is free to the public. 

May 18 – August 31 

City Market 

Town Creek Park 

8 – 11 a.m. 

The Auburn Parks and Rec Department 

partners with local growers and artisans 

for the city’s farmers market. The purpose 

of City Market is to help local farmers, 

growers and artists sell their fresh, local, 

and handmade products to community 

members and visitors. 

May 31 – June 1 

Miss Alabama USA & Miss Alabama 

Teen USA Pageant 

Gogue Performing Arts Center 

Contestants from all over the state of 

Alabama will compete in interview, 

evening gown, and swimsuit/activewear 

competitions. These contestants will be 

vying for thousands of dollars in scholarships 

and prizes and the ability to travel 

the state promoting the pageant and its 

charitable alliances. 

June 5 

Wine Pairing Methodology 

Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science 

Center 

6 p.m. 

Ever wonder what wine you should serve 

with a certain dish? In this wine tasting 

class, guests will learn the methodology 

behind pairing wines with food and 

how to balance flavors well. Featuring Dr. 

David Martin, Associate Professor and 

Sommelier. 

June 7 

Summernight Downtown Art Walk 

Downtown Auburn 

6 – 10 p.m. 

During the event, downtown merchants 

and restaurants stay open late, and people 

of all ages are encouraged to take advantage 

of this great opportunity to shop, 

dine and relax while enjoying the arts in 

downtown Auburn. Artists have their work 

on display and live musical entertainment 

is provided. Be sure to bring your children 

too as they have an opportunity to participate 

in arts and crafts, as well as enjoy 

other attractions that change each year! 


CALENDAR of EVENTS 

June 8 

Touch-A-Truck 

Downtown Opelika 

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. 

Vehicles of all types will line the streets of 

downtown Opelika at this fun family event. 

Kids of all ages can come and explore 

military vehicles, race cars, dump trucks, 

and more. Admission is free and visitors 

are encouraged to touch and go inside the 

vehicles. 

June 8 

Burger Wars 

Downtown Opelika 

11 a.m. – 2 p.m. 

Burger Wars, a hamburger grilling 

competition sponsored by Opelika Rotary 

Foundation, welcomes professionals, 

business, and amateur grillers to enter the 

cookout and put their grilling skills to the 

test. Tasting tickets for the event will go 

on sale at 10:45 a.m. the day of the event 

and will be sold until burger samples run 

out. One tasting ticket can be exchange to 

sample ¼ of a burger at any of the over 30 

grilling stations. 

June 15 

Marathon Mountain Bike National 

Champtionship 

Chewacla State Park 

8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 

Chewacla State Park is excited to host 

the USA Cycling Marathon Mountain 

Bike National Championship. Athletes 

will experience a diverse set of trails as 

the course is developed on over 30 miles 

of trails including sections of the 1988 

NORBA Nationals course. The event will be 

held on June 15, 2024. 

June 18 & 19 

Come From Away 

Gogue Performing Arts Center 

7 p.m. 

Broadway’s Come from Away is a Best 

Musical winner all across North America! 

This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes 

you into the heart of the remarkable true 

story of 7,000 stranded passengers and 

the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed 

them. Cultures clashed and nerves 

ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, 

music soared into the night, and gratitude 

grew into enduring friendships. 

July 3 

Wine Tasting 101 

Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science 

Center 

6 p.m. 

In Wine Tasting 101, guests will learn the 

fundamentals of tasting wine, what to 

look for and general knowledge about 

wine and its production. This class will be 

great for beginners… and all connoisseurs! 

Featuring Dr. David Martin, Associate 

Professor and Sommelier 

July 3 

Opelika Freedom Celebration 

Opelika High School 

6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. 

Join the Opelika Parks & Recreation 

and Opelika community at the Freedom 

Celebration at Opelika High School on July 

2nd! This event is packed full of fun including 

seeing the Silver Wings Parachute 

Team, music by Route 66, concessions, 

and a firework show at dark. There will be 

hamburgers, hotdogs, popcorn, musical 

entertainment and activities for the whole 

family. 

July 4 

Auburn Independence Day 

Celebration 

Duck-Samford Park 

5 p.m. 

Celebrate Independence Day with the 

Entire Auburn Community! Join Auburn 

Parks and Recreation behind Duck 

Samford Stadium on Monday July 4. Enjoy 

great food and treats for purchase while 

listening to amazing music from a live 

band and D.J. 

*All events subject to change/cancellation. 

Visit aotourism.com for a complete list of calendar events. 



AN Auburn Staple EXPANDS 

Decorated with Van Gogh inspired paintings, diners 

have been savoring casual favorites for many years 

in a lively setting at Amsterdam Café in Auburn. Now, diners 

have two more choices for relishing their favorites with 

new locations at Moores Mill and north Auburn, offering 

signature dishes along with new options in a neighborhood 

restaurant and bar setting. 

Blake Cleveland was in junior high school when his 

father, Billy Cleveland, and his uncle, Jimmy Cleveland, 

purchased the first Amsterdam Cafe in 1998 from Jesse 

Dallas. Originally, the space was a game room with a small 

café that served mostly sandwiches when Jesse opened in 

1991. Blake remembers that his father and uncle were regulars 

at the business. When Jesse decided to sell, Blake’s 

father and uncle were ready to purchase the space. 

The Cleveland brothers renovated the restaurant, adding 

new tables and shaded lamps at each booth. They kept 

the Van Gogh theme. Paintings of Van Gogh's self-portrait 

were enhanced to relate to Auburn. One remained traditional, 

while Van Gogh wore an Auburn football jersey in 

one and another gave a nod to the architecture and engineering 

schools. 

Blake was a senior in high school when the newly renovated 

Amsterdam Café opened with a new menu, including 

the turkey wraps from Jesse’s business. Blake worked 

there through college and afterwards managed it for a 

while. They had several well-known chefs over the years, 

including Chef David Bancroft and Chef Rob McDaniel, 

who now have their own restaurants. 

Blake left the restaurant and sold real estate for a few 

years. Over the years, the restaurant was updated and 

expanded, adding a room in back for catering. After several 

years of being active in real estate sales, Blake felt he 

needed to explore a side project. He always enjoyed the 

service industry and thought expanding the Amsterdam 

brand was worth exploring. 

In 2017, Blake started the Amsterdam Café food truck, 

which was successful. He purchased his uncle’s share of 

the business in 2021 and is now operating the restaurants 

with his father. When they decided to expand to open two 


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new Amsterdam Cafes, they began building 

the restaurants during the end of the 

Covid years. 

While construction took longer than 

expected, the two new locations opened 

last year in shopping centers. The restaurant 

in north Auburn opened last August, 

and in October the Moores Mill cafe at 

Ogletree Village held its grand opening. 

Both of the new restaurants are designed 

with the same colors, bar tops and brick 

as the original cafe. The floor space is 

different, but they are the basic design with 

three televisions above the bar, and each 

booth accented with a shaded lamp. All 

three restaurants have outdoor dining. 

Blake found the “Van Gogh” artist in 

Nashville and commissioned paintings for 

the new restaurants. At the north Auburn 

location, the artist created a starry night 

of Samford Hall and Jordan Hare stadium 

with the eagle. The Ogletree Village restaurant 

features a starry night painting of 

Toomer’s Corner and one of Aubie. 

Locations & Hours 

The original Auburn café is located at 

419 S. Gay Street, north Auburn location 

is 1850 Shug Jordan Parkway, and the 

third restaurant is at 2301 Ogletree 

Village Lane. 

All three restaurants are open seven 

days a week. They open at 11 a.m. and 

close at 9 p.m., except on Sunday they 

open at 10:30 a.m. with the downtown 

café offering a brunch menu. Two new 

locations close at 8 p.m. Sunday night, 

while the downtown stays open until 9 

p.m. Reservations can only be made for 

the S. Gay Street location. Menus can be 

checked online at amtersdamcafe.com. 

When creating the menus, Blake and his 

father knew they wanted to keep their top 

sellers and signature dishes, which include 

turkey wraps, crab cake sandwiches, lobster 

egg rolls, rum salmon salad and burgers. 

The sweet potato chips are made in house, 

and their crab cake with avocado and 

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emoulade sauce on a toasted croissant is 

included in “100 Dishes to Eat Be You Die” 

list for the state. 

Entrees at lunch include shrimp and 

grits, fish and chips and chicken alfredo, 

among others. While the dinner menu 

includes their popular sandwiches, entrees 

feature ribeye steak, filet, scallops with lobster 

risotto, tuna, grilled salmon and others. 

“Our catering has seen tremendous 

growth on and off site,” says Blake. “We 

cater everything from box lunches to sorority 

formals and basketball games. The back 

room at the café on Gay Street allows us to 

have private events.” 

When the two new restaurants were 

built, they also constructed a commissary 

commercial kitchen behind the northside 

location for catering and prepping for the 

restaurants. They can cater more without 

closing a restaurant. 

The commercial kitchen is also supplying 

food for all three kitchens to keep the 

food consistent at the restaurants. “The 

same ladies who have been cooking for us 

for about 10 years at the Amsterdam Café 

on Gay Street are prepping the food to send 

to restaurants to be cooked,” says Blake. 

“We have a lot of people working at the 

original café for 10 years. There are also 

several couples that have worked for us a 

long time, as well as siblings and a parent 

and child. We have a sense of family with 

the staff. My dad and I are very hands on. 

We have great people and are fortunate. 

We couldn’t do this without them. 

“I am grateful for the opportunity, and 

thankful for all the folks who have helped 

me get where I am,” Blake adds. “My general 

manager and other managers have 

helped my family. It has been a group 

effort. I feel a great sense of gratitude to 

have this opportunity. 

“I never thought I would get in the restaurant 

business after almost 20 years in 

real estate. I never dreamed it would have 

grown into two new restaurants. I thought 

I would just have a side project. I love what 

I do, and all the folks that work for us. It 

has been a lot of fun, and I look forward to 

the future. 

“It has been really nice to see this come 

together,” Blake states. “We have had 

great feedback from the community. It is 

the food that everybody knew and loved 

already. It has exceeded my expectations. 

It has been a true blessing.” 


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Nan Cunningham 

UNDER THE 

MULBERRY TREE 


Nan Cunningham sits by a window at The Gallery at Vignettes in 

Auburn, surrounded by her paintings of floral arrangements and 

of the island outside her Lake Martin home. The shades of blue in 

the paintings blend perfectly with porcelains and other decor in the room. 

As a well-known artist across the country, Nan reflects on her journey in 

the arts, beginning with her first memories of sketching when she was just 

3 years old. 

“We had a large Mulberry tree in our backyard,” the artist says of her 

home in Montgomery. “I was interested in the different colors of the berries 

that were first pink then becoming purples and a deep blue as they 

became ripe. My mother and grandmother told me not to eat them as they 

were poisonous, which they weren’t. I used the berries to make paint on 

paper and drew pictures on my legs and walls.” 

While the home was in Montgomery proper, it had three acres with 

a barn. Nan always had dogs and horses which she painted, as well as 

sketching barns and houses. Nan remembers that while her mother didn’t 

encourage her art, she supplied the crayons and other items to use to draw 

and paint. 

Nan’s teachers always encouraged her, as she had good use of color 

in her art. After high school, she attended Auburn University, majoring 

in art. She took classes from Hugh Williams, who was her mentor. “He 

changed my life,” she says. “He taught me everything I know about art.” 

After Nan graduated with a degree in art, she began teaching, and her 

mother, Lida Holley, who was 60 years old, attended her class. Her mother 

had always enjoyed entertaining and never expressed an interest in art 

before, but she had talent. Her paintings were in the primitive style of 

Grandma Moses and were sold in galleries. She became known as “Miss 

Matisse.” She had a successful career with museum shows, and her art was 

displayed in galleries in Washington D.C. and New Orleans, La. 

A love of color was prevalent in the family. Nan’s grandmother, who 

lived with them, loved gardening and every year painted statues and 

ornate ironwork with bright colors in her formal garden. “She loved to 

garden and grew beautiful flowers,” Nan recalls. “She was an artist.” 



In the years after college, Nan not only taught classes, but worked at a real estate company 

while her two children were growing up. She was still painting or sketching every day 

during those years. Once she became devoted to painting full time, she traveled across the 

country, presenting workshops, lectures and demonstrations. She also taught workshops 

in Europe and South America. 

Nan’s paintings became more popular, and at one time she was represented in 15 galleries 

across the Southeast. Her paintings have been featured in shows across the country, 

as well as numerous publications. Her paintings are in private and corporate collections 

worldwide. A contemporary realist, Nan has received national awards. 

The artist’s studio is located at her home in Auburn where she has lived for 23 years and 

paints every day. Nan’s paintings are primarily acrylics or oils on canvas. Sometimes she 

draws with ink, paints watercolors and does pastels, monoprints and collages. She paints 

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a variety of subjects, depending on what 

interests her. “It is about the process, not 

the product,” she says. 

Nan collects Oriental rugs and uses 

them to cover tables as a base for her florals. 

For the floral arrangements, she purchases 

flowers and creates an arrangement 

to paint. The renowned artist is known for 

her color and patterns. 

She rarely paints from photographs, but 

will use them for reference. When traveling, 

she will draw landscapes and then 

paint them after she returns home. Nan 

always has a sketchpad with her to draw 

whatever interests her and will draw people 

when traveling by plane. 

“Anybody can draw if they do it enough,” 

she adds. “The more you draw the better 

you get. It is a learned process by doing 

it. When I was teaching, I assigned my 

students to do a drawing every day for a 

month and date it. Everyone came back to 

say how much of a difference it made.” 

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Nan can complete a painting in a couple of 

days, while others might take three months 

to finish, working on it a little at a time. 

While she will accept commission work, she 

prefers to paint what interests her. 

Her most recent series of landscapes 

reflected her time in Maine. She attended an 

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art show with a parking lot full of wildflowers. 

She thought they were so beautiful that 

she had to paint them. 

“While I still paint every day,” the artist 

says, “I am not producing as much now, but 

it is better. I love what I do. I am happier 

painting more than anything.” Along with 

painting, Nan has enjoyed gardening like 

her grandmother. 

She is thankful family is nearby. Her 

daughter, Lida Cunningham, lives in 

Auburn and is an architect with McAlpine 

in Atlanta, Ga., while her son, Will 

Cunningham, an attorney, resides in 

Fairhope. They are both artists, as well as 

Nan’s 10-year-old granddaughter. 

Nan has served on the board of directors 

of the Alabama and Mississippi art 

colonies. Her faculty positions include 

Arrowmont School in Gatlinburg, Tenn; 

John Campbell, Brasstown, N.C.; Alabama 

Art Education Center, Birmingham; and 

the Mary Okeefe, Ocean Springs, Miss. 

“I knew I was going to be an artist when 

I was growing up,” Nan says. “I didn’t know 

it would be my career, but I knew I would 

be painting. My work has been my outlet. 

Creating art can really get you through the 

tough times because you feel a connection 

to something greater.” 

Nan Cunningham’s art is shown locally at 

The Gallery at Vignettes in Auburn. 


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Cheers! 

Champagne Sunday 

By Jess Margeson 


To borrow a phrase most commonly associated 

with The Master's, Champagne Sunday 

is indeed a "Tradition Unlike Any Other." 

The premise is simple: On Sunday afternoons, a 

group of friends gather to set goals, have fellowship, 

and swap ideas. 

The tradition began with the onset of Covid. As 

founding member Katie Crow explains, "The origin 

of Champagne Sunday is unforgettable. In the 

throes of Covid, I was anxious to find a way to connect 

with friends. My good friend Jess Margeson 

and I were busier than ever, but we could meet on 

Sundays and have always loved our bubbles. Thus- 

Champagne Sunday was born!" 

"We would meet on my front porch and sit on the 

long church pew to discuss the highlights and the 

hurdles of the week, as well as our various goals for 

the days ahead. Our time together offered a sense 

of connection and respite- during the chaos surrounding 

us. There were always bubbles, laughs, 

and soul-fulfilling conversations. I always looked 

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forward to it, and I credit it for my sanity 

during a trying time! We have also had 

other friends join, which has resulted in 

a diverse group of women committed to 

supporting and motivating each other." 

Member Sarah Cowart concurs, saying, 

"Being part of this group is a weekly 

highlight for me. It's a time for us to 

share our goals and dreams. The support 

we offer each other is not just uplifting 

and inspiring; it's vital and truly enriches 

each of our journeys!" 

Founding member Jess Margeson 

agrees, explaining, "As a small business 

owner, it is vital to forge relationships 

outside my realm. In doing so, I 

now benefit from the input of other very 


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Damon Story 

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Kira Woodall 

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Michelle Brooks-Slayman 

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Ashley Chancellor 

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Jan Hall 

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Adam Yager 

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Mimi Rush 

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Jeff Cochran 

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Mike Davis 

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Jerry Purcell 

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Judy Voss 

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a learning 

community 

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but 

in an abundance of counselors there is safety. 

Proverbs 11:14 

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successful professional women and have 

a safe space to share my successes and 

struggles." 

Member Megan Corcoran echoes the 

above sentiments, stating, "Champagne 

Sunday is an opportunity to relax and 

recharge with a group of women who love 

each other without judgment and fiercely 

support each other's personal and professional 

endeavors. It does not get better 

than that!" 

The core group comprises a broad crosssection 

of professional women. Crow is an 

attorney specializing in real estate transactions, 

Corcoran works in residential construction, 

and Margeson owns a small business 

specializing in event and floral design. 

Both Cowart and founding member Kara 

Silvers work in education. Cowart owns an 

academic coaching firm, while Silvers specializes 

in online education. 

The group often includes other guests 

and is always open to supporting other 

women. Both professionally as well as 

personally. 

Cheers! To strong women, supporting 

other strong women! 



The Garden at Toad Hill 


FRAMED ACROSS THE FRONT AND SIDES WITH BRICK AND WROUGHT IRON 

FENCING, THE HISTORIC SMITH T-GREENE HOUSE, “TOAD HILL,” AND ITS 

GARDEN CREATE A STUNNING SETTING ON THE CORNER OF FOURTH AVENUE 

AND SIXTH STREET IN OPELIKA. WITH ITS PICTURESQUE, RAISED FLOWER 

BEDS, A FISH POND AND A SMALL COTTAGE FOR ENTERTAINING, THE GARDEN 

WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF LAST YEAR'S MASTER GARDENERS' TOUR. 


Built circa 1910 by the third John 

Smith T, the stately brick house features 

a spacious front porch with 

white Roman Corinthian columns soaring 

two stories. Five other homes were constructed 

around the same time with comparable 

architectural plans. The house is 

similar in design to the Heritage House, the 

Frederick house that was moved from 8th 

Street, two houses on Third Avenue, and a 

restaurant on Second Avenue. 

Smith T, who owned a building supply 

company still operated by the family, lived 

there for many years. Winston Smith T Sr. 

grew up in the home, and his son, Winston, 

was born there. In the back of the house was 

a garage for the car and a fenced-in area with 

a stable to keep the horse and buggy. Further 

down the hill was a house for the cook and 

her husband, who was the handyman. 

After the Smith T family moved to other 

homes in Opelika, the house stood vacant 

for several years. During that time, vandals 

took the marble face bowls, a stained-glass 

window and the hitching posts by the street. 

In the 1970s, the home was purchased by 

Thurman Moore. The parlor in the house 

was the setting for the wedding scene in 

the movie Norma Rae. Local designer Dick 

Moreman furnished the room and created 

the formal drapes, which are still in the 

house. 

Kitty Greene and her husband, Michael, 

purchased the house in 1986 and restored 

every room, adding unique stained glass in 

the dining room and at the top of the stairs. 

Two of the 13 fireplaces were refinished to 

showcase the tiger oak veneer. The floors 

on the first level are oak, while the upstairs 

floors were constructed with heart pine. The 

staircase has rich, original wood. While the 

couple made many improvements, none of 

the architectural details were changed. 

Other enhancements included a garage 

and a garden cottage in the backyard for 

entertaining. Granite windowsills and four 

patterns of brick were used to match the 

house. They also installed a wrought iron 

door with floral designs found discarded 

on the side of the road. It is perfect for the 

cottage. 

Kitty enjoys strolling through the garden 

at Toad Hill, named for all the toads on the 

property. The attractive yard features a fish 

pond with a wrought iron cover, raised beds 

and various colorful flowers. Several tall 

trellises accent the flower beds, with one 

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displaying a Chinese symbol for peace. Five 

giant pieces of concrete columns around 

the grounds are each topped with a statue 

or piece of art. 

Over the years, the Greenes planted 

thousands of plants, including roses, crepe 

myrtles and azaleas. Two of the camellias 

on the grounds are over 100 years old. The 

garden also features many perennials and 

native plants, including coneflowers, asters 

and goldenrods. Kitty purchases most of 

the plants locally, which she changes frequently 

in a gardener's quest to determine 

“right plant in the right place.” 

An observation deck in the backyard has 

a table, chairs and numerous large plants. 

On the patio, Kitty can savor the beauty of 

the garden in her backyard haven. 

During COVID-19, Kitty added several 

bird baths and feeders, which attracted 

robins, bluebirds, woodpeckers and cardinals. 

The feeders hang where she can 

view them from her sunroom. Stickers on 

the windows prevent birds from flying into 

the glass. The yard is considered a Certified 

Wildlife Habitat. 

Last fall, a 100-foot-tall loblolly pine 

tree in the backyard died from Ips Beetles. 

Kitty had it cut down, but left 18 feet of the 

trunk. When she counted the tree’s rings, 

she discovered it was 144 years old. “I was 

heartbroken to lose the tree and wanted to 

do something to honor its spirit,” Kitty says. 

“Years ago, I visited Mexico to observe 

Monarch butterfly colonies in the Sierra 

Campanario Mountains. Millions of butterflies 

would roost on giant trees. Since I am 

a potter, I decided to make 144 plus handpainted 

Monarch butterflies from clay and 

hang them from my tree trunk.” 

After rolling out slabs of clay, Kitty used 

six different cookie cutters to create the 

shape of the butterflies. At first, she made 

them all the same, but decided to make 

each one unique while still using Monarch 

colors, including oranges, yellows, blacks 

and whites. She held painting parties for 

artist friends to help. The result is beautiful, 

colorful butterflies to grace the aged 

tree trunk. 

Before moving to Opelika, Kitty lived in 

numerous states and Germany. She was 

born in Arkansas, but they moved frequently 

since her father was in the military. 

Kitty attended the University of Georgia, 

Mississippi State University, and received 

her doctorate at the University of Alabama. 

She taught at Auburn University for five 

years and has called Opelika home more 

than any other place. 

“I have really enjoyed the house and garden,” 

Kitty says. “I feel a sense of responsibility 

because I value historic homes in 

Opelika. I want to do what I can to take care 

of it and keep the character.” 


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yellawood.com/preservative or write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. Ask dealer for warranty details. For warranty or for important handling and other information concerning our products including the appropriate Safety Data Sheet (SDS), please visit us at www.yellawood.com/warranties or 

EAST ALABAMA LIVING 

write us at P.O. Box 610, Abbeville, AL 36310. YellaWood 93 

® and the yellow tag are federally registered trademarks of Great Southern Wood Preserving, Incorporated. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are used with their permission.

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COMMUNITY 

Kitchen Queens 


FACES of EAST ALABAMA 

With tantalizing aroma of beef bourguignon 

drifting throughout the house, Linda 

Letlow hosted the Kitchen Queens for an 

evening of sampling French cuisine using 

Julia Child’s recipes. Each member prepared 

a dish for the group to savor during 

the evening. Tables were festive with one 

decorated with small vases of roses and 

petit lamps, while another was centered 

with pots of orchids. 

Along with the classic beef bourguignon, 

other dishes included coq au vin, French 

onion soup and assorted side dishes. For 

dessert, Celeste Dorman made crepes at 

the stove to serve along with a cherry tart 

and chocolate mousse. 

The Kitchen Queens began in February 

2018 when Linda Letlow saw a magazine 

article on a cookbook club about a 

group who each prepared a dish from the 

same cookbook. Linda posted it on Carol 

Duncan’s Facebook page, and several 

friends made a comment about it being a 

great idea. The group began to grow. 

At first, they followed the rules of the 

cookbook club by selecting a cookbook 

and everyone making a dish. After a while, 

they decided instead of cooking from 

one cookbook, they would pick a theme. 

cuisine or color for their dinner. 

Previous themes for the dinners have 

been: comfort food, Cajun/Creole/ 

Mardi Gras, sailboat cuisine (food that 

can be easily prepared on a sailboat), 

Mediterranean cuisine, Mexican cuisine, 

Oktoberfest, farm to table and green foods 

for springtime, among others. 

Members of the Kitchen Queens are Linda 

Letlow, Carol Duncan, Julie Folmar, Kay 

Yeager, Macon Martin, Beth Ann Mitchell, 

Dawn Patterson, Celeste Dorman, Kathryn 

Blackburn, Mary Helen Martin, Jo Ellen 

James, Debbie Frojo, Nancy Patterson, 

Margaret Whittelsey, Janine Simmons, 

Katy Blackburn, Rachel Nunnally and 

Marty Heideman. 

Photos by Ann Cipperly 


T H E W R I T E P U R P O S E 

CHRISTY K. TRUITT 

Musings on a Sunday afternoon 

Yeah, Monday's ahead. Blah blah. A Southern girl doesn't mind a little dirt on 

her tiara. The wind tossed sun-diamonds across the water. I sank my toes into 

the pond mud and climbed into the kayak. The cold stole my breath as the murky 

water had yet to meet spring. In a rare moment of dexterity, I remained upright. 

Alternating paddles sliced the ripples. My arms strong and determined. I circled 

the pond a few times then drifted to the middle. Have you ever simply breathed in 

the wonder of creation? The birds which dipped in for a drink. The turtles plopping 

into the water with the sound of piano keys. Sticks like snakes. Dogwood blossoms 

blown across the water like a child's wish. Two ducks guarded a nearby nest and 

waddled a few steps when I floated by. Would I have noticed this from the dock? 

No. Sometimes we have to stick our toes in the mud to find life's wonders again. 

Dirt washes off, but memories last forever. Yeah, it's Monday. Blah blah. Get after 

it anyway. Somewhere in the day ahead, wonder waits.

Spring 2024

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