Nov. 13 - Dec. 3, 2008

Transcription

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
#111308120308
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Nov. 13 - Dec. 3, 2008
IN
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Live Music, Theatre, Arts, Concerts, Books, Movies, Symphony,
Karaoke, Festivals, Sports, Dance and Everything to do in the
Tennessee Valley!! And It’s FREE!!!!
InThePlanet
On the Cover: Mary Ann Pope Letter To The Planet
Web Site: mapope.home.mindspring.com
M
ary Ann Pope is originally from
Louisville,
Kentucky,
where
she attended the Art Center, the
University of Louisville, and Cooper Union,
New York, NY, all on scholarships. She has
lived in Huntsville, Alabama since 1966.
The inspiration for the landscapes she now
paints, in oil, acrylic and watercolor, are
from the untrammeled land to be found in the
mountains and valleys of the South. Lately
her paintings also reflect the travels she has
made in this country and abroad. Her work
is shown in galleries in Fayetteville, TN,
Huntsville, AL and Montgomery, AL.
Several large oil/canvas diptychs, of
southern landscape were chosen for Voices
Rising, an invitational exhibition which
began at the National Museum of Women in
the Arts, Washington D.C. and toured the Art
Museums of Alabama from 2000-2005.
Her most recent awards for her work have
been in the National Watercolor Society’s
National Exhibition, 2006, Watercolor USA
Exhibition in 2008 and 2004, Watercolor
Society of Alabama National Exhibition, in
2000 and 1994, In the Aqueous Exhibition,
Kentucky Watercolor Society, 1999, and in
the Grand National Exhibition, held at the
Mississippi Museum of Art in 1997.
Articles on her work in watercolor have
been featured in the issues of International
Artist April/May 2008, Watercolor, Winter
2007, International Artist June/July 2004,
Watercolor, Spring 2000 and Watercolor,
Fall ’92, published by American Artist, and
she is listed in Who’s Who in American
Art as well as Who’s Who in the South and
Southwest. Her paintings were published in
the books, The Best of Watercolor, by Betty
Lou Schlemm and Tom Nicholas, published
in December, 1995, Creative Watercolor
by Mary Ann Beckwith also published in
1995, Painting Skies by Patricia Seligman,
published 1997 and Splash 7, 2002 and
Splash 8, 2004 by Rachel Rubin Wolf.
Many public and private collections
throughout the country have her paintings,
in oil, acrylic and watercolor, including the
Fine Arts Museum of the South, Mobile,
AL., The Huntsville Museum of Art, AL,
the Mint Museum of Charlotte, N.C., The
Springfield Museum of Art, Springfield, MO,
and the Isabel Anderson Comer Museum of
Sylacauga, AL.
Corporations such as Xerox, Alabama
Power, Bell South, IBM, McGraw Hill, TVA
and others have her work in their collections
as well.
The Photo of this painting was taken at
the Signature Gallery where you can find
more of Mary Ann Pope’s work. Signature
Gallery is located at 2364 Whitesburg Drive
in Huntsville.
There is nothing more fun for us than getting your letters and emails.
PLEASE keep sending them in. We may not print them all, but we’ll
try. Please send your comments to
[email protected]. Thanks everybody!
R
ock and Roll is my religion. Now, there is some sarcasm in the previous sentence but also
some realization. I got baptized when I was 9 years old. I believed I was acknowledging
something bigger than myself. I knew what I meant. I still do. However, these days I don’t
really consider myself a Christian anymore. I think maybe I am an agnostic. I’m just not sure.
I’ve noticed that a lot of people who call themselves Christians remind me too much of politicians. Sarah Palin scares the holy hot-dog hell out of me. The two things I hear most Christians
harp on constantly are homosexuality and abortion. I would just like to say this once, out loud.
Leave the queers alone. It’s not the bird-flu. You can’t catch it. Gay guys and lesbians are not
going to sneak into your house at night and sprinkle you with super magic queer dust and
make you all gay. They don’t care about you. They are busy living their own lives. Let them
get married. Let them be people. Leave them alone. Get over yourselves. It has nothing to do
with you. You are not part of the equation.
Abortion sucks. I hate it but it has to be an option. I have 3 children. They are the sun and
the moon and all my blue skies… but here’s the thing, not everyone has the same reality. Not
everyone’s world is the same. I can’t tell other people how to live their lives. It is not for me to
decide for someone else. I have no authority over anyone but me. If more of us lived our lives
that way I think we all would be happier. Now, back to the whole Rock and Roll is my religion
thing… like a lot of folks I became obsessed with Jack Kerouac and The Beats, I studied Buddhism for the first few years of college, read about different religions but kept coming back to
what worked for me… Music. I rely on music to help me get through the day. I put my faith in
it. It has never let me down. My church is wherever I go. I talk with Saint David Lee Roth, Saint
Cobain, Saint Hendrix, Saint Bowie and Saint Dylan. I have a thousand favorite hymns: “Jumpin’
Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones, “Surfin’ Bird” by The Trashmen, “One” by Metallica, “Louie
Louie” by The Kingmen, “Wasted” by Black Flag, “Sweet Jane” by The Velvet Underground, “It’s
A Long Way To The Top” by AC/DC, “I Am A Scientist” by Guided By Voices, “Sea Of Destruction”
by Clutch, “Mountain Song” by Jane’s Addiction. Hundreds and hundreds of beautiful hymns.
My last supper is cold beer and fajitas. There is no steeple to look toward. There is no cross
to carry. There is no Sunday morning place of worship. Anywhere is fine. Anytime is fine. My
priest is the wind. My bible the sea. Be happy. Be free. Be.
B. Posey
THE VALLEY PLANET
203 Grove Ave., Huntsville Al, 35801, phone 256.533-4613
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J.Raintree Tarin
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Auntie Jen
Jackie Anderson
Jennifer Roberts
Bonnie Roberts
Ricky Thomason
Cherie Lamb
Cookie Stoner
Terri Schilchenmeyer
Shawn Bailey
Michael Cummings
Mike Rosenberg
& Sherri Carlee
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#111308120308
256-533-4613
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
THE VALLEY PLANET
THE VALLEY PLANET
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
#11130812038
Nov. 13 - Dec. 3, 2008
NEXT ISSUE December 4, 2008
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On the Cover: Mary Ann Pope
Letter to the Planet
Unchained Maladies, Ricky Thomason
Huntsville’s Art Scene, Grace Billiter
Party of One, Allison Gregg
News of the Weird, Chuck Shepherd
Best of the Valley Ballot
Change It Up This Holiday Season
Pride and Glory, J.Raintree Tarin
Average to Art, Sarah Gorman
The Jazz Lounge, Jackie Anderson
From Mike’s Bookshelf, Michael Cummings
Book Review: The Road, Shawn Bailey
Roger Reid: Touching the Real World with Words,
Jeanie Kezo
Free Will Astrology, Rob Brezsny
Toward a More Perfect Union, Sarah Gorman
The Alpha Stage Presents “BUG”
Two Days In St.Augustine
Part 1: Travel Like a Local, Jennifer Roberts
Dr. Anarcho’s Rx for Old Stuff That Don’t Suck
MUSIC CALENDAR BEGINS
Brew at the Bistro, Cherie Lamb
Listings: Pubs, Taverns, & Clubs
REGIONAL CONCERTS
What Then Must We Do?, Bonnie Roberts
CALENDAR OF EVENTS BEGINS
Do You Believe?
Jim Goshorn, Sculptor
It’s Raining Cats & Dogs
Where Did You Meet Your Beloved?, Terri Schlichenmeyer
Adventures in the Tennessee Valley, Tina Leach
The Chronicle of Simp McGhee’s Food Fun,
Family & Friends, Cookie Stoner
In Our Orbit of Decatur, Cookie Stoner
Cookie Logic, Cookie Stoner
Princess Theatre Announces
25th Anniversary Brick Campaign
Scouring the Valley with Runcible Spoon, Jim Zielinski
zee’s rocket city bEAT
The Naked Vine, Mike Rosenberg
Listings: Restaurants
Stretching the Creative Envelope, Bonnie Roberts
Auntie Jen’s Animal Crazy, Auntie Jen
Gossip, Billy Joe Cooley
Gift Guide for the Book Lover (Pt.1), Terrie Schlichenmeyer
Listings: Galleries, Attractions
Music Exchange, Real Estate & All That Jazz
Letter From
the
Publisher
W
ow! What a Party! But what
would you expect when 1500
hundred fun loving costumed
Tennessee Valleyians get together on a
roof in Downtown Huntsville at a Party
thrown by HuntsvilleAlive!, Huntsville
Young Professionals, The Rocket and Valley
Planet on Halloween Night? Throw in Olde
Towne Brewing Company and Hashbrown
and you’ve got the best Halloween Party
ever…and it happens every year! Check out
some of the fun photos in this issue!
Geeezzz! What an election! History has
been made with the election of an African
American President! Hopefully, regardless
of who you voted for, we can get together
and support our new leader. And thankfully,
all the political commercials are GONE!
Time now to vote again in the Best of
the Valley Reader’s Poll. This is your
opportunity to show us all who and what
you think is the best of everything we have
to offer in this area. From your favorite local
restaurant, club, band, neighborhood and
shopping, the Best of is now online for you
to cast your votes! Go to valleyplanet.com
and click on 2008 Best of the Valley to put in
your opinion.
On another different note, there are tons of
great events going on so be sure to check
out both of our calendars. One event is being
held by Raining Cats and Dogs, a new local
organization with a focus on preventing
unwanted cats and dogs in our communities.
A musical event held to benefit homeless
animals is scheduled for December 6th
at the A&M Agribition Center.
Visit
animalresourcectr.org for more information
On December 1, Big Spring Park will be lit
with luminaries in memory of loved ones
who have lost their battle against HIV/
AIDS or in honor of those who continue to
fight against the effects of the disease. Ten
dollar contributions from each luminary
will help provide funding for prevention
education and testing opportunities.
Visit aidsactioncoalition.org for more
information.
Get out and enjoy the festivities…I can’t
believe it is already mid November!
Jill E. Wood
VP Winners from the Chamber
Business Expo:
JohnWilliamsSchnitzelRanch$25Gift
Certificate
BeckyMillerWildFlour$50GiftCertificate
ScottStewartChefsTable$50GiftCertificate
JohnRasmussenValleyPlanetT-shirt
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
3
Huntsville’s Art Scene
Unchained
Maladies
B
Featured Artist: Andrew Winn
I
Ricky Thomason Writes
recently interviewed Huntsville painter,
Andrew (Andy) Winn concerning his
current series of work and his upcoming
show at Lowe Mill on Friday, November
21st. Andy is a good friend of mine, whom
I’ve had the good fortune to know for many
years and is also one of my favorite painters.
Andy is a brilliant artist, who can paint
whatever he pleases in whatever style he
pleases. I’ve had a glimpse of some of the
pieces for his new show, “a fire of doubts”
and they are hauntingly beautiful.
rothers and sisters, I called you here today
because I have something very important
to tell you. It’s most embarrassing, and
there’s no easy way to say it, so I guess I’ll just
spit it out.
Wait a minute, that’s a bad way to put it
considering what happened.
Our Uncle Sam molested me, and I’m just now
realizing that he’s been doing it for years.
The next “Uncle Sam wants you” poster you see,
you know the one with his finger pointing straight
at you -- believe it. They should change it to
“Uncle Sam’s had you,” and have him pointing
his (bleeeep) at you instead of his finger.
Though my mind tried hard to suppress memories
of the trauma, the specter of his abuse rose
unbidden to the forefront of my consciousness
while I was hypnotized by the war on terror.
That’s what the current White House occupant
always calls “Our fight against Al Qaeda and
other extremist groups.” I believe those words
subliminally trigger our minds to hear, “Shhhhh.
Don’t worry. I’m taking care of you. Go back to
sleep. Go back to sleep.”
The molestation started right after I got my first
paycheck from my first job. I was strolling along,
big, dumb and happy, headed to the bank, when
Uncle Sam jumped from behind a Bush and
touched me right on my Fannie Mae.
He said he was doing me a favor, trying to put my
billfold back where it belonged: claimed his hand
slipped when he stumbled over a big sack of cash
that fell off an express train full of money that was
headed to Halliburton. To keep from falling, Uncle
Sammy grabbed whatever was handy, which
happened to be my Freddie Mac. It was neither
subtle nor federally reserved.
As you might expect, Uncle Sam claimed that
our congress was consensual, but it wasn’t. I was
taken against my will. I fought him tooth and nail.
I attempted to whack him in the head with a ballot
box, but that didn’t work. He made a pocket move
and tried to cut my middle class right in the taxes.
He missed, but had I been a lot bigger he’d have
cut me deep, for sure. He did cut others. He sliced
all the fat cats that wear the britches with the deep
pockets.
The fatter you were and the deeper you were cut,
the better. It sounds kind of funny to say it that
way, but it is the truth.
Uncle Sam and I dropped to the pavement and
wound up in the gutter. We rolled around in a big
pile of bear grease, right there on Wall Street. I
was doing okay until Sam hit me in the head with
Iraq. Iran a few steps then came face to face with
the biggest bear I’ve ever seen.
I awakened, Cheney’d to a little Bush, unsure
what to expect. I knew it wasn’t going to be good.
4
artwork by Debbie West
I felt for my wallet, but it was too late. He’d taken
my cash, I’d lost my assets. My home was gone
and he didn’t even leave me an oil barrel to stand
in. Worse, my 401k lay in shreds right before my
eyes. I was sore in places I didn’t know I had.
Uncle Sam lit a cigarette and said “Don’t blame
me. The bear did it. He wouldn’t leave until
he took everything you had, including your
retirement and your innocence.”
I said, “Shut up, Sam. I’m telling everyone exactly
what you did and hope you never have another
election as long as I live.”
He laughed and said, “People are so stupid that
when I tell them I had nothing to do with this,
they’ll believe me and vote for Goofy and Minnie
Mouse if we tell them to - and we’re telling them
to.”
I decided he was right after I saw Sarah Palin’s
speech at the Republican Convention. As Matt
Taibe so eloquently summed it up, (sic) “It was
like watching Gidget address the Reichstag.”
I share this story to encourage you to come
forward if Uncle Sam has abused you, too. There’s
no shame here. You have to remember this wasn’t
your fault.
I guess he can and will keep doing it to us because
he makes the rules, but that doesn’t keep us from
making like Ned Beatty and squealing like a pig.
Okay, maybe you asked for it when you used
credit cards to buy bling and bought houses you
couldn’t pay for, but when you say “no” they’re
supposed to stop, no matter how provocatively
you’re dressed.
Do all soccer moms really need $150,000
wardrobes?
Seek financial counseling if you can afford it. I
can’t. I’m too sore and broke to pay attention. All
I have left is a chance for a little change.
Where are you from?
Andy: I was born in Abilene, Texas, moved
to Huntsville in the 2nd grade and other than
time in Atlanta and Asheville, have lived
here ever since.
How long have you wanted to be an
artist?
Andy: Since childhood, but I was 21 before
I began to take art seriously.
What are your credentials?
Andy: I graduated from the University of
Alabama in Huntsville with a Bachelor of
Arts in 1994. I received my MFA (Master
of Fine Arts) at the University of Georgia,
graduating in 1997. I was an adjunct
professor at UAH from 1997-2000, teaching
all levels of painting and drawing classes.
I’ve had shows at Fay Gold Gallery in
Atlanta, Cumberland Gallery in Nashville,
Carnegie Visual Arts Center in Decatur and
most recently, Guthrie Contemporary in
New Orleans.
(*Check out Andy’s work under “Artists”
(Andrew Winn) at the websites for Fay
Gold Gallery - www.faygoldgallery.com,
Cumberland Gallery -www.cumberlandgalle
ry.com and Guthrie Contemporary -www.gu
thriecontemporary.com. You’ll be amazed!)
What were your favorite and least
favorite parts about teaching at UAH?
Andy: I liked having people around me that
were interested in art and in exploring and
discovering their creativity. I didn’t like
giving grades.
Who was your favorite teacher when you
were in school?
Andy: Mark Marchlinski, who taught me at
UAH. He was a good example of the work
ethic that an artists needs.
I think I’ll take it.
Do you reckon Chris Rock was right in his “Kill
The Messenger” concert special? He said (sic)
“George Bush has (bleeped) up the presidency so
bad that a white man can’t get elected this time
around.”
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
by Grace Billiter
What advice would you give to a
beginning artist?
Andy: Learn art by doing it religiously.
Treat it like it’s your life, not just a hobby.
It is important.
When do you usually paint?
Andy: In the morning. I like to be alone
and for it to be quiet – no music.
For how many hours do you usually work
(how long are you “in the zone”)?
Andy: Usually about 5 hours.
What inspires you as an artist?
Andy: Performers, musicians, artists,
especially here at Lowe Mill in the last
couple of years. I appreciate how much Jim
Hudson is doing for Lowe Mill and the art
scene in Huntsville.
(*Andy and artist Robert Daniel
collaborated on a mural located by the
elevator at Lowe Mill named “Sewing
Uppers Together”, which was based on an
old photograph taken in Lowe Mill when it
was a shoe factory. They have dedicated the
mural to Jim Hudson.)
Which painters do you most admire?
Andy: Traditionally, Rembrandt.
Contemporarily, painter Francis Bacon.
Will you describe your painting process?
Andy: I work serially. I can paint a certain
way for a long time. I was working on
my last series for about 8 years. It tells a
story, an abstract story and each painting is
a different chapter. For almost a year now,
I’ve taken a different direction. The past
series was more abstract. In this series, I’m
painting more what I want to paint, rather
than what I think I should paint. These are
my favorite paintings so far. This series
of paintings has a feeling that I wanted to
capture a long time ago, but didn’t know
how. I’ve combined a traditional dark style
with new technology by using acrylics as
opposed to conventional oils and utilizing
digital photography in my sketches for the
paintings.
Are you happy as an artist?
Andy: YES! I do stress, but painting is the
only thing that makes me feel like I’m doing
what I’m supposed to be doing.
Please treat yourself and come to see
Andrew Winn’s exhibit “a fire of doubts”,
opening downstairs at Lowe Mill, on
Friday, Nov. 21st, from 6 -9 pm. Local
band, Fist City, will be
playing during the show.
There is no cost for the
event, but donations are
appreciated. Lowe Mill,
2211 Seminole Drive,
Huntsville, AL 35805.
www.lowemill.net.
THE VALLEY PLANET
The Problem with Ambition
Around 2:45 a.m. a train rumbles through
Huntsville, its horn breaking the silence of
the morning. I stare at the clock, the red
numbers illuminating my dark bedroom.
Burrowed in next to me, the dogs sleep,
undisturbed by the train. Paul Simon’s word
ring through my head, “everyone loves the
sound of a train in the distance.” I prefer
airplanes. As the daughter of a mechanical
engineer, an obsessive passion for airplanes
is encoded on my DNA. My earliest
memories of travel are filled with images
of my parents dressing us up in our finest
clothes before boarding a plane. My first
plane ride was at eight months of age when
we left America for our new home in Iran.
In the 34 years since, I’ve logged countless
miles tucked in a window seat, watching the
world below carry on as the metal monster
tore through the earth’s sky.
Airplanes symbolize more than travel and
protection, they are the epitome of ambition.
Two brothers had an idea and ran with it.
They wanted something better than what
they had. The concept of wanting better,
wanting more can bring about many strides
in our lives. Now we can get to the other side
of the world in a day, militaries protect their
countries, and goods can be delivered right
to our doorsteps. In today’s busy world, air
travel and transportation are essential. Long
gone are the days when a man like Don
Draper jetting off to the west coast was a big
deal. In the case of airplanes, wanting more
has paid off in many ways.
However, as I look at ambition in its raw
form, I have to wonder if it’s all good. A
reader once sent me a response to a column.
The cartoon was very simple – and stated
that the secret to happiness is lack of
ambition. Basically, be happy with what you
have. It sits on my desk as a reminder to be
happy with what surrounds me, for this is my
greatest downfall. I am never content with
what is. I long for what could be. What’s
missing is the one (or two) thing that would
make me happy – I’m sure of it. And if I
could just get that one thing, then oh boy,
I’ll stop being unhappy. I see myself so
happy that I’ll skip merrily down the yellow
brick road into a place called “Happily Ever
After,” because I still believe it exists.
THE VALLEY PLANET
Then internal struggle surfaces when I
see the misery in others. They also want
something more. For me, it’s a family. For
them it could be a bigger house, better car,
newer clothes, higher boobs, smaller butt,
and so the list goes. It breaks my heart when
I see their longing. But as we’re rushing fullspeed toward something more, we never, and
I mean NEVER, stop to appreciate what we
have.
The other night a friend and I were talking,
when I mentioned that I would like to get
on the “starting a family” bandwagon. He
simply said, “Really?” Not once had anyone
questioned me in such a way. After the
conversation ended, I laid in bed wondering
what it really is I want with my life. The
answer: I want to be happy with what I have
and who I am. This included a multi-tiered
list with bullet points, and sub-bullet points.
Among the items: stop comparing my life to
others and stop searching for the secret to
happiness externally.
About that time, the aforementioned train
rumbled through town. The voice inside
gave me two options: you can either be a
train or you can be a plane. Trains are steady
and get things done. Planes are made to
move, but only stay grounded when they’re
retired. Going against my DNA, I decided to
be more like a train: stay on course, deliver
the goods, and every once in a while shake
things up in the middle of the night. And if
the gospel according to Paul (Simon) is any
indication, everyone will love me – most of
all, me.
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
5
Chuck Shepherd’s
LEAD STORY
Recent research in the Journal of Economic
Analysis and Policy sheds light on the thorny
social issue of why females continue to earn
less money than males, even in similar jobs.
Competing hypotheses have been advanced:
It’s either gender discrimination or simply that
more women than men de-emphasize career
aggressiveness in favor of family. The recent
research suggests discrimination. Researchers
found that females who were established in jobs
and who then underwent sex changes actually
increased their earnings slightly, but that males
who became females lost about one-third of their
earning power, according to an October summary
of the research in Time magazine.
In September, despite an increasing chorus of
complaints, Peruvians celebrated the annual
Gastronomic Festival of the Cat in a village
just south of Lima, serving a variety of feline
delicacies (fried cat strips, cat stew, grilled
cat with spicy huacatay). For the most part,
according to a Chicago Tribune report, the dishes
are made with specially bred cats rather than
street prowlers, and are consumed for their
health benefits, though centuries-old tradition
is the likeliest explanation. Said one Peruvian,
such cultural events “are our roots and can’t be
forgotten.”
Latest Religious Messages
Fine Points of the Law
A 38-year-old man was cited for disorderly
conduct in Fond du Lac, Wis., in September
after he bought a beer for his sons, ages 2 and
4, at the county fair. He could not be cited for
providing alcohol to minors because, under
Wisconsin law, parents are exempt, but he was
written up for swearing at police.
Meleanie Hain’s Pennsylvania concealedweapons permit was revoked in September
after spectators complained about her openly
carrying her loaded, holstered Glock at her
5-year-old daughter’s soccer game. However,
the only penalty under state law is the loss of
the privilege of concealment, so that if Hain
continues to carry the gun, she must do so
openly.
Cultural Diversity
Rituals:
The chairman of a Nigerian development
company was charged in August with stealing
what is now the equivalent of $5.5 million,
and burning $2 million of that in cash so he
could smear the ashes over his naked body in a
nighttime “fortification” ritual in a cemetery.
Four people were arrested in October after a
family gathering in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
when a Ramadan-ending ceremony turned
into the fatal beatings of two relatives, who
were being administered an aggressive ritual,
supposedly to stop their tobacco habit.
Wrestling in Turkey (I): Villages in western
Turkey traditionally hold camel-wrestling
matches during gala weekend festivals in winter,
which is mating season and the only time bull
camels will fight (and even then, not always).
There is at least one professional league, and
sometimes, camels embody the pride of an entire
village. A female is paraded in front of two males,
then led away, and the supposedly frisky bulls
tussle but only occasionally reach a resolution
in which one subdues the other by sitting on
him, according to a dispatch in Germany’s Der
Spiegel. Usually, judges have to pick the winner
on style, and sometimes the decision is easy, as
one camel has simply run away.
Wrestling in Turkey (II): Camel-wrestling is
a winter celebration, but the summers are
(and have been for 650 years) for Kirkpinar,
the country’s oil-wrestling celebration and
tournament, during which a thousand men,
slathering on two tons of olive oil, fight matches
until one man earns the solid-gold title belt.
Several months of regional tournaments lead up
to Kirkpinar, which, incidentally, has recently
experienced the same doping controversies as
mainstream world sports.
Athletes Demanding Respect:
6
“I think one day it should be an Olympic sport,”
said Jeannine Wikering, 26, who finished
third while representing Germany in the 10nation European pole-dancing championship
in Amsterdam in September. And Australia’s
champion sheep-shearers prepared to once
again lobby the country’s Sports Commission
for official recognition, which would enable
them to apply for training grants and corporate
sponsorship. Shearers are revered in New
Zealand, with televised matches and large prizes,
according to an August dispatch from Sydney in
Britain’s Guardian, but Australia’s top shearers
get much less respect.
A Buddhist temple in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand,
offers quickie “reincarnation” sessions in
which people climb into “coffins,” “die” while a
priest’s chants chase away the evil spirits of
the old person, who is then “reborn” as someone
different. The temple has nine such coffins to
serve the long lines of optimists (who must stand
well back while waiting, so as not to absorb the
“dying” people’s escaping evilness), many of
whom adhere to predestination beliefs based on
one’s name and time of “birth,” according to a
September New York Times dispatch.
Spiritual Rulings:
The highest ranking Muslim authority in the
Turkish province of Adana declared in August
that observing the fasting requirement of
Ramadan could be assisted by the use of medical
“patches” that reduced hunger pangs.
In September, Chad Hardy released the 2009
version of his Men on a Mission calendar, which
features photos of young, shirtless Mormon men,
intended, he said, to help his church overcome
its image of being stodgy, and he said he plans
a female version for 2010: Hot Mormon Muffins.
(In July, Hardy was excommunicated for
producing the 2008 Men on a Mission calendar.)
People Different From Us
In the town of Sekiu, near Port Angeles, Wash.,
in October, Ms. Cory Davis, 56, was shot in the
leg by her stove. (A .22-gauge shotgun shell had
found its way into some newspapers that she
had put on to burn. “There’s always that one
problem stray,” she said.)
A 21-year-old woman was arrested in Hamilton,
New Zealand, in October after she allegedly
kicked in the door of her ex-boyfriend’s home,
then assaulted him because of a custody dispute
between the couple over their pet possum.
Least Competent Barroom Brawler
In July Scott Bennett, 48, lost an eye in a fight
at the Mavericks night club in Sioux City, Iowa.
Then, on Oct. 12, in another fight at Mavericks,
Bennett lost his other eye. (Coincidentally in
October, Britain’s worst professional boxer, Peter
Buckley, announced he will retire after his next
bout. He has lost 88 in a row, and overall his
record is 43-256.)
Update
Kory McFarren, 37, was the boyfriend of the
Kansas woman found stuck to the toilet seat of
her home in February after living reclusively
in the bathroom. Though McFarren somehow
had been unable to coax the woman out of the
bathroom for long periods of time over the last
several years, he was lucky enough, in October,
to win $20,000 in the state lottery, and in fact it
was his second lottery win this year.
#111308120308
for females, while Australians rely more on
sneakiness.
British engineer Ken Walters became disabled
from an auto accident and was living on
government assistance to persevere through
pain and long-time depression when, in 2003,
he suffered a stroke. After a lengthy recovery,
Walters discovered, while doodling, that he
seemed to have a newfound gift for art. After
drawing up some demonstration software, he
was hired by the giant Electronic Arts company
and is flourishing, according to an August Daily
Mail story. His doctors said the brain typically
rewires itself for protection after injury and that
previously untapped consciousness can emerge.
Thinning the Herd
A burglary suspect, running from police on San
Francisco’s Telegraph Hill in September, jumped
over a 3-foot wall, apparently not realizing that
on the other side was a 200-foot drop. He died at
the scene.
A 22-year-old woman was fatally hit by a car in
Dallas in June when she stopped on the busy
LBJ Freeway to take pictures of an accident
scene. She was apparently just an overly curious
rubbernecker.
A 54-year-old road-raging woman burned up in
her car in London in September after ramming
the back of another car, bringing both to a stop,
and then failing to realize that a fluid from her
car had ignited the underside.
LEAD STORY
Donna and Joel Brinkle of Deltona, Fla., raised
a family and held respectable jobs until, in the
1990s, they declared themselves a sovereign
nation and stopped paying taxes. Subsequently,
the county took their home, and they now appear
to be living on the handouts of their son and
their church, but they have become irritations
by filing property liens against government
officials (including, once, President Clinton) who
fail to recognize their independent authority.
Once, they tried to buy a $700,000 house with
a “money order” drawn on their home-made
currency. Even though the Brinkles’ game plan
has failed on every single point (and Joel even
did some jail time), the couple remains chipper,
according to an October Orlando Sentinel report,
certain that some higher official will soon
vindicate them.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit!
Street-begging has become so sophisticated
that some Web sites and blogs offer “market
research” for panhandlers, with tips from
wizened “pros,” according to the Summer
2008 issue of City Journal. Current begging
techniques (which apparently spread nationally,
at least for those non-homeless, non-mentallyill beggars) suggest humor (e.g., “I won’t lie to
you. I need a drink”) and specificity of amount
(e.g., “I need 43 more cents for a cup of coffee”),
which often produces a larger donation. Local
TV reporters in Memphis, Tenn., and Salt Lake
City, among other cities, have found panhandlers
to routinely earn $10 an hour and sometimes
substantially more.
Science on the Cutting Edge
Studs of the Animal World:
An August conference presentation by a
University of Central Florida researcher touted
the frolicking, profligate mating of male South
African squirrels, enhanced, the researcher
hypothesized, by the fact that “they’re hung.”
The typical proportional equivalency for human
male genitals, she said, would be 13 inches.
Indiana University researchers reported in
September that male Australian dung beetles
differ from U.S. dung beetles in that evolutionary
diversion of nutrients has given the Australians
small horns but large penises and the Americans
the opposite. Thus, noted the researchers, bighorned American males tend to fight each other
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
In September, scientists at Emory University’s
primate research center reported that chimps
seem to remember other chimps through “whole
body” integration. That is, seeing part of another
chimp causes them to envision the entire body.
The researchers came to this conclusion because
chimps shown photos of an acquaintance-chimp’s
butt could, more often than random chance
would predict, identify the face that went with it.
It’s finally here, the Sixth Annual Best of the Valley Readers Poll. This is your chance to help us let the people of the Tennessee Valley, and those visiting here, know what you think
is the best we have to offer. Please let your voice be heard. All voting will be online this year! Go to www.valleyplanet.com and let your votes count. Only one entry per email
address will be counted so only vote one time. You can vote from now until December 31st 2008. The Best of the Valley Winners will be posted in the February 5th 2009 Issue!
Remember, you don’t have to fill out everything, just fill our what you want. But whatever you do, VOTE! All Ballots Must Be Received By December 31, 2008! Voting i s ONLINE
ONLY!
Best World Music Artist(s):
ALL BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY DECEMBER 31, 2008!
Best Jazz Artist(s):
DRINK
Best Italian:
Best Bar Overall:
Best International (other than those listed):
Coolest Bar:
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Best Patio:
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Best Bar That’s Gone (closed 2006-07):
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Best Home Cooking:
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Best Lunch:
At Ada Barak’s spa in northern Israel, patrons
(for a fee of around $80) can relax for a session
in which snakes, large and small, crawl over
their bodies, massaging and even nibbling. It’s
“something deep and peaceful,” wrote a Time
magazine reporter in October.
Best Neighborhood Bar:
Best Sunday Brunch:
Best Sports Bar:
Most Romantic:
Best Place to Dance:
Best Chef in the Valley:
U.S.-educated Palestinian Nadim Khoury is
introducing Taybeh (Arabic for “delicious”)
lager from a microbrewery in the West Bank,
according to an October Agence FrancePresse dispatch, and so far has encountered
little resistance from the 98 percent Muslim
population. “(E)veryone drinks beer,” he said.
Best First-Date Bar:
LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT
& SPORTS
Leading Economic Indicators
Unlike their American counterparts, debt
collectors in Spain are legally allowed to
humiliate deadbeats in front of relatives and
neighbors, and are thus quite successful,
according to an October Wall Street Journal
dispatch from Madrid. One collector’s employees
make flamboyant house calls in “top hat and
tails” and another’s are dressed as Franciscan
friars, and yet another collector sends bagpipe
players to announce the debt to the entire
neighborhood. One debtor hurriedly paid off his
daughter’s wedding tab when the collector found
the ceremony’s guest list and began billing each
attendee for his or her “share” of the debt.
Though laid-off workers in the U.S. do much
grumbling about their high-flying CEOs, some
dispatched employees in India are apparently
more hardcore. Two CEOs of international firms’
Indian subsidiaries in the city of Noida were
beaten up (one fatally) in separate incidents
shortly after announcing mass layoffs in
September. Sixty-three people were charged with
the murder, but no suspects have been arrested
in the other incident.
Leading Middle East Economic Indicators:
Oops!
Skydives Ending Badly: A parachutist who was
part of an Army ceremony at Fort Riley, Kan., in
July was blown 50 yards off course and crashed
into the band, injuring three musicians and
destroying two tubas. And in August, as Duke
University’s football team was preparing for
the kickoff against James Madison University
in Durham, N.C., two men parachuted into the
stadium with the game ball. That was impressive,
but they were actually supposed to have
delivered the game ball to the stadium in Chapel
Hill, 10 miles away, where North Carolina was
hosting McNeese State.
Send your Weird News to [email protected]
or P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, FL 33679.
COPYRIGHT 2006 CHUCK SHEPHERD
DISTRIBUTED BY
UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE
4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111;
(816) 932-6600
THE VALLEY PLANET
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(The following categories can be votes for local
Best Breakfast:
single performers or groups)
Best Seafood:
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#111308120308
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VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
Highest Education Level Attended:
7
Pride and Glory
Average to Art
E
I
by J. Raintree Tarin
very now and then a movie comes
along that changes the way you think
about the world. This may not be one
of them- but when you add up the great
cinematography, above average screenplay
and pretty good acting, you might be
surprised that what you get is greater than
the sum of its parts.
Change It Up This
Holiday Season
T
he word change can be heard just
about everywhere these days. Whether
folks are discussing politics or college
football, change is about as trendy right now
as Blackberry Curves or Hybrid automobiles.
“Change the landscape of politics”… “change
your football coach”… “change your spending
habits”… “change your look”… “change your
lifestyle”… “change your attitude!” With
all the changes being demanded of us, these
days, maybe it’s time you changed something
YOU wanted to change… like, perhaps, your
Holiday routine?
Christmas is right around the corner. Shady
individuals are already ringing bells in
front of your favorite stores… they create a
formidable army ready to shake you down for
your spare change. You find yourself tangled
in tinsel and mired in mistletoe. The Holiday
Season is pushing all of your buttons, and
anxiety is starting to take its toll… and it’s not
even Thanksgiving yet!
Do you dream of stepping out of the shadows
and onto the stage so that you can smack Tiny
Tim over the head with his crutch? Does the
thought of a trip to The Land of Sweets with
the Sugar Plum Fairy evoke just the slightest
bit of nausea? Do names like George Bailey,
Henry F. Potter or Mary Hatch make you grind
your teeth? Do you find yourself upping your
dosage of benzodiazepines, in preparation for
an onslaught of the same old, tired Christmas
stories that you’ve been forced to endure since
you were six years old?
Like the tough urban cops it portrays, this
character driven police drama harbors
an inner rage of conflicting loyalties and
psychological turmoil. Director/Writer
Gavin O’Connor (‘Miracle’, Tumbleweeds’)
strays from his usual family friendly fare by
drawing inspiration from his father’s real
life experience in the NYPD and by teaming
with edgy Screenwriter Joe Carnahan
(‘Smokin Aces’, ‘Narc’); an unexpected but
complimentary pairing that works well and
eventually treats us to something more than
just another feature length version of CSIinspired schlock. Unfortunately, getting to
that point means sifting through a convoluted
opening that is better understood afterwards
over hot coffee and doughnuts.
Gritty realism provided by Cinematographer
Declan Quinn (‘Vanity Fair’) saturates
the film, although the noir-ish mood is
broken several times by cliché, guerrillastyle camerawork. Harsh lighting reveals
the actors’ every imperfection and subtly
reinforces the picture’s pseudo-Buddhist
message of self-redemption from human
fallibility. It also exaggerates the crooked
cops’ psychotic Jeckel and Hyde approach
to their job. Such a double life is personified
in Jimmy Egan (Colin Farrell) and to a lesser
degree Ray Tierney (Edward Norton), the
unfortunate anti-hero whose friends and
enemies are one and the same.
Thematically similar to recent cop flop
‘Street Kings’, yet mercifully absent Forest
Whitaker’s constant emotional meltdowns,
‘Pride and Glory’ is far from a work of genius.
Though reminiscent of 2006 blockbuster
‘The Departed’ it probably won’t get any
favorable comparisons; Gavin O’Connor is
no Martin Scorsese. However, since many
films are ultimately more interesting for what
they don’t say it’s refreshing to simply enjoy
one at face value.
If you answered “yes” to any of these
questions, then Theatre Huntsville just may
have the solution.
Samuel and Bella Spewak’s My Three
Angels dispenses with the traditional
Christmas settings and transports you to
Devil’s Island, French Guiana, at the turn of
the twentieth century. There is no snow…
it is, mercifully, only 104 degrees. Three
escaped convicts, unwittingly hired to repair
a store roof, overhear the private tribulations
of the proprietor and his family. Enroute
from France is a cold-blooded cousin, set on
ousting the father in disgrace; accompanied by
his nephew, who now turns a cold shoulder to
the young daughter who so desperately loves
him. Deeply offended by this callousness
and cruelty—and at Christmas, no less—the
convicts conspire with their collective criminal
art and penal grace to set matters right.
My Three Angels inspired the 1955 movie,
We’re No Angels, which starred Humphrey
Bogart, Basil Rathbone (of Sherlock Holmes
movie fame), Peter Ustinov, Aldo Ray, Joan
Bennett and Leo G. Carroll (later a regular
on TV’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E.). Theatre
Huntsville’s production—directed by Wings
Award-winning Director, John Hancock—
8
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
features the performances of some familiar
local talents—Phil Thames, Rob Olmstead,
Craig Reinhart, Karen Lynn, Stan Evans,
Jeannette Chaney and Patrick Green—and
three new talents—Jason Satterfield, Alana
Blomeyer and Michael Wood—in a laugh-aminute yarn that is sure to prove not to be one
of those ‘same old, tired Christmas stories.’
This delightfully twisted holiday tale promises
a memorable evening of live theatre that will
exchange holiday déjà-vu for something
altogether new. Give the “bah-humbugs”
a rest this year, and embrace some Holiday
entertainment change!
by Sarah Gorman
nside a modest white house on Meridian
Street beneath the words, “Average to
Art” Alissa Murnane runs her business
(by that very name) which specializes in
decorative finishes and wall murals for the
home or business. She and the rest of her
team have been recognized numerous times
for their achievement, most notably (and
most recently) placing first in an international
contest for most viable decorative finish. She
was chosen to go to Italy by the Chicago
Institute of Fine Finishes-- one of seven
in the country-- to train with the masters
at Oikos, an Italian plaster company. After
completion, she will add nine days of classes
to her 180 hours of decorative finish training
and also put on the list, ‘Oikos approved
applicator’.
“My mission is to stay the most up-to-date
and the most competitive,” she says. She
is surely doing a good job of it. Huntsville
is lucky to be able to boast someone so
accomplished and so dedicated. “We are
a local company committed to Huntsville.
We want to offer the best custom art you
can get.”
“Art’s in my blood and you can’t get around
it,” she says. Her philosophy seems wiser
than what you would guess for that of
someone still in their twenties. Instead of
choosing her path with art that for so many
means sleeping on other people’s couches
and rummaging in dumpsters for dinner,
she started with the same goal but her steps
were guided by a sense of practicality; her
decisions were wise and tailored to success
in the modern world.
Drawing insight from meditation and a
For Dummies book on careers, she set up
Average to Art in a bedroom in the first
house she and her husband occupied when
they moved to Huntsville in 2003.
Average to Art offers decorative finishes for
the home and for furniture as well as custom
murals. They offer beauty and sophistication
(the finishes) as well as whimsy and fun
(murals), allowing a range of creative
expression. Murnane has successfully created
a living for herself rooted in creativity, an
inspiration to all young people worried their
passion will never be able to support them.
Murnane recognizes how unique her
situation is, to be able to work where you
are most happy, that’s something that doesn’t
exist for the average bear. She says, “I feel
like I get to do what I love so I should be
giving back.” Average to Art works with
Junior Achievement of America, they’re
doing a 5k Ribbon Run in October for breast
cancer and she’s working on donating time
and energy to painting murals for Homes for
Our Troops, a foundation that builds homes
for injured veterans.
Average to Art has certainly grown since
operating out of a bedroom, a paced growth.
They moved into the gallery/showroom at
905 Meridian just this May, a proper space
for a thriving business. The gallery is open
Saturdays from 10-4, by appointment,
or whenever you see the van bearing the
promise, “Average to Art” out front.
Performances of My Three Angels are
November 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22, 2008 at 7:
30 pm and November 16 and 22, 2008 at 2:
00 pm, at the VBC Playhouse. The show
is recommended for Pre-Teens, Teens and
Adults. Call 256.536.0807 for reservations,
and visit the TH website, www.theatrehuntsvi
lle.org, for more information.
THE VALLEY PLANET
THE VALLEY PLANET
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
9
2 hours, and I got the job. Sonny was and is
a very nice person. He’s the one guy whose
playing was so fierce that he actually made
my knees shake while playing with him.
I played with Dizzy and Stanley thanks to
my main man Milt Jackson. I owe Bags
everything, and miss him everyday.
H
i! I’m Jackie Anderson. Glad to have
you along for another session of The
Jazz Lounge. I want to acknowledge
all who’ve reached out to me. Thanks. You
can contact me at: [email protected].
This column is devoted to my guest. He’s
pianist/organist Mike LeDonne, who plays
post bop and hard bop. This well-respected
musician has recorded many CDs, working
with everyone from Joshua Redman to Eric
Alexander. His new CD “FiveLive” (Savant)
is riding high on the charts, and was recorded
live at Smoke, a popular jazz club in NY.
Jackie: Welcome to the Jazz Lounge, Mike.
Like many others, I enjoy your music. It’s a
pleasure to speak with you.
Mike: Thanks, Jackie. It’s a pleasure to be
here.
Jackie: Where are you from originally?
Mike: Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Jackie: Your father was a jazz guitarist.
Your parents owned a music store. Was
this a major influence on your decision to
become a musician?
Mike: I was lucky to be blessed with a
supportive family. My sisters and I studied
piano and organ as children. My dad,
Mickey LeDonne, was a local hero, who
recorded with his trio, and made some film
shorts. I remember him as an iron man,
when I was a kid. He’d work all day in
the store, then played at his 5 night a week
gig. Originally, his idol was Oscar Moore,
guitarist in Nat Cole’s trio. He sounded a
lot like him, and could sing like Nat. Later,
he loved the playing of Wes Montgomery.
He had a good record collection, and was a
major influence with me getting into music.
The road life wasn’t for him. My mom said
he had to make a choice between her and
it. The decision wasn’t hard. He opened
a music store, “LeDonne’s Music Box” in
Bridgeport, and did very well. I grew up in
that store. I still get nostalgic walking into a
music store today. At 10, I rehearsed there
with my first band (organ trio) that played
R & B hits. I loved James Brown, Marvin
Gaye, and Aretha Franklin. We’d rehearse
in the store basement, leaving the windows
open. Soon the neighborhood kids would be
outside dancing. I was hooked right there.
Jackie: When did you actually start with the
piano/organ?
Mike: We always had a piano in the house.
I started playing by ear at 5. We also had an
organ (not a Hammond). Got my first B3 at
14. My parents bought me a Steinway at 16.
It was $6,000 brand new. I still have it.
Jackie: Is it true your father was already
booking gigs for you by age 10?
Mike: Yes. We rehearsed at the store, and
started sounding pretty good. He got us
weekend gigs at junior high and high school
dances, church affairs, and 4-H club parties.
We actually worked a lot.
Jackie: Did you study music in school?
Mike: Yes. In high school, I went to
Manhattan School of Music Prep, and
received my bachelor’s degree from New
10
England Conservatory in Boston. The best
thing about college was getting to study with
Jaki Byard.
Jackie: When did you become involved
with the Widespread Jazz Orchestra?
Mike: After graduating from New England
in 1978. They were based in Vermont, but
planning to move to New York. I went with
them. They were working all the time, and
on salary. We got paid whether we worked
or not (only $120 a week). That was all I
needed in those days.
Jackie: I see you traveled to England. How
did you end up at Jimmy Ryan’s in New
York?
Mike: The only kind of work there in
the late 70s was on the traditional side.
Widespread was great training for that. I
got intimately familiar with the music of
Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Earl Hines,
etc. Panama Francis, a drummer, had a band
called the Savoy Sultans. He heard me play
with Widespread, and asked me to join his
band. I jumped at the opportunity, and toured
with them in the U.K., as well as New York
gigs. I also worked at Jimmy Ryan’s during
that time. I used to sit in with the great Roy
Eldridge, and wound up getting on the gig
– 6 sets a night, 5 days a week.
Jackie: Tell me about being part of the
Phillip Morris Superband World Tour. Who
were the musicians?
Mike: In ’92, Phillip Morris’ president was
a huge jazz fan. The company had lots of
money. They’d put an all-star big band out
on tour, but this time had two small bands
called “Jazz Generations”. The idea was
to feature one band of older masters like
Phil Woods, Jimmy Heath, Slide Hampton,
Donald Byrd, and Kenny Barron. Then, a
band of the younger generation with myself,
Josh Redman, Christian McBride, Jesse
Davis, Lewis Nash, and Ryan Kisor. Lewis
and I were the veterans, so I took over the
musical director’s chair and wrote most
of the music. Lewis was the spokesman.
We started in New York and went all over
Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, ending
in Hong Kong two months later. Everything
was first class – hotels, airline seats,
restaurants, and the pay. We had a crew that
carried our luggage for us. I’ve never been
treated so well. The younger guys like Josh
and Christian were on the verge of hitting
the big time with major label record deals.
It was nice getting to know them when they
were just kids. They were already playing
very well. What a great experience playing
every night with a band like this. I recorded
all the music later on a Criss Cross CD called
“Soulmates”. A little while after this, they
chose this band to play at Carnegie Hall for
a night celebrating Columbia Records. After
playing, something happened that was like a
scene from a movie. Dr. George Butler, who
produced Miles Davis and was responsible
for the Wynton Marsalis phenomenon, came
up to me backstage and gave me his card.
He said he loved the music and wanted to
sign me and Lewis to Columbia Records
to co-lead this band. I couldn’t have been
happier. Lewis and I were the best of friends
and made a good team. Here I was having
a major label record deal just handed to
me. Not quite. In the time it took to get all
the loose ends together, George wound up
leaving Columbia, and with that my brush
with the “big time” was over. It proved to
be no big deal. However, I’ve been working
and recording ever since. All the major jazz
labels are gone, but I’m still here. It was
great just having that experience.
Jackie: You’re a musician and composer.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Mike: You never know. Sometimes I wake
up in the morning, sit at the piano, just drop
my hands and let something come out. I’ll
try to play it again, start developing it, and
I’m off. It can also come from listening to all
kinds of music. I might hear a small phrase
or just a groove, and begin working with it to
see what comes out. I write something every
day, even if it’s only 8 bars. My computer is
packed with things. I’m lucky because I’ve
gotten to record some of these tunes and have
had other musicians record them as well.
Jackie: Your music has taken you around
the world. Where?
Mike: All over the U.S., Europe, Africa,
Asia, and the Middle East. My first trip
overseas was in 1981, and I haven’t missed a
Jackie:
What were some experiences
working with Benny Goodman, Dizzy
Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, and Stanley
Turrentine? Did you spend time in Paris?
Mike: I never lived in Paris, if that’s what
you mean. I’ve only spent time playing
there over the years. While at Ryan’s
Benny Goodman called, asking me to come
over and play for him. I was working with
saxophonist Scott Hamilton, and his rhythm
section also worked with Benny. Pianist
John Bunch was leaving Goodman, so the
other guys told him about me. I spent 2
hours playing with him, and got the job. I
wasn’t a big Benny Goodman fan at the time,
although I respected him knowing he was
one of the all-time greats. I mainly listened
to his recordings to hear Teddy Wilson who
I love. But, it’s a different thing when you
share a bandstand with someone. One night
we were playing “Sweet Georgia Brown”.
He waved the rhythm section out and played
a few choruses unaccompanied. He was on
fire, and no spring chicken at the time. I got
a whole new respect for him. There’s a lot of
ugly Benny Goodman stories. No doubt he
was a very complex and troubled individual.
Nonetheless, he was good to me. He got
me side jobs playing solo piano at his very
wealthy friends’ homes for what was big
money back then. After his heart trouble
in ’92, I would go over to his apartment and
play with him so he could get his chops back.
Then, we’d sit and listen to records. These
are memories I cherish.
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Mike: Yes, I have a pile of reviews – some
good, others not so good. These days reviews
don’t add up to much as far as furthering
your career goes. It’s not like a Broadway
show where it can make or break a career.
It’s basically short-term promo for your most
recent project. You would hope it might also
help sell a few more CDs, or get a few more
bodies to your gigs. It’s always a good thing
to be in print. Like Art Blakey said, either
you’re appearing or you’re disappearing.
Jackie: Besides your own CDs, you’ve
made many other recordings. I like Tippin’,
which you made with Jim Snidero, Paul
Bollenback, and Tony Reedus. I know Paul,
and he’s a great guitarist. Didn’t you write
one of the tracks? Did you co-author a music
book with Jim?
Mike: Jim and I are old buddies going back
to my early days in New York. He’s actually
responsible for me going back to playing the
organ. I stopped playing it when I was in
school in Boston. I sold my B3 thinking I
was done with it. Fast forward to New York.
I met Jim. He was playing with Brother
Jack McDuff at a place in Harlem called
“Dudes”. Jim heard I played the organ
before and invited me up to sit in. After
playing, McDuff came to me saying I was
a good organ player, and should seriously
think about pursuing it. I went and bought a
B3 the next day and got back to work. Years
later I wound up with a steady organ night
at Smoke, in Manhattan. When the regular
guys Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein,
and Joe Farnsworth weren’t around, I put
together another band. I called Jim, Paul,
and Tony. Jim loved playing with the organ
again, and the chemistry of the band was
so good he decided to record it. The result
– Tippin’. I did write a tune “Young Like”,
which is dedicated to organ pioneer Larry
Young. I co-authored one of Jim’s books
called “Jazz Conception”. It’s unique in that
it deals specifically with piano “comping”,
which means accompaniment. It’s what we
piano players do when playing behind other
soloists and it’s an art unto itself.
Mike: I’m very happy people seem to like
it. I’m proud of the recording, and think the
sound is very good on it. I love recording
live. There’s an energy about it you can’t get
in a studio. Music is about communication.
You feed off the people listening. There’s
nothing more satisfying than when they’re
really getting it and are right with your
every note. It makes you play better. It’s
also challenging to record live. You can’t
go back and fix anything. What happened is
what you get.
Jackie: You recorded it at Smoke.
understand you have a weekly gig there.
I
Mike: Yes, Tuesday Night Organ Grooves
(as they call it) has been going for 9 years
now. Smoke is my favorite place to play
in the world. It’s a real jazz club – small,
intimate, and the sound of the room is great.
It reminds me of another place I use to play
called “Bradleys” which was in the village.
There aren’t many venues like these in the
world. The guys who own it, Paul Stache
and Frank Christopher, actually love this
music and know about it. That makes a big
difference in any club.
Jackie: What was it like making this record?
Who was part of the project?
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
THE VALLEY PLANET
Milt. We finished the set. Bassist Milt
Hinton and drummer Bobby Rosengarden
waved at me, pointing to the back of the
room. There he was – jazz legend and
monster. Oscar was my father’s favorite
pianist and we always use to listen to him.
He asked me to come over and was very
kind to me about my playing. I was knocked
out and it didn’t end there. He talked about
me in interviews. He was asked on Marian
McPartland’s show who he liked that was
around today, and he said me! I called to say
thanks, and we actually became friends. We
exchanged Christmas cards and would speak
every now and then. He told me if I was
going after a gig, and the promoter wasn’t
sure about hiring me, to give him his phone
number. If they didn’t know, he would tell
them. I’ll never forget Oscar Peterson.
Jackie: Your recordings received good
reviews in Downbeat, and have been
recognized in Jazz Times and Jazz Journal.
Jackie: Congratulations on the new CD
“FiveLive”. You must be thrilled to see it
doing so well.
A few years later, Sonny Rollins called. I
was playing with the Milt Jackson Quartet
(with Bob Cranshaw & Mickey Roker). Bob
recommended me to Sonny. I auditioned for
him at a studio where his band rehearsed. He
didn’t say a word to me, but started playing a
very old tune called “Little Coquette”. This
is where all the immersion in the history
came through for me. He smiled at me when
I joined him in that tune. We played another
year since. I usually travel overseas several
times a year.
THE VALLEY PLANET
Jackie: What do you think about the current
state of jazz? Also, what advice do you
have for someone wanting to follow in your
footsteps, or looking for that first big break?
Mike: Intense, but rewarding. It always
amazes me – what we’re expected to do.
One quick rehearsal of all new music, and
we’re in front of an audience with every note
being committed to tape. The musicians
were no strangers to each other. Jeremy
Pelt is relatively new, but Eric Alexander,
John Webber, and Joe Farnsworth have been
playing with me for at least 15 years now.
They’re all my favorites. I don’t think there
are many rhythm sections around today that
can swing like John and Joe. I think Jeremy
Pelt is one of the absolute best trumpet
players on the scene right now. Being a
Steinway artist myself, I had them bring in
a Steinway B that I handpicked at Steinway
hall. With all of that, and playing in a place
that’s as comfortable as my own living room,
I couldn’t lose.
Jackie: What about the songs? You wrote
one for your daughter Mary (“Little M”).
Mike: My daughter Mary is the center of my
life. She’s four years old with blonde hair
and big blue eyes. She’s also a special needs
kid, with a rare syndrome called PraderWillie Syndrome. She’s doing great, but
special needs kids need a lot of stimulation.
Luckily, Mary loves music and really reacts
to a good groove. She always gets really
excited and starts moving. “Little M” is the
kind of groove that she loves. It reminds me
of her, so I dedicated it to her. The other
tunes are either original arrangements or
original compositions. There’s a tune called
“Hands” I wrote for the great but underrated
pianist Harold Mabern. I’m lucky to have
been able to hear him and know him. He’s a
powerhouse who can rock a room like no one
else on the planet. The melody of this tune
reminded me of him. The title comes from
the fact that he has very big hands.
Jackie: My favorites include: “Good
Times”, “Bleeker Street Them”, “You
And I”, and “I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t
Good)”. I think you did a great job.
Mike: Thanks for saying that. I see you’re a
medium groove lover. Those are actually the
hardest tempos.
Jackie: Where is “FiveLive” available?
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Mike: That’s a good question. Where
do you buy records these days when most
of the record stores are gone? Itunes or
amazon.com would have it. You can usually
Google my name on the internet and find the
recordings. Or, if you still have a record
store it should be there.
Jackie: Are you still with the Juilliard
School Of Music?
Mike: No. I did four years there, but it
was taking away from my playing. I was
teaching four days a week, and found I
wasn’t practicing or writing as much.
Jackie: How were you involved with the
movie “The Terminal”?
Mike: Steven Spielberg is a jazz fan from
way back. He used to go see Benny Golson
back in the day and remembered him for
this part. We flew up to Canada and played
“Killer Joe” on the set for 9 hours. It was
cut down to about 60 seconds in the movie.
Tom Hanks is also a jazz fan, and it was an
incredible experience just hanging out with
him and Spielberg on the set. I had a camera
but was kind of shy about asking them to
take a picture with me. While talking during
a break, I finally got up the nerve. Not only
did I get a shot of me and Spielberg, but Tom
took the picture. It was amazing to watch
him work. Our scene was the big moment in
the movie, when the main character played
by Hanks, finally meets Benny Golson to
get his autograph. We were standing around
shooting the breeze. When it was time for
Tom to shoot the scene, in seconds he’d go
from small talk to intense emotion with tears
welling up in big eyes, as he spoke to Benny.
I’d never seen anything like that before and
it really impressed me.
Jackie: The late jazz pianist Oscar Peterson
described you as one of his favorite pianists.
Mike: This was one of the big moments
in my life. I was playing a jazz cruise with
Milt Jackson. It was dedicated to Oscar. He
had his trio and was roaming around in his
wheelchair listening to everybody. I didn’t
know he was there one night listening to
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
Mike: I think it’s healthy because I see
all the young people who have the hunger
to learn how to do it. There are some
very talented ones. My advice to a young
musician would be not to get caught up in
getting a “big break”. Make getting to the
highest level you can reach musically your
main focus. Keep in mind that jazz is African
American music. Dizzy Gillespie said that
jazz grew out of the blues and gospel music,
and should contain these elements. That’s
where the feeling of the music is. While it’s
important to know what you’re doing over
chord changes, don’t get obsessed with notes
and scales. Dizzy also said jazz is rhythms
attached to notes. If you look at it that way,
with rhythm as the most important element,
you’ll be on the right track. The language
is out there in the recordings of the masters.
You have to take it upon yourself to go after
it by listening, listening, listening. Let
yourself be influenced by what you like.
Get into it in a deep way. Don’t worry about
copying your idols. Eventually, you’ll grow
out of that, but you’ll be left with the residue
of all those influences. That’s how everyone
has learned throughout the history of this and
every music. Don’t worry about sounding
like yourself, because you’ll find you have
no choice. You don’t dress like anyone
else or talk like anyone else, and you really
can’t play like anyone else. Who knows,
you might be the next big innovator, but
don’t make that your primary concern. No
innovator set out to innovate. It happens as a
part of a natural process. Just take your time
and make good music.
Jackie: Planning a tour? Can everyone
check out the latest on your website?
Mike:
I’m afraid I’m terrible at
filling in the itinerary on my website
(www.mikeledonne.com). In fact, I never
do. I’ve been extremely busy. Benny
Goldson (who I’ve been playing piano with
for the past 12 years) is starting up the Jazztet
again, and calling it the New Jazztet. I’m
proud to say that I’m part of that band. We
just finished recording and will be hitting the
road next year. I have a tour of Italy coming
up, and I just got back from Japan. For those
of you who make the trip to New York, I’m
always at Smoke on Tuesday nights.
Jackie: This has been great. Thanks for
being my guest in The Jazz Lounge. Good
luck with “FiveLive”
Mike: Jackie, I want to thank you for
interviewing me and being interested in my
music. Keep on supporting the music.
Jackie: Take care.
Mike: You too.
Until next time, stay cool, and keep it jazzy!
11
Roger Reid: Touching the
Real World With Words
A
Books discussed
“All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich
Maria Remarque
“The Hiding Place” by Corrie Ten Boom
I
have to admit from the get-go that this
column didn’t turn out as I’d originally
intended.
In fact, I just junked a 500-word spiel about
generation gaps written a few weeks ago
when I saw some band called My Tokio Hotel
on Kimmel. It was awful (the performance,
more so than the spiel): a gender-bending
guy preening around on stage, backed up
by a hideous backwoods-looking redneck
and a chubby drummer. But it wasn’t so
awful to the hundred of screaming girls in
the audience who hung on his every preen
and prance.
Which got me to thinking about that whole
generational gap thing, which got me to
writing a 500-word spiel about it. But it
really just came off as creepy, even (or
perhaps because it came) from a (somewhat)
strapping 25-year-old wannabe journalist.
I guess the point was sort of like this: Those
17-year-old screaming for My Tokio Hotel?
Don’t get it.
Flash back 10 years to ‘N Sync and 98
Degrees, again with pubescent girls
screaming. Got it—young, fantastically inshape males singing disposably catchy and
catchily disposable pop. What’s not to get?
But I have a feeling the teenie boppers of
today wouldn’t.
And then that comedian who hosted the
VMAs came on Craig Ferguson’s show and
started talking about “On the Road.” What?
He’s sexy, with that nappy hair? But he’s
referencing beatnik literature? I’m so lost.
And thus the generational gap—across a
chasm of a mere seven or eight years.
All of this—the My Tokio Hotel, the ‘N
Sync, the Kerouac, my creepiness—actually
had a point. Which was that Remarque’s
novel “All Quiet On the Western Front”
really does address a similar type of issue.
Granted, it had much further-reaching
implications than one’s taste in boy bands
(oh, just the eradication of millions of a
generation by a pointless war started by the
elder generation.)
Remarque’s main character Paul Bäumer
(der Baum, that’s tree in German—thank
you, Rosetta Stone) actually speaks to this in
the first-person narrative, lamenting the fact
that the real people who should have been
fighting World War I were the people running
it—far, far away from the front lines.
Clearly, this is a crass and cursory reading of
Remarque’s remarkable work (boo-yeah for
puns). But that’s how we roll around here.
I
It’s not that it’s a bad book. Overall, I
actually liked the book and think it speaks to
all of us on more than one level. It starts out
with Arundhati-like language. Poetic and
elegiac. And it continues to sprinkle these
starburst of Zenicisms throughout the book,
pulling the reader from the dreary quicksand
of monotony and loneliness that is the book,
12
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
THE VALLEY PLANET
THE VALLEY PLANET
With both stories, Reid spins webs of
adventure and mystery as Caldwell follows
his scientist parents on hiking vacations
that entangle the curious teen in trouble.
Reid takes his readers by the hand to show
how Caldwell relies on information he has
gleaned about natural history and astronomy
to extricate himself from his dilemmas and
try to help his friends. Along the way, Reid’s
character faces ethical questions that are
familiar to many of us.
Besides, large portions of the novel are
disturbingly graphic accounts of battles.
“Braveheart” in the Somme, if you will (I
just keep getting more crass). So, much
of the time, there’s not as much to talk
about—though Remarque’s long dreamlike sequences before the main action were
of the highest quality, full of rich detail and
imagery.
Post-re-reading, that’s not really what it was
at all. The hiding place itself was given a
one-page description, and the underground
activities comprised a chapter. The rest was
the author’s almost comical attempts to
show how righteous and humble and longsuffering they all were. It was like reading
the New Testament, only if it was set in the
1940s.
I’ll stop before all my Evangelical friends
start hating me. But only because there’s so
much research to be done on boy bands.
Write to Michael at mikey23@]gmail.com.
by Shawn Bailey
and then plopping them right back into said
hopelessness.
But I think that’s exactly what Cormac
McCarthy wanted. I think that life in general
is a lighter reflection of his work. You get up
and go to work everyday because you have
to. You suffer, sacrifice, and keep trudging
along no matter what because… well,
because that’s just human nature. It’s what
we do. And every now and then, we get one
of these LSD-like inspirations in which our
awareness draws to a graceful focus and we
see the world and the people in it for what it
really is, and then boom… back to the grind.
So if you like a quick read with lots of action
and a visceral plot, don’t read it. If you enjoy
nested metaphors, elegant language, and a
good struggle, then you’ll love it.
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by Jeanie Kezo
son inspired him. Observing his son’s class
reading lists, he concluded that they seemed
to be rich in cultural history but poor in
natural history. Consequently, he realized
that there might be a niche for natural history
stories, which resulted in the penning of his
first novel, Longleaf. “I wrote it for my
kids,” he said. “They were not bringing
home anything that was set in the real world
that they could go out and touch.”
The idea for Longleaf originated from a
television show about the longleaf pine,
Alabama’s state tree. The show aired
on “Discovering Alabama,” a public
television program that Reid currently
writes, produces, and directs. Reid, who
now lives in Birmingham, introduced us
to Jason Caldwell in Longleaf, a story in
which Caldwell witnesses a crime and then
loses himself in the forest while trying to
escape the criminals. His friend, Leah,
uses her knowledge of the forest to help
him. According to NewSouth Books, Reid’s
publisher, “Longleaf is a thrilling adventure
for boys and girls—and an excellent
introduction to the plants and animals of the
Conecuh region…”
“I love the outdoors,” Reid said. Although
he considers himself more of a writer than
a producer, his involvement in “Discovering
Alabama” has provided him with a wealth
of researched material for other books, such
as his new novel, Space. The inspiration
behind Space came from hundreds of
interviews Reid conducted for the show, with
world-renowned scientists like E.O. Wilson.
In Space, the setting shifts from the forests
of Conecuh to the trails on Monte Sano.
This time, Caldwell joins his family for a
rocket scientist reunion, where an arrogant
and confrontational peer persuades him to
help find his father’s killer. While trying to
unravel the mystery, Caldwell finds himself
shadowed by a Man in a Red Flannel Shirt.
Reid uses interesting facts about astronomy
as parallels and bits of logic in Caldwell’s
assessment of his situation, which culminates
in an exciting pursuit from a gunman near the
Conrad Swanson Observatory.
Just before all this, I decided to revisit “The
Hiding Place,” an autobiography I had to
read during my Evangelical upbringing.
My recollection, pre-re-reading, was of a
frighteningly suspenseful account of one
Dutch family housing Jewish refugees
during the Nazi occupation.
Book Review: The Road
f you’re a little down and need a bright
and shining light of a quick read to drag
you out of the muck and melancholy,
then do not, by any means, purchase The
Road. I read the book last week and now I
am sitting here trying to decide how best to
end my life. Razors to the underarms? No.
That’s been done already. Too poetically
dramatic. What about catching myself on
fire? No. Too Joan of Arcy. I know. I’ll
show up to work every Saturday and Sunday
for the rest of the year.
uthor Christina Baldwin once said,
“Writing makes a map, and there is
something about a journey that begs
to have its passage marked.” Huntsville
author Roger Reid draws such a map with
regional awareness and engaging characters.
With his first two young adult novels,
Longleaf and Space, Reid, now 55, traces
14-year-old Jason Caldwell’s adventures in
Alabama, from the Conecuh National Forest
to Huntsville’s Monte Sano State Park.
Seated in the spacious reception area of the
U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Davidson
Center, Reid paused to talk about his books
and the writing journey that has led him to this
point. “I think what first intrigued me about
books was reading The Wizard of Oz,” Reid
said. As a child who was raised in Shelby
County, Alabama, Reid was a frequent visitor
to the public library, often devouring whole
bibliographies by his favorite authors: John
Steinbeck, Erskine Caldwell, Ray Bradbury,
and Robert Heinlein. His voracious reading
appetite eventually led to an early love of
writing that began in the sixth grade at Davis
Hills Junior High School.
Reid infuses his writing with real narrative
settings, interesting facts, and characters
that face questions about values. Most
importantly, however, is that sense of story—
the reason a writer writes and a reader reads.
“The bottom line is, they have to want to turn
the page to find out what happens next. My
first goal was to tell a good story.” I think he
succeeded.
Reid said he has kept all of his writings,
since that time. He uses them to reflect back
on the feelings he may have experienced at
a particular age or in a particular situation.
This may be one reason his characters sound
so real.
Reid, who was educated at the University
of Alabama-Huntsville, may have been
writing for several years, but he didn’t
consider becoming a professional author
until the 1980’s, when his own sixth grade
And so what do we have that holds us
together in times of melancholy, despair, and
drudgery? Read the book.
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
13
Free Will
Astrology
by Rob Brezsny
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “You can’t know
fire unless you play with it,” says Mark Finney,
a math whiz who develops computer models for
fighting forest fires. I offer that as a motto for
you in the coming weeks, Aries. I’m not saying
you should purposely ignite a conflagration for
the sake of impulsive experimentation. I’m
not saying you should kick smoldering embers
around like soccer balls or light a cigarette
while you’re pumping gasoline or buy yourself
a flame-thrower. What I am saying is that it will
be in your interest to learn more about how to
play safely with intriguing, useful fires. (Finney’s
quote comes from the July 2008 issue of National
Geographic.)
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The time for
keeping the doors closed is passing. But it is not
yet the right moment to fling them wide open.
According to my reading of the omens, your
best strategy is to keep doors ajar -- open just
a crack, letting some air in and allowing a hint
of your light to trickle out. This will discourage
unfocused wanderers from barging in, while at
the same time it encourages worthy candidates
with a healthy curiosity to sneak peeks inside.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “There is a rose
in Spanish Harlem,” sings Ben E. King in his
old pop ballad. “It is a special one/ It’s never
seen the sun/ It only comes out when the moon
is on the run.” King is fantasizing with longing
about an alluring woman from a hardscrabble
neighborhood. The rose is “growing in the
street/ right up through the concrete” -- a delicate
beauty blooming amidst tough conditions. Your
assignment, Gemini, is to cultivate a connection
with your equivalent of that rose.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Every second
of your life, your bone marrow produces 100
trillion molecules of hemoglobin, the stuff that
carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of
you. Meanwhile, every minute, your immune
system begets 10 million lymphocytes, which
are key players in your body’s defenses. These
are just two examples of the endless marvels you
produce, Cancerian. You are a creator of the first
order. You’re a supreme maker and a generative
genius. Remember that in the coming days. It
will help you be confident and purposeful as you
birth minor miracles and intimate wonders.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): For decades the U.S.
government has handed out far more welfare
benefits to big corporations than to poor people.
Companies like IBM, General Electric, Boeing,
and others rake in over 100 billion dollars of
subsidies each year. In other words, socialism
has been a prominent feature of our so-called
capitalist system for a long time. Recently, Karl
Marx’s influence has made even deeper inroads
into the American way, with the government
becoming part-owner of many banks in order
to keep them solvent. Will any of this fantastic
largesse be extended to us regular citizens, like
maybe in the form of nationalized health care? I
can’t answer that. But I do know this, Leo: In the
coming months, you will get help from powers
that you regard as above and beyond you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): For many people,
10:30 a.m. is the single best time of day to come
up with fresh insights and new ideas. But that
won’t exactly be true for you in the coming
weeks. I mean, 10:30 will be a time when you’re
likely to be really smart, but then so will 11:30,
1:05, 2:37, 3:46, and 4:20. For that matter, 6:35
may also bring a gush of high intelligence, as
well as 7:27, 8:19, and the last ten minutes before
bedtime. What I’m trying to tell you, Virgo, is
that you’re in a phase when being brilliant should
come pretty naturally.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Ruminate a minute
about the people who don’t see you for who
you really are. Some of them are enemies, but
others may be loved ones or allies. Consider the
possibility that you have unconsciously bought
in to their beliefs about you; that you are at least
partially trapped in the habit of acting like the
14
person they think you are. Now visualize what it
would be like to free yourself from the images
and expectations they have of you. Imagine the
exhilaration you’d feel if you answered only to
the still, small voice of your own lucid intuition.
The coming weeks will be a good time for you to
practice this high art.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The New York
Times ran a story about philosopher Nick
Bostrom. He believes there’s a significant chance
our world is actually a computer simulation. In
his scenario, you and I are living in a version
of The Matrix. Our “brains” are merely webs
of computer circuits created by our post-human
descendants, who are studying “ancestor
simulations” of their past. I bring this to your
attention, Scorpio, because it’s an excellent time
for you to find out, one way or another, whether
Bostrom is correct. Right now you have a special
talent for knowing what’s real and what’s not.
You’ve also got a knack for escaping what’s
illusory and gravitating toward what’s authentic.
So even if you do find out that we’re living in The
Matrix, you could become a kind of messiah with
resemblances to the character that Keanu Reaves
played in the film trilogy.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In his book
Signs of Success, astrologer Steven Weiss says
“The question ‘Do you believe in astrology?’
is like asking someone if they believe in art.” I
agree. Picture a no-nonsense physicist gazing at
a Kandinsky painting, with its teeming blobs of
mad color and exuberant shapes, and declaring it
to be a superstitious eruption of delusion that’s
not based on a logical understanding of the world.
Like Kandinsky’s perspective, astrology at its
best roots us in the poetic language of the soul,
and isn’t blindly submissive to the values of the
rational ego. It’s here to liberate our imaginations
and encourage us to think less literally and to
visualize our lives as mythic quests. I bring this
to your attention, Sagittarius, because right now
it’s crucial that you spend some quality time in
modes of awareness akin to Kandinsky’s and
astrology’s.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Check out
this excerpt from “Those Who Do Not Dance,”
by Chilean poet Gabriel Mistral: “God asked
from on high, / ‘How do I come down from this
blueness?’ / We told Him: /come dance with us in
the light.” I love this passage because it reminds
me that nothing is ever set in stone: Everything is
always up for grabs. Even God needs to be open
to change and eager for fresh truths. Furthermore,
even we puny humans may on occasion need to be
God’s teacher and helper. Likewise, we can never
be sure about what lowly or unexpected sources
may bring us the influences we require. What do
Mistral’s words mean to you, Capricorn? Imagine
you’re the “God” referenced in the poem. What
blueness are you ready to come down from, and
who might invite you to dance in their light?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): All of the good
works you do in the coming weeks will send
ripples far and wide, but not all of them will be
recognized and appreciated. I hope that’s OK
with you; I hope you won’t get obsessed with
trying to get all the credit you deserve. The fact
is, your influences will be more effective and
enduring if they are at least partially anonymous.
Ironically, your power will be greater if it’s not
fully noticed.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Describing his
writing class at Sarah Lawrence College, Jeffrey
McDaniel says: “There are two kinds of humor:
ha-ha humor that is light and airy and floats into
the sky like a balloon, vanishing as the giggling
subsides; and then there is a darker, heavier
humor that is still there when the laughter stops,
a humor that must be reckoned with, a humor
with teeth.” I suggest, Pisces, that you make
the latter your specialty, your passion, and your
medicine. Consort with belly laughs and sublime
guffaws that rouse the ferocity you need in order
to penetrate deeper into the heart of the Great
Mystery.
Homework: Name two ways you think that
everyone should be more like you. Go to
FreeWillAstrology.com and click on “Email
Rob.”
#111308120308
Toward a More Perfect Union
by Sarah Gorman
L
ove is wonderful, isn’t it?—having
someone there to share the happy
(and sad) parts of your life with you.
It’s nice to feel supported, be understood
and appreciated. It’s nice to have someone
who doesn’t think you’re crazy (who likes it
even) when you talk to the inanimate objects
in the house, or have extended conversations
with the cat. It’s nice to come home and feel
safe and warm and happy and not alone.
Love is really very nice.
It’s not all cupcakes and bubbles though.
In this country, when you decide you want
to spend your life with the person you love
it is the norm to formally declare that love
to the world, to your god (if you have one)
and to the government by getting married.
Marriage began as a religious institution.
Nowadays, though, it is first and foremost a
civil institution. I do not devalue marriage as
a religious institution when I say ‘first and
foremost’. What I mean is that marriage has
evolved since the day when Friar Lawrence
could marry Romeo and Juliet at the drop of
a hat. Today, R&J would be required by law
to obtain a marriage license from the state
prior to having the ceremony. The point is,
to solemnize a marriage, you must first go to
the government.
lend a prescriptive ear to the word would be
to deny the fact that nowadays, to formally
declare your love for your other, getting a
pass from the government is primary. Lending
this prescriptive ear gives more importance
to the origins of the idea, that is, marriage as
a religious institution. Most religions define
marriage as a union between a man and a
woman. This prescriptive view of marriage
brings to light that as it stands today in most
states, the people that should be allowed to
formally declare their love for one another
should be a man and a woman. Where did
this come from? Religion. Anyone who has
made it through sixth grade knows that our
Constitution relies on a distinct separation of
church and state. This is not right.
I’ve mentioned this evolution in the nature
of the institution of marriage because I think
it is an important point to bring up. I’ll return
to it shortly.
I don’t mean to get feisty here because this
is a subject that fighting words won’t fix (or
maybe because I’m not the kind of person
who can fix things with fighting words). It
involves understanding and acceptance. All
judgments should be put aside (to quote
Barack, go to the Sermon on the Mount). By
institutionally denying same sex marriage,
we deny those couples the right to formally
exist as a unit and we deny any acceptance
of their love for one another as valid under
the eyes of the law and in the eyes of the
country. Also, in denying them marriage
we are denying a whole slew of rights that
are granted to couples who have been so
fortunate to have the government stamp their
approval on their choices of partner.
I took a class in Linguistics and I learned
about descriptive grammar and prescriptive
grammar. Descriptive grammar describes
the language as it is spoken, as it is alive.
Descriptive grammar includes all of
the beautiful little inlets and eddies of a
language, its regional dialects. Prescriptive
grammar enumerates how one should speak
or write. It is the sterile stuff of editors and
English teachers. It’s useful and has an
influence on the descriptive but it leaves out
the life and reality of the language.
What my point is is that besides love,
acceptance is important. It’s nice to feel like
you belong to the country you live in, to feel
like you have a stake in it and are a valued
part of the community. It is crucial that as
a country we accept the formal declaration
of love that marriage is to include same
sex couples. Not only are they entitled to
that slew of rights that comes along with
marriage status, they should be granted
the same formal validation of their love by
society.
I’m talking about marriage and linguistics
here because I think we can draw a point
relevant to an argument for same sex
marriage from it. Descriptively speaking,
marriage has evolved into most importantly
(and again I say this as a practical matter, not
as a qualitative matter) a civil institution. To
I like that if I choose, someday Uncle Sam
will smile down on my existence in the
world as a spouse with shining approval and
express recognition of my love. Not letting
gay people into the club is like not letting a
black woman sit in the front of the bus. It’s
wrong.
The Alpha Stage Presents “BUG”
T
he Alpha Stage is proud to present
“BUG” November 14, 15, 20, 21, and
22 at 8:00 pm at Renaissance Theatre.
Directed by Wayne Miller and Mandy Hughes,
this close-up of life in the lower depths of
society gives us a glimpse of sleaze, violence,
and a little romance…with a comedic, thrilling
edge.
Agnes White (Jacqueline Mason), an equal
opportunity substance abuser and graduate of
the school of hard knocks, living in a seedy
motel room, finds a protector and lover in
a young stranger Peter (Adam Howard).
Her abusive ex-husband Jerry Goss (Mel
White) returns from a lengthy prison stay
to add tension and paranoia to her already
dysfunctional life. Throw a lesbian named R.C.
(Tanja Miller) and a couple thousand bedbugs
into the mix and you have nothing less than an
intimate, character-driven study of the human
condition.
Peter’s obsession with the possible infestation
of the motel adds a comedic sci-fi twist to
the tale, combining the darkness of racism,
violence, and war with the irony of paranoia.
As his relationship with Agnes develops, we
see his transformation from protector to victim,
as his descent into madness becomes clear to
the audience.
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
We watch Agnes deal with Peter’s personality
as she battles much more than the pests taking
hold of her squalid home. There is a sweet
connection between the two as they take on
the roaches armed with sprays, plastic, and
each other.
Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts is one of
America’s most exciting playwrights. His
smash hit, August: Osage County, took
Broadway by storm, winning the 2008 Pulitzer
Prize, five Tony awards including Best Play,
and numerous other awards. He was named a
finalist for the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Drama
and was named as one of Time Magazine’s”Best
of 2003.”
The New York Times described BUG as “a
tsunami of lunatic paranoia-”BUG” is packed
with lots of fun and lots of surprises and
guaranteed to be madly entertaining”.
Don’t miss the Huntsville premiere of “BUG”
on the Alpha Stage at Renaissance Theatre,
1214 Meridian Street. Tickets are $12,
although there will be a “Pay What You Can”
performance November 13. Call 256-536-3117
or visit www.renaissancetheatre.net for more
information!
THE VALLEY PLANET
Two Days in St. Augustine
Part 1: Travel Like a Local
L
by Jennifer Roberts
ooking for a place to vacation, even
in the cooler months? Think St.
Augustine, Florida, a year-round
hot spot of old world charm, colourful art
galleries, fabulous shopping, white beaches,
museums and fine dining.
Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest
city in America. You won’t find a U.S. city
that knows how to blend quaint and casual
any better.
My trip began with a warm welcome at the
Carriage Way Bed & Breakfast, located at the
corner of Cuna and Cordova in the historic
district.
My hosts escorted me to the gorgeous Pacetti
room, where a comfy king-sized bed awaited
me. In the Victorian bathroom was a claw
foot tub lined with a lace shower curtain.
I came home that night and ran a hot bubble
bath in the claw foot tub. Then I made my
way to the verandah, where I determined I
needed a cigar.
Throughout the house were hot coffee,
sherry, daily homemade cookies, and an
open refrigerator filled with complimentary
wines and an assortment of non-alcoholic
beverages.
I’d read good reviews online about Stogies
Jazz Club & Listening Room, and it was
within walking distance from the Carriage
Way.
After a hot shower, I made some phone calls
and mapped out my plans for the evening.
My hosts were very helpful in making sure
I had maps and plenty of directories for local
attractions and restaurants. They offered me
what they offer all their guests—nothing
short of the V.I.P. treatment.
As I passed by the front door, I saw the
dining area where I would have some of
My favourite course, however, was Basque
fries with sea salt and rosemary, covered in
anchovies, and accompanied with a romesco
sauce for dipping.
A fan of fried calamari, Raymond suggested
that since I’d already chosen a fried dish, I
go sautéed instead. So my third and final
course was sautéed calamari in white wine
with garlic, peppers and Spanish olives.
While I enjoyed my dinner, I listened to
musician Ajamu Mutima sing and play a
Kona guitar. I wanted to remember the
soothing music that enhanced my dining
experience, so I picked up a copy of his CD
entitled “Returning.”
The Tasting Room is part of the St. Augustine
Independent
Restaurant
Association
(SAiRA) and is highly recommended
whether you’re a local or a tourist.
For more about SAiRA restaurants you’ll
want to visit on your trip, check out www.st
augustinerestaurants.com.
Jumping to the second day…I had a huge list
of attractions I could visit, but the beach was
on my mind. And what better attraction?
the best breakfasts of my life: crème brûlée
French toast, fresh strawberries, gourmet
breakfast casseroles, eggs over easy cooked
to perfection and fresh Florida orange juice.
For dinner, my hosts suggested the Tasting
Room at 25 Cuna Street. This turned out to
be one of the highlights of my trip.
It began with a friendly greeting in a romantic
room with roses and candlelit tables. I was
seated at the “Scarface couch”—a plush,
crushed black velvet couch that could easily
accommodate three or four. And yet it was all
mine to sink into as I slowly dined from their
tapas-style menu.
Each course was brought to me by Raymond
and Z�, two of the most gentlemanly and
accommodating servers I’ve ever met.
They are renowned for their tapas, as well as
their wine selection. Since I’m not a drinker,
Raymond suggested a sparkling water
followed by pomegranate green tea.
A tourist and former beach resident, I’ve
found beaches are something tourists love
and a local is likely to take for granted. But
a beach should never be taken for granted,
and the same goes for the wild beauty I
found in St. Augustine.
I popped inside to find a very friendly
bartender named Jamie, ready to hook me
up with some coffee. Inside the humidor
I found a cherry-flavoured cigar. When I
returned, my coffee was waiting for me with
a brandy snifter full of cream.
Jamie lit me up, and I found a plush seat to
relax in while I listened to the evening’s live
entertainment. That was until some of the
locals found me and talked me into moving
up to the bar and being more of a social
creature.
I couldn’t be happier that I did. I had the
pleasure of spending what naturally turned
into four hours with some fascinating and
intellectual characters. Stogies was perhaps
the height of my locals’ experience. I got
the scoop on lots of local happenings as
well as the history behind certain people and
landmarks.
One of the must-visit landmarks that came
up in conversation is a SAiRA joint called
Gypsy Cab Company.
you feel right at home.
Gypsy Cab Company has a tasty and
diverse menu, and everyone seems to have
a favourite. I was about to get on the road,
so I went light with a generous portion of
Greek salad. Drop in at 828 Anastasia
Boulevard and see for yourself why this St.
Augustine gem has already carved a place in
St. Augustine’s history.
I would like to thank Jay Humphreys of
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & the Beaches
Visitors & Convention Bureau (VCB) for
making this spectacular trip happen. And
I appreciate Larry and John of Carriage
Way Bed & Breakfast for the welcoming,
regal treatment and for helping me find my
way around one of our country’s most alive
cities.
Interested in learning more about St.
Augustine before you visit? Check out the
VCB online at www.Getaway4Florida.com,
or call (800) 418-7529. To see pictures
of the Carriage Way, inside and out, visit
www.carriageway.com.
In Part II: the Ghost Tours of St. Augustine,
getting a thrill climbing the St. Augustine
Lighthouse, Jennifer’s must-visit shops,
where to stop in for coffee, the seafood to
try at Barnacle Bill’s, attractions I didn’t get
around to, notes on a dog and cat-friendly
city, and an in-depth look at the best art
gallery in town.
Established in 1983, this is no ordinary
restaurant. There’s a lot of fascinating history
behind its opening, the food is excellent, and
there’s a casual diner ambience that makes
I stumbled upon a place called Anastasia
State Park. It was a particularly windy
Thursday, and the lady at the park gate
had warned me I’d get “sandblasted”
should I attempt to get a tan. Sounds like a
challenge, I thought.
I climbed the ramp over the dunes and
immediately fell in love with the untamed
waves that thrashed into shore, making
themselves a travel photographer’s dream.
Had it not been for the warning to avoid
swimming that particular day, I wouldn’t
have flinched at jumping in. The water,
even in late October, was still good for
swimming and surfing.
And then came my first course—a baby beet
salad with mandarin oranges, arugula and
fresh goat cheese.
But I opted to chill out with some beachcombing seagulls and sand pipers and try
for that tan. In the end, I was tan and only
lightly frosted with sand. (People pay good
money for the gentle facial exfoliation and
afterglow that I got for free.)
THE VALLEY PLANET
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
15
’s
O
H
C
R
A
N
A
DR
Rx for Old Stuff That Don’t Suck
B
opping along with my iPod I marvel at the music we were spoiled with in the sixties,
seventies, and some cases, the eighties. It was a time of unparalleled creativity in
rock history, a zenith never to be reached again.
Sure, the occasional group will surprise us with something good, but they are few and far
between. I actually feel sorry for the kids of today and what’s being foisted off on them
and called music. Today’s’ music is tailor made to be watched, not listened to. Don’t make
a damn how good you can sing or play - if you ain’t pretty you ain’t going nowhere.
It gives me hope when I read of the growing number of teens breaking away from their
tin-eared peers and harkening back to the rock of old. That’s the only place you’re going
to find any Zeppelin. No group has ever produced a body of work so consistently good
and innovative as that of Led Zeppelin. They grew from one album to the next, sometimes
in leaps and bounds, often in new directions and always with a killer track on cut one, side
one.
“What if” is a pointless game, but sometimes I cannot resist the temptation to play it when
it comes to music.
What if John Bonham hadn’t drank himself into oblivion and choked to death on his own
vomit? Someone left him on his back. If you get nothing else out of this, remember to
never leave a drunk passed out on their back. Roll’m over.
Had Bonham lived, there’s no telling where they’d have taken us. Plant and Page did their
solo things, and some of it was excellent - particularly Plant’s. I’m sure some of that would
have emerged in some form or the other within the band.
What if Stevie Ray Vaughn hadn’t been on that ill-fated helicopter the night of the crash?
The chopper went down, but SRV was still gaining altitude musically with solid fuel
boosters. He was entering the peak of his career, straight and sober for the first time in
years, and playing better than ever. What music would he have gifted us with had he
lived? How many more albums would he have made and what directions might they have
taken?
Thanks in a large part to SRV, the world of blues and blues rock remains the creative
bright spot in an atonal world polluted by booming bass bulls***.
While SRV may have kicked the drugs and alcohol, they extracted a terrible toll on the
music world for a fact: Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and others.
Arguably, Jimi Hendrix changed the face of rock faster than anyone ever before. What if
he hadn’t OD’d? I cannot envision him on the old man’s tour, playing as a once was used
to be. There’s no way he could have bridled that talent. It would have outed in new forms
and ways that I can’t even imagine.
Some think the Beatles might have gotten back together had John Lennon not have
caught that bullet outside his NYC Dakota apartment. I doubt it. I think Lennon and
McCartney would have made peace but I cannot see them working together again to any
good effect. Lennon and McCartney were headed in different directions at warp speed
and the Beatles had pretty much shot their wad by the time they got Yoko’d.
Asked what the Beatles might have morphed into, what kinds of songs they’d have
written had they stayed together, Lennon reportedly said, (sic) “Look at the songs
produced in our solo efforts and you’ll find the Beatles songs that might have been.”
Somewhere out there, there’s a young guitar player, or drummer, or just someone who
loves good music and wants more, more, more. I can think of a number of guitarists worth
stealing licks from, drummers, too, but few of today’s acts have what “they” had back then.
The glaring exception to that old fartish statement is Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule.
Anything, everything they produce is better, and different and expanding musically.
Dr. Anarcho’s Rx for Old Stuff That Don’t Suck is: Whatever you can get your sticky little paws
on by Gov’t Mule.
They are the keepers of the flame, the musical bridge from past to present and future.
The Valley’s Most Complete
MUSICCALENDAR
Thursday
November13
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Marge Loveday
Boomers, Karaoke
Boondock’s (Guntersville), Karaoke
Cafe 113 (Decatur), Tim Tucker
Club Ozz, Karaoke w/ DJ Sweet T
Crossroads (See ad pg. 17),
Guns N’ Roses Tribute Act and Appetite for Destruction
El Dorado Mex Grill, Raul Mejia
Finnegan’s Pub, Slip Jig
Geno’s Pub (Decatur), Karaoke
Glass’s Cocktails and Grill (Decatur), Chad Reeves
Halftime Bar and Grill,
Tune Doctors Karaoke w/Brian Holder
Hopper’s, DJ Justin (8-12)
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Absylom Rising
Jazz Factory, Jim Cavendar
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, Dave Anderson
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Crush
Mac’s Sportsbar and Steakhouse, Honky Tonk Dream
Maria Bonita Grill and Cantina (Decatur),
Karaoke with JD Pollard
Olivia’s Sports Bar and Grill, Karaoke
Partner’s, Karaoke
Philby’s Pourhouse, Ant and Andrew
Sandy’s Roadhouse (Guntersville), Karaoke
Sportspage, 5ive O’Clock Charlie
The Brick (Decatur), C.O. Jones
The Docks (Scottsboro), Trey
The Nook, Microwave Dave (6-9)
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill,
Ladies Night w/Ben Trussell
Friday
November14
11th Frame Bar, Karaoke
801 Franklin (See ad pg. 31), Marge Loveday (7pm)
Bandito Burrito (South Pkwy), Silver Streak (7pm)
Black Water Hattie’s, Bob Walters Banned
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Scratch Band
Boomers, Karaoke
Club Ozz, R&B Dance Beats w/DJ Sweet T
Coffeetree Books & Brew (See ad pg. 16),
Holly Helms and Frank Cole
Coppertop (See ad pg. 18), Local Orbit
Crossroads (See ad pg. 17), Discoasis
El Herradura, Edgar
Finnegan’s Pub, Sing Along with Nancy
Furniture Factory, Quintin and Ben
Glass’s Cocktails and Grill (Decatur), Black Randal
Hard Dock Café (Decatur), Juice
Hog Wild, Bonified
Hopper’s, Peter and the Wolf (8:30)
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Toy Shop
Indigo Joe’s, Karaoke
Jazz Factory, Shametown and The Swing Shift
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, Live Music
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Full Circle
Mac’s Sportsbar and Steakhouse, Phillips and Taylor
Maria Bonita Grill and Cantina (Decatur), Jukebox Jim
Moody Monday’s, Karaoke
Olivia’s Sports Bar and Grill, Voodoo Dogz
Partner’s, Spikey Dikey, Teddy D & Vida V
Philby’s Pourhouse, Jon Laird and Company
Port of Madison (Holiday Inn),
Roberta and Hot Mixx 7-11
Simp McGhee’s (Decatur) (See ad pg.27),
Bishop Black (10pm-1am)
Sportspage, Wetherly
The Brick (Decatur), Ahead of the Wake
The Docks (Scottsboro), Jon and Dan
The Nook, Gentle Ben and his Trained Guitar 6-10
The Station, Blackeyed Susan
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, Gaylord
Saturday
November15
801 Franklin (See ad pg. 31), Pete and Lisa (7pm)
Belvidere Market, Live Music/Open Mic
Black Water Hattie’s, Cliff Darby
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Relayer
Boomers, Karaoke
Boondock’s (Guntersville), John Stone
Casa Montego, The Big Domino Tournament & Dance
featuring The Casa Montego Allstars vs Memphis,
Nashville, & Little Rock (3:30pm)
Club Ozz, House Dance Beats w/DJ Khaki Phat
Open Mic Night at 7pm
Finnegan’s Pub, Dave Merriman
Geno’s Pub (Decatur), The Puppy Hunters
Glass’s Cocktails and Grill (Decatur), Live Music
Hard Dock Café (Decatur), StraightForward
Hog Wild, Bonified
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Microwave Dave and the Nukes
Jazz Factory, Open Delta and Charlie Lyle Quintet
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, Toy Shop
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), JD and the Badboys
Mac’s Sportsbar and Steakhouse, DJ Calvin
Maria Bonita Grill and Cantina (Decatur, Sister Luck
Philby’s Pourhouse, The Grenadines
Sammy T’s Music Hall, The 17th Floor
Sportspage, Proton Joe
The Brick (Decatur), Plato Jones
The Docks (Scottsboro), Jon and Dan
The Nook, Cool Bones of New Orleans (6-9)
The Station, Black Label
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, Travis Posey Trio
Sunday
November16
Black Water Hattie’s, Hot Rod Otis
Boomers, Karaoke
Casa Montego,
Live Jazz featuring Devere Pride Trio and Friends (7-10:30)
Club Ozz, Karaoke w/ Miss Sweet T
Flying Monkey Arts Center,
The Counterclock Wise (8pm, $5)
Hopper’s,
Edgar (Brunch, 11-2)/Karaoke with Lee Kearns (8-12)
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, Sunday Blues Jam hosted by
Freddy Earl and the Blues Mercenaries
Sportspage, Dylan LeBlanc
Karaoke w/DJ Brandon Mac
Monday
November17
Boomers, Karaoke
Glass’s Cocktails and Grill (Decatur), Karaoke
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Chad Reeves
Kaffeeklatsch @Night,
Acoustic Open Mic hosted by Greg Rowell
Mac’s Sportsbar and Steakhouse,
Monday Night Open Mic
Sportspage, David Anderson
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, Rolling Jazz Revue
Tuesday
November18
Bandito Burrito (South Pkwy),
Open Mic with Scott Morgan (7-10)
Boomers, Karaoke
Coppertop (See ad pg. 18), HDK Karaoke with Howie
Glass’s Cocktails and Grill (Decatur), MayDay
Hopper’s, Karaoke with Lee Kearns (8-12)
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Reese
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, Marge Loveday
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17),
Rudy Mockabee Band with Anita Palmer
Mac’s Sportsbar and Steakhouse, Karaoke
Philby’s Pourhouse, Chad Reeves
Sandy’s Roadhouse (Guntersville), Karaoke Contest
Sportspage, Rick Carter
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, Dave Anderson
Wednesday
November19
3rd Base Grill, David Anderson 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Jerry Fordham
Boomers, Karaoke
Cazadore’s, Open Mic Hosted by Scott Morgan
Songwriter’s Jam 7pm
Furniture Factory, Chuck and Christina
Hopper’s, Dave Anderson (5-8)/Lil’ Ed (8-12)
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Scott Holt Band
Jazz Factory, Don & Kim
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Live Music
Ladies Night w/DJ Doc Roc
Sportspage, Rick Carter
The Brick (Decatur), Microwave Dave
The Station, Bone Dry
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, James Irvin
Thursday
November20
Bandito Burrito (South Pkwy), Dave Anderson
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Triple X
Boomers, Karaoke
Crossroads (See ad pg. 17), Eyes Around
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Absylom Rising
Jazz Factory, The CrackerJacks
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, Dave Anderson
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Nobody’s Fault
Philby’s Pourhouse, Rob Aldridge
The Brick (Decatur), Ben Walker
The Nook, Larry Woelhart (6-9)
ContinuedonPage18
16
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
THE VALLEY PLANET
THE VALLEY PLANET
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
17
MUSIC
ContinuedfromPage17
Friday
November21
801 Franklin (See ad pg. 31),
Christina Lynn and Chuck (7pm)
The Breakers (Formerly known as The Crawlers) (9pm)
Black Water Hattie’s, Live Music
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Live Music
Boomers, Karaoke
Matt Prater 7pm
Coppertop (See ad pg. 18), Turner Family Band
Crossroads (See ad pg. 17), Snazz
El Herradura, Edgar
Furniture Factory, The Scratch Band
Hard Dock Café (Decatur), Full Circle
Hog Wild, Dixie Road
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Pla’ Station
Jazz Factory, Trio El Camino and The Swing Shift
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, Toy Shop
Mac’s Sportsbar and Steakhouse, Lefthand Luckies
Maria Bonita Grill and Cantina (Decatur), Refuse to Fall
Olivia’s Sports Bar and Grill,
2nd Hand Lincoln
Partner’s, Marge Loveday
Philby’s Pourhouse, Ben Trussell Trio
Tim Tucker (10pm-1am)
Sportspage (See ad pg. ), Kozmic Mama
The Brick (Decatur), Black Label
The Docks (Scottsboro), David Perez
The Station, Naked Eskimos
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, The Liberty Caps
Saturday
November22
801 Franklin (See ad pg. 31), Kim and Donnie (7pm)
Belvidere Market, Live Music/Open Mic 9p.m.-midnight
Black Water Hattie’s, Pla’ Station
Boomers, Karaoke
Boondock’s (Guntersville), Travis Posey Band
Crossroads (See ad pg. 17), Tom Cremeens Benefit Show
Hard Dock Café (Decatur), Chad Bradford
Hog Wild, Dixie Road
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Dova Groove
Jazz Factory, Devere Pride Trio and Charlie Lyle Quartet
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, The CrackerJacks
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Kickstand
Maria Bonita Grill and Cantina (Decatur), Live Music
Partner’s, Toy Shop
Philby’s Pourhouse, Live Music
Sammy T’s Music Hall, World Famous Chippendales
Sportspage, Voodoo Dogs
The Brick (Decatur), Barry Walcrep Band
The Docks (Scottsboro), Ben Trussell
The Nook, Cool Bones of New Orleans (6-9)
The Station, Full Circle
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, Bob Walters Banned
Sunday
November23
Boomers, Karaoke
Casa Montego,
Flying Monkey Arts Center, Miss Tess and the Bon Ton
Parade, Helen Keller’s Ukulele (8pm, $6)
Hopper’s,
Sportspage, Live Music
Monday
November24
Boomers, Karaoke
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Lacey Atchison
Sportspage, Dave Anderson
Tuesday
November25
Boomers, Karaoke
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Backwater
Sportspage, Jonathan Carter
Wednesday
November26
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Lil Wing
Boomers, Karaoke
Furniture Factory, Jerry Fordham
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Crush
Jazz Factory, Microwave Dave
Mac’s Sportsbar and Steakhouse, Richie Dedmer
Partner’s , Karaoke
Philby’s Pourhouse,
Pre-Turkey Day Party with Liquid Caravan
Sportspage, Fatso
The Brick (Decatur),
Pre-Thanksgiving Party with Bishop Black
The Station, Big Daddy Kingfish
Thursday
November27
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Brunch
Boomers, Karaoke
Crossroads (See ad pg. 17), Boombox
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Marge Loveday
Kaffeeklatsch @Night, Microwave Dave and the Nukes
Partner’s, Dave Anderson
Philby’s Pourhouse, Toy Shop
Sportspage, 5 O’Clock Charlie
Friday
November28
801 Franklin (See ad pg. 31), Kim and Donnie (7pm)
The Breakers (Formerly known as The Crawlers) (9pm)
Black Water Hattie’s, Live Wire Unplugged
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), One Hour Drive
Boomers, Karaoke
Boondock’s (Guntersville), Mason Reid Band
Crossroads (See ad pg. 17), 5ive O’Clock Charlie
El Herradura, Edgar
Furniture Factory, South Street
Hard Dock Café (Decatur), Triple X
Hog Wild, Live Music
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Juke Joint Duo featuring Cedric
Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcom
Jazz Factory, The Crackerjacks and The Swing Shift
Bad Omen and Eyes Around
To What Extent
Olivia’s Sports Bar and Grill, Bonafied
Partner’s , Threnody
Philby’s Pourhouse, Seducing Alice
Mike Roberts and Chad Reeves (10pm-1am)
Sportspage , Liquid Caravan
The Brick (Decatur), Rollin’ in the Hay
The Docks (Scottsboro), Ben Trussell
ContinuedonPage19
18
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
THE VALLEY PLANET
MUSIC
ContinuedfromPage18
The Station, Crush
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, Live Music
Saturday
November29
801 Franklin (See ad pg. 31), Devere Pride (7pm)
Boomers, Karaoke
Boondock’s (Guntersville), Live Music
Hard Dock Café (Decatur), Hot Rod Otis
Hog Wild, Live Music
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Black-eyed Susan
Jazz Factory, Dara Tucker and Charlie Lyle Quintet
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Full Circle or Hot Mixx
Maria Bonita Grill and Cantina (Decatur), Live Music
Partner’s, The Reddletters
Philby’s Pourhouse, Milestone
Sammy T’s Music Hall, Zoso
Sportspage, Ahead of the Wake
The Brick (Decatur),
Frankie Velvet and the Mighty Velvetones
The Docks (Scottsboro), Live Music
The Station, Kozmic Mama
Voodoo Lounge Bar and Grill, Voodoo Fest (Lace Almon)
Smith Band, James Irvin, and more)
Sunday
November30
Boomers, Karaoke
Casa Montego,
Hopper’s,
Sportspage, Cliff Darby
Monday
December1
Boomers, Karaoke
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Lacey Atchinson
Sportspage, David Anderson
Tuesday
December2
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Open Mic Night
Boomers, Karaoke
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Ant and Andrew
Sportspage, Mitch Mann
Wednesday
December3
Blue Parrot (Guntersville), Bike Night with Lil’ Wing
Boomers, Karaoke
Crossroads (See ad pg. 17), Rehab
Furniture Factory, Pete and Lisa
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Microwave Dave
Jazz Factory, Rob Aldridge
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Big Daddy Kingfish
Ladies Night w/DJ Doc Roc
Partner’s, Karaoke Contest
Sportspage, Pla’ Station
The Brick (Decatur), Tim Tucker
THE VALLEY PLANET
Thursday
December4
Black Water Hattie’s, Eaton Beavers
Boomers, Karaoke
Flying Monkey Arts Center, Mambo Gris Gris (8pm, $5)
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Kozmic Mama
Jazz Factory, “Frank Sinatra”
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Kickstand
Partner’s ,
Deck the Halls Decoration Party w/Karaoke
Philby’s Pourhouse, Ron Aldridge
Sammy T’s Music Hall, Salvia with Special Guest
The Brick (Decatur), Ben Walker
The Nook, Microwave Dave (6-9)
Friday
December5
801 Franklin (See ad pg. 31), Cliff Darby (7pm)
Boomers, Karaoke
Coffeetree Books & Brew (See ad pg. 16), Live Music
Coppertop (See ad pg. 18), 2nd Hand Lincoln
El Herradura, Edgar
Hard Dock Café (Decatur), Full Circle
Hog Wild, Backwater
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, Mambo Gris Gris
Jazz Factory, Ganz & the Geezers and The Swing Shift
Mac’s Sportsbar and Steakhouse, Live Music
Maria Bonita Grill and Cantina (Decatur), DJ J Dawg
Olivia’s Sports Bar and Grill, Howler
Partner’s , Kristy Lee
Simp McGhee’s (Decatur) (See ad pg.27), Live Music
Sportspage, Ten Foot Tall and 80 Proof
The Brick (Decatur), Highly Kind
Saturday
December6
801 Franklin (See ad pg. 31), Pete and Lisa (7pm)
Bob Walters Banned (8pm)
Boomers, Karaoke
Boondock’s (Guntersville), Phuket
Hard Dock Café (Decatur), The Booty Shakers
Hog Wild, Backwater
Humphrey’s Bar & Grill, 5ive O’Clock Charlie
Jazz Factory, Jerry McAllister and Charlie Lyle Quintet
Lee Ann’s (See ad pg. 17), Big Daddy Kingfish
Southern Hauler
Partner’s (See ad pg. ), Live Music
Sammy T’s Music Hall, Livin with Jack
Sportspage, Griffin
The Brick (Decatur), Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof
Sunday
December7
Boomers, Karaoke
Casa Montego,
Flying Monkey Arts Center, Rolling Jazz Revue (7pm, $5)
Sportspage, Live Music
TheEnd!
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
19
Listings
Pubs&Taverns
&Clubs&Bars
11th FRAME BAR
8661 Hwy 27, Madison, 256-722-0015
801 FRANKLIN
801 Franklin Street, Huntsville, 256-519-8019.
LEEANN’S
415 Church St, Huntsville, 256-489-9300
I arrived. The bar around the open kitchen
and tables were full as customers eagerly
waited for the evening to begin. The feeling
was warm and comforting and the sounds
of blues in the background reminded me of
my home before Huntsville, Memphis. The
mood was set.
I was taken to my table and within moments
I heard…clank clank clank. The host said
“May I have your attention please?”…The
evening had begun…This would be the first
beer pairing dinner in Huntsville….Bistro La
Ville and Olde Towne Brewery (OT)…what
a team and what prospects it brings for the
rest of my night. On my table was the inviting
menu…five courses of delicious food served
with my favorite beer, Olde Towne.
Don Allen, the owner and Brewmaster of
Olde Towne described each style of beer
we tasted before every course. Like wine,
different styles of beers heighten your palate
which can enhance your meal and whole
dining experience.
The first course without doubt was my
favorite. I love the OT Pumpkin Ale, and it
was up for the first food pairing. This was
the first Pumpkin Ale brewed since the fire
and now, to be able to enjoy my Pumpkin in
a new venue…even better. It was brilliant.
The OT seasonal Pumpkin Ale was paired
with a cinnamon pumpkin soup with a grilled
cornbread cake. The spices complimented
each other and what a delight as my spoon
made contact with the pumpkin soup soaked
cornbread. It was comfort food at its absolute
best. Better than pumpkin pie.
BENCHWARMER, TOO!
3000 University Drive, Huntsville, 256-489-9600.
The final course would be OT Hefeweizen
served with roasted plantain cheesecake
with toasted pecans, vanilla cream anglaise
and Chantilly cream. The OT Hefeweizen
is a German style unfiltered wheat beer and
the cloves, citrus and banana flavors of the
beer were heighten by the sweetness of the
cheesecake and nutty pecans of this dish. It
was the birthday girl’s favorite.
I heard a…clank clank clank again as the
host of Bistro La Ville gained our attention
to thank his guests for coming. The evening
was wonderfully pleasurable where many
flavors were explored, experienced and
thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks to Bistro
La Ville and Olde Towne for a fantastic,
mouthwatering evening.
BLUE PARROT MARTINI & CIGAR LOUNGE
7001 Val-Monte Drive, Guntersville, 256-582-0930.
BOGEY’S
412 Main St. Guntersville, 256-582-2860
BOOMERS
125 Albert Mann Rd., New Hope, 256-723-3029
BOONDOCKS
Hwy 69, Guntersville, 256-582-3935
BUFFALOS CAFE
8020 Madison Blvd., Huntsville, 256-772-4477
CACTUS JACKS
1117 Jordan Ln, Huntsville, 256-721-6384
CAHOOTS
114 WestMarket Street, Fayetteville, 931 433-1173
CASA MONTEGO
Jonathan Dr, Huntsville, 256-858-9187 or 714-0155
CD’S PUB AND GRILL
107 Arlington Dr, Madison, 256-773-4477
MOONDOGS
2002 13th St. SW, Huntsville, 256-534-8844
NETWORKS LOUNGE
2140 Gunter Ave., Guntersville
THE NOOK
3305 Bob Wallace Ave. 256-489-0911
OLIVIA’S
1009 Henderson Rd, Huntsville, 256-837-4728
OTTER’S
5 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, 256-830-2222.
PARTNERS
627 Meridian St. , Huntsville, 256-539-0975
PHILBY’S POURHOUSE
111 Jefferson Street, Huntsville, 256-512-5858.
PORT OF MADISON
9035 Hwy 20 W, Madison, 256-772-7170
ROSEBERRY PUB & GRILL
Hwy 67 Scottsboro, 256-574-4231
RUGGBY’S
RUSS T’S
Hwy 79, Scottsboro, 256-259-0641
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL
116 Washington Street, 256-539-9974.
CHARLOTTE’S PLACE
1117 Jordan Ln. wHuntsville, AL 35816
CHIPS & SALSA CANTINA
10300 Bailey Cove Rd SE Huntsville, 256-880-1202.
CLUB MIRAGE
4701 Meridian Street, Huntsville, 256-851-2920.
COPPER TOP BAR & GRILL
200 Q Oakwood Ave., Huntsville, 256-536-1150
CRICKETS
3810 Sullivan St., Madison, 256-464-3777
CROSSROADS, THE
115 Clinton Ave, Huntsville, 256-533-3393.
EMBER CLUB
10131 Memorial Parkway, Huntsville, 256-881-0057
END ZONE, THE
ESQUIRE CLUB
3701 Governors Dr., Huntsville, 256-534-7303
FINNEGAN’S PUB
3310 Memorial Pkwy S, Huntsville, 256-881-9732
FOCUS BAR & GRILL
2020 Country Club Ave., Huntsville, 256-534-4441
FURNITURE FACTORY BAR & GRILL
619 Meridian Street N, Huntsville, 256-539-8001.
GENO’S PUB
1015 6th Ave. SE, Decatur, 256-355-9998
SANDY’S ROADHOUSE
12740 Hwy. 431 S, Guntersville, 256-571-0450.
SCOOTER’S
Willow St, Scottsboro, 256-575-0800
THE SHACK
105 Swancott Road, Triana 256-461-0227.
SPORTS PAGE LOUNGE & DELI
9009 Memorial Pkwy S, Huntsville, 256-880-9471.
SPORTS ZONE
3429 Hwy 31, Decatur, 256-350-9702
STEM AND STEIN WINE CELLAR AND BAR
1087 County Line Rd. STE. B, Madison, 256-325-3779
THE CREEK
2704 Johnson Rd SW, Huntsville, 256-489-4379
THE STATION
8694 Madison Blvd., Madison, 256-325-1333.
STEVE’S BILLIARDS & LOUNGE
2322 Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville, 256-539-8919.
THE HORSE
2021 Golf Rd, Huntsville, 256-881-8820
THIRSTY TURTLE
4800 Whitesburg Dr, Huntsville, 256-881-5079
VINOTINI’S
7143 University Dr., Huntsvile, 256-722-2080
VISIONS
6404 University Dr. NW, Huntsville, 256-722-8247
THE GREEN ROOM
Jordan Lane, Huntsville,256-837-2232
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR AND GRILL
110 Southside Square, Huntsville 256-534-6116
HALF TIME BAR AND GRILL
8873 Highway 72 W, Madison, 256-430-0266
WINGS SPORTS GRILLE
4250 Balmoral Dr. SW, Huntsville, 256-881-8878.
ContinuedonPage31
RegionalConcerts
ATLANTA
November 18, Kings of Leon, Tabernacle
November 19, Broken Social Scene, Variety
Playhouse
November 21, Montgomery Gentry, Wild Bills
November 24, Madonna, Phillips Arena
November 29, Jason Mraz, Tabernacle
December 10, Neil Diamond, Arena at Gwinnett
Center
December 15, Vince Gill and Amy Grant, Fabulous
Fox Theatre
December 16, AC/DC, Phillips Arena
December 20, 3 Doors Down, Arena at Gwinnett
Center
December 31, Band of Horses, Variety Playhouse
BIRMINGHAM
The third course would be the OT Pale Ale.
It was an absolutely balanced pairing and
my most surprising course. The Pale Ale
is the highest hop beer created by OT. It
was my most surprising course as I am not
a particular high hop fan. The Pale Ale was
paired with grilled quail with soft polenta
and bacon-braised kale with a brandy and
course mustard cream sauce. The quail
and the spice from the cream sauce mix
in harmony with the hoppiness of the Pale
Ale. The balance between bitterness of the
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S
10000 S. Memorial Pkwy. 256-489-3333.
HARD DOCK CAFE
3755 U.S. Hwy. 31, Decatur, 256-340-9234
Next up…the OT Pilsner and a tossed tomato
and mozzarella salad with baby field greens
and a honey-balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
Both the beer and salad were light and
refreshing and prepared our pallets for what
was to come next.
20
MAC’S SPORTSBAR AND STEAKHOUSE
1733 S. Jefferson Street, Athens. 256-232-6161
MOODY MONDAYS
718 Church St, Huntsville, 256-533-4005
BENCHWARMER FOOD & SPIRITS
2998 University Drive, Huntsville 256-539-6268.
Number four…OT Amber Ale was served
with a sautéed salmon, bourbon sweet
potatoes, shoestring squash and zucchini
with sage brown butter. Again the pairing
was a pleasant mixture of flavor. The
robustness of the Amber Ale with its big,
rich flavor and pale malt base was mixed
with the distinctness of salmon that produced
equilibrium of the pallet.
LISA’S LOUNGE
2313 N. Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville, 256-534-9520
MASON’S PUB
115 Clinton Ave., Huntsville 256-704-5575
B.B. PERRINS SPORTS GRILLE
608 Holly St. NE, Decatur, 256-355-1045
I
INDIGO JOE’S
7407 Hwy 72 W, Madison, AL 256-489-9393
KICKERS
8716 Madison Blvd, Madison, 256-772-0701
THE BARN
2510 Ready Section Road, Toney
hops and the spice of the sauce was the best
example of an ingenious pairing by Chef
Clint. Next time I have a spicy dish…you’ll
see me with the Pale Ale.
HUMPHREY’S BAR & GRILL
109 Washington Square, Huntsville, 256-704-5555.
KAFFEEKLATSCH @NIGHT
ALLEN’S GRILLE & GROG
9076 Madison Blvd, Madison, 256-772-8514.
t was a warm October evening in
Huntsville as I made my way down
South Parkway. I was on my way for
an evening at Bistro La Ville (my mouth has
been watering all day in anticipation).
HOPPER’S
5903 University Drive, 256-830-0600
3rd BASE GRILL (2 locations)
1792 Hyw 72 E, Huntsville, 256-852-9191
7904 S. Memorial Parkway 256-882-9500
ADRIAN’S
1405 Sunset Drive, Guntersville, 256-582-3106
by Cherie Lamb
HOMEPORT
20076 N. Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville, 256-852-8800
JESTERS
373 Gunter Ave., Guntersville, 256-293-4307
2nd STREET MUSIC HALL
208 2nd Street, Gadsden 256-547-0010
Brew at the Bistro
HOG WILD SALOON
2407 Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville, 256-533-7446
November 15, The Black Crowes, Alabama
Theatre
December 20, Trans Siberian Orchestra, BJCC
Concert Hall
January 15, Celine Dion, BJCC Arena
HUNTSVILLE
December 6, TobyMac, Von Braun Arena
January 24, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra,
Von Braun Concert Hall
January 25, Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, Von
Braun Concert Hall
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
A
t the writing of this article, I don’t
know the results of the 2008
Election.
No matter who is President of the United
States, I will continue to make my list of
wishes, dreams, prayers and put them on
little scraps of paper in what I call my “God
Box.” My particular God Box is about 2 1/2
inches, square. Some days, I feel I need a
box as large as the universe. A friend gave
me this one; but anyone can make his or her
own. I decorated mine with trees, clouds,
and stick people (since stick people are
the only kind of people I can draw), but
decorations are strictly optional.
In my belief system, it doesn’t matter what
your idea of God is; just so long as you
believe in some power of love higher than
yourself, and you’re open to the possibility
of situations working out for the good. Just
putting a concern in the box helps me release
it, so I don’t have to fret over it anymore.
Doing something symbolic really does
have an effect on what goes on in my spirit,
and frees me up to think more productive
thoughts, to get on with living, to accept and
enjoy the good I have.
THE VALLEY PLANET
--I wish that whole towns and cities, not just
nurses, would wash the feet and faces of the
sick. Why don’t we?
--I wish we could wash meanness from the
face of the Earth, with plain soap and water.
--I pray for clean water and food all over the
world, that no black-haired girl of four in a
thin cotton dress ever squats to eat spilled,
uncooked rice straight from the ground.
--I would like to go back to a time where
seasons had names: wading season, berrypicking season, bucket and tomato season,
cress season.
--I wish everyone truly understood what
John Donne meant when he said “never send
to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for
thee” (“Meditation 17”).
--I wish the Earth could go back to the lush
green of my childhood for a few weeks or
months, so the younger generation could see
the magnitude of what we’ve lost and would
fight like hell to get back even part of it.
--I pray for justice, just once, for me, and
for those who pray for it as though butchers’
knives rust in their hearts.
--I pray for the healing of my nation, and
that my nation will be a part of the healing
of the world.
--I pray that Claire and I and my two dogs be
spared from Sassy. Sassy is a dog about as
big as a silver dollar, but she defeated all four
of us one dark night in her backyard.
November 19, Kings of Leon, Nashville Municipal
Auditorium
November 22, Dar Williams, 3rd and Lindsley
November 23, Iron and Wine, Ryman Auditorium
November 30, Jason Mraz, Ryman Auditorium
December 7, Carry Underwood, Sommet Center
December 22, Tans Siberian Orchestra, Sommet
Center
December 22, Vince Gill and Amy Grant, Ryman
Auditorium
December 23, Vince Gill and Amy Grant, Ryman
Auditorium
December 31, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Trace Atkins,
Sommet Center
January 13, Celine Dion, Sommet Center
January 31, The Killers, Grand Ole Opry
January 31, AC/DC, Sommet Center
--I wish all men were as kind as Mr. J. Berry
and would leave fresh vegetables on the front
porches of the lonely and sick at seven in the
morning.
--I would like to see my mother fishing
there in one of her tam-o’-shanters, cocked
jauntily to the side, a cigarette hanging, most
unattractively, from the side of her mouth.
MEMPHIS
NASHVILLE
--I wish doors were painted bright colors like
they are in Ireland, especially primary blue,
yellow, and red.
--I pray for peace for all my enemies. I wish
I didn’t have any. I used not to--that I knew
of--and there was something terribly wrong
with me at that time.
DECATUR
November 16, Eagles, FedEx Forum
December 23, Trans Siberian Orchestra, FedEx
Forum
January 30, AC/DC, FedEx Forum
--I wish men and women could break free
and walk down a street in rain, their hair
uncovered and curling. They would wave
wildly at a passing train for no reason. I wish
we were not so tightly strung that we keep
snapping all the time.
These are some of my wishes today:
--I would like to stand in tall grass that is
turning dark brown on some lake island.
--I wish I were still with the love of my life
in sheets light as dandelions, or in the cool,
dark church in St. Augustine
December 18, Blind Boys of Alabama, Princess
Theatre
--I wish I could live where people value
small life like bees, red worms, ghost crabs,
and black ants. I pray I could live where no
one could ever rationalize or imagine hurting
small beings like children.
--I would love to live in a world where all
babies are called the sons or daughters of
the God of their fathers and mothers, or the
God of tenderness and the curving grace of
swans.
--I would love to hear my daddy’s voice
tell how Lige (long “i”)(soft “g”) Tig
(short “i”)(hard “g”) got his head caught
in the elevator at Merrimac Mill, and how
peacock feathers once grew straight from
the earth on Cloverdale Road, my home
when I was a little girl. I would give up my
poetry to breathe in his poetic camphor and
chewing tobacco for only five minutes.
THE VALLEY PLANET
--I dream of a backyard of a million redbirds,
and the sea at my front door.
--I pray that the hems of women’s dresses
never catch fire.
--I wish you would sit in my slat swing and
let me fix you a cup of that almond-cherry
tea that Marilyn and I discovered at Emma’s
Tea Room. That tea--I wouldn’t even have to
brew it; we could just take turns sniffing from
the bag until someone calls the police.
--I wish we could all learn that we are
“leaning out for love,” like my Leonard
Cohen says, and not try so hard to mask our
need in ambition, competition, greed, fame,
and power that will never quite satisfy.
This prayer box is overflowing. I keep
stuffing the little pieces of paper down to
make room for more. You have to have some
kind of faith to survive. So, I write “faith.”
Just writing the word is an act of faith.
And now to the work ahead. There is so
much to be done. I am switching to a shoe
box tomorrow.
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
21
Halloween ‘08
Nightmare on Clinton St.
Calendar of
EVENTS
Thursday, November 13
HuntsvilleHalloween Contest Winners
Downtown Decatur’s Annual Holiday Open House will be going
on from 5:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M. The merchants will open their stores;
refreshments will be served and Santa will definitely be on hand to
help you kick off the 2008 Holiday Season. You will be able to find
gifts for everyone on your list-from toys, clothing, candy, home décor,
art, antiques, and so much more. Join all of the shops on Bank Street,
2nd Avenue and the adjacent streets and be a part of this Holiday
tradition.
Best Group Winners: Clue
Best Couple Winners: Ms. Pac Man and Inky Ghost
Best Individual: Ironman
UA Huntsville’s Office of Multicultural Affairs presents Mr. J. J.
Kent, Sundance Veteran Honored Pipe Carrier: Real Talk Seminar
& Flute Performance highlighting Oglala Lakota Culture in
Celebration of Native American Indian Heritage Month at 7:30
P.M. in the Frank Franz Multi-Purpose Room on the UAH campus.
This event is free of charge and open to the public. For additional
information, contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs at (256)8242332 or fax inquiries to (256)824-7236.
Funniest: Hooter’s Guy
Sexiest: Sexy Shipmates
Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table: “The Disintegration of
a Confederate State, Three Governors and Alabama’s Wartime
Home Front, 1861-1865”, will be presented by Mr. Jeffrey Purser
at 6:30p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 725 Franklin SE, North entrance. This
lecture is free to the public, visitors welcome, chicken dinner buffet
available at 5:30 pm for $7.95. Call 890-0890 for more information.
Scariest: Gravediggers
Most Original and Best Overall: Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”
The Stem and Stein Wine Cellar and Bar, 10871 County Line Rd,
will be hold a Wine Tasting from 6-8p.m. Cost is $10. For more
information, visit www.thestemandstein.com.
Thank you everyone for making this party AWESOME!
November 13-November 15
Mid America Youth Basketball is now accepting early entries
for its Winter Schedule, which is listed on the MAYB website,
www.mayb.com. The MAYB four-tournament package is $500;
individual events cost $150. Call (316) 284-0354 or visit the website
for more details or to register.
Photos from the Annual Halloween Party held on the Clinton Street parking garage put on
by HuntsvilleAlive!, Huntsville Young Professionals, The Rocket and The Valley Planet!
Photos by Dutch Driver
Visit The Arts Council’s newest venture at the JavaGalleria @
Sam and Greg’s Pizzeria/Gelateria (119 Northside Square), which
features the works of local artist Anna Braden through midNovember. Braden, 2008’s Panoply poster artist, has excelled in her
outsider art, producing over 500 acrylic medium paintings on all
types of surfaces to include canvas, metal buckets plywood, glass,
and paper…just to name a few. For more information of the Gallery
and Artist call (256) 519-2787 (ARTS), ext. 207; for Café information
and hours call (256) 533-9030 or www.samandgregs.com.
The Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation is having their
6th annual “Salute to the Military” Thanksgiving dinner. This
is a day that the FMWR family serves the Active Duty Soldiers on
Redstone Arsenal their Thanksgiving feast. The soldiers are unable
to be home with their families during this time. So FMWR and the
local community step up to the plate and show them we care. If you
or your company is interested in donating towards this event, we are
in need of ham, turkey, side dishes, rolls, baked goods, door prizes, gift
certificates and much more. Please contact Ms. Stephanie Stone at
955-7250 on how you can donate to this worthwhile event.
The Encounters: Lilian Garcia-Roig exhibit will be on display at the
Huntsville Museum of Art. Garcia-Roig paints on-site to capture the
multi-dimensional experience of a landscape focusing in and out at
various depths to recreate the experience of being in dense, tangled
woods. See for yourself why Garcia-Roig won the People’s Choice
Award in last year’s Red Clay Survey of Contemporary Southern Art!
For more information, visit www.hsvmuseum.org.
November 13-December 6
Pretty in Pastels by Lee Nabors will be on display at Carnegie Visual
Arts Center. For more information, visit http://carnegiearts.org or
call (256)341-0562.
The award-winning Alabama Blues Project After-School Blues
Camp goes year-round! Camp sessions meet every Thursday from
4-6:30 pm at First United Methodist Church and are open to
children ages 8-17. Students receive blues music instruction by
some of the greatest musicians in our state on their choice of guitar,
harmonica, percussion and vocals. For more information and/or
to register, please contact Cara Lynn Smith at (205) 752-6263 or
[email protected].
You’re invited to write a 10-Minute Play pertaining to The Arts
Council’s theme, Alabama Threads-From Cotton to the Cosmos
for the Panoply Arts Festival 2009, presented by Boeing. (In other
words, the script should reflect a historic era or event that occurred in
the state of Alabama – for 2009 is “The Year of Alabama History”!) It’s
The Arts Council’s salute to the magic of theater! Submissions
(application and script) should be mailed to: Playwrights should visit
the Panoply website at www.panoply.org for guidelines and further
specifics. For more information, e-mail The Arts Council office at
[email protected] or call (256) 519-2787, ext. 205. Winners will be
notified by Monday, 16 February 2009; production crews will receive
the scripts by Monday, February 23; and dress rehearsals will take
place on Thursday, April 23.
The Arts Council, Inc. is looking for artists to submit their designs
for the Panoply Arts Festival 2009 T-Shirt Design Contest. The
design should feature the four major arts forms (theatre, dance,
music, and visual art) and our 2009 Panoply theme: “Art Is…A
Blast!”-pertaining to space travel and exploration. The winner
will be awarded $50 and free entree to the festival, as well as a
Panoply prize pack of souvenirs featuring their design. Designs
for the Panoply Arts Festival 2009 T-Shirt Design Contest must be
submitted to Joanna Broad, c/o The Arts Council, Inc.; 700 Monroe
Street, Suite 2; Huntsville, AL 35801 or to [email protected]. by
Wednesday, December 31, 2008. Entries should include the design
along with the artist’s name, age, mailing address, e-mail address, and
telephone number. For questions, please contact Joanna Broad at
[email protected] or call (256) 519-2787, ext. 205.
The Huntsville Public Library will feature Huntsville artist Judith
Fields in the Atrium Gallery. This mixed media exhibit, “Color and
Light: Paths to Beauty,” will be on display on the First floor, Main
Public Library, 915 Monroe Street in Huntsville. For more information,
call Sophie Young at 532-5940.
November 13-January 4
When They Were Young: Aristocratic Children in European
Portraiture will be on display at the Huntsville Museum of Art. This
exhibit spans the late 16th to 19th centuries and depicts 40portraits
of European children, both royal and noble, from infancy to their
teens, many of whom grew up to play important roles in European
history. Visitors can select a costume and sit in front of a backdrop
resembling those seen in the exhibition’s portraits. With the touch
of a computer screen, a photograph will be taken and uploaded to
the Museum’s website where it can be viewed and downloaded at
home! The Museum will increase its admission to $10/non-member
for all galleries during the run of the Aristocratic Children showcase
exhibition. Admission fees will resume to $7/non-member. Thursday
night reduced admission will be replaced with $10/non-member for
all galleries from November 9-January 4 only. Thursday night reduced
admission will return for all galleries when the Aristocratic Children
exhibition closes.
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#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
THE VALLEY PLANET
THE VALLEY PLANET
Friday, November 14
Ujima through Poetry featuring HuggyBearDaPoet and HBO De
Poet Sunni Patterson will be held at Bibbs Graves Auditorium on
the campus of Alabama A& M University at 7:00 p.m. All proceeds
from the event will go to Save Darfur. A brief open mic will be held at
7:00 P.M. For more information call (256) 372-5000.
Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment presents Friday Night at
Lowe Mill with live music playing inside downstairs from 6
- 9 pm. Restaurant “Happy Tummy” will be open from 12-8 pm
(www.mmmhappytummy.com) There is no charge for this event and
as always, adults may bring kids and coolers along. Donations are
appreciated. Lowe Mill is located at 2211 Seminole Drive, Huntsville.
For more information, visit www.lowemill.net.
2008’s Arts Extravaganza will be held at the home of Calame and
Diane Sammons. As in previous party fundraisers, the majority of
the art owned by our hosts will be taken down from the walls, cleared
from tabletops, and replaced by approximately 300 works by over
100 regional artists. TAC strives to ensure at least 1/3 of the pieces
come from artists new or unknown to the Huntsville art market
scene. All art for sale will be tagged with the price, and by agreement
with the artists, TAC will receive 50% of the purchase price of each
piece of art sold! A grand hors d’oeuvre buffet (thanks to Catering
by Narvelle), cocktails, and live music will complement the evening!
Each year, in October, patron solicitation letters ($100 per person) are
mailed to all TAC Board Members and past participants. Patrons are
listed on the invitations and have the first opportunity to preview
and purchase art starting at 7:00 p.m. General invitations ($50 per
person) are mailed during early November. Guests responding at
this level are invited to join the event at 7:30 p.m. Since attendance
is limited to 150 people, and attendance is by invitation only, it is
recommended that those interested in attending secure their invite
and opportunity to take part in this popular event early…call (256)
519-2787 (ARTS), ext. 207 to find out more!
Friday, November 14- Sunday, November 16
Broadway Theatre League presents The Pajama Game Friday and
Saturday at 8p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 2p.m., and Sunday at 7p.m.
in the Von Braun Center. For more information visit www.Broadwa
yTheatreLeague.org or Contact Amy Jones at (256) 518-6155 or am
[email protected]. Tickets are available at the VBC Box
Office and all Ticketmaster outlets. Save $10 off The Pajama Game
ticket price by donating a pair of pajamas for Huntsville Hospital.
Drop off pajamas to Huntsville Hospital Foundation, Lite 96.9 studio,
or Broadway Theatre League’s office and receive a coupon for $10
off the ticket price of The Pajama Game ticket (for use on new ticket
purchase).
BUG, a disturbing psychological thriller, a twisted love story,
and a scathing social satire, will be performed at 8p.m. on the
Renaissance Alpha Stage, 1214 Meridian St., Huntsville. Tickets are
$12. Call (256)356-3117 or stop by Lincoln Center Antiques. For more
information, visit www.renaissancetheatre.net. (See Ad pg.)
Theatre Huntsville proudly presents a unique but touching twist
of a Holiday comedy, in Sam and Bella Spewak’s My Three Angels
at the Von Braun Center Playhouse. Performances are at 7:30 on
Friday and Saturday, and at 2p.m. on Sunday. Call (256)536-0807 to
reserve your tickets. For more information, visit www.theatrehsv.org.
(See ad pg. 8)
The Bad Seed will be performed at South Jackson Civic Center
in Tullahoma, TN, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night and at
2:00p.m. on Sunday. Ticket prices are $10 for adults, $9 for senior
citizens (65+), and $8 for students. For directions, reservations, or
more information, please call (931)581-7767 or email tickets@com
munityplayhouse.org.
This holiday season, marks the 17th Annual Fantasy in Lights at
Callaway Gardens featuring 8 million lights stretching more than
six and a half miles long, creating more than a dozen larger-than-life
holiday scenes. Tickets are $16 for adults and $8 for children or to stay
and play, the “Fantasy In Lights” Holiday Package from $167/night.
Callaway Gardens is located in Pine Mountain, Georgia. For more
information, visit www.callawaygardens.com/callaway/info/fantasylights.aspx.
Saturday, November 15
Rhyme Spot Poetry Showcase and Open Mic featuring Gypsee
Yo and the Barnstormers, Jahbu, and Keisha will be held in Moran
Hall Auditorium at Oakwood University, 7000 Adventist
Blvd. Doors open at 7:30p.m., and the show starts at 8:15. Cover
charge is $7 before 8:30 and $10 after. For more information, visit
www.myspace.com/rhymespot. (See ad pg. )
A Zydeco Dance sponsored by Cajun Zydeco Connection (CZC)
of Huntsville with live music by Dikki Du and the Zydeco Krewe
will be held from 8pm to 11pm at the Knights Columbus Hall, 3053
Leeman Ferry. Admission is $12 for members, $15 for non-members.
An introductory Zydeco lesson will be given at 7:15PM. For more
information, see http://czdance.com or call (256)534-2840.
Local artists and others are invited to set up a booth at the Flying
Monkey Arts Center and sell their wares to the public for Artist
Market. There will be art, jewelry, vintage clothing, and more
interesting things for sale inside our facility, safe from rain. We now
have air conditioning. See www.flyingmonkeyarts.org for more
information.
20 Years After (Like Moles, Like Rats) will be showing at The Flying
Monkey Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. There will be a Q$A session with
the filmmakers following the screening. For more information, visit
www.flyingmonkeyarts.org.
Attention techies and artists alike! Makers Local 256, 3409
Governor’s Drive, is having an open house and junk box swap meet
from noon to 4. Meet the gang and learn what being a “maker” is all
about. For more information, call (256)513-4667.
Contra Dance with live music by Wolves A Howlin’ and calling by
Chrissy Davis-Camp will be held in gym of Faith Presbyterian on
the corner of Airport Rd. & Whitesburg Dr. All ages welcome: singles,
couples & families. There will be a workshop at 7 p.m. then dancing
from 7:30 to 10:30p.m. Admission is $7.00/$4.00 students/Free for
ages 12 & under. See http://secontra.com/NACDS.html for more info
or call 837-0656.
Go skating at Skate Odyssey or Carousel Skate Center between
noon and 6p.m. and the proceeds with benefit the United Way of
Madison County. For more information contact Skate Odyssey at
(256)880-7655 or Carousel Skate Center at (256)543-8589 or visit
www.madisoncountycares.org/events.
Saturday, November 15- Sunday, November 16
Fundamentals of Shamanism, a two-day introductory workshop
with Bekki Shining Bearheart, LMT and Crow Swimsaway, Ph.D.
of the Church of Earth Healing will be held from 10:00am - 5:
00pm, at a Huntsville location to be announced The Fundamental
Workshop includes: The background of shamanism presented
in lecture and discussion; preparation and practice through
several classical shamanic journeying techniques; finding and
working with our personal power allies, teachers and guides; ally
retrieval for others and a group healing. Registration cost is $180
if received by November 7, $190 thereafter. For more information,
including location, visit www.church-of-earth-healing.org or email
[email protected] or call 337-1699.
Sunday, November 16
The Museum is excited to present a sneak preview of The Sellars
Collection: Art by American Women 1850-1940. This magnificent
collection of approximately 406 works of art, including paintings,
works on paper, watercolor, and bronze sculpture, is the largest
acquisition in HMA history. Join guest speakers Sue Sellars Rice
and Jeans Woods, curator and expert on The Sellars Collection for a
#111308120308
Do You Believe?
R
enaissance Theatre is proud to present an American Christmas classic: Miracle on 34th
Street. Based on the timeless movie released in 1947, the play tells the story of Kris
Kringle, a bearded old gent who is the living image of Santa Claus. Hired to play
Santa at Macy’s department store by Doris Walker, Kris sets off a wave of goodwill that
engulfs New York City and spreads Christmas cheer everywhere. Along the way he meets
Doris’s daughter, Susan, a little girl who doesn’t believe in Santa Claus and Fred Gayley, the
neighboring attorney who does believe…and desperately wants Doris and Susan to believe
too. Convinced that he has a fixed delusion, Macy’s psychologist arranges to have Kris
committed to Bellevue hospital and an ensuing trial is to decide the fate of Mr. Kringle.
Directed by Craig Reinhart and Jon Noles, this production will include the talents of E.J.
Mikeska as Kris Kringle, Cherie Evans as Doris Walker, Leah Purves as Susan Walker, and
Jon Noles as Fred Gayley. Other cast members include Jimmy Spain, Kimberly Sumerel,
Daniel Yearta, John Harris, Russell Grant, Alex Sims, Jack Boulet, John Abbott, Christine
Tipps and Tobin Morgan.
The production will take place on Renaissance Theatre’s main stage. Production dates are
November 28-30, December 4-7 and December 11-13. More information is available at
www.RenaissaceTheatre.net. All seats are $14 and tickets can be purchased by calling
536-3117.
discussion of the exhibit at 2:00p.m. in the Great Hall of the Huntsville
Museum of Art. A reception will follow. This event is free for members
and $10 for non-members.
(256)883-1339.
Sunday, November 16-Monday, November 17
Dixie’s Tupperware Party will be performed at Merrimack Hall
Performing Arts Center, 3320 Triana Boulevard. Performances
are at 7:30 Tuesday-Friday, 2:00p.m., and 7:30p.m. on Saturday, and
6:00p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $36.00 for adults and $32.00 for
students and seniors (60+). This show is recommended for mature
audiences. For more information, visit www.merrimackhall.com or
call (256) 534-6455.
Austin High School presents “Rapunzel” at 2p.m. on Sunday and
7p.m. on Monday (with a school performance at 9a.m. on Monday).
The performances will be in Austin High School auditorium,
1625 Danville Road. Tickets are $4 for the public performances
and $2 for the school performances. For more information email
[email protected] or call (256)552-3060.
Tuesday, November 18
The Ledges Fashion Show and Luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m.
at The Ledges Country Club. Bring your friends for this exclusive
event. Not only will you be treated to a spectacular lunch created by
the Ledges chefs, you’ll have a front row seat to one of the hottest
fashion shows in town! Reserve your place today – space is limited.
Call The Ledges (256) 883-0860 ext. 226 to buy your tickets-$70 per
person. You must be a Ledges or HMA member to attend and part of
the proceeds will benefit the Huntsville Museum of Art.
The Dance Club offers ballroom dancing at Skate Odyssey skating
rink on South Memorial Parkway at Mythewood Dr. every Tuesday
night with free lessons in Fox Trot beginning at 7:15p.m. Regular
admission is $5 and it’s $3 for students. For more information, visit
www.dancehsv.home.mindspring.com.
Huntsville Christian Women’s Connection Monthly Luncheon
will be held from 11:30a.m. - 1:00p.m. at Huntsville Country Club,
2601 Oakwood Avenue, NW. Admission is $15.00 (inclusive). Marie
Carroll of Knoxville, TN will speak on “Are You Ready For Change?”
Free childcare for ages 6 and under is available off site. Reservations,
essential for the luncheon and for childcare, are due by Thursday
November 13, 2008. Call Betty at (256)837-8286 or Nancy at
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
Tuesday, November 18-Sunday, November 23
Salsa Lessons will be taught at Kinesthetic Cue Dance Club.
Beginner II lessons will be given from 7-8p.m. and Intermediate II
lessons will be given from 8:15-9:15. Cost is $40 per person ($60 per
couple) for the entire month of lessons. For more information visit
http://www.salseroblanko.net/Lessons.html.
Wednesday, November 19
Tai Chi Beginner Basics for Toning, Balance, Relaxation (5:30pm
to 6:30pm) and Tai Chi Ongoing Practice Yang Style Short Form
(6:30pm to 7:30pm) will be hosted by Squeaking Tribe Puppets
at the Flying Monkey Arts Center. For more information, visit
www.flyingmonkey.org or call Anna Sue (256)479-7863.
Yoga Classes (8:00pm to 8:45pm) with Casey Bakula and RYT hosted
by Squeaking Tribe Puppets will be going on at the Flying Monkey
Arts Center. For more information, visit www.flyingmonkeyorg, call
(256) 679-7143 or visit Your Yoga, 1405-E Weatherly Plaza Dr. in
Huntsville.
ContinuedonPage24
23
Calendar of
EVENTS
ContinuedfromPage23
November 19-20
The UAHuntsville Student Art Organization will hold their annual
Holiday Show and Sale in the new gallery space in the Salmon
Library on the UAHuntsville Campus. Original prints, drawings,
painting and sculpture from students and faculty will be on sale as
well as holiday crafts, t-shirts, a raffle and more! For more information
call (256) 824-6114.
Thursday, November 20
Thursday, November 20- Saturday, November 22
BUG, a disturbing psychological thriller, a twisted love story,
and a scathing social satire, will be performed at 8p.m. on the
Renaissance Alpha Stage, 1214 Meridian St., Huntsville. Tickets are
$12. Call (256)356-3117 or stop by Lincoln Center Antiques. For more
information, visit www.renaissancetheatre.net.
Theatre Huntsville proudly presents a unique but touching
twist of a Holiday comedy, in Sam and Bella Spewak’s My
Three Angels at the Von Braun Center Playhouse. Performances
are at 7:30 on Thursday-Saturday, and also at 2p.m. on Saturday. Call
(256)536-0807 to reserve your tickets. For more information, visit
www.theatrehsv.org. (See ad pg. )
Friday, November 21
Princess Theatre presents Nunsense starring Sally Struthers
at 7:30p.m. Tickets are $31-47 and can be purchased at
www.princesstheatre.org or by calling the box office at (256)3401778.
Fri. @ 5 is a monthly Carnegie Visual Arts Center member
reception held on the third Friday of each month. It is a member
benefit for Carnegie members at the Family Level of giving and
above. Members are welcome to bring guests for a suggested
donation of $15 per guest. Reservations are requested. Call 341-0562
or email [email protected] for reservation. Attendees
must be 21 years of age.
Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment presents “a fire of doubts” - an
artist opening for Huntsville painter, Andrew Winn. The opening
will be held downstairs from 6 - 9 pm. Musical entertainment
by local band “Fist City.” Beverages and desserts will be
provided. Restaurant “Happy Tummy” will be open from 12-8 pm
(www.mmmhappytummy.com) There is no charge for this event and
as always, adults may bring kids and coolers along. Donations are
appreciated. Lowe Mill is located at 2211 Seminole Drive, Huntsville.
For more information, visit www.lowemill.net.
Saturday, November 22
information.
Huntsville Swing Dance Society presents an evening of Groovy,
Modern-vintage, 20’s and 30’s, Swing-Blues Infused Jazz, Very Hot,
Sultry Southern Swing with live music by Christabel and the Jons at
the Flying Monkey Arts Center. Admission is $12 for Adult, $7 for
Students, and free for UAH Students. Lesson will be given at 7p.m.
with dancing from 8p.m.-11p.m.
Jim Goshorn, Sculptor
J
im Goshorn, a metal sculptor who lives
and works in North Marshall county won
a $1,000 3rd Place in Fine Arts at the
National Shrimp Festival’s Fine Arts Area
in Gulf Shores earlier this month. Not quite
a year ago, in November, 2007 his work
garnered a $1,000 1st Place in Sculpture
at the Osceola Fine Arts Festival held in
Kissimmee, Florida. Since September of
2007, Jim has been juried into and exhibited
his work at many art shows throughout the
Eastern United States. The artist’s work is
in many public and private collections and
can be seen at Percasso’s in Guntersville,
Loretta Goodwin Gallery in Birmingham
and Bennett Gallery in Nashville as well
as at his studio in Honeycomb, north of
Guntersville. Jim will be donating two
pieces of his work to the Huntsville Museum
of Art Gala which will be held in April 2009.
The artist can be reached at 256-571-0375 or
[email protected].
Beginner Salsa Bootcamp will be the last beginner Salsa class
for the year. It will be held at Kinesthetic Cue Dance Club, 8006
Old Madison Pike from 1:30-5:30p.m. Cost is $35 per person,
$55 per couple in advance, or $40 per person, $60 per couple at
the door. For more information, contact John Salseroblanko at
[email protected] or (901)605-8246.
Auditions for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will be held at the Von
Braun Center Concert Hall from 8a.m. to 4p.m. Audition times must
be scheduled in advance and appointments are limited to first-come,
first-served. Call Barry Sublett at (256) 551-2378 to schedule audition
time by November 14. Up to 50 children will be selected for a final
audition on Friday, December 5, 2008, time to be announced. For
complete details visit www.broadwaytheatreleague.org (click on The
Shows and then click Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Children’s Audition on
the left sidebar) or call (256) 551-2378.
“Going through Grief: A Guide to Understanding, Surviving and
Supporting the Grief Process” will be presented by the Rev. Carl
Malm of the Center for Loss, Grief and Change at Latham United
Methodist Church, 109 Weatherly Rd., on Mondays from 6:00-7:30
p.m. A light supper will be served. Pre-registration is requested but
not required. There is no charge for this program but donations are
welcome. For more information or to pre-register, phone 883-6539
or 881-4069.
The Dance Club offers ballroom dancing at Skate Odyssey skating
rink on South Memorial Parkway at Mythewood Dr. every Tuesday
night with free lessons in Fox Trot beginning at 7:15p.m. Regular
admission is $5 and it’s $3 for students. For more information, visit
www.dancehsv.home.mindspring.com.
Wednesday, November 26
Delta Groove Music recording artist Cedric Burnside & Lightnin’
Malcom will be appearing at Humphrey’s, celebrating their new
release. For further information, contact Karen Leipziger of KL
Productions (615)297-4452, [email protected]
Yoga Classes (8:00pm to 8:45pm) with Casey Bakula and
RYT hosted by Squeaking Tribe Puppets will be going on at
the Flying Monkey Arts Center. For more information, visit
www.flyingmonkey.org, call (256) 679-7143 or visit Your Yoga, 1405-E
Weatherly Plaza Dr. in Huntsville.
From 1:00 – 9:00 p.m. Historic Downtown Fayetteville will again be
transformed into a unique & wonderful shopping experience. Roll
back the clock with us for A Dickens Holiday. Horse drawn carriages
rolling up and down Hay Street carry shoppers the old fashioned way,
past merchants’ windows adorned with beautiful Victorian holiday
decorations, past artisans and vendors of all sorts of delightful
treats. Joyful children pose with Father Christmas for memory-laden
pictures. For more information, visit http://theartscouncil.com/
Dickens_Holiday.html or call (910)323-1776.
The FlyMo Fame Show will be going on at the Flying Monkey Arts
Center at 10p.m. For more information, visit www.flyingmonkey.org.
Thanksgiving Concert to benefit Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment
and to show appreciation to Lowe Mill owner, Jim Hudson will
#111308120308
Friday, November 28-Sunday, November 30
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
Calendar of
EVENTS
The Renaissance Theatre presents Miracle on 34th Street at 7:
30p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 2:30p.m. on Sunday. Admission
is $14. For more information, visit www.renaissancetheatre.net or call
(256)563-3117. (See ad pg. )
ContinuedfromPage24
Hansel and Gretel will be performed at Ars Nova at 7:00 on Friday
and Saturday and at 2:00 on Sunday. Ticket prices are $12. For more
information visit www.arsnovahsv.com. (See ad pg. )
Tickets $45-31 and can be purchased at Princesstheatre.org or by
calling the box office at (356)340-1778. For more information on the
Blind Boys of Alabama, visit www.Blindboys.com.
Friday, November 28-Sunday, December 7
1st United Methodist Church is having their Luminary Night
Celebration from 4 to 6pm; it is FREE to the public. Luminaries will
be surrounding the Church on the corner of Green and Randolph
Streets in Downtown Huntsville and organ music will put you into
the Christmas spirit. Hot Cider and cookies will be served.
Annie will be staged in the Dot Moore Auditorium at the Whole
Backstage Theatre, 1129 Rayburn Avenue. Curtain time is 7:00 p.m.
every night except the two Sunday nights, on which there will be
matinee showings at 2:00p.m. There will be an addition matinee
showing at 2:00p.m. on Saturday December 6th. Tickets are $15 for
adults, $12 for students and senior citizens. For reservations, call
256-582-7469 Tickets for Annie go on sale at the Whole Backstage
Box Office on October 27th. Group tickets are available. For more
information, please visit the Whole Backstage Theatre website at
www.wholebackstage.com
Friday, November 29
information.
Crash Boom Bang Theatre presents Skits & Giggles at 10:30p.m.
at the Flying Monkey Arts Center. Admission is $7. For more
information, visit www.flyingmonkeyarts.org.
Wednesday, December 3
Yoga Classes (8:00pm to 8:45pm) with Casey Bakula and
RYT hosted by Squeaking Tribe Puppets will be going on at
the Flying Monkey Arts Center. For more information, visit
www.flyingmonkey.org, call (256) 679-7143 or visit Your Yoga, 1405-E
Weatherly Plaza Dr. in Huntsville.
Thursday, December 4
A Holiday Gallery Tour sponsored by Bulldog Antiques will take
place from 5-9 p.m. at the Huntsville Museum of Art. Admission is
free for members and $10 for non-members (includes all the galleries
including the Aristocratic Children showcase exhibition).
Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment and The Flying Monkey Arts
Center will be participating in Huntsville’s 16th Annual Gallery
Tour. Join us as Huntsville celebrates the fine arts with a tour of local
galleries and the Huntsville Museum of Art. Contemporary visual
and performing artists will be upstairs, downstairs, in the elevator,
on the loading dock and floating from steel beams in the foundry
along with open studios and installations on the second floor. Hors
d’oeuvres served on the second floor by the theatre.
Thursday, December 4-Sunday, December 7
30p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 2:30p.m. on Sunday.
Admission is $14. For more information, visit www.renaissancethea
tre.net or call (256)563-3117. (See ad pg. )
Friday, December 5
The Stem and Stein Wine Cellar and Bar, 10871 County Line Rd, will
be host First Friday Beer Tasting from 6-8p.m. Cost is $10. For more
Flying Monkey First Friday Open House will begin at 7p.m.
Admission is free. For more information, visit www.flyingmonkeya
rts.org.
Monkey Speak will begin at 8p.m. at the Flying Monkey Arts
Center. Admission is $5. For more information, visit www.flyingm
onkeyarts.org.
Friday, December 5-Sunday, December 7
Holiday on Broadway will be performed at Merrimack Hall
Performing Arts Center at 7:30 Friday through Sunday with
matinee performances at 2:00p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets
are $30 for adults and $27 for students and Seniors (60+). Merrimack
Hall is located at 3320 Triana Blvd. For more information visit
www.merrimackhall.com or call (256)534-6455.
The Twickenham Historic Preservation District Association
presents “The Spirit of Christmas Past” homes tour from 5pm
until 9pm on Echols Avenue in downtown Huntsville. There will be
caroling, luminaries, chimes, music, live entertainment and a tour of
homes. Includes seeing four unique homes and the Weeden House
Museum decorated for the holidays…homes dating from as early as
1819. Rain date is Dec. 9th.Advance homes tour tickets are $15 for
adults and $5 for children 12 and under. For more information call
534-0429 or 536-7718
Wednesday, December 10
Yoga Classes (8:00pm to 8:45pm) with Casey Bakula and RYT hosted
by Squeaking Tribe Puppets will be going on at the Flying Monkey
Arts Center. For more information, visit www.flyingmonkey.org,
call (256) 679-7143 or visit Your Yoga, 1405-E Weatherly Plaza Dr. in
Huntsville.
Thursday, December 11
Winning Women To Christ 12th Annual Christmas Dinner “A
Night of Real Christmas” will be held at 5:45 p.m. Von Braun Center.
Tickets are $25.00 This Annual Celebration Dinner is one of the most
anticipated events among the women’s events at Willowbrook. Enjoy
punch while visiting the beautifully decorated tables and dinner by
candlelight while enjoying exquisite food, music, and fellowship.
For ticket information, call (256)883-0907, ext. 140.
Thursday, December 11-Saturday, December 13
30p.m., Thursday through Saturday. Admission is $14. For more
information, visit www.renaissancetheatre.net or call (256)563-3117.
(See ad pg. )
December 12-14
The Nutcracker Ice Show will be performed at the Municipal Ice
Complex, 3185 Leeman Ferry Rd. The shows will be at 7p.m. on Friday
and Saturday and at 2p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults, $10
for Seniors, and $8 fro children 12 and under. For more information,
visit www.iceskate.org or call (256)883-3774.
Saturday, December 13
information.
The Huntsville Personal Computer User Group (HPCUG) will
meet at the Huntsville-Madison County Senior Center, 2200
Drake Avenue, SW starting at 9:15 with the Windows/Internet Special
Interest Group (SIG) on a topic of general interest. At 10:15, Ron
Schmitz, past President and Hardware SIG Leader, will discuss “The
Latest in Computer Motherboards and Chips”. This is an annual event
on the latest developments. Visitors Welcome. For more information
call 714-5898.
January 27-April 30
The award-winning Alabama Blues Project After-School Blues
Spring Camp will have sessions every Thursday from 4-6:30 pm
at First United Methodist Church and are open to children ages
8-17. Students receive blues music instruction by some of the
greatest musicians in our state on their choice of guitar, harmonica,
percussion and vocals with a May 1st Open House Blues Extravaganza
performance at the Bama Theatre. For more information and/or
to register, please contact Cara Lynn Smith at (205) 752-6263 or
[email protected]
“Earthlings” will be hosted by Squeaking Tribe Puppets at the
Flying Monkey Arts Center at 8p.m. on Friday and Saturday and
at 2p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $5. For more information, visit
www.flyingmonekeyarts.org.
Saturday, December 6
A Gospel Christmas Concert Fund Raiser for Athens-Limestone
Food and Shelter will be held at 6:30p.m. at the Athens Opry
Event Center. Tickets are $10 in advance and at the door. For more
information, call Mike Ford at (256)230-6311.
information.
Don’t miss Purgatory Lounge at the Flying Monkey Arts Center.
It starts at 10p.m. Admission is $7. For more information, visit
www.flyingmonkeyarts.org.
The Christmas Charity Blues Spectacular will be held at 6:00p.m.
at the A&M Agribition Center, 4295 Moores Mille Rd. Rev. Jimmie
Bratcher will be preaching the gospel and playing the blues. The 4Door Ramblers, NOAHFANCE and more bands will also provide live
entertainment. This is a benefit for Raining Cats and Dogs and 100%
of the proceeds go to spay/neuter dogs and cats in the Tennessee
Valley. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. More information
is available at Belvidere Market, www.belvideremarket.com or
(931)967-1727, or you can email [email protected].
December 7-February 1
Friday, November 28
24
be held at Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Dr. The show will be inside
downstairs, beginning at 6 pm. Musical acts include Richie Owens
and the Farm Bureau.
Nashville Portraits: Photographs by Jim McGuire will be on display
at the Huntsville Museum of Art. Photographed over a 30-year
period by one of the genre’s most celebrated photographers, this
exhibition appeals to admirers of country music while also offering
a candid glimpse into the lives of some of the greatest icons in
country music, including Johnny Cash, Lester Flatt, Waylon Jennings
and Minnie Pearl, as well as contemporary stars like Emmylou Harris,
Dolly Parton, Vince Gill and Marty Stuart.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Blind Boys of Alabama, Four-time Grammy for Gospel Winners, will
be performing at 7:30p.m. at The Princess Theatre. Join us for an
evening of spiritual Christmas music with these legendary performers.
ContinuedonPage25
THE VALLEY PLANET
The End!
food, shelter and medical costs for dozens of
animals that were strays. These costs come
out of their own pockets. They feel like they
are losing the battle! Well, at the rate that
these animals multiply, particularly cats, it is
a losing battle. But, we must do something
today to prevent more homeless animals
tomorrow!
We must focus on the prevention of unwanted
dogs & cats in our communities.
There are many ways you can help stop
the overpopulation, starting with spaying
and neutering your own pets and then by
supporting spay/neuter programs.
Raining Cats & Dogs is in need of foster
homes and volunteers today. They are
in desperate need of support from our
local veterinarians.
And, Government
advocacy is needed to address this issue of
overpopulation of these unwanted dogs &
cats.
This organization has a long-term goal to
build a low-cost/high-volume spay/neuter
clinic in cooperation with other local
animal support groups. A clinic like this
would accommodate people in northern
Alabama and southern Tennessee. This is
greatly needed. There are some programs
available to low-income families, however,
nothing exists for the many strays that roam
the streets.
It’s Raining
Cats & Dogs
Please get to know a new organization in
our area, the Raining Cats & Dogs. They
are partnered with the Tennessee Animal
Resource Center, a registered 501(c) 3 taxdeductible non-profit charity.
t’s no secret, we have a severe problem
with over-population of dogs & cats. It’s
not hard to find free-roaming cats & dogs
in your own backyard. And, rural areas are
much worse. The animal shelters are full
and the Animal Control has to deal with
many dogs & cats that are picked-up only to
be euthanized.
Raining Cats & Dogs’ mission is to spay/
neuter homeless/stray/free-roaming cats &
dogs. 100% of donations/funds go directly
to spay/neuter and rabies shots for these
homeless animals. Raining Cats & Dogs is
not a shelter. The biggest obstacle of any
group like this is getting a veterinarian to
offer discounts to help with these homeless
animals.
Not only does it help prevent
diseases and stress from free-roaming
animals in our communities it allows them
a healthier life.
Please support our MUSICAL EVENT
FOR THE HOMELESS ANIMALS on
DECEMBER 6, at the A & M Agribition
Center, 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
This group is a 100% volunteer organization
consisting of busy professionals that dedicate
their free time to this critical mission.
However, we cannot do this without your
help.
THANKS!! We would like to give thanks
to Chase Animal Hospital in Huntsville and
Dr. Gregg Able in supporting Raining Cats
& Dogs by offering discounts to support our
mission!
I
So, the answer is NOT to build more shelters
– NOT to kill more animals – BUT the
prevention of these unwanted animals.
Many unwanted animals are dumped on
others to tend to. Thousands are euthanized
each month. Others die from hunger,
disease, victims of prey, or hit by vehicles.
There are groups of individuals trying to help
this severe overpopulation. They provide
THE VALLEY PLANET
#111308120308
Let’s end the suffering of these loving
animals.
Info:
931-967-1727
[email protected]
Email:
Website: http://www.animalresourcectr.org/
(Go to “Raining CatsDogs” for event flyer)
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
25
Where Did You Meet Your Beloved?
W
as he a fix-up, a down-load, or
a sideswipe as you ran for the
elevator? Did you notice him from
afar and hope for an introduction? Or was
he the passion perpetrator, actively angling
to meet you?
Cupid ain’t stupid and now you’re together.
But from where does true love spring? Is it
fate or feat?
wearing Lucky Lady t-shirt.
He tried to find the snapshot’s owner, but
nobody claimed it. After a week, Thibault put
the photo in his pocket. He took it out now
and then and thought about her, wondering.
Victor, his best buddy, said it was fate that
Thibault found the photo.
Maybe it was.
In Logan Thibault’s case, it’s feet. He walked
across America in search of a woman he
didn’t know. In the new novel, “The Lucky
One” by Nicholas Sparks, a picture is truly
worth a thousand words.
Word got around that the Lucky Lady picture
brought Thibault his own bit of luck. He
won more poker games. He survived sniper
attacks. He was lucky enough to come home,
wasn’t he?
He wasn’t looking for a snapshot. He was
looking for some quiet time to think, so
Logan Thibault ran through the desert every
morning before his regiment awoke. On that
particular morning, though, the sun lit the
Iraqi desert and reflected off a laminated
picture half-buried in the sand.
But he couldn’t get the woman out of his
head. There were clues in the photo, and his
heart told him he needed closure. He started
walking in search of her.
“Keep Safe!” it said, signed with an “E”.
A beautiful, smiling girl with an E-name,
The Chronicle of Simp McGhee’s
Food, fun, Family & Friends
by Terri Schlichenmeyer
Beth made a lot of mistakes in her life.
Marrying Keith Clayton was one of them,
but if it wasn’t for that union, her son Ben
wouldn’t be around. Ben was ten years old
and while he was a great kid, Beth knew he
disappointed Clayton. Clayton was sportsminded; Ben wasn’t. Clayton was a bully;
Ben was gentle. Ben hated weekends with his
father, but since Clayton’s family practically
owned Hampton, North Carolina, Beth knew
there wasn’t much choice.
The first run-in Keith Clayton had with that
Thigh-bolt guy didn’t go so well. He wished
there was a way to get rid of Thigh-bolt for
good. Clayton would do anything to keep
Beth from dating.
Anything.
I feel pretty lucky I got to read this book.
“The Lucky One” is possibly one of author
Nicholas Sparks’ finest novels.
T
his story could be a one-line
proclamation-”RUN AS FAST AS
YOU CAN TO SIMP MCGHEE’S ON
BANK STREET IN DECATUR WHERE
YOU WILL HAVE A MOUTHWATERING
MEAL, GREAT SERVICE AND SUPERB
ATMOSPHERE!” While this is true and you
should heed this advice, it’s not as interesting
as my story.
Welcome, Great Pumpkin!
H
ope you have/had a fun and
spoooooooky Halloween. I’m having
a bit of a problem writing about All
Hallows Eve, considering I’m writing this
before Halloween is over, which makes it
so I can’t write about what happened/will
happen/wioll happenen be (if I follow Dr.
Dan Streetmentioner’s tense usage as noted
in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy).
Oh, and to make matters worse, I’m writing
about a place that is currently open but will
have closed by the time this goes to print.
If I continue on this line of thought, my head
will asplode, so moving on…
Punkins, also known as pumpkins and Petey
(but that was just a jack-o-lantern I named
years ago that was subsequently smashed
by hooligans in the night), are round orange
things that are hard on the outside and full
of squishy stuff on the inside. I’m about to
carve/will have carved one myself in a few
minutes/a few weeks ago. I’m a traditionalist
on punkins; they should have the ol’ triangle
eyes and snaggle-teeth. I like the fancy jacko-lanterns that have the entire illustrated
edition of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” as
much as the next person, but I always carve
the same little guy.
Perhaps best known for his almost-aromance novels, Sparks mixed this one up
a little bit with better character development
than I thought he had in the last book, a badguy who’s simply despicable, and a little bit
of suspense to keep you going. Not to be a
spoiler, but this novel is a page-turner and
very hard to resist.
FYI: For simplicity’s sake, I’m now going
to stop worrying about what tense to use
and just use the tense that I feel works best,
regardless of what is proper or even makes a
lick of sense.
If you’re a fan of Nicholas Sparks or if
you’re wondering what the hoo-rah is
all about, you’ll want “The Lucky One”.
Picture yourself reading it this week.
Tate Farms Cotton Pickin’ Pumpkins,
located in Meridianville, is a local tradition
around here. Great for the kiddies. There
are all sorts of things for the little ‘uns to
do.
Hay rides, goats to pet, bunnies to
hold. Fortunately, in a departure from true
Halloween tradition, they did not include
bats in the petting zoo. (It would have
looked pretty cool though).
My pumpkins were purchased at Tate
Farms.
The place is cute, and they have really
cool pumpkins you can either buy at one
of the stands or pick one off the vine. The
ones at the stands are really nifty. I never
realized there were so many different types
of pumpkins (a lot more than big, little, and
pie). Some were even blue. I chose to get
them off the vine, the way people in the old
country used to purchase pumpkins.
It was a fun trip. I have to say it’s my first
pumpkin patch with a cover charge. It’s
about $8 to get in. If you have kids, it’s pretty
much a given that they’ll have fun. There are
all sorts of things to play in and ride. Plus
face painting, cotton candy. For the adults,
there’s a general store and hamburgers and
hot dogs and roasted corn on the cob. And
probably anyone will enjoy the gourd gun.
I had a good time, but I would recommend
this more for the family fun sort of thing.
If you don’t have kids, you should at least
rent some for the day or something. It’s a
kid’s party. If you’re just wanting to buy a
pumpkin, the cover charge is pretty steep,
and that doesn’t even take into account the
price of the pumpkin. So know that going
in.
Tate Farms is only open during the
Halloween season. This year it opened on
September 29 and closed on Halloween. It
is to be assumed that they’ll do the same
next year. Teachers, make a note that they
do school tours. (There are also coupons on
the website tatefarmpumpkins.com.) They
also do parties.
Simp McGhee’s, the iconic Decatur restaurant,
opened in April 1986 with owners Bob and
Jenny Lind Riddle at the helm. Named for the
infamous riverboat captain, Simp McGhee was
the object of many tales and remains a Decatur
legend. Simp was said to sit at the bar of his
Bank Street establishment and have a drink
with his pet pig. Though Simp was a master
river pilot he had a reputation for recklessness
and eventually lost his license for “shooting
the rapids at Chattanooga.” But, that was not
before he made a name for himself in Decatur
as he announced his arrival with a blow of his
steam whistle. Legend has it that this signal
was meant for Miss Kate, a local brothel owner,
and Simp’s love interest.
I was first introduced to the casual upscale
dining experience of Simp McGhee’s in 1986
when my husband, Allen, a Hartselle native,
and I were dating. His parents, Nancy and Dick
Stoner, wanted us to try this new restaurant
with close ties to Nancy’s family history. When
we walked in Nancy pointed out the staircase
and spoke with fondness of her memories as
a child sliding down the very banister that
is now in Simp McGhee’s. The banister and
other woodwork in the restaurant came from
the home of Nancy’s grandparents in Hartselle,
John and Martha Ann Freeman. The Freeman
family home was located on Highway 31 in
Hartselle where the Wolverine Credit Union
and Sparkman Civic Center are now. After
“Mama Freeman” died in 1966 the house and
farm were sold. Many of the Freeman family
members had moved away and the remaining
family did not want an older home. Nancy and
her mother, LaUna Freeman Pattillo, lived in
the home with Mama Freeman while Nancy’s
father, General Carl Pattillo, was in Europe
during WWII. Nancy said her memories of
the home as a child were of a big cold drafty
house. With the boom of the 50’s and 60’s,
modern homes with electric heat were much
more desirable. So the family home was sold.
by Cookie Stoner
The Riddles purchased it in 1967. They lived
upstairs and Bob’s Pine Crafts was downstairs
where they sold handmade wooden furniture
and other treasures made by Bob Riddle. You
can still see some of these hand-carved wooden
statues in Simp McGhee’s. Later the Riddles
sold the lot, where the Freeman home was
located, to the city of Hartselle and the home
was torn down. Bob Riddle rescued some of
the beautiful woodwork and found the perfect
home for it in his new restaurant on Bank Street
in Decatur.
When you stand at the bar at Simp’s the
imposing mirrors are encased by pilasters that
flanked each parlor in the home. There are
shadow-box frames with Valentines signed
Jean Freeman. Jean Freeman King was one
of Nancy’s aunts; she died in September
2001. The triangular mirror on the wall under
the staircase looks just like it did under the
Freeman’s staircase, according to Nancy. The
bar at Simp’s is constructed from some of the
home’s large wooden doors. The very doors
where the children in the family would mark
their growth! There are cocktail tables with
decoupage with the J.E. Freeman Mercantile
stationery and a torn check with the name J.E.
Freeman on it as well as other vintage papers.
Most all of us in the family have a photograph
of the beloved family home and if you look
closely you can see Mama Freeman sitting on
her rocker on the front porch. One of Nancy’s
cousins, Jack or Allen Freeman, took the
photograph. Their father, “Buddy” Freeman
was Nancy’s uncle. In addition to Buddy and
LaUna, Mama and Papa Freeman had Merle
also known as Sister, Mildred, Aileen, and
Jean-the author of the Valentines. The Freeman
family moved into the home in 1912 when
Buddy was 13, Sister was 11, and LaUna was
9. Mildred was born in 1912, Aileen was born
in 1916, and Jean in 1920. With this size brood
the banister provided hours of fun.
When Bob Riddle decided to open a restaurant
he asked Dean Moore to come aboard as a
consultant. Chef Dean worked in the restaurant
business all over the Southeast and Texas. He
helped with the renovations of the building on
Bank Street and was there on opening night
to prepare the first meal ordered at Simp
McGhee’s. He said he enjoyed working with
the Riddles so much he never left. He is known
It should also be noted that the owners
neither confirm nor deny that their punkin
patch has ever been visited by the Great
Pumpkin, but every year the same kid with a
blanket comes there with signs and stays till
his cranky sister drags him home.
Had a Happy Halloween everyone!
Standing next to the banister from the
Freeman Home are: Top Left-Owner, Christy
Wiley and right-Howard Townson
next step down left, Chef Dean Moore and
right, Bonnie Parker in front of Bonnie on
right-Manager-Megan White
In front Madison Wiley-Christy’s daughter
for his mushroom caps that were chosen one of
the “100 Dishes to eat in Alabama before you
die.” I asked him what makes these so special
and at first he said with his dry wit and maybe
a hint of sarcasm, “love.” At the same time
he and owner, Christy Hayes Wiley, laughed
and said, “Love has nothing to do with it. It
is more of a love-hate relationship and all of
the choice words Dean says when he’s making
them. They are HARD to make.” Some of
the other great selections on the menu are my
personal favorites, Fish Pontchartrain, Pat’s
Crab Cakes named after Decatur resident, Pat
Sexton, Shrimp Julian named for Chef Dean’s
son, or Jenny Lind’s Catch-the fresh fish of the
day. The salad dressings are homemade and
dinner isn’t complete without one of their sinful
desserts. This is just a sampling of what’s in
store for you. Whether you are a regular or new
to Simp McGhee’s there is a feeling of comfort
and home. The atmosphere is best described as
casual upscale dining. Simp’s is the restaurant
you can go to for your anniversary in a cocktail
dress, before the prom in a tux, or in your jeans
and hang out with friends. You can sit upstairs
with low lighting and white linen tablecloths or
enjoy a more casual atmosphere downstairs in
the rustic bar area.
Owner Christy Hays Wiley started working at
Simp McGhee’s in 1994 as a server. When
Bob Riddle died in 1997 Christy took on
more responsibility to help Jenny Lind and
she says unabashedly that she created her own
management position because she loved the
restaurant and she loved helping Jenny Lind.
Christy says Jenny Lind Riddle became her
“mentor, best friend, second mother and daily
lunch partner.” When Jenny Lind got sick
with cancer Christy purchased the restaurant
so the Simp’s family could stay together.
Christy promised her she would take care of the
employees and continue the Simp McGhee’s
tradition of great food and inviting atmosphere
that the Riddles started in 1986. Jenny Lind
Riddle died on October 27th 2005 and Christy
has kept her promise. Simp’s is still the same
great place.
Christy credits her excellent staff with ensuring
that the tradition is carried on. One person in
particular is server, Howard Townson. Howard
was also at Simp McGhee’s on opening
night in 1986. He is the blonde with glasses
and the mischievous grin who is a favorite of
many guests. Great service is important, but
consistently great food is a must! Joining
Chef Dean are cooks Jason Corbin and Carlos
McDonald who are responsible for making
sure the food is delivered with the same great
taste and quality time after time. From the
moment you enter the door hostesses Cassie,
Jessica or Kelah will make sure you get a great
table and one of the attentive servers-Marlowe,
Scott, Dave, Jake, McKenzie, Wesley, Corey or
maybe even Howard will ensure a delightful
26
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
THE VALLEY PLANET
THE VALLEY PLANET
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
dining experience. If your spirits need to be
lifted, Bartender, Addie Rosenblum, can make
your favorite cocktail. And, when oysters are
in season Tina Parker always returns as Simp’s
Premiere Oyster Shucker! Helping Christy
manage is Megan White a new addition to
the family. Simp’s really is a family affair;
Christy’s mother, Bonnie Parker, helps her
with day to day operations and Christy’s
daughter, Madison, can be found after school
doing homework at one of the tables. Christy
is always thinking of ways to make Simp’s an
inviting neighborhood place where you can
come and relax. On Fridays there will be live
music from 10:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. and it
will be the kind of music you can enjoy while
still visiting with your friends.
I wonder when Bob and Jenny Lind Riddle
looked over the Freeman family home and
chose the pieces for their new restaurant if
they had any idea what a landmark they were
creating? I’d like to think that they knew that
the memories of a big cold drafty home would
fade into fond memories of gliding down the
banister and making marks in wooden doors as
children grew taller. I think they knew that the
place they called Simp’s McGhee’s had many
stories to tell. Join in the Simp’s tradition;
come have a great meal, make some new
friends and soak up some history. Or, if you’re
brave enough slide down the banister and start
some tales of your own.
The Freeman Family Home
27
My mantra is: When you do spend money,
spend it with local business owners
whenever possible!
Bank Street Art Studios is a busy place.
The artists have been involved in a number
of community projects.
On Thursday,
November 6th Lecia, J.M., Beth, Johanna,
Joyce and Doug were a few of the artists
represented at the “Friends of the Library Art
Auction” fundraiser. Proceeds went to the
Decatur Public Library. Also, on Thursday,
November 13th from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00
p.m. Bank Street Art Studios will have an
art show at Sykes Place at 726 Bank Street
N.E. You can enjoy refreshments as you
shop for a great piece of art.
I think I need to meet Tony from Tallulah’s
at a neutral place to conduct Valley Planet
business. It is impossible for me to walk out
of there without an addition to my wardrobe.
Tangerine Jill and Samuel Dong are just
two of the exciting designers Tallulah’s is
carrying! Stay tuned to the Valley Planet
for news of an upcoming Tangerine Jill trunk
show in April at Tallulah’s in Decatur.
Gloria Arthur at Bank Street Antiques
is getting excited about Christmas and
Downtown Decatur’s Holiday Open House
on Thursday, November 13th. Gloria and
the antique dealers at Bank Street Antiques
add new items daily! You will never get
bored shopping with Gloria! If you need
glassware, rugs, jewelry or furniture Bank
Street Antiques is the place for you!
Simp McGhee’s has great food and music!
Owner Christy Wiley has a great music lineup for November. Come, eat dinner then stay
and listen to the musical talents of some of
the best musicians around. If you’ve already
eaten come out at 10:00 p.m. on Friday nights
and enjoy a variety of great tunes! There is
music everyone will love, but especially if
you are feeling like a maw maw or paw paw
in your middle age, get to Simp’s on Friday
nights. It’s a great place to relax after a long
week and the music is not so loud you can’t
have a conversation!
If you have not eaten at Little’s Lovin’
Oven in the breezeway at the Gateway
Shopping Center you are missing out on real
home cooking. Ruby Little also known as
“Nanny” arrives each morning at 4:30 a.m.
to make doughnuts, apple and cherry fritters
(Taste of the Valley winners!), turnovers, and
cakes, cakes, cakes! Her Red Velvet Cake
won 1st Place in the Taste of the Valley for
best cake!! Little’s Lovin’ Oven also serves
lunch. Some of the menu items are lasagna,
soup, chicken spaghetti and the best pimento
cheese in Decatur. I love pimento cheese and
I try it everywhere I go, but I think Nanny’s
is the best! My children love Wednesday
night dinner at our house because they know
that means Nanny’s Chicken Spaghetti! Try
Little’s Lovin’ Oven today and see what
Ruby is cooking. The lunch menu changes
daily. Heather, Ruby’s granddaughter, is
there to serve you and take great care of you!
You will feel like you are home!
Ace is the place with the helpful hardware
man! Alden Foster is just that man! Ace
Hardware on Sixth Avenue has just about
everything you need for your home projects!
Before you head out to the Beltline, stop and
shop locally with Alden at Ace Hardware!
28
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
Ace Hardware’s Ace Sensations paint has
a special ingredient that makes the paint
washable. The additive is made here in
Decatur at the 3 M plant. Just one more
reason to shop at Ace!
Have you noticed when you get your
animals groomed how sassy they act?
Groomingdale’s in Funland Park will get
your pet all ready for the holiday season.
Katherine, Brent and Dana will treat your
pet like one of their own. They will bathe
your four-legged family member, give
him a haircut, or clip his nails and they do
all of this without sedation. The gang at
Groomingdale’s has been taking care of our
pets since 2000. Let them become part of
your family too!
Decatur attorney, Allen Stoner, doesn’t have
to travel the world to meet people from a
variety of countries. They come to his office
in Decatur for help with their immigration
needs. Allen specializes in Immigration Law
and he helps people properly obtain visas,
permanent residency and become United
States citizens. If you or someone you know
needs help with immigration call Allen R.
Stoner, P.C. in Decatur.
p.s.
It was great to see all the Halloween
festivities. The Downtown Halloween Hoot
was a success! There were parties all over
Decatur and lots of fun costumes. Scott
Speegle was seen channeling his inner
vampire. Is he trying out for a part in the new
HBO drama “True Blood?” Margaret Ann
Templeton got to the point with her costume.
The word costume printed on a t-shirt works
for me. I heard that Allen Stoner attended a
few parties on Halloween and two of them
were costume. One particular party was
not. He showed up with his shirt unbuttoned
exposing his chest and a gold medallion,
and was overheard looking for his partner,
Starsky. “Who is that guy?” someone asked.
Ken Schuppert and others in the crowd
assured the stranger that on Sunday at St.
John’s or Monday in court, you can find
Allen sporting a bow tie sans chest hairs.
On Tuesday, November 4th there were “gettogethers” to watch the election returns. At
Carl and Kate Cole’s house, Carl never left
his chair as he held onto his dry erase board
with a map of all 50 states, his blue marker,
red marker and a bottle of something. I
think he may have been playing a grown-up
version of “Hi Bob!” Kate’s chili was the
hit of the bi-partisan party until all the votes
came in!
Artists, Scott Willis and Judy Seymour had
front row seats at the Friends of the Library
Art Auction. As the auctioneer’s assistant, I
asked Scott what the term for- texture on a
canvas was. Scott replied, “thick paint.” I
guess there are some stupid questions.
Enjoy the autumn and hold on to your hats
because the holidays are coming fast! Don’t
forget the Downtown Decatur Holiday
Open House, Nunsense is coming to the
Princess Theatre on November 21st, The
Christmas Tour of Homes in Decatur is
December 13th from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00
p.m., Simp’s has live music Friday nights
at 10:00 p.m. and Decatur does have a lot
happening so let’s support it! See you
around in our orbit!
THE VALLEY PLANET
My Procedure
I had to have a “procedure” today.
F
or most people it would have been an
ordinary trip to the dermatologist, but
I am not most people. As one of my
Speech/Drama professors in college told me”You are one of those people who would want
to die of a lingering disease like leukemia or
cancer because it would be a sickness so
filled with drama.” This was in 1982-even
before the term “Drama Queen” was coined
and I was being called a “Drama Queen.” I
don’t think there was any particular incident;
I suppose it must be a vibe I give.
When the spot showed up on my nose it just
looked like what I like to call a “blemish.”
Zit, pimple-God forbid-wart- on my nose all
sounded so gross. Then, the spot became dry
and would sometimes bleed. This went on
for about two years. It really didn’t get any
worse; it actually didn’t change that much.
I actually made an appointment with the
Dermatologist about six months ago and then
I had to cancel due to a scheduling conflict,
so I wasn’t really worried. As my second
appointment date approached, I developed
anxiety about this spot on my nose. My
anxiety heightened when I would casually
mention that I was going to the doctor about
this and my friends, with a concerned look,
would say, “Oh you really need to have that
checked.” “Of course!” I wanted to scream.
“I am having it checked-that’s what I just
told you!” When appointment day arrived
I went in to the exam room where the nurse
told me to disrobe and wear the gown so
the doctor could give me the full body skin
check. I reminded her I was there mainly
for the spot on my nose. She gave me the”mmmm” sound and then started asking me
a series of questions about the health of my
family members. As I was rattling off my
parent’s maladies, I just knew that she was
thinking my daddy’s gout or my mother’s
breast cancer had something to do with this
spot on my nose! This was all hereditary-it
had to be a death sentence!
My doctor, this small cute young woman
with fair and pretty skin, came in looked me
over and said my skin looked pretty good.
She didn’t see too much sun damage. I felt
like this was pretty good news considering
I was a baby oil and iodine goddess in my
youth. I reminded her about the spot on my
nose. She looked at it and did the-”furrowed
eye-brow and mmmm sound” combo that
only a doctor can do. In a very calm voice
she said, “I really want to get that off. And
we will do it today--here in the office. It will
be very simple and painless. I’ll just give
you a little shot to numb the spot and I will
shave a small amount off. We will have the
results in a few days; I don’t really expect
anything more than a Basel Cell Carcinoma.
It can probably be treated with a cream. If it
is any deeper we may have to do something a
little more invasive, but nothing that will be
noticeable.” she said.
Now, a neurotic like me hears-”OH MY
GOD-THAT HAS TO COME OFF-RIGHT
NOW! I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT
YOUR NOSE UNDER SEDATION-IT
WILL BE A SHOT-TO YOUR NOSE! IT
WILL BE VERY PAINFUL! I WILL HAVE
TO PERFORM SURGERY TO TAKE A
BIOPSY FROM YOUR NOSE TO SEE IF
YOU HAVE CARNCINOMA! DID YOU
HEAR ME CARCINOMA-CANCER? IT
WILL BE A FEW DAYS BEFORE I KNOW
YOUR RESULTS SO I WANT YOU TO GO
HOME, TAKE CARE OF YOUR WOUND,
GET YOUR AFFAIRS IN ORDER AND
SPEND THESE VERY IMPORTANT
DAYS WITH YOUR FAMILY. YOU ARE
GOING TO NEED THOSE AROUND YOU
WHO LOVE YOU. I WILL NEED ALL OF
YOUR NUMBERS SO THE MINUTE THE
LAB RUSHES THESE RESULTS TO ME,
I CAN CALL YOU TO GIVE YOU YOUR
DIAGNOSIS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY
YOUR PROGNOSIS.
Julie, the nurse, was so comforting; she held
my hand. I heard the vibrating noise of the
instruments she was using to perform this
surgery. Only to realize when Julie asked if
I needed her to hand my phone to me-that it
was my phone ringing on vibrate. She knew
I thought it might be one of my children
calling.
I waited for a big TA-DA moment, but then
I realized my procedure was over in a matter
of seconds. She put a band-aid over my
wound. I wore it proudly everywhere I went
that afternoon. I had to wear the badge of my
disease. She told me I should wear it until
the next day.
When I took the band-aid off the next day I
had to get my reading glasses to see the mark
on my nose. Sometimes even we drama
queens realize when we’ve made a tumor out
of a ‘mole’ hill.
Princess Theatre Announces
25th Anniversary Brick Campaign
In celebration of its 25th Anniversary, the
Princess Theatre Center for the Performing
Arts announces a sidewalk Brick Campaign.
The public now has the opportunity to
purchase a commemorative brick to be
installed on the brick sidewalk in front of
the historic Theatre. Each brick is 4b x 8b
and can be engraved with an inscription.
The cost of a brick is $100 and proceeds go
towards the continuing renovations at the
City’s performing arts center. The Princess
Theatre begins a new renovation project this
month to add new bathrooms, serving pantry
THE VALLEY PLANET
and concessions area in the new lobby.
Completion of these renovations is projected
for April 2009.
Join us for
Tallulah’s Christmas Open House
and Guy’s Night Out to shop for the
“woman of rare opportunity” in your
life on Thursday, December 4
10 a.m. until 8 p.m.
first introduced the Brick Campaign in
2001 during Phase One of a Master Plan
to renovate and expand the facility. With
this new construction project continuing
renovations, the 25th Anniversary Brick
Campaign provides a unique opportunity
to contribute to the improvements at the
Princess Theatre and to honor loved ones or
commemorate special occasions. Bricks may
be engraved as Christmas gifts, memorials
or honorariums, birthday, anniversary and
graduation gifts, employee recognition or
just for yourself.
A special certificate will be sent to each
donor and the brick installation on the
sidewalk will take place during the summer
of 2009. The deadline to order a brick is
May 1, 2009. For a Brick Order Form and
information, please contact Mandy Pounders
in the Princess Theatre office at 256-3501745 ext 300 or visit the Web sites at:
princesstheatre.org
In 1983 the City of Decatur reopened
the historic art deco Princess Theatre as
its performing arts center. The Princess
is celebrating 25 years of service to the
community as a presenter of diverse and
award-winning artists, as a multipurpose
rental facility and an arts education resource
while preserving the historic building and
its rich heritage. The Princess Theatre
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
29
Scouring the Valley with
Runcible Spoon
by Jim Zielinski
“Appreciating Greek Art…on a Plate”
Papou’s Greek Cuisine
110 South Side Square
Huntsville, AL 35801
(256) 534-5553
www.papouhsv.com
I
Mon – Fri, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Wed – Sat, 5:00 p.m. – Until…
O
y, alas, and also ach, I missed
Brummagem’s bodacious Greek fest
this year. Despite the fact that, after
years of genealogical searching, I have yet to
find the least trace of Greek, Italian, Turkish,
or anything remotely Mediterranean hanging
from the beloved family tree, the allure
of their cuisine has beckoned for eons, as
if there were indeed a very fundamental,
ancestral, even primal drive at the root of
it all.
With that in mind, it was time to race back to
the Downtown Square to visit Papou’s, along
with former theatre sprite-turned-adultlike thespian Jason Graham. Ted Matsos
opened Papou’s about five-and-a-half years
ago and it remains one of only a handful of
Greek options in the area. Papa Gyro’s and
the recently opened Taziki’s Greek Fare are
among the other possibilities.
I hadn’t been in a while, though I do love
the Thursday lamb specials. Monday’s
feature was moussaka, a casserole-like dish
of layered vegetables and meat, of which the
most popular variant utilizes eggplant. Let
me add the béchamel is a welcome touch,
too. It’s that extra-special something that
lingers on the lips like a well-aimed smooch
from Melina Mercouri.
Jason dove into a gyro with a side of orzo
that, from where I was sitting, looked quite
inviting…but I love moussaka. I’ve even
created it from scratch in the past and it
proved well worth the investment of time,
even if the eggplant, itself, was a little tough
(first-timer syndrome). So, when what to
mine wondering eyes should appear was the
special on same, the die was cast.
Papou’s did not disappoint. The moussaka is
offered with a side of candied yams and slaw,
but you can substitute with other side dishes,
such as the seemingly un-Greco black-eyed
peas, which I did. The texture was just right,
the spices obvious but never overpowering.
And though some may see the peas, along
with my mashed potatoes, as tantamount to
Slim Pickens playing “Zorba,” they were
rather a complementary accompaniment and
neither a taste nor a culture clash.
I also opted for a side of tyropita. As a
tyrophile, I latched onto this dish many,
many moons ago. Wrapped in a flaky filo
dough, this multi-cheese repast is one of the
most easily assimilated appetizers, its feta,
cottage cheese, and parmesan components
typically added to egg to ensure a creamy,
addictive filling.
The “Yia Yia’s Chicken” offered on
Wednesday, is another easy treat for
beginners—baked poultry with oregano,
lemon, and garlic. (Yia Yia, incidentally,
refers to the grandmother of the family,
whereas Papou is the grandfather.) Most any
Greek restaurant, or establishment boasting
any Greek flair or influence, offers this as
basic fare. If you’ve got people who aren’t
that adventurous, you can start them off
slowly on this…they’ll undoubtedly love it.
30
But should they miraculously find this very
straightforward, delicious dish still a bit too
daring, for god’s sake, stop going out to eat
with them. They will destroy you.
Matsos’ expanded evening menu offers
even more for the progressive palate.
Avgolemeno, a chicken broth-based, egglemon soup, is one of my favorite additions
and I’ve made versions of this dish, as well.
It may remind you a little of egg-drop soup,
but much smoother and with the welcomed
citrus kick; just right for this time of year.
Among the entrees, you’ll also find the
familiar souvlaki which, like the Gyro, has
become so prevalent as a fast-food/festival
option, that it’s in danger of becoming
Americanized. You’ll have no such worries
here, of course, and this marinated pork
tenderloin (described as “on the stick”) can
be readily recommended. Seafood lovers
are not neglected, we’re happy to say, and
will find their favorites offered in three
styles: Athenian, Grecian, and Papou’s. It
is perhaps superfluous to remind you that
yes, Greek and Greek-styled salads are also
available, although we did not partake at this
outing.
The wine list is dotted with Greek specialties,
of which the most unique is undoubtedly
the Retsina, with its typical “piney” – and
often acquired – taste. The beer offering
is Hillas, a brew hailing from Rodopi,
Greece and the recipient of accolades from
BeerAdvocate.com, the “Opinionated Beer
Page,” and any number of people dancing
around you to “Never, Never on a Sunday.”
The atmosphere was calm, even serene,
and very azure…a great place to maintain
one’s own “celebrated blue period” whilst
paradoxically saving on paint.
Matsos also holds forth as a promoter of
DowntownHuntsville.com which, in turn,
plays electronic advocate for about 20
restaurants and bars located on or near the
courthouse square. Long may this familyowned establishment wave as a downtown
mainstay and, if so, we’ll no doubt continue
to see the growth in families, partygoers, and
tourists to which those on and near the square
are becoming accustomed.
As long as it’s not the idiot who wedged
his motorcycle perpendicularly betwixt
our vehicle and the one in front of us. It’s
enough to make you relinquish your thirtyminute parking in under an hour…or to treat
the pig and his hog as your own personal
saganaki. OPA!
f you’re like me, you’ve been missing the
chance to munch on bridies and the like
since our local Scottish Festival went on
hiatus. But coming up, you’ll get a chance to
dine with the Tennessee Valley Scottish Society
in person during their annual St. Andrew’s
Evening Dinner, held in honor of the Patron
Saint of Scotland. The formal evening (with
entertainment by illustrious Scottish balladeer/
songwriter Colin Grant-Adams and a silent
auction featuring premium whisky and other
Scottish items, to boot) takes place at 6:30 p.m.
on Saturday, 22 November at the Huntsville
Marriott, 5 Tranquility Base. Grilled sirloin
or baked tilapia dinners will be accompanied
by an “Americanized” version of haggis,
prepared by Cathy Pharr. Chip Pharr will read
Robert Burn’s “Address to a Haggis” as the
dish is piped in to a highland accompaniment.
Tickets are $45 and can be purchased by
contacting co-chairs Cathy Pharr (883-1274;
[email protected]) or Joan Williamson (8830665; [email protected]). And BTW, plans
are made to reinstitute the Scottish Festival in
2009 – for more info, visit www.tvss.org!
Gourmet cooking demonstrations and food
sampling will figure prominently in the Open
House held at Interior Marketplace on Friday
and Saturday, 15-16 November. The complex,
which includes boutique shops, showrooms,
galleries, and Café Michael, is located at 5732
And speaking of an early start, kids have a
beat-the-crowds op to make their wish lists
known when Burritt on the Mountain hosts
“Breakfast with Kris Kringle” on Saturday, 29
November. Breakfast will take place from 9:
00 – 10:30 a.m. in the Trillium Room and will
include pancakes, sausage, juice, and coffee.
Hope everyone remembers to bring their two
front teeth! Prices are $8 – Adults; $6 – BotM
members; $4 – Children; FREE – 3 years and
under. And you-know-who will make himself
available for those one-on-one confabs with
the younger set! Information at 536-2882 or
www.burrittonthemountain.com. Ho3
Listings
[email protected]
Cont.from20
Dining
801 FRANKLIN
APPLEBEE’S
3150 N. Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville, 256 859-4200
11331 Hwy 72 E., Athens
BEAUREGARD’S (3 Huntsville locations)
1009 N.Memorial Pkwy , 256-512-0074
511 Jordan Lane, 256-837-2433
975 Airport Rd. SW, 256-880-2131
1421 H.Paramount Dr., Huntsville, 256-489-5380
BISTRO LA LUNA
7001 Val-Monte Drive, Guntersville, 256-582-0930.
BISTRO LA VILLE
7914 South Memorial Pkwy, STE E16, Huntsville 256 489-1515
B&J RESTAURANT
Hwy 231 S., Lacey Springs, 256-880-0521
THE BLUE PARROT
7001 Val Monte Drive, Guntersville, 256 582-0930
BONEFISH GRILL
4800 Whitesburg Dr. , 256-883-0643
BUFFALO WILD WINGS
2750 Carl T. Jones Dr., Huntsville, 256-650-4115
CAFE 113
113 Grant St. SE, Decatur, 256-350-1400
CAFÉ MICHAEL
5732 HWY 431 S, Huntsville, 256-539-9113.
CAHOOTS
114 WestMarket Street, Fayetteville, 931 433-1173
CHILI’S (2 Huntsville locations)
2740 Carl T. Jones, 256-882-1230
Beaujolais -- It leads to harder stuff.
B
eaujolais is the quintessential “gateway
wine.” Many casual wine drinkers who
find red wines “too strong” often give
Beaujolais a try -- only to find themselves drawn
inexorably into the world of berries and tannins.
Before long, they’re planning trips to Sonoma,
building shelves for a wine cellar, and debating
the merits of syrah or cabernet for their rare strip
steak. Not that I’d know anything about that.
Beaujolais is also a perfect gateway for learning
about French wines. France is the leading
producer of wine in the world. France churns
out around 2 billion gallons of wine per year.
In America, we’re used to ordering wine by the
grape varietal -- merlot, cabernet, chardonnay,
etc. In France, the primary designation is the
region of the country where the wine is produced.
Chablis, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone -- these are
all French regions. Beaujolais is a district within
Burgundy.
France has a strict system for classifying wines
based on region, grape varietal, winemaking
techniques, and other factors known as the
“Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” or AC. Within
each region, a wine’s AC usually provides a good
baseline for determining the quality of a wine.
In the Beaujolais AC, there are three basic
classifications, in ascending order of quality and
price:
Beaujolais -- Wines produced from grapes grown
anywhere within the region.
Beaujolais-Villages -- Wines produced from
grapes grown in a certain section of Beaujolais.
Beaujolais Cru -- Wines produced in ten certain
towns in the region. Many of these wines do not
have “Beaujolais” anywhere prominently on the
#111308120308
Highway 431 South in Brownsboro (Hampton
Cove)…and admission is FREE. The café’s
new “kitchen shop” section will be the site of
passed hors d’œuvres and a live-action station
and will include tastes of their private label
products as well as items from their dining and
catering menus (yes, they’re already booking
Christmas parties!). Live holiday music, book
signings, engraving and jewelry crafting, and
more will augment the foodstuffs. Also bear in
mind that one Tuesday a month, Chef Michael
Griffin conducts children’s cooking classes
to augment the adult cooking classes he does
weekly. Call 539-9113 for information and/or
reservations…it’s never too soon to learn the
basics!
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
label -- so if you see a city name on a bottle,
chances are you’re looking at a cru.
WINGS SPORTS GRILLE
4250 Balmoral Dr. SW, Huntsville, 256-881-8878.
Breakfast,Coffee&Lunch
AROMA’S
6275 University Dr. NW #24, Huntsville, 256-425-0495
BROKEN EGG CAFE
2750 Carl T. Jones Dr., Huntsville
COFFEE CREATIONS
616 HWY 31, S ATHENS, AL 35611
COFFEE AND TEA COMPANY
Madison Square Mall, Huntsville 256-837-7085
COFFEE TREE BOOKS & BREW, THE
7900 Bailey Cove Rd., Huntsville, 256-880-6464
CRACKER BARREL (2 Locations)
2001 Drake Ave, Huntsville256-881-4177
120 Cleghorn Blvd., Madison,256-461-7670
TERESA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT
1906 Gunter Ave., Guntersville, 256-582-5673
STANLIEO’S SUB VILLA (2 Huntsville locations)
605 Jordan Lane, 256-837-7220
602 Governors Drive, 256-536-6585
TORTORA’S
182 Old Hwy 431 Suite B, Hampton Cove, AL 35763, 256-536-6100
BBQ
MERIDIANVILLE BBQ
11537 Hwy. 231N., Meridianville, 256-828-3725
LAGNIAPPES COFFEE CAFE
119 East Moulton, Decatur
TAILGATER’S BBQ
5638 Hwy 53, Huntsville 256- 852-3388
Georges DeBouef Beaujolais Reserve 2006 - This wine will stand out on any shelf because
of its multicolored bottle. “Reserve” has little
meaning in this context -- mainly that these
grapes weren’t shipped out as Beaujolais
nouveau. The nose of this wine carries a strong
strawberry scent. The taste is tart blackberries.
This wine is light, a little dry and, I think, best
enjoyed by itself on a warm day. You could serve
it as an aperitif, or pair it with a medium flavored
cheese and crackers. Probably about $8-9.
Louis Jadot 2006 Beaujolais-Villages -Certainly a cut above the initial DeBouef. This is
a very “fresh” smelling wine -- blackberries, and
licorice. This wine has an earthy character for
such a light wine, coupled with a smooth berry
taste and a little pepper. The finish is mildly
dry and crisp. $10-12. It’s a very flexible wine
-- you could put this up against chicken, pork,
hamburgers, lighter red sauces -- and it would
still do fairly well.
INDIGO JOE’S
7407 Hwy 72 W Madison, AL 256-489-9393
FURNITURE FACTORY BAR & GRILL
GAME DAY GRILL
10871 County Line Rd. STE E, Madison, 256 461-8082
GRILLE 29
445 Providence Main, Huntsville, 256-489-9470.
HAZEL GREEN FAMILY RESTAURANT
13903 Hwy 231-431 N, Hazel Green 256 828-7959
HOOTERS
HUMPHREY’S BAR & GRILL
109 Washington Street, Huntsville, 256-704-5555.
OLDE TOWNE COFFEE SHOPPE
511 Pratt Ave NE, Huntsville, 256-539-5399
STEARNS COFFEE
2113 Whitesburg Dr., Huntsville, 256-534-0513
SUBWAY
14450 hwy 231-431 STE A, Hazel Green
WILD ROSE CAFE
121 North Side Square, Huntsville, 256-539-3658
Cajun
TELLINI’S CAFE & GRILL (2 LOCATIONS)
4855 Whitesburg Dr. Huntsville, 256-881-9155
1515 Perimeter Pkwy, Huntsville, 256-726-9006
TERRANOVA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT
1420 Paramount Dr., Huntsville, 256-489-8883
TONY’S LITTLE ITALY(2 LOCATIONS)
7 Town Center Drive, Huntsville 256-721-7629
4800 Whitesburg Dr., Huntsville, 256 881-2147
Asian
OLE HICKORY PIT BBQ
5061 Maysville Road New Market, 256-859-2824
ASIAN CITY
10871 County Line Rd. STE C, Madison, 256-772-8282
CHINA MOON
11700 S Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville, 256-880-2626
DING HOW II
EDO JAPANESE RESTAURANT
104 N. Intercom Drive, Madison, 256-772-0360
THOMAS PIT BBQ
Hwy 72 ,W, Madison, 256-837-4900
HYUN’S KOREAN GARDEN
Main Street South Shopping Village
7500 Memorial Pkwy South,Huntsville, 256 489-8888
HomeCooking
BILL’S CAFE
111 East Market St., Fayetteville, 931 433-5332
I LOVE SUSHI
2000 Cecil Ashburn Dr. ATE 102, Huntsville, , 256-885-1818
BISCUITS AND BLUES
325 The Bridge Street, Huntsville, 256-327-8490
MIKATO JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE & LOUNGE
4061 Independence Dr. NW, Huntsville, 256-830-1700.
BLUE PLATE CAFE
3210 Governors Drive, Huntsville, 256-533-8808
MIKAWA RESTAURANT
1010 Heathland Dr, Huntsville, 256-837-7440.
MISO HOUSE
404 Jordan Lane, Huntsville. 256-489-7766
DUFFEY’S
5125 Moores Mill Rd., Huntsville, 256-859-6003
MIWON JAPANESE RESTAURANT
404 Jordan Lane NW, Huntsville, 256-533-7771
ERNEY’S
1605 Pulaski Pike NW, Huntsville, (256) 533-5734
CAJUN CAFE
704 Hwy 231 Lacey’s Spring 256-650-5586
G’S COUNTRY KITCHEN
2501 Oakwood Dr., Huntsville, 256-533-3034
PO BOY FACTORY
815 Andrew Jackson Way, Huntsville, 256-539-3616.
MAMA ANNIE’S
4550 Meridian St. N, Huntsville, 256-489-3275
TIM’S CAJUN KITCHEN
114 Jordan Lane, Huntsville, 256-533-7589.
MULLIN’S
607 Andrew Jackson, Huntsville, 256-539-2826
Mediterranean
ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL
5901 University Drive, Huntsville, 256-722-4770
DREAMLAND
3855 University Dr., Huntsville 256-539-7427
ELK RIVER COFFEE COMPANY
117 Main Avenue North, Fayetteville, 931- 438-9888
O’HOULIHAN’S
101 East Market Street, Fayetteville 931 433-0557
RICATONI’S ITALIAN GRILL
107 N. Court St., Florence, 256-718-1002
CLEM’S BBQ & FISHERY
3700 Blue Spring Rd., Huntsville, 256-852-6661
SMOKEY’S BARBEQUE
8073 Hwy 72, W, Madison, 256-721-0300
DOLCE
365 The Bridge Street, Huntsville, 256-327-8385
LA STRADA
524 Gunter Ave., Guntersville. 256-582-2250.
BIG BOB GIBSON’S BBQ
2520 Danville Rd. SW, Decatur, 256-350-0404
DAILY BREW
2941 St. Mallard Pkwy, Decatur, 256-355-0330
MAMA ANNIE’S
4550 Meridian St. N, Huntsville, 256-489-3275
CARRABAS
Parkway Place Mall Huntsville, Al 35801
BB PERRINS
608 Holly St, NE, Decatur, 256-355-0980
KAFFEEKLATSCH
THE DOCKS
417 Ed Hembree, Scottsboro, 256-574-3071
Italian
TONY’S ITALIAN DELI (2 Locations)
119 James Madison Drive SW, Huntsville, 256-772-444
Airport Rd., Huntsville,
GIBSON BBQ (4 locations)
3319 Memorial Pkwy., Huntsville, 256-881-4851
8412 Whitesburg Drive, Huntsville, 256-882-0841
735 Hwy 72 E, Huntsville, 256-852-9882
1715 6th Ave., SE, Decatur, 256-350-6969
LITTLE DINER (across form Chuckee Cheese)
1219 Jordan Lane Suite A, Huntsville, 256 837-6971
ROSIE’S MEXICAN CANTINA (2 locations)
7540 S. Memorial Pkwy, 256-382-3232
SOUL BURGER
2900 Triana Blvd. SW, Huntsville, 256-534-8585
SIMMON’S BBQ
10099 SOUTH MEMORIAL PARKWAY, 256-882-5030
CUES STEAKHOUSE
12361 U.S. Hwy 431, Guntersville,
PHIL SANDOVAL’S MEXICAN RESTAURANTE
6125 University Dr., Huntsville, 256-489-5711
SCHLOTZSKY’S DELI (3 locations)
4319 University Drive NW, 256-830-6400
11120 Memorial Pkwy SW, 256-650-6300
8969 Hwy. 20, Madison, 256-464-5300
JAVA JAAY CAFE (2 Decautr Locations)
1713 6th Ave. SE, Decatur, 256-351-8555
1801 Beltline Rd. (Colonial Mall), 256-350-6700.
CRAWMAMMA’S
5000 Webb Villa, Guntersville, 256-582-0484
PEPITO’S
3508 Mem. Pkwy. S, Huntsville, 256-858-0059
SAM & GREG’S GELATO CAFE
119 North Side Sq. , Huntsville, 256-533-9030
WILD FLOUR BISTRO
501 Jordan Ln., Huntsville, 256-722-9401
ANGEL’S ISLAND COFFEE
7538 S.Memorial Pkwy., Huntsville, 256-319-3424
MARIA BONITA GRILL & CANTINA
125 E. Moulton St., Decatur, 256-552-1903
RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS
365 The Bridge St., Huntsville, 256-327-8530
WEST SIDE COFFEE PLACE & CAFE
2699B Sandlin Rd., SW, Decatur, 256-353-2025
ALABAMA BREAD COMPANY
975 Airport Rd., Huntsville, 256-882-2010.
LOS MAYOS
322 Sutton Rd. Suite J, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 256-536-1041
CLAYSVILLE SNACK BAR
21192 U.S. Hwy 431, Gunterville
EDEN’S EAST
2413-B Jordan Lane, Huntsville, 256-721-9491
THE VALLEY PLANET
TOP O’ THE RIVER
7004 Val-Monte, Guntersville, 256-582-4567
LITTLE ROSIE’S TAQUERIA
4781 Whitesburg Dr S, Huntsville, 256-882-0014
McALLISTER’S DELI (2 Huntsville locations)
4800 Whitesburg Drive S, 256-880-1557
1480 Perimeter Pkwy, 256-425-0034.
JAMO’S CAFÉ
413 Jordan Lane NW, Huntsville, 256-837-7880.
D&L BISTRO
7500 SW Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville,
256-881-7244, located in Main St. South
Until next time…À votre santé!
TGI FRIDAY’S
4935 University Drive NW, Huntsville, 256-830-2793
HOTDOGGIT
6610 Old Madison Pike, Huntsville
CHOPHOUSE, THE
109 Washington Street, Huntsville, 256-704-5555.
Beaujolais should be consumed, generally,
within a couple of years of bottling. They’re also
best served slightly chilled. Here are examples of
the above types:
Georges DeBouef 2006 Chirobles Beaujolais
-- Back to DeBouef again, since they’re the only
cru I could find in my local wine store. This one
has a more pronounced nose of cherries and
bubble gum. The berry flavors last a long time.
The finish is light, crisp, and slightly tart. I’d
put this with grilled tuna, chicken in any kind of
sauce (like coq a vin), veal, or even kabobs and
Mexican food. $13-15.
SWAMP JOHN’S RESTAURANT
2850 N. Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville, Al 851-7760
ROLO’S CAFE
505 Airport Rd., Huntsville, 256-883-7656
MIYAKO
10013 South Parkway, Huntsville, 256-880-9879
NEW CHINA
PANDA
5000 Whitesburg Dr., Suite 128, 256-880-3220/880-1395
PHUKET
Providence Town, Huntsville, 256-489-1612
JAZZ FACTORY
109 North Side Square, Huntsville, 256-539-1919.
JAMO’S CAFE
413 Jordan Ln., Huntsville,
Mexican&Southwestern
K C’s COYOTE CAFE
410 Old Town St., Guntersville, 256-582-1676
PAPA GYROS
KETCHUP
Bridge Street Town Center, Huntsville, 256-327-8390
PAPOU’S
110 South Side Square, Huntsville, 256-534-5553
BANDITO BURRITO (3 locations)
3017 Governors Dr SW, Huntsville, 256-534-0866
208 Main St., Madison, 256-461-8999
11220 S.Parkway, Huntsville, 256-489-3232
LE BISTRO DU SOLEIL
300 Franklin Street, Huntsville, 256-539-7777
LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE (3 Huntsville locations)
4249 Balmoral Drive, Huntsville, 256-881-0584
University Drive NW, Huntsvile
2315 Beltline SW, Decatur, 256-432-2746
MAIN STREET CAFE
101Main Street, Madison, 461-8096
Burgers,Deli,&Pizza
BELLACINO’S PIZZA & GRINDERS (2 locations)
4851 Whitesburg Dr, 256-880-8656
BIG ED’S PIZZERIA
903 North Parkway Huntsville 256-489-3374
MAMA ANNIE’S
4550 Meridian Street N, 489-3275
C.F. PENN HAMBURGERS
121 E. Moulton St., Decatur, 256-553-1903
MARKET STREET CAFE
475 Providence Main Street, Huntsville, 256-489-6273
NEWK’S EXPRESS CAFE
4925 University Dr, Huntsville, 256-430-9662
CHEEBURGER, CHEEBURGER (3 locations)
300 Hughes Rd, Madison, 256-464-9990
Providence Main, Huntsville, 256-830-4222
PAULI’S BAR & GRILL
7143-C Hwy 72 W, Huntsville, 256-722-2080.
DALLAS MILL DELI
500 Pratt Ave. Huntsville, 256-489-4240
THE RESTAURANT
2167 Winchester Hwy, Kelso, TN, 931-433-9946
DUFFY’S DELI
2324 Whitesburg, Huntsville, 256-533-4179
SCENE AT BRIDGE STREET
370 The Bridge Street, Huntsville,
FIREHOUSE SUBS
3022 S.Mem.Pkwy, Huntsville, 256-885-2257
8572 Madison Blvd.,, Madion, 256-774-8028
SHEA’S EXPRESS
415 E Church St, Huntsville AL, 532-5277
THE VALLEY PLANET
#111308120308
CANTINA LAREDO
300 The Bridge Street, STE 100, Huntsville, 256-327-8580
CASA OLE
13989 Hwy 231-431 Hazel Green,, 256 828-6000
CASA BLANCA MEXICAN RESTAURANT (4 locations)
7830 Hwy 72 W, Ste 230, Madison 256-864-0360
140 Browns Ferry Rd, Madison 256-464-6044
7900 Bailey Cove Rd, Huntsville 256-883-4447
1802 Hwy 72 E, Ste D, Athens 256-771-0130
ROYAL BUFFET
2003 Drake Ave. Huntsville, 256-883-8998
SAIGON VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT
8760 Madison Blvd. Ste. # P and Q, Madison, AL 35758 ,256-772-0202
SHO GUN JAPANESE STEAK & SUSHI BAR
SURIN OF THAILAND (2 locations)
975 Airport Rd SW, Huntsville, 256-213-9866
Hwy 72 ,Madison
TAI PAN PALACE
2012 Mem. Pkwy, S, Huntsville, 256-539-5797
THAI GARDEN RESTAURANT
800 Wellman Ave. NE, Huntsville, 256-534-0122
TOKYO JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE & SUSHI BAR
1105 Wayne Road, Huntsville, 256-217-1719
German
EL CAMINO REAL
41782 Hwy 231, Meridianville, 256 828-2942
HILDEGARD’S
EL MARIACHI (3 locations)
14450 Hwy 231/431 N Hazel Green, 256-828-1466
1836 Winchester Road, Huntsville 256-851-7255
7193 Hwy 72 W, Madison, 256-890-0900
OL HEIDELBERG CAFÉ
6125 University Drive NW E14, Huntsville, 256-922-0556.
EL PALACIO
2008 Memorial Pkwy SW, Huntsville 256-539-6075
GUADALAJARA MEXICAN RESTAURANTS
11208 S. Memorial Pkwy, Huntsville 256-882-7311
8572 Madison Blvd, Madison 256-774-1401
LA ALAMEDA
3807 University Drive NW, Huntsville, 256-539-6244
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
SCHNITZEL RANCH
Caribbean
ISLAND JERK
2501 Jordan Ln, Huntsville,. 256-489-4774
CASA MONTEGO INTERNATIONAL LOUNGE
2117 Jonathan Drive, Huntsville, 256-858-9187.
ContinuedonPage34
31
I had amazing help in writing this edition’s
“Envelope.” Our own Terri French of the
Valley Planet staff submitted the poem below
in response to my article about “change.”
I wanted to publish this poem because it
shows the other side of my optimism about
what a changing of the “guard” will mean for
America. I, too, do realize that, regardless
of who is President of the United States, no
one person or administration can solve all
our problems. Not even begin to! I believe
grassroots’ community efforts that have
begun must continue with the same, if not
stronger, dedication.
Also, congratulations to Terri who had
a haiku accepted in the Lilliput Review
chapbook! It is a special edition of the
best haiku submitted in the Basho Haiku
Challenge. Now, her poem, Change:
Change is something I sometimes find
in the pockets of old jackets
and purses
and between the cushions of the couch
Change can almost buy a cup of coffee
a newspaper
or a quarter of a gallon of gas
You talk of change
you politicians with your pockets lined
with the green backs of special interest
groups
and corporate megalomaniacs
You talk of change
that moves mountains
and shakes foundations
that trick quarter
glued to the floor of Ed’s hardware store
You only fall for that trick once
Stooping to pick up that quarter
believing with all your heart
that it will be yours
But you never stoop again
and you cease to believe
a tidal froth.
I dropped in some glucose for
a structured sweetness.
I stirred circles and that seemed to
bring things together.
I tilted my cup for a sip and the mocha
sinkholed to the bottom.
A black hole, I thought, and then it
knotted or corked and stopped.
A fellow’s cup across the room
billowed up.
I smiled.
I knew it was expanding, and so it did,
spiraling at the event horizon, and
I slurped a galaxy or two while
thinking how strange it was that I was in
there,
suddenly afraid that I would ingest myself.
Then the verse expanded again and spilled
onto
my hand, a hot mixup of Juan Valdez and
explicit Quanta
and I cursed the whole damn universe,
myself included.
--Shawn Bailey, copyright, 2008
I wish that my experiences at coffee shops
were as stimulating. Just where IS this
coffee house, Shawn? That’s where I want
to go from now on to write “young verse.”
Cream and sugar, please!
The new challenge for the next issue: Send
your prayers, wishes, and/or dreams to me at
[email protected]. Now, go write.
T
here has been a lot of controversy
surrounding a young, local celebrity
named Sharky.
Putting her in the spotlight at such a young
age—many have asked, is it responsible?
Ethical? Some, namely her Uncle Andrew
Rodgers, have even suggested that making a
star of this mere pup is outright exploitation.
As a close member of her family, I have
given this much thought. Should I make
her an Auntie Jen column icon at all cost?
Absolutely. Why? I decided the telling of
Sharky’s story is much more important than
her privacy or dignity.
Sharky came into her mom’s life as an eightweek-old street punk. She was a tough and
happy-go-lucky little bugger, in spite of
having been mangled by another dog. She
had a bloodied ear and puncture wounds all
over her tiny frame. But a broken-spirited
puppy she was not.
And many will testify to that unbroken spirit.
Just ask Grandma Bonnie.
“One of my favorite parts of Sharky’s
babyhood has been her teething—even
though I did lose my left thumb. But what
are Grannies for?” she says. “I do not worry
about my granddaughter growing up in this
difficult and often cruel world. I’m proud to
say Sharky can handle herself very well.”
A sweet puppy, Sharky did develop some
behavioural issues that were a concern to
those close to her. The question of who she
was before she was rescued will remain a
mystery. But many asked—why does she
act so crazy and throw tantrums sometimes?
Is it just a puppy thing, or is the answer in
the unknown story of the earliest days of
Sharky’s life?
Her Auntie Laura Kircus of the Greater
Huntsville Humane Society says, “When I
consider adopting out a dog at the Humane
Society, I tell the potential owners it takes a
lot of patience when dealing with a rescue.
The dog may be angry, sad, nervous or
previously physically abused, so you have
to be prepared to spend a lot of time with the
dog and give him or her a chance—A rescue
dog deserves as much of a second chance as
a human does.”
--Terri French, copyright 2008
The next poem is also about change, but the
galactic, “event horizon,” phantasmagorical
kind!
I dropped a universe into my coffee
and stirred it around.
It was a young verse,
bubbling my java at once into
And a puppy like Sharky requires not only
lots of love and attention but also calm and
assertive discipline to break bad habits like
biting and chewing. An English Pointer/
pit bull terrier mix, Sharky also needs to
burn off lots of energy that will otherwise
turn to boredom and then to destruction.
The answer: exercise, exercise and more
exercise.
However, she’s recently discovered this long
white thing coming off her backside is fun to
chase. And, no, she does not have a clue it’s
her own tail.
Perhaps her favourite toy is her nighttime
snuggle toy that seems to get the most
action—her squeaky 2008 Democrat donkey.
(With each squeak in the night, you can hear
her puppy love for Obama!)
Sharky also has many names, depending
on who’s talking. To most she is simply
known as Sharky. To Auntie Jen, she is
Shark-Eeeeee. And her Granddaddy Steve
affectionately refers to her (in the words of
the great Dave Chappelle) as “mud butt.”
This brings me to nutrition and causes of
mud butt in dogs—one being switching them
from one food to the other too quickly.
Sharky has tried two brands of food, both
of which have high nutritional value—
Eukanuba and California Natural herring
and sweet potato formula.
Her Uncle Jim Lovell, dog owner and trainer,
suggests another kind of food if you have a
high-energy dog like Sharky.
“Sharky has the energy of a large dog in
a small package,” Jim says. “For active
dogs, food that’s higher in protein is often
good. I feed my dogs Innova. Innova EVO
is one such brand of high protein dog food
for high-energy or active dogs. It’s a highquality, holistic and grain-free food you can
find locally at C.T. Garvin. And you end up
serving less per feeding.”
Unfortunately Sharky prefers the taste of cat
poop, as well as her own.
Sharky doesn’t understand health matters,
nor does she get the importance of taking
your puppy to the vet early for their series
of booster shots. She doesn’t know about
things like parvo or heartworms, but dog and
puppy parents should.
What Sharky has gathered from the vet’s
office is that there’s a handsome little
Boxer named Vinny who is now her official
boyfriend. Auntie Jen is chairing a doggie
wedding for SNAP and Huntsville Animal
Services next summer. (Maybe I’ll have a
son-in-law soon!)
In closing, Sharky would like to give a shout
out to Zoe, Maddox, Trinket, Myla, Fred,
Charlotte, Maggie, Chopper and Wedge…
And she wants Vinny to know she prefers
sapphires to diamonds.
Please send comments and ideas to me at
[email protected].
Sharky enjoys going on brisk walks around
Five Points, where her mom and Uncle Peter
do their best to be Cesar Millan-like.
Sharky’s also quite the toy aficionado,
which has become a good energy release.
She has a new dog puzzle called Hide A
Squirrel, designed to sharpen intelligence
and eliminate boredom.
This genius puppy has also learned to
properly retrieve a ball at an early age.
32
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
THE VALLEY PLANET
THE VALLEY PLANET
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
33
Gossip
that city’s fancy Knife and Fork Club. Thanks
to them and the lovely Jean Matthews and
Ann Burke for a record turnout in the Hilton
ballroom.
Balladeer Marilyn Greene is home in
Coldwater after surgery for a broken leg.
Brice and Mary Ellen Marsh are excited
that she has some dates for her health tests in
Birmingham.
That was a fine political fish fry that Jackson
Way barber Floyd Hardin gave on behalf of
Roger Jones the other night. Thousands came,
many spoke, including Parker Griffith.
Lawyer Hallie Angeliehio was there with her
boss Julian Butler and their entire staff from
the county attorney’s office. And farm girl Jo
Moore was there from Meridianville
Our galpal Patsy Trigg has finished her
amusing book “Letters From Grandma” and it
will soon be available at the Senior Center here
and at the Bits ‘n’ Pieces shop in Fayetteville.
The “grandma” refers to her Epic recording of
“Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.”
by Billy Joe Cooley
Classical musician Bianca Cox has had some
eye surgery, so she’s sticking close to home for
awhile, in case you wondered...
Thanks to Jim Vann for keeping Huntsville’s
finest rocking chairs and antiques in good
repair. He’s part of our breakfast club around
Five Points. So is artisan Jack Hucks and
his teacher-wife Ina. She has just undergone
successful cataract surgery.
Another of our favorite breakfast clubbers is
Eli Miller, who remembers when Huntsville
was new and uncluttered. He took his meals at
the Ritz Café downtown, while I made photos
for Olan Mills Studios upstairs.
Vicky Jackson reports that her new pup Mya “is growing like a
weed and has wrapped us around her little paws.”
A bunch of us re-watched the great movie “October Sky” again
the other night. It’s the grand story of Huntsville ‘rocket boy’
Homer Hickam.
The big Mississippi wedding has finally occurred. Our friend
Huleeta Harris and her Bob Smith tied the matrimonial knot
on Oct. 15. She’s part of Huntsville’s Julia Clark family. Helen
Sockwell and I were in Jackson at the time. I was speaking to
Gift Guide for the Book Lover (Pt.1)
E
very year, your holiday list gets longer but
your budget gets shorter. You’d love to be
uber-generous but money is tight in your
house this year. You’d make gifts for everybody,
but time is tight, too. Your kids need something
for their teacher. You’d like to remember the
mailman, delivery people, your mechanic, the
lady who took such good care of your Grandma.
The list grows, but the money doesn’t.
Ho-ho-humbug.
But don’t despair. Books still make great gifts,
and they last! Prices on books have held stable
– some books have even gone down in price
– and there’s something for almost everybody.
For instance, take a look at these
So it’s going to be a year of Bar or Bat
Mitzvahs for your family. Remember your
own celebration and read about the memories
of celebrities in “Mazel Tov” by Jil Rappaport,
photographs by Linda Solomon. This book is
funny and heartfelt and would make a great gift
Listings
MoreListingsCont.from31
Attractions
ALABAMA CONSTITUTION VILLAGE
109 Gates Ave., Huntsville, 256-564-8100.
AMERICAN INDIAN MUSEUM
2003 Poole Drive NW, Huntsville, 256-852-4524.
BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN:
3101 Burritt Drive SE, Huntsville, 256-536-2882.
CATHEDRAL CAVERNS STATE PARK
637 Cave Road, Woodville. 256-728-8193.
EARLYWORKS MUSEUM COMPLEX
404 Madison Street SE, Huntsville, 256-564-8100.
GORHAM’S BLUFF
Pisgah, 256-451-ARTS.
HARMONY PARK SAFARI
431 Clouds Cove Road, New Hope. 1-877-7ANIMAL.
HARRISON BROTHERS HARDWARE
124 Southside Square, Huntsville, 256-536-3631. Alabama’s oldest hardware store.
HUNTSVILLE BOTANICAL GARDEN
4747 Bob Wallace Avenue, Huntsville, 256-830-4447.
HUNTSVILLE STARS
Joe W. Davis Stadium, 3125 Leeman Ferry Rd, Huntsville, 256-882-2562.
HUNTSVILLE HAVOC
700 Monroe Street. Huntsville, AL (256) 518-6160.
34
We lunched on Saturday at Shea’s Express
and listened to the ‘old school’ jazz trio “Heart
Strings,” which features Mark Teague, Phil
Saruk and my cardiologist Michael Ridner.
Hats off to our Valley Planet staffers Terry
French, Jill Wood, Auntie Jen, Tina Leach,
Bonnie Roberts and Sarah Gorman. They
were at our planning session the other night
and have some interesting issues upcoming.
The holidays can be a romantic time, so why not
match it with a different kind of love story: “The
Geography of Love” by Glenda Burgess. This is
the story of love against all sorts of roadblocks,
love against all the quirky things life can throw
at two people. Be aware that this isn’t some
fluffy paperback novel. It’s a true story, and
very satisfying for anyone who believes in the
impossible.
Is there an armchair scientist on your gift list?
Then you can’t go wrong with “The Dominant
Animal: Human Evolution and the Environment”
by Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich. This
fascinating book is not for a lightweight; it’s
filled with hypotheses, insight, and ideas for
thinkers. This is a perfect gift for someone who
loves to study culture, but will also be a great gift
for anyone who’s trying to “go green” this year.
Also look for “Going Green” by Sally Kneidel,
PhD and Sadie Kneidel, which is a book about
shopping carefully to help do your part to lower
our carbon footprint; and “Llwewllyn’s 2009
Green Living Guide, a book filled with ideas
and tips.
Do you need to buy a gift for someone who
yearns to be famous someday? Then wrap up
“Starlust: The Price of Fame” by Jesse Cutler.
This cautionary true story is about a guy who did
everything right on the path to fame, but may
now be the most famous person you’ve never
heard of. Bonus gift: a portion of the proceeds
of this book go to benefit Habitat for Humanity
and music education through the Guitar Center
Music Foundation.
Who’s making your holiday dinner this year?
Whoever it is, the cook will love a nice hostess
gift of cookbooks. Keep your eyes peeled (and
your stomach warm) with “Enlightened Soups”
by Camilla V. Saulsbury or “The Military Wives’
Cookbook” by Carolyn Quick Tillery. Either of
them are sure to get you invited back. I mean,
somebody’s got to do the taste-testing, right?
Also, remember those Foxfire books? They
were filled with stories and hints from folks
by Terri Schlichenmeyer
for celeb watchers or the parents or grandparents
of the lucky new “adult”.
INTERNATIONAL VOCAL STUDIOS
2358 Whitesburg Dr., Huntsville, 256-512-5571,
MAYES BLACK DANCE THEATRE (M.B.D.T.)
2419 Oakwood Ave. NW Suite #F Huntsville, 256-489-5903
THE LAND TRUST TRAILS
Bankhead Pkwy., Huntsville, 256-534-LAND
RENAISSANCE THEATRE AT LINCOLN CENTER
MONTE SANO STATE PARK
5015 Nolen Ave., Huntsville, 256-534-3757
THEATRE HUNTSVILLE
1701 University Dr, Suite 1, Huntsville, 256-536-0807.
SCI-QUEST
102-D Wynn Drive, Huntsville, 256-837-0606.
THE WHOLE BACKSTAGE THEATRE
1120 Rayburn Avenue, Guntersville, 256-582-7469.
US SPACE & ROCKET CENTER
1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, 256-837-3400.
Galleries
VON BRAUN CENTER
700 Monroe St. Huntsville, 256-533-1953.
THE WEEDEN HOUSE
300 Gates Avenue SE, Huntsville, 256-536-7718
801 FRANKLIN
ARS NOVA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
7908C Charlotte Drive, Huntsville, 256-883-1105.
ATHENS ST. STUDENT UNION ART GALLERY
300 N. Beaty St., Athens, Athens State University,
800-522-0272
ARTS COUNCIL, THE
700 Monroe street, Suite 2 Huntsville AL 35081, 256-519-2787
CLAY HOUSE MUSEUM
16 Main Street, Madison 256-325-1018.
Patsy then joined a bunch of us at that annual
Calvin Newton musical over in the North
Georgia Mountains. Among the hundreds
there were Norma (Mrs. Bob) Crews of
Atlanta and Phil McKnelly of Chattanooga
(he runs the national fan club of Sons of the
Pioneers.
BROADWAY THEATRE LEAGUE
700 Monroe St. Suite 410, Huntsville, 256-518-6155.
ART@TAC GALLERY
Von Braun Center, 700 Monroe St., Huntsville, 256-519-ARTS (2787)
ARTISTIC IMAGES
2115 Whitesburg Drive, Huntsville, 256-534-3968.
FANTASY PLAYHOUSE CHILDREN’S THEATRE
3312 Long Avenue SW, Huntsville, 256-539-6829
CALVERT STUDIO
627 Gunter Ave., Guntersville,
FLYING MONKEY ARTS CENTER
2211 Seminole Drive, Huntsville, 256-489-7000
THE CARNEGIE
207 Church St., Decatur,
FOOTLIGHTS COMMUNITY THEATER
302 Hoffman St. Athens, 256-216-0903
CAROLE FORET FINE ART
206 West Market St., Athens, 256-232-2521.
HUNTSVILLE BALLET COMPANY
800 Regal Drive SW, Huntsville, 256-539-0961
CORRON STUDIOS
8006 Old Madison Pike #15, Madison, 256-325-7622
HUNTSVILLE COMMUNITY CHORUS
3312 Long Avenue, Fantasy Arts Center, Huntsville, 256-533-6606
FOOTLIGHTS COMMUNITY THEATER
302 Hoffman St., Athens, 256-777-0822.
HUNTSVILLE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
North Side Von Braun Center, Huntsville 256-539-4818.
HUNTSVILLE ART LEAGUE GALLERY
3005 L&N Drive, Suite 2, Huntsville, 256-534-3860.
LOWE MILL
2211 Seminole Dr., Huntsville,
HUNTSVILLE MUSEUM OF ART
300 Church Street So., Huntsville. , 256-535-4350
#111308120308
who spent their lives in the Appalachians. Well,
if you know someone who loved that series,
they’ll eat up “Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread
& Scuppernong Wine” by Joseph E. Dabney.
This cool cookbook contains some of the same
kinds of stories, plus recipes that you won’t find
in your Joy of Cooking book.
Looking for something for the pop-historian
on your list? Pick up “Peaches & Daddy” by
Michael M. Greenburg. This is the (true) story
of the Roaring 20’s, a romantic scandal, and the
birth of those wonderful tabloid papers. Wrap it
in newspaper (a tabloid, naturally) and give it
with a grin. Another cool pop-history book to
find is “A Pocketful of History” by Jim Noles, a
book about the state quarters and why they were
designed the way they were designed.
See? There are lots of gift choices when you head
to a bookstore. Be sure to remember bookmarks,
check out the audiobooks, too, and ask the
bookstore people if you’re completely stumped.
They know books, and they’re overjoyed to help
you. Look for more gift suggestions in the next
issue of the Valley Planet!
Season’s Readings!
LIVING ART WATER GARDENS
220 Old Hwy 431, Hampton Cove, 256-288-0003
MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND STUDIO
3614 Jackson Highway Sheffield Al.
MAYES BLACK DANCE THEATRE (M.B.D.T.)
2635 Bonita Cir.,Huntsville, 256-489-2635
MERIDIAN ARTS
370 Little Cove Road, Gurley, AL, 256-776-4300.
MONDO DE TATUAGE GALLERY
Corner of 6th Ave. and 7th St., Decatur, 256-306-9099.
MVAC FINE ARTS GALLERY
300 Gunter Ave.,Guntersville, 256-582-1454.
PARSONS ART GALLERY
3rd Floor Railroad Station Antiques
315 Jefferson St., Huntsville, 256-520-2360
SIGNATURE GALLERY
2364 Whitesburg Drive S, Huntsville, 256-536-1960.
THE STUDIO
1219 C Jordan Lane, Huntsville, 256 318-0169
TheEnd!
Do you have talents as a musician?
Do you have a heart for worshiping God?
Then...you need to be playing in
our Praise and Worship band at
First
Baptist in Gurley, AL
(www.fbcgurley.org) Our worship
team is looking for
gifted members with these talents:
-electric guitar
-bass
-percussion
-other (synth/wind instruments)
We practice once a week on Wed.
nights (7-8PM). Please email Norman @ [email protected]
Local Artist seeking folk/indie
band or similar. Play intermediate guitar and keyboard; vocals
and songwriting. Email
[email protected]
Aria Pro Bass for sale: Cherry
Woodstain Red, small gouge on
back from belt buckle. Includes
Epiphone Hardshell case. $200
obo Sharon Grant (256) 734-7129
DRUMMER NEEDED ASAP!!!
Working band looking for versatile
drummer. We play blues, rock,
and folk covers, and some originals. Currently writing material.
Gigs available, just need a
drummer to get it tight!! Call
(256)898-4075 April/Derix Email:
[email protected]
Rhythm guartist seeking to join/
form alternative/rock band
ask for dave 256-682-7663
For Sale:
Refinished Wurlitzer Upright
Piano, Tropicalized-(256)7774072, $750
Gibraltar Road Series
Multiclamp(sc-grsmc) $12.00,
(256)777-4072
Gibraltar SC-GPRMC Power
Rack Multi-Clamp $10.00,
(256)777-4072
Carbonlite 33” bar $45.00,
(256)777-4072
DW 5000 HiHat Stand in Good
Condition $100.00 (256)777-4072
Multi-range metal vocalist who’s
creative and fun and open for suggestions needed for local thrash
metal band Konflyct.
Call: 256-694-1055
Singer seeking band: Female, wide range; into alternative or modern rock, open
to other genres. Contact at
[email protected]
KEYBOARD: Roland RD-600
88 key piano-weighted keyboard
w/stand. Great, solid kick-butt keyboard; needs one key repaired.
Ideal for keyboardist looking for
an additional working-gig-horse.
Originally purchased at $1,300.
AS IS: $350, obo.
Call Lori: 457-9204.
Rock band needing bassist in
Decatur, 227-2562
Forming Band looking for
sax and trombone player
and a percussionist. Based
in Pulaski, TN. Contact Neal at
[email protected].
Band seeking guitarist. Must be
willing to do gigs . Stlyles Hard
rock, Metal. Contact mark @ (256)
616-4275
Paint and More!
Commercial and residential.
Free Estimates.
Call Steve Williams
539-9741.
Goth, Metal, Pop Band seeking
female singer
Contact;
[email protected]
Lead singer/rhythm guitar and
keyboard player needed for
established Decatur Christian rock
band Paul Says Hello. Youth,
talent and experience a plus,
but spiritual maturity a must.
Will require reference from your
church pastor. Call Cameron at
256-227-5377 or email uncloudyd
[email protected]. View band at
www.myspace.com/paulsayshello.
Looking for an English
tutor or editor?
Reasonable Rates
Bonnie Roberts
[email protected]
THE VALLEY PLANET
Need a pet sitter? “If
you’re not home to play
Mommy or Daddy, Auntie
Jen will take care of your
furry family.”
Detailed info at
auntiejenpetsitter.com,
or call (256) 566-2020,
5am-9pm, 7 days/wk.
MUSIC EXCHANGE
UNIVERSITY CENTER ART GALLERY
University of Alabama in Huntsville, 256-824-1000
WILLIS GRAY GALLERY
211 2nd Ave. SE, Decatur, 256-355-7616
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
The Valley Planet Music Exchange is FREE to any individual looking to buy, sell, trade or find bandmates. You get a headline and 3 lines of text for the low, low price of nothing. If you
wish to embellish your ad further, say, with a small photo (add $5) or more words (add $1 per line), it’s up to you. Now, if you are a business, you gotta pay a little something, $12 per
column inch. Please call Jill Wood at (256) 533-4613 if you would like to put your business in the Exchange. Email your ads to [email protected] or send them by snail mail to
Music Exchange,203 Grove Ave. Huntsville AL, 35801. NO AD WILL RUN UNTIL PAYMENT HAS BEEN RECEIVED!
THE VALLEY PLANET
Church Looking for Musician
Morris Chapel Church Desperately seeking a musican for Sunday Services Contact: Mozella Davis
256-852-8844 Email: [email protected]
Pianist - Looking for restaurant/lounge gig in
Huntsville with a piano - oldies, jazz, blues, new
age. 931-433-0565 or
931-625-5101
Violin Teacher Wanted to teach music classes,
contact Ann at [email protected] or
256-512-5571
Singer wanted for original rock bank. Visit
myspace.com/seekingasinger for details.
Professional Drummer Versatile Styles Chris @
227-6490
Bass player needed for rock
- metal band contact doom_
[email protected] or
227-2562
Wanted someone for banjo
lessons 5 string. Call 652-3791.
For sale: 15.5 inch Viola. Case,
bow, & headrest. great condition.
$700.00 or best offer. 701-6413
Guitarist forming instrumental
Surf band. Need drummer,
bassist, 2nd guitarist/
keyboardist for show on 4/19.
Other gigs to follow. Mix of covers
and original material. Vintage
or reissue gear a plus. email:
[email protected]
GET PAID TO WORK AT
HOME:
Earn money working from
the comfort of your own
home.
Real companies, real jobs!
For free details send a self
address stamp envelope to:
Work From Home
742 Dairy Farm
#111308120308
VOLUME 6, ISSUE 16
35

Nov. 13 - Dec. 3, 2008

Transcription

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