1 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces rigatoni or another type
pasta, cooked according to package directions
Parmesan cheese
Fresh thyme sprig or basil for garnish
Recipe Directions:
Melt butter with olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan or small Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in all three meats; cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until beef and pork crumble and are no longer pink.
Stir in tomato paste, wine, milk, and thyme; add salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours. Toss with hot cooked pasta. Sprinkle with cheese, and garnish with chopped basil or fresh thyme.
Peel eggplant and cut into 1⁄2-inch by 3-inch strips. Combine kosher salt and enough ice water to cover the eggplant in a large airtight container, Add eggplant strips; close the container, and chill for 4 to 5 hours or all day if possible.
Combine cornmeal mix and seasoned salt in a large ziplock plastic bag. Drain eggplant, and pat dry with paper towels. Add eggplant to cornmeal mixture; seal bag, and shake until all pieces are coated.
Pour oil to a depth of 2 to 3 inches in a Dutch oven; heat oil over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Fry eggplant, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with table salt. Serve warm with Cocktail Sauce.
For the sauce: Stir together all sauce ingredients; cover and chill. Cocktail sauce may be made up to 3 days in advance.
An old favorite recipe that I got from my dad years ago. These are best when done for a smaller crowd—perfect for two!
Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens will hold the 18th annual Antiques at the Gardens, Birmingham’s premier antiques show featuring nationally and internationally acclaimed designers and dealers as well as a boutique showcase of design, floral artistry, and exquisitely curated antiques.
Presented by McCorquodale Transfer and featuring design sponsor Lee Jofa, the show will include talks by nationally and internationally acclaimed interior designers, floral designers, architects, landscape architects.
The show also welcomes 25 celebrated dealers offering exquisitely curated antique furniture, fine art, vintage and fine jewelry, silver, rugs and textiles, home decor, and garden accessories.
Tickets for the show and special events are on sale now. For tickets, show schedule, speaker bios, and dealer information, visit bbgardens.org/antiques.
Special Weekend Events
Shop the Show with Stacey Bewkes
Friday, October 4 at 9:30 a.m. – Sponsored by Jeremy D. Clark Join Quintessence founder Stacey Bewkes for a special tour of the dealer booths as she shares recommendations and pieces of interest during this intimate walk-through. Stacey will touch on interiors, art, architecture, antiques and decorative arts, jewelry, travel, and more.
Floral Workshop with Calvert Crary
Saturday, October 5 at 3:30 p.m. – Sponsored by Anna & Jim Cooper Calvert Crary is the Executive Director of FlowerSchool New York and FlowerSchool Los Angeles, as well as author of Flower School: A Practical Guide to the Art of Flower Arranging. A professional photographer and floral entrepreneur, Calvert also is an internationally recognized instructor and mentor.
2024 Antiques at the Gardens Speakers
Antiques at the Gardens welcomes these nationally and internationally acclaimed interior designers, floral designers, architects, landscape architects and furniture designers to the 18th annual show.
An additional ticket is required for each lecture. Limited seating. Free parking. Book signings hosted by Leaf & Petal at the Gardens
Friday, October 4: Red Diamond Lecture Series
Sponsored by Red Diamond Coffee & Tea Hosted by Richard Keith Langham, 2023 Show Ambassador
LIFE IN THE GARDEN Bunny Williams is an accomplished entrepreneur, author, and philanthropist. Bunny Williams Inc. includes Williams Lawrence, Bunny Williams Home, and product and fabric lines, as well as Bunny’s best-selling books. She creates interiors with livable elegance, and nowhere is this more apparent than in her country house in Connecticut. In her new book, Bunny Williams: Life in the Garden, she shares her passion and infectious enthusiasm for planting and entertaining.
BUILDING A HOME TO LAST Award-winning architect Gil Schafer is a leading practitioner of contemporary classical architecture. Gil holds a Master of Architecture from Yale and is the author of The Great American House and A Place to Call Home. His latest book, Home at Last: Enduring Design for the New American House, is newly out from Rizzoli. He opened his firm in 2002 and renamed it Schafer Buccellato Architects in 2023.
Saturday, October 5: The Future of Traditional Design
Moderator: Steele Marcoux, Editor in Chief, VERANDA Sponsored by Cobbs Allen & Pure Insurance
Elizabeth Lawrence Elizabeth Lawrence established her career with Bunny Williams and is now her partner at Williams Lawrence, designing projects across the country. Her work has been published in The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Veranda, Galerie and House Beautiful.
Elizabeth Pyne Singer Elizabeth Pyne Singer joined McMillen Inc. after working at Sotheby’s in the Old Master paintings department. Her designs mix traditional motifs with contemporary art and design. Elizabeth’s work has appeared in Architectural Digest, New York Magazine, The New York Times and House Beautiful.
Rudy Saunders Rudy Saunders is the Design Director of Dorothy Draper & Company, Inc., where he designs interiors across the U.S. and internationally. He also oversees the design of hospitality projects at The Greenbrier in West Virginia and the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. A prolific needle pointer, Rudy launched an exclusive collection called R! by Rudy in 2020.
Saturday, October 5: Influence and Inspiration
Moderator: Margot Shaw, Editor in Chief, FLOWER Sponsored by FLOWER
Barry Dixon As one of America’s top designers, Barry Dixon creates interiors using a masterful blend of traditional and contemporary that mixes color and texture. His work has been featured in House Beautiful, Better Homes & Gardens, Traditional Home, and more. Barry’s own line of furnishings is carried in showrooms nationally.
Mary McDonald Award-winning, L.A.-based interior designer Mary McDonald is known for fearless, exuberant style immersed in classicism. She began her career as a milliner and retains a sense of “couture chic” that inspires her to combine bold patterns, chinoiserie, and Indian influences with contemporary lines and an impeccable sense of color. Her first book, Mary McDonald Interiors: The Allure of Style, is in its fifth printing.
Michelle Nussbaumer The guiding force behind Ceylon et Cie, founder Michelle Nussbaumer creates timeless spaces inspired by travel. Her career began in Rome, followed by Los Angeles, and now Dallas. Her work has been featured in Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Architectural Digest, VERANDA, Marie Claire, House & Garden, and The New York Times. Through Ceylon et Cie, Michelle and her team are turning Old World inspiration into modern, soulful interiors.
Moderator Margot Shaw Margot Shaw, founder of FLOWER magazine, inspires, educates, and entertains readers with a point of view that stems from seeing the world through a botanical lens. Margot is also the author of Living Floral, published by Rizzoli, and is a dedicated philanthropist.
Sunday, October 6: Design, Style and Influence
Sponsored by Visual Comfort & Co.
Alexa Hampton Alexa Hampton has been president of Mark Hampton, LLC, her iconic father’s interior design company, since 1998. The creator of the recurring “Where-to” feature for The Wall Street Journal, she is also the designer of licensed products for the home. She is the author of three books. Her memoir, Alexa Hampton: Design, Style, and Influence, is about her journey into design and the inspirations that shaped her iconic style.
Sunday, October 6: Designing a Home Together
Moderator: Executive Director & CEO Design Leadership Network Sponsored by Page Albright Orientals and Southern Home
James F. Carter James Carter and associate architects Scott Boyd and Andy Taylor create timeless homes that portray an easy grace. Project concepts and designs are inspired by classical vernaculars based on historical precedent and reflective of the homeowner’s lifestyle and personality.
Richard Keith Langham Alabama-born and Manhattan-based, Richard Keith Langham has been a force in the decorating world for more than 30 years. His keen eye and ebullient talent serve well in assembling his signature rooms—those that speak to the past in a fresh way and are brimming with luscious color, pattern, and couture detailing.
Ben Page Ben Page is an award-winning landscape architect with over 40 years of experience. Ben’s designs often incorporate historical influences interpreted for the 21st century. His work has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Garden & Gun, Southern Living, The Washington Post, and House Beautiful.
Moderator Michael Diaz-Griffith Michael Diaz-Griffith is an art historian, designer, and executive director and COO of the Design Leadership Network, a national member organization supporting community, education, and best practices in the design industry. He has advised fairs, auction houses, galleries, and museums on strategy and development, and he was recently named to House Beautiful’s list of “Visionaries” for his advocacy of antiques, historic art, and preservation. His book, The New Antiquarians: At Home with Young Collectors, was released in June 2023.
Is the summer heat getting you down? This is the time of the year to keep your Stanley water jug close at hand. A common guideline is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, which equals about 2 liters or half a gallon. Kick the caffeine and get creative with the abundance of fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables available this season. Infused water is a great way to enhance the flavor and health benefits of water without unwanted additives. And, it’s easy. Just cut the fruit or vegetables of your choice, add them to a pitcher or water bottle, refrigerate overnight, and you are ready to go the next morning.
Infused Water Ingredients
Try some of our favorite combinations or get creative with your own.
Assorted ingredients for Infused Water
Cucumber + Mint + Lemon
Raspberry + Lemon + Rosemary
Watermelon + Kiwi + Lime
Ginger + Lemon + Basil
Pineapple + Coconut + Lime
Pineapple + Blueberry + Mint
Strawberry + Basil or Mint
Orange + Blueberry
If your fruit is fragile, it may become water-logged. To keep your flavor, strain or remove mushy fruits. Are you making a batch or a pitcher? Infused water will last three to four days in the refrigerator.
Did you know?
About 20% of our daily water intake typically comes from food, especially fruits and vegetables. This means the remaining 80% should come from beverages, primarily water.
Benefits of Infused Water
Enhanced Flavor: Makes water more appealing, encouraging more frequent drinking.
Nutrient Boost: Provides small amounts of vitamins and antioxidants from the added fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Low Calorie: Offers a tasty alternative to sugary drinks without extra calories.
Detoxification: Certain combinations, like lemon and mint, are believed to aid in detoxifying the body.
Hydration Motivation: By incorporating infused water into your routine, you can enjoy the benefits of staying hydrated with an added burst of flavor and nutrition.
Are you racking your brain trying to find blooming summer annuals that can handle Alabama’s hot and sunny climate? With our long growing seasons, we want plants that not only survive but also thrive in the full sun and high temperatures. Here are some of our favorite annual flowering plants that flourish throughout the summer at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Calibrachoa
Calibrachoa, commonly known as million bells, are prolific bloomers. Their flowers look like tiny petunias, and they come in all sorts of colors. Million bells tend to have a trailing growth habit, so they do best in pots and hanging baskets or planted near the edges of beds. Just give them plenty of water and fertilizer throughout the growing season, and you’ll have nonstop blooms!
Lantana
Lantana is fairly drought-tolerant so it’s a fantastic summer annual if you’re someone who tends to forget to water their plants. Lantana can often be perennial in our zone as long as we don’t get a harsh winter. While it attracts pollinator insects, lantana is deer- and rabbit-resistant. This plant comes in many different colors, shapes, and sizes that range from trailing to 5-foot shrubs!
Pentas
Pentas, sometimes referred to as Egyptian star flower, have clusters of star-shaped flowers that heavily attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. This showy plant has an upright growth habit and comes in an array of pinks, purples, reds, and whites. Thriving best in full sun, pentas can be showstoppers in any container or annual bed.
Portulaca
Portulaca, or purslane, is a flowering, trailing ground cover with leaves that closely resemble succulents. This plant requires full sun, as too much shade will prevent the blooms from opening. Portulaca can thrive in poor soil, such as sandy or rocky conditions. It looks gorgeous in hanging baskets and other containers or cascading over a stone wall.
SunPatiens
SunPatiens® are an impatiens hybrid designed to be long-lasting in extreme heat. Their large flowers come in a range of pink, red, purple, orange, and white, with some even having variegated foliage. While they do require frequent watering, wilted SunPatiens will perk right up after a quick soaking without any residual damage.
OPULENT BEGINNINGS For generations, families large and small have been making The Greenbrier a special part of their traditions. Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia, this National Historic Landmark has been dubbed America’s First Resort. Founded in 1778, it attracted early visitors who sought the purported healing properties of the area’s mineral springs and found peace in the bucolic setting. Before the Civil War, the resort became popular with Southern guests seeking a respite from the heat at home—politicians, diplomats, and lawyers, as well as five sitting presidents, all made the sojourn to this haven with a 2,000-foot elevation. When the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway acquired the property in 1910 (and completed the adjacent rail line), The Greenbrier became the go-to place for society denizens from Newport to Palm Beach. And that historic grandeur continues to lure guests in present day.
TODAY A deft touch is required to retain the historic sense of place of a resort of this magnitude while still providing the guests of today with all of the modern amenities and accoutrements they expect. The Greenbrier does just that, magnificently. The soaring lobby and high-ceilinged common spaces, as well as all guest rooms and cottages, are resplendent in the floral riot of color that was designer Dorothy Draper’s hallmark.
A backdrop such as this attracts guests who appreciate a bit of formality in their recreation. While there are a few casual dining outlets on site, most restaurants on property see well-dressed guests at meals, with ladies in dresses and men (and boys!) in coat-and-tie. It is a tradition embraced by returning visitors who relish such things.
WHAT TO DO The beauty of a resort like The Greenbrier is that you can do as much or as little as you wish. The entire stay is dedicated to your own version of ‘leisure.’ Because of this, the destination is ideal for multi-generational travel where everyone can do what they like—at their own speed.
For the active, there are plenty of outdoor activities like croquet, horseback riding, falconry, fly-fishing, world-class golf, whitewater rafting, ice skating, swimming (indoor and out), tennis, bowling, and of course, pickleball. Guests interested in honing their shooting skills—or just trying something new—can visit the resort’s Gun Club for an afternoon of instruction, trap shooting, and skeet. The resort also offers friendly sporting clays competitions.
Craving more adrenaline? Connect with Greenbrier Outfitters for mountain biking, kayaking, an alpine tower climb, an aerial adventure course, bubble soccer, or an e-bike rental. The Mountaineer Experience hits a trifecta with archery, tomahawks, and air rifle shooting. Guests can also take a Segway tour or go off-roading with a Jeep adventure or on a Polaris vehicle.
More leisurely pursuits include movies in the Greenbrier Theatre, spa services, a nightly champagne toast and waltz in the Casino Club, bourbon and wine tastings, carriage rides, or just curling up by the fire with a good book.
Be sure to make time for afternoon tea, served at 4:15 pm sharp in the Upper Lobby. A concert on the grand piano adds to the elegant backdrop. And no visitor should miss a tour of the property’s historic bunker, which remained one our nation’s greatest secrets for 30 years. Conceived of and built under President Eisenhower as a fallout shelter for members of Congress, the facility was fully maintained, operational, and hidden for three decades before it was leaked to a reporter and revealed in 1992. Tours are offered daily, and reservations are required.
WHEN TO GO With so much to do here, there is no wrong time to visit The Greenbrier. The hardest part might be deciding between extended summer stays that include multi-generational lawn games capped off with a fancy dinner and fireworks or winter holiday escapes complete with sleigh rides and ice skating. And then there are the special-event weekends like the Dorothy Draper Design weekend each March where members from the acclaimed design team host a joyous deep dive into the textile treasures of Dorothy Draper and her protégé Carleton Varney. Next year marks the 100th anniversary of her work, and event organizers—including Dorothy Draper president (and Carleton’s son) Sebastian Varney and interior designer Rudy Saunders—are promising to make this one the best yet. Think floral-arranging classes, private tours of the cottages and suites, workshops, attendee-only dinners, and an exclusive visit to the on-site upholstery shop. Grab a friend, or book this as a mother-daughter experience for the best holiday gift ever.
HOW TO GET THERE The Greenbrier Resort shuttle offers drop-off and pick-up service from nearby Lewisburg airport (LWB), which connects through Charlotte (CLT). Guests choosing to drive from Birmingham should plan for about an 8-hour trip.
To bring more modern elements into the kitchen, Jessica opted for a mitered waterfall edge on the island. She also chose to use the soapstone as the backsplash to keep from introducing another element into the room. “There’s enough going on, especially with the living and sitting rooms within sight,” she says. “Keeping those elements simple and all the same color was needed.” Photography by Jean Allsopp
For Derek and Rushton Waltchack, a simple plan to change the floors evolved into a full-scale kitchen renovation. What followed was a sleek and stylish transformation that added both functionality and flair to their beloved Smith Lake getaway. The couple did get their white oak floors, but they also received much more.
Jessica Prier of Birmingham Design House started by streamlining the space, removing the double wall oven, and opting instead for a sleek, large range that could still keep up with the family of eight. She removed all upper cabinets, solely utilizing tall cabinets that flank the range, which provided the needed storage while underscoring the minimal style.
TIP: Consider Patina: The pewter faucet and pot filler will age gracefully over time, creating a welcome, timeworn appeal.
Complying with her clients’ request for color, Jessica chose a hue that spoke to the natural setting (Rosemary, Sherwin-Williams). “Since this was their second home, we had the freedom to be a bit bolder,” Jessica says. “But with the stunning lake view outside the window, it didn’t need much to complement the natural beauty.”
“We blended their love of color and modern elements to create a space that’s not only beautiful but also welcoming and comfortable.”
Birmingham is full of traditional, European-inspired homes and gardens, and it’s a language that John Golightly Wilson is well-versed in. For those homes, he speaks in boxwoods, hydrangeas, and hollies. However, when it comes to a more modern design, his voice changes.
Working to complement both the site and the interior renovation by architect Taylor Plosser Davis, John found a way to better connect the mid-century modern home to the outdoors. Hardscapes were softened with bluestone pavers, planting beds, and lawn. A new walkway created better ingress and egress to the home, and as a bonus, John was able to repurpose a custom Frank Fleming handrail from the client’s former home. “We got lucky,” John says. “The slope was similar, and we were able to find the right proportions to use the art.”
“Contemporary gardens often tend towards a minimalistic tone, which by default limits the plant palette. For this home, we knew we could still have fun with plants by using an array of textures and varying shades of green with a few pops of color.”
—John Golightly Wilson
The existing pool, terrace, and retaining walls remained. John reconfigured part of the terrace by removing concrete paving that abutted the house and replacing it with grass. Wood was elevated with Ipe decking, and a new cable rail system underscored the streamlined look.
Hardscape in place, John filled in planting areas with a diverse tapestry of greenery. He says his earliest ideas leaned too modern—think columnar trees and trimmed hedges—but then he realized that was too predictable. Instead, he wove together a loose yet considerate installation of both native and zone-tolerant plants that would soften the architecture and continue to create interest over time and through all seasons.
In the Mix
Trees: Chinese Evergreen Dogwood Hornbeam Sourwood Laceleaf Japanese Maple Longleaf Pine Flowers: Anemone Purple Coneflower Fall Aster Blackeyed Susan Blackberry Lily Greenery, Herbs, and Flowering Shrubs: Blue Shadow Fothergilla Green Aucuba Lenten Rose Little Henry Sweetspire Mountain Mint Big Leaf Paper Plant Prostrate Rosemary Witch Hazel
Serves 2
