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Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on ​the new Waveland Lighthouse, the Hope Haven Christmas Toy Drive and the city elections. 

It’s hard to believe that it is already time to say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. What a great year we have had here in Waveland.  This past year, our community has drawn together even closer and we have accomplished more than ever before. 

As we celebrate this holiday season, let us use this time to reflect and count our blessings. The greatest gift we could exchange this season is to serve one another. May I ask you all to remember your neighbors at this time of year, especially the elderly and those who live alone.

On behalf of my family, as well as the Waveland Board of Aldermen and Mayor, and all of our dedicated Waveland employees, we wish your family all the love and blessings this holiday season can offer.

We look forward with anticipation to another great year in 2019.

- Alderman Jeremy Burke

The current administration has been able to partner with the Board of Supervisors to aggressively find the funding to make the project a reality.  The lighthouse was built using Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act funds, Tideland Trust funds, and seawall tax funds.  The contractor is expected to turn over the project to Waveland by Christmas.
 
The Waveland Lighthouse & Public Pavilion will further enhance the use of the one of the most beautiful beaches on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Several people have expressed interest to me in hosting recreation events and festivals because of the easily available lighting, parking, power and, most importantly, a restroom facility. 

Hope Haven Christmas Toy Drive

Hope Haven Children's Advocacy Center 2018 Toy Drive provides an excellent opportunity for those who want to make a difference to bring a smile to the faces of underprivileged children during the holiday season.

Donate unwrapped toys to children less fortunate this Christmas. Sign up to have a Hope Haven CAC donation box placed in your business or organization. You can also drop off new unwrapped toys to the Hope Haven CAC office after a scheduled drop off time has been confirmed.

​Contact Hope Haven at 228-466-6395 for more information. Hope Haven Children's Advocacy Center: Supporting Children, Strengthening Families, and Restoring Hope.

Waveland Election 

​I had known drummer Jerry Lenfant since high school when he lived here. Though younger than me, Jerry was the younger brother of a close friend. Guitarist John Bezou and I go back to around 1980 when he began playing with me in The County Line Band. Jerry Lenfant also joined the band as drummer about 1983 when he moved back to the area.
 
The three of us along with my wife, Candy, played on and off through a succession of bands like The Juke Jumpers and the early Pat Murphy Band.
 
By the mid-1990s, John and Jerry had moved on and founded a band by the name of The Relative Unknowns. They both continued working together in that band for a number of years. In the later years of The Relative Unknowns, the band also included vocalist Phil Williams.

​After disbanding The Relative Unknowns, Bezou and Lenfant would begin an association with bassist Ed Rafferty in 2012 and began playing occasionally at The Ugly Pirate shortly thereafter.
 
As I mentioned earlier, the trio started out billing itself locally as JJ & Mad Dog. One night fate intervened when, on a gig, a Bay St. Louis trash container was spotted with a BSL sticker on the side. The rest, ladies and gentlemen, is local music history. The name BSL stuck and the band has gone on to endear themselves with local and area classic rock music fans.
 
The BSL Trio specializes in cover versions of classic rock from Cream and Santana to The Doors as well as some of the blues rock of Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

All three of the members of The BSL Trio are also active in other musical projects as well. John Bezou and Jerry Lenfant are both long time members of The St. Rose Men's Gospel Ensemble.

​Bezou also continues to play with local R&B band 'Sippiana Soul as well as being involved with The Gulf Coast Jazz Society. Bassist Ed Rafferty continues to pursue his jazz roots and Berkley schooling as a member of The Dave Knorr Trio playing jazz as well as being involved with The Gulf Coast Jazz Society.
 
The three musicians comprising The BSL Trio are all fiercely proud of their status as veterans of United States military service.
​

The BSL Trio can be found most any weekend playing locally at Buoy's or The Mockingbird Cafe as well as The Blind Tiger in Biloxi, The Government Street Grocery in Ocean Springs or The Blue Crab on the lakefront in New Orleans.

The band served in an opening act capacity for The Glory Rhodes (a popular 1960s New Orleans Beatle-era band) at New Orleans' popular Rock'n'Bowl. The BSL Trio will also be playing at The Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale on Saturday, December 29th.

RAW Oyster Bar on the Bay beachfront is all about the freshest of seafood and sushi - plus weekend and seasonal specials. This new venue is perfect for a quick bite and drink or a satisfying feast. Did we say fresh? ​
- story by Lisa Monti, photos by Lisa Monti and Ellis Anderson 

RAW and the equally cozy Harbor Bar next door, are both newly opened affiliates of The Blind Tiger, right across Beach Boulevard overlooking the city’s harbor.

Just inside RAW’s door at the head of the long bar is a bed of ice where plump oysters on the half shell, cooked crab legs and lobster tails rest while an oyster shucker nearby pries open bivalves and a sushi chef creates specialties to order. Customers can sit at the bar or at high top tables along the opposite brick wall. There’s also a bit of patio seating, which is in high demand when weather cooperates.
 
The RAW menu - listed by columns of food and drinks - is packed with a generous selection of oysters, boiled and chilled seafood and abundant sushi. Check the chalkboard for specials like Maine lobsters available on weekends. 

General manager  Drew Tomaszewski says RAW set out to become the best sushi place on the coast, and the key to making that happen was finding and hiring the top sushi chefs.

RAW’s chefs work for hours ahead of opening each day, cooking rice and prepping the fresh components for selections such the Ring of Salmon with blue crab and snow crab wrapped in fresh salmon and the Jalapeno Poppin' Spicy Tuna signature Roll with tuna, cream cheese, fresh jalapeno lightly tempura fried and topped with sriracha, eel sauce and wasabi mayo.
 
Our party of three cut a swath across the menu to get a good sampling of the offerings. We started with a shared plate of smoked swordfish dip and another with BBQ shrimp in rich sauce made for dipping with the accompanying French bread.

The photogenic Tuna Poke with chunks of tuna and avocado heaped into a martini glass topped with seaweed salad tasted as good as it looked. The house sushi rolls with spicy salmon were another hit.

​We also went for the Beach Bum Roll, RAW’s most popular: the snow crab with “crunchies and cream cheese” topped with spicy mayo and eel sauce was a winner. Every dish we tried tasted fresh and was appealing to the eye, plus service was first rate.

​RAW sells fresh local bivalves, of course, but also premium ones from such sources as Murder Point, Ala., to give diners a chance to try prized oysters from out-of-state waters.
 
The oysters at RAW are roasted (not charbroiled as is common). Drew says the roasting makes the oysters consistently good and the cooking time is quicker. Customers find that to their liking, he said.
 
The classically roasted oysters are prepared with roasted garlic and Parmesan butter, lemon and parsley. There’s also a spicy Diablo version, Southwestern Mexi-Cali oysters and Stella Bleu, again with roasted garlic and Parmesan butter plus bleu cheese and bacon.

​Drew says RAW’s food menu remains true to popular items but also offers seasonal items to keep the selections interesting and fresh. It’s a practice that keeps customers returning for the oysters and sushi and weekend specials. “We’re not afraid to change the menu when we get an opportunity to put new things on it,” he says.
 
RAW’s drink menu ranges from Champagne and sparkling wines to whites, roses and reds to sake, beer and some creative cocktails.
 
RAW is that rare place you can stop in for a quick bite or an extended grazing session on seafood fresh from the source and sushi freshly prepared. 

Pack your bags AND your books. Writer/bookstore owner Scott Naugle doesn’t leave home with them.

Writing in The Unpunished Vice: A Lifetime of Reading, Edmund White shares a similar sentiment, “If I watch television, at the end of two hours I feel cheated and undernourished (although I’m always being told of splendid new TV dramas I haven’t discovered yet); at the end of two hours of reading, my mind is racing and my spirit is renewed. If the book is good…”

Edmund White is a novelist, biographer and essayist. His fiction includes The Beautiful Room is Empty, The Farewell Symphony, and Fanny: A Fiction. He has penned biographies of Marcel Proust and Jean Genet. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1940 and resides in New York City.
​
Employing his remarkable and voluminous memory, White recounts his reading and the impact of the works on his life and world view as he matured from teenager to septuagenarian.

White recalls his first reading of William Faulkner, and credits him with “expand[ing] his concept of the novel” as an art form while also performing as social commentary. He checks Faulkner though on his “verbal, seemingly drunken absurdities” as demonstrated by this phrase, among others, from Absalom, Absalom, “That aptitude and eagerness of the Anglo-Saxon for complete mystical acceptance of immolated sticks and stones.” 
​
I packed The Unpunished Vice for a recent flight to Washington, D.C., connecting through Atlanta. Traveling with books requires planning. I spend far more time fussing over what I want to take along to read than I do with tossing a few clean shirts and socks in a Samsonite. My luggage invariably holds two or three books, more if the trip is longer, and one or two in my backpack that I carry on the plane.

Non-fiction is a more convenient read while traveling, preferably a book of essays such as White’s. Literary fiction necessitates longer periods of uninterrupted thought. A fifteen or twenty page essay is ideal for the short hop from Gulfport to Atlanta.  

Once, I made the error of packing five books, including two hardbacks, in my suitcase. I was pulled out of the airport security line by a TSA agent after “suspicious objects” were detected in my suitcase that I just placed on the conveyor belt to move through the scanning machine.

“I need you to remove all the books that are in your suitcase,” bellowed the brusque TSA agent. His sallow skin matched the worn brown of his stretched polyester pants as he attempted to impart an air of authority by a wider than natural stance while crossing his arms.

“Why?” I asked.

“You may have hollowed out the insides of the books and placed prohibited or dangerous substances in them. It’s not normal to have that many books in a bag.”

Advanced age teaches me to hold my tongue, but not my thoughts. 
​
“Oh, ok," I said while thinking, Yes, the books do contain dangerous things. They are called ideas.

When no incendiary chemicals were found in the books, with a wary eye, the deflated TSA agent waved me through.
​
I don’t fare well either at times in the seat mate lottery. On a more recent flight, while reading The Unpunished Vice, ensconced in words and intriguing thoughts, Flem Carbuncle (I don’t know if that was his name, but it fits) sat beside me, overfilling the narrow seat.  

“What's that there you're reading? A book?”

“Yes,” I said curtly. 

“My grandmother was from up north there in Tennessee and she wrote a little book once before she died,” he blathered, oblivious to the fact I was not fully listening.

“Oh, that’s interesting.” 

“The little book was about the pixies and faeries that she believed visited her at night in her sleep and gave her advice when she was upset or worried.”

Contrary to the title of White’s book. I felt I was being punished for my vice of reading.

Aloft, the clouds thousands of feet below, after the stewards and stewardesses have docked the beverage cart and my overhead reading light is the one beacon in an otherwise dark cabin on a red eye flight, I think of this passage from a letter written by Virginia Woolf to a friend, “Sometimes I think heaven must be one continuous unexhausted reading.” 

With a historic building and a beloved choir that are known throughout the region, "St. Rose," is approaching its 100th birthday in the Bay!
- story by Denise Jacobs, photos by Ellis Anderson

Known as one of the church’s historians, Joan Thomas notes that it was “pretty amazing” during that era for someone with Labat’s cabinet-making background to rise to the status of architect.  Thomas, is well-suited to her current position as director of religious education at St. Rose de Lima: the now-retired educator chaired the history department for the Bay-Waveland School District and was named Wal-mart Teacher of the Year in 1999.  She also served as a member of the Bay-Waveland School Board. 

Thomas remembers having the opportunity to look underneath the church years later during a restoration project and finding two names carved in foundation braces: Jellicoe and Lewis—no last names. Thomas assumes these were two of the construction workers from the 1920s. 
 
The 40’ x 80’ foot church, built to accommodate 350 people, was completed in 1926.  Shortly thereafter, St. Rose de Lima Parish was made independent of Our Lady of the Gulf Parish.  
 
Ms. Thomas explains that the land for the church came from the St. Augustine Seminary, and it was the seminary, the Order of the Society of the Divine Word, that provided clergy to St. Rose de Lima Parish, beginning with Father Francis Baltes, SVD.  The Divine Word continues to provide clergy to this day - 21 thus far.  Thomas points out that each has worked at “enhancing the diversity of the parish.” 

​On Installation Day in 1926, Bishop Richard Oliver Gerow commented on the beauty of the altar cloths, which had been made by the parish women.  In the building of the church, parish families “put up money, and the ladies cooked meals.”  
 
Thomas describes the construction of the church as “a community effort for the black congregants to have something of their own,” explaining that an “astonishing number of black catholics” lived in the area. 
 
“They needed a place of their own,” Thomas says, “a sense of full acceptance.” 
 
Years later, after sixty years of faithful service, the original church building’s interior and exterior were in need of repair.  This renovation began in the late 1980s and early 1990s under the direction of Father Kenneth Hamilton, SVD, pastor.  The project included the creation of the nationally-recognized work of art that still stands behind the altar, the “Christ in the Oak” mural.   

​The altar, ambo, tabernacle, and table are all carved from local wood retrieved from the Bay. Master woodworker Ellsworth Collins, who passed away in 1996 after spending his life in Bay St. Louis, crafted the  altar from an extraordinary rooted stump found near St. Stanislaus College.  The wooden altar base appears to be reaching toward heaven. 

“Christ in the Oaks,” was painted by Armenian artist Auseklis Ozols, founder of the New Orleans Academy of Fine Art.  As recorded in Mississippi Back Roads:Notes on Literature and History(Elmo Howell), Ozols envisioned a mural that would represent both the Crucifixion and the Resurrection:  
 
“The figure of Christ hangs in the air, behind him the tree, the Cross, the symbol of the earth mightily grasping the ground. But Christ has broken free! The tree is behind him, yet it is his burden also.”  
 
Local artist Kat Fitzpatrick, at the time, a member of the St. Rose gospel choir - and one of Ozol’s students – originally introduced the artist to the priest and helped the mural process along.  
 
Thomas explains that the mural’s black Christ is intended to reflect the Afro-centric nature of the church.  
 
“It was Father Ken,” she recalls, “who moved us in the direction the church is in now. I guess he kind of took a page from Pope John Paul II, who said that ‘Faith that does not become culture is not wholly embraced, fully thought, or faithfully lived.’”   

​Father Kenneth introduced the St. Rose de Lima parish to the concept of re-rooting and re-routing in Christ.  
 
“Since Vatican II,” Thomas notes, “we knew we all played a role in the church. We all have a job to do. We all had a function, but I think it’s when Father Ken came here, 20 years after Vatican II, that we found real ownership of our parish and our culture.
 
“Father Ken used to remind us that we had to remember ‘who we were and whose we were.’  People come to us for a reason and a season. And Father Ken re-rooted and re-routed us. Everybody wanted that.”
 
The pastor also led congregants into an ongoing practice of oral history.  Ms. Thomas remembers one of the things she “most loved” about Father Ken: 
 
“At each mass, Father Ken called upon people within the congregation to stand up and tell their family history, tell a bit about their family’s journey. We were also tasked with one more thing.  Everybody had to go back to the family homestead and bring back to church a teaspoon or so of dirt—soil. It was placed in a wooden communal bowl with a lid on it. And at funerals, we used to stir the soil. Stir the soil. It was very meaningful. It was powerful. It was visual. It took us back to our Afro-centric roots.”
 

The next major work at 301 South Necaise Avenue took place in the aftermath of Katrina. Actually, the church fared relatively well, all things considered.  According to church archives, the priest assigned to St. Rose at the time, Father Sebastian Myladiyal, SVD, prayed the sacrament, “To Avert the Storm,” as Hurricane Katrina approached. 
 
Myladiyal then waited out the storm at a nearby building on the highest ground in Bay St. Louis. When he arrived at the church the next morning, some windows were blown in and there was roof damage but, amazingly, no water had damaged the half of the church containing the altar and mural.  
 
In the aftermath of Katrina, St. Rose became a distribution center for provisions and supplies for people in need, including but extending well beyond the parish membership, most in need themselves—you might say, re-rooting and re-routing once again. 
 
Today, St. Rose de Lima is a vibrant and diverse parish heavily influenced by the African-American culture. The church’s dynamic full gospel choir is known nationwide. 
​
Visitors travel from around the country to tour the church, and many light candles for loved ones, admire the church’s craftsmanship, and enjoy the serenity of their surroundings.  
 
According to Ms. Thomas, St. Rose counts 409 families as members, enough to warrant three weekly services.  There’s a service at 4pm on Saturday and two on Sunday mornings at 7am and 9am, with  Jim Collins, (the 2018 Hancock County Citizen of the Year) leading the singing at the earlier service. 

Fiercely competitive and always fun, this annual drive to restock the Hancock County Food Pantry grows each year. 
- story by Lisa Monti, photos courtesy Sound Insurance.

The couple shares an active interest in helping to provide for children, and they made their family-owned business the driving force behind the Food Fight. The drive extends to D’Iberville, Columbia, Hattiesburg and Laurel, where Sound Insurance has offices.
 
The Food Fight runs from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15. During that time, teams from local businesses, plus schools and youth organizations, collect canned food and food products, cooking oil, dry goods such as flour, pasta and grits, as well as dish and laundry soaps and personal hygiene products for the needy.

The Bay St. Louis drive benefits the Hancock County Food Pantry. Other Sound Insurance offices choose which nonprofit in their community will receive their donations.
 
Christy Bond of Sound Insurance in Bay St. Louis, who leads the annual event, says they’ve turned the fight against hunger into a friendly but fierce competition. The team that collects the most items receives the coveted but quirky Food Fight trophy adorned with canned goods.

​Christy said Advantage Title of Bay St. Louis has captured the trophy the last two years, followed closely last year by Starfish Cafe. “They were in a very close race and Starfish almost had them,” she says.

To keep a competitive edge and pump up their collections, teams can track the competition online as the drive nears completion. “It’s always fun,” Christy says of the push by teams to take first place.
 
This year, 48 teams are participating, and it’s not too late to join in the drive. Teams can register online at Sound Insurance Solutions website, which has all the information needed to get started.  You can also keep up to date with the Food Fight Event on Facebook.

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music!

“Something for everyone.” That is what owner Sylvia Young says Antique Maison, her shop on Second Street in Old Town Bay St. Louis, offers customers. Shoppers find this to be true once they step inside and discover the labyrinth of booths containing an amazing variety of finds. The main room features stalls by several vendors, and toward the back of the building, customers will discover even more treasures.

Sylvia and Ed Young moved to Bay St. Louis from New Orleans in 1991. Ed grew up buying and selling furniture for his family’s business, Young’s Furniture, that was located on Magazine Street. Sylvia was in the real estate business in Metairie for 30 years. The couple opened Antique Maison on January 1, 2007, after they renovated the building that was destroyed during Hurricane Katrina. Antique Maison, LLC became a mall that rented booths to dealers who had lost their own antique malls to Katrina. Soon, the business became a success, providing dealers with their own business, and offering a variety of merchandise to customers. 
 
“We have everything from industrial furniture and decor, to steam punk creations, nostalgia, vintage, and antique furniture, hand-crafted, vintage, and new silver and gold jewelry, home decor, a variety of art, books, historical collections, tools, a large collection of vinyl records, record players, light fixtures, toys and games, hunting equipment, tree bottles and driftwood, custom-made, hand-crafted wood items, handmade signs, and much more,” Sylvia says. Each time you visit, there is sure to be something unique, as new and interesting merchandise arrives to Antique Maison daily, says Sylvia.

Sylvia’s loyal customers include buyers, tourists, local and out-of-state interior designers and vendors, people who scout and buy for others, and buyers for second homes on the coast. Whether you are in the market for antiques, or simply want to browse, Antique Maison is not to be missed. 

Smith & Lens is celebrating their fifth birthday and you’re invited! There will be cake, Valerie Sassyfras (5 - 6pm) and be sure to enter our drawing to win a big, fat fabulous prize of art - and more! You can play by posting photos of art purchases from Smith & Lens and using #ShowUsYourSmithAndLens.

Smith & Lens, a gallery located on Second Street inside a quirky little building, gets its name from its owners. Sandy Maggio, a smith, and Ann Madden, a photographer, work to bring art to the community. 
 
The two first met when they were paired up during Nora Wikoff’s limited business, and then showed their art inside of the same building that we know and love today. When that particular business closed, Sandy and Ann took over, and everything “happened very quickly,” according to the owners. Fast forward five years, and the gallery is better than ever. ​

Each month, a different artist is featured inside of Smith & Lens, along with Sandy’s metal jewelry and Ann’s photography. These artists never fail to bring inspiration not only to the gallery, but to everyone who comes in and browses.

Sandy and Ann feature local artists that they already know, ones they find from social media and art fairs, and ones who simply “walk in off the street and want to show us their work.” They enjoy all of the artists, and especially enjoy finding new ones and watching them grow and gain a following. When they do their pop-up gallery each year, they love to check in with artists they have known and see how much their art has evolved. They hope to keep their support and continue to support all of these artists. Both Maggio and Madden also hope that art lovers continue to visit the gallery and that the gallery turns more people into art lovers. ​

Works from the current show, Trio de Femmes, with art by Jan Auleta, Stacey Johnson and Nonney Oddlokken.

The two cite the community as their favorite part of owning the gallery. “It feels like we’re really participating in our community and the community has embraced it and it is very satisfying…the way that it’s been embraced sort of reiterates all that we really love about Bay St. Louis,” Madden says. Maggio agrees, saying that she wants the gallery to be a place “where people want to come and hang out and spend time,” adding, “the people of Bay St. Louis have been super super good to us.” 
 
Two events that Smith & Lens features each year are Frida Fest in July, and Dolly Should, coming up on January 12. These are not to be missed events, as they are truly unique to Bay St. Louis and have “grown in an exciting and wonderful way.” Also not to be missed is this Second Saturday Art walk on December 8, as it marks Smith & Lens’ fifth birthday. There are sure to be some surprises during this weekend, according to the two, including entertainment by Valerie Sassyfras from 5 - 6pm sponsored by The Peoples Bank, “debuting our new Golden Spinderella filled with treasures for all our 5th birthday, hot spot, gallery a Go Go extravaganza!” Enjoy this gallery, and experience its reach far outside of its walls in Old Town. ​

Gallery 220
220 Main Street
Bay St. Louis, MS

Bay St. Louis-For a taste of local art and creative energy, check out Gallery 220 (220 Main Street), always an epicenter of activity during Second Saturdays. The cooperative art gallery is home to twenty-five local artists and will feature two of its talents on Saturday, December 8, 2018. Join Carol Bowman and Holly Boynes as they present their most recent works on canvas and in clay from 4-8 pm in the gallery center aisle.

The gallery offers something for everyone at all price points. Refreshments will have a Caribbean theme and the festive atmosphere is sure to put all in the giving spirit. 

One distinctive building in Old Town Bay St. Louis is home to four different businesses - each meshing to make Bodega a comfortable place for locals and visitors to town.
- story by Denise Jacobs, photos by Ellis Anderson 

​If that isn’t enough, the upstairs portion of the building holds a fourth business - Loft Yoga.

The social cornerstone of the operation is The Parrot Head Bar and Grill.  At the helm is Rickey Peters, who began his  career working with Paul Prudhomme.  The chef has more than two decades of experience pleasing local diners.  His first restaurant was a namesake – Rickey’s in Waveland, and then later in Bay St. Louis.  The popular eatery attracted foodies from the entire region and won the hearts of locals.  

A recent Sunday afternoon found Douglas Niolet, a local Parrot Head patron, enjoying a little something at the bar. Niolet said that every sandwich on the menu is delicious and he complimented Chef Ricky, saying "he makes the best food."

Niolet listed the pleasant staff and the bar deals during “important” football games,” as items that keep bringing him back.

“It’s a hard place to beat,” he said. 

The same Sunday found local Liz Maio on the back porch with her goldendoodle, Bella, chatting with Chef Rickey. They were reminiscing over the original menu from Rickey’s in Waveland, and Maio is remembering Mardi Gras potatoes.

Rickey told Liz that an outdoor kitchen will be constructed next year, including a grill and a pizza oven.

“We’ve got things in the works,” he said.  “It will be like an exhibition kitchen, where people can sit here at the bar and watch us cook.  We hope to do burgers and fish and kebabs.”
​

To demonstrate the convivial nature of the  bar and grill, Liz told a story.  One night she came in and ordered a beer and two tacos. The waitress told her that she was out of tacos. “This guy at the bar says, ‘you can have one of mine,’” Liz said. “Then another guy says, ‘you can have one of mine too!’” Liz laughs. “So, I wound up with two tacos and a beer, anyway!” 

Sharing the same Court Street frontage, Bodega Spirits & Liquor stocks more than 200 labels of wine and 250 brands of liquor. Bodega owner Kevin Jordan comes from wine country in California, where his family owns a vineyard and sells grapes to popular U.S. labels. Jordan knows his spirits and wine and stocks the store accordingly. 

Upstairs, The Loft Yoga spreads out across the second floor in a light, spacious studio.Owners Christine Neese and Alyssa Dausman offer power yoga classes, as well as basic classes.  Current class schedules can be found here.

If you're a visitor looking to get around town during your stay - or you want to help your out-of-town guests with the same - check out Bodega Adventure Rentals and Sales. They rent everything from bicycles to golf carts to kayaks and paddle boards.  

Tourists can tool around town on the carts, or explore the local waterways with the aquatic options.  If biking is your bag - or a bicycle built for two - rent one from Bodega.  Visitors can take the seven-mile beach bike path to where the beach road ends at Bayou Cadet - if they have the stamina. 

Then they can grab something from Rickey’s menu and hang out with the locals, maybe catch an “important” football game, maybe check out the yoga studio and make a plan for another day.

It’s all good at Bodega. ​

Southern author Rheta Grimsley Johnson unpacks sentimental sand dollars to decorate the Christmas tree in her out-of-step Pass Christian chalet.

I love my house.  Woefully out of step with prevailing style, it suits me. It also reminds me of a small wedding chapel at Georgia’s Callaway Gardens, where once, early on a December morning, I made vows I would not keep.

My house looks its best at Christmas. With a live tree in one of the big glass windows that fill the front, it is if the outside has slipped inside, blurring the lines between exterior and interior convincingly. Only unraked hickory leaves banked against glass reveal the demarcation.

The Christmas tree is up, no credit due me. Two nice young men from an Ocean Springs nursery set all eight flocked feet of it in its ready-made stand in the proper spot. They left. And now the tree looms unlit and bare and dares me to decorate. So far I’ve avoided it.

Somewhere in a laundry room that also serves as my office and domestic catch-all is a box of sand dollars I often use as ornaments. I picked them up on a St. Simons Island beach 43 years ago – Georgia, again -- bleached them white and strung ribbon through the holes nature gave them. Whenever they are touched, ancient sand still falls out. 

​I remember the day I found them. You could feel the sand dollars with your bare feet on the ocean floor before you could see them.
​
I realize that means the sea urchins were not dead when I harvested. The dollars that were dead or dying – “moribund” Wikipedia calls them – would have been on the beach being naturally bleached by the sun. My catches still had their velvety silica and were moving in concert and about their business, possibly even cloning, when my toes touched them.

Maybe that’s why they make such ideal Christmas ornaments. They come packaged with their own guilt, which powders the floor as I hang them.

And I will get around to hanging them. I always do. Else those urchins in the order Clypeasteroida would have died in vain.

Only a couple of times have I gone another decorating route. One recent year the tree was artificial and pre-lit, a gorgeous specimen I “won” at the Hancock Library tree gala, homage to those innocents killed in Paris by terrorists, and decorated with French flags and Eiffel Towers.

Something must jumpstart me into the season, reminding me to get through it. Probably it will be music. Usually is. The “Blood Oranges in the Snow” album Carole McKellar gave me one year is good for a nudge. That’s by musicians called Over the Rhine, a husband and wife duo that do the best cover of “If We Make it Through December” I’ve ever heard.
​

And there’s the holiday blues collection my New Orleans buddy John Bedford gave me as a gift one year. Till you’ve heard Charles Brown’s “Please Come Home for Christmas” three or four times nothing gets done.

You can run from the holidays, of course, but you cannot hide. For one thing, it’s hard to avoid the sight of an eight-foot tree covered in artificial snow in a small living room two blocks from the beach. Emotional blinders only hide so much.

By the time you read this I’ll have found the box, hung the sea dollars, played the albums, had a good cry and gone on about my holiday business. If I remember to water it, this monster tree might even serve for Mardi Gras. Or not. I’m usually first to the curb with leftovers.

The melancholy is as much a part of the season as tinsel and wassail. It passes.

And soon enough, the tree can be on the beach, fueling a bonfire, toasting the very toes that tentatively outlined the urchins that, with any luck, will go back in a shoebox and make the clutter cut for another 43 years.
         

When a retired city administrator moves to a new home in Old Town, she discovers that downsizing in the Bay can mean a major expansion of life. 
- story and photographs by Ellis Anderson 

Social interactions were rare to non-existent.  When she came down with a bad case of flu, a friend drove over from Pascagoula to help out.  The experience was a wake-up call.  She realized she was living in a ghost town of sorts.

​“After having worked for cities so many years, I needed true community,” she says.
 
Friends suggested that she unplug and go on a weekend retreat, to give herself a space to contemplate what she truly wanted in her future and where she wanted to live.  Kay still has the hand-written pages from that weekend.  The checklist she came up with is very specific. 

​She wanted her new home to be in a small community with open-minded people.  It had to be one where she could be involved in civic projects and make a difference by volunteering.  She also wanted her new town to be close to family and friends, to be located close to the water, as well as safe and walkable - and to have good restaurants.
 
It was a long list, but when she thought about it, Bay St. Louis – a city she used to manage - fit the bill on every count.  One of her two grown daughters even lived a stone’s throw away. 

​Next, she started working on a list for her perfect house.  Kay wasn’t looking for anything large or elaborate since she was down-sizing.  But she wanted a fireplace.  A garage for her old rag-top Thunderbird.  It’d be near beach, with a least some sunset view.  Other items on her wish list were a fire pit, a small yard and a large tub and a big closet. 
 
Kay ended up renting an apartment in Bay St. Louis for more than a year while she shopped for a new home.  Realtors showed her houses with garages and no fireplace.  Or homes with a fireplace and no garage.  But she held out, believing that one day, every box on her list would be checked.
 
Finally, her good friend, Nikki Moon, owner of the Bay Town Inn, tipped Kay off.  She’d heard a house on Necaise Avenue was being built by a couple who had started it for themselves.  There’d been a change of plans, so they were going to put it on the market.  Kay toured the unfinished home.  Although it was half the size of her condo in Florida, the level of detailing in the home made a big impression. 
 
Even the sunset box on her list got a check mark:  From the house’s small back porch, she’d be able to see the sun sink below the horizon – at least during part of the year. Best of all, while the yard was small, two enormous oak trees flanked the house. 
 
“I felt at home as soon as I walked in,” Kay says. 

The house sale closed on Halloween day, 2017.  Friends who had helped Kay move some things in lingered for the traditional neighborhood trick-or-treating.  Dozens of costumed children and watchful parents strolled the streets, visiting and laughing. The joy and camaraderie apparent in her new neighborhood made the day unforgettable.
 
But more lists were in store for Kay. The drastic downsizing required that she look at each of her belongings and furnishings to decide which was most cherished and what would be sold. Two lists were made – the keepsakes and the things she’d give up.
​

She prioritized family memorabilia and artwork from travels and furnishings with sentimental attachment - like a small, plain bookcase that belonged to her mother.  Meaning took precedence over assessed value. 

Among the keepers that found a place in the new house is a pie safe Kay’s father rebuilt for her mother – a home economics teacher. There’s a vintage painting of a man she long ago bought in a Main Street shop.  Since she has no idea who the model is, Kay nicknamed the man in the painting “G.W.,” for “Guess Who.” ​

​There’s also the teaching certificate of her namesake great-aunt, a set of intricate dollhouse furniture made by her grandfather from tin cans, and her mother’s lace wedding dress – sewn by the industrious bride.  These are Kay Kell’s real treasures, the ones of the heart.  These items are spread like touchstones throughout the interior, even making their way into the kitchen.

​A good friend from Texas, Marlene Breedlove, helped Kay with the interior design aspect of the new house, so the antiques and  memorabilia and artwork from places like Australia and Italy now mesh comfortably with contemporary furnishings and fixtures. 

Since the house is on a corner, it has two primary entrances, each opening up to the main living area (with fireplace, check!) and kitchen.  The dining room is part of the mix, but tucked off to the side a bit, giving it a more intimate feel.  Kay, who enjoys entertaining, laughs about the energy vortex in the center of the living area.
 
“No matter where you tell everyone to sit, they’re all going to wind up around the kitchen island,” she says. 

Also on the main floor is the master suite, with windows overlooking the courtyard.  

Upstairs, two more bedrooms open up to a central “library” area.  Kay uses one as a guest room and the other as her office.  Each has glass doors that open to the second-floor covered balcony, tucked beneath the massive boughs of a live oak tree.

It’s only one of several outdoor living spaces - the cunningly designed house has them on all four sides.  There’s the open front porch facing the oak and a screened porch built around the house’s State Street entrance. 

​On the opposite side, where the house sits close to the lot line, a narrower porch overlooks a hot tub.  Fencing and plantings give the nook a cloistered, private feel.  In back, the pleasant New Orleans style courtyard is shaded by the canopy of another huge oak tree. 
 
But the porch swing hanging from a stout limb of the oak in front has become Kay’s favorite outside hangout. 
 
“I sit out in my swing and people just stop and visit as they’re passing by,” Kay says.  “It’s one of my favorite things about the neighborhood.”  

​Growing up as “something of a gypsy,” since her father’s work in the oil industry kept the family on the move, Kay’s now happy to land in a community with close neighborhood ties and a welcoming attitude.  The civic-minded retiree has also found plenty of opportunities to continue “making a difference.” 
 
Since moving to Bay St. Louis, Kay has been serving on the boards of the Hancock Tourism Commission and the Hancock Resource Center.  She remains a pivotal part of the Southern Rail Commission since 1992, (having chaired it several times in the past 25 years) because she’s passionate about getting passenger rail service re-established on the coast.  She only recently resigned after a long stint on the board of Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Gulf Coast.
 
“Volunteering gives me the chance to work with younger people too,” says Kay.  “They have great energy and fresh ideas.”
 
But Kay’s recently taken on a job that wasn’t on any of her lists.  Ever.  In June, she was crowned the 2018 Queen of the Mystic Krewe of the Seahorse. 
 

​When her reign started in June, she and 2018 King Henry Winters started a new royal tradition:  A 50 – 50 drawing at each of the monthly gatherings raises money for different local charities.  So far this year, Seahorse has lent a hand to several local organizations and projects, including the Waveland school system – the krewe’s donations are helping them build a sensory lab for autistic students. 
 
To help out other non-profits, the royal duo also adds color by making appearances at various events and benefits.  Next up on their schedule is the Waveland Library, where Kay’s daughter works.  The King and Queen will be reading books to children. 
 
Kay’s queen costume has a special significance now – it was designed by her dear friend, legendary Mardi Gras costume designer Carter Church, who passed away recently.  She’ll be wearing  the elaborate golden garb for the rest of her reign as a tribute to his work.
 

Church was also a founding member of Seahorse and had encouraged Kay to join the recently formed krewe when she first moved to town.  Since the organization was created with the mission of bettering the community and many of her long-time friends were already members, it’s a natural fit that’s been “a lot of fun.” 
 
Kay may be retired and settled in her dream home, but she hasn’t left her lists behind.  Between her royal duties, her many board responsibilities and a very active social life (that includes new friends and old), she stays “very, very busy.”

“When I retired, I said I’d look for a job when I got bored,” she says.  “But I haven’t gotten bored at all.  I feel like my life is just beginning.”
 
Check. 

Looking for the heartbeat of the real Bay St. Louis? For twelve years, this family-friendly coffeeshop/restaurant/live music venue/community center has served up great food and good times and wonderful memories. 
- story by Lisa Monti

Owner Alicein W. Schwabacher, who founded the Mockingbird with her former husband, Martin Chambers, says the ‘Bird’s philosophy is simple: “We always try to be gracious hosts to the community.”

She and the dedicated Mockingbird team led by longtime managers Laura Hurt and Whitney LaFrance have succeeded in making everyone feel welcome, well fed and entertained. 
 
Schwabacher says, “Our Mockingbird team gets it—we are all ambassadors of Bay St. Louis.” She adds that the Bird’s success is also due to her supportive partner Rebekah and her tireless work.
 ​

So it’s no surprise that fans range in age and interest. Students from nearby schools come in search of an afternoon treat. Runners and bike riders meet up post-workout for a cold beer and a bit. Families and friends file in for a lively weekend brunch gathering.

​Special event nights also draw big crowds, spilling outside and on to sidewalks for Second Saturday and the seasonal Mr. Atticus Night Market, coordinated by Aryana Ivey, on the last Friday of the month.

​The calendar includes game night sponsored by the Bay St. Louis Library and an open mic night for poets and musicians. “We have music from all over the world,” Alicein said. “A group of Italian bluegrass singers are coming back again for the fifth year.” 
 
To keep things fresh and interesting, the ‘Bird remains a work in progress. The hugely popular brunch service was added a couple of years ago and it’s been a runaway hit thanks to a talented and creative kitchen crew led by Robin Hayes.

​“Our customers love our pulled pork and grits,” Alicein said of a brunch favorite, along with chicken and waffles, homemade granola and eggs any which way you choose. And the biscuits and jam are made in house every morning. “We’ve got it down to a science. It’s so great.”
 
The signature Mockingburger shines on the lunch menu, along with
the Summer Garden Burger, sandwiches, salads and the Frittata of the Bay.

Of course, coffees and teas are the bedrock of the ‘Bird, and they’re made fresh all day. The large blackboard menu lists cafe au lait, hot chocolate and chai latte among the hot beverages. Espresso comes in seven varieties, and cold choices include mango ice tea and mocha. A seasonal pumpkin spice latte is made from house-roasted pumpkin mix.
 
Some recent refinements include an expansion behind the bar area to make the friendly service even more efficient. The ‘Bird also recently added libations - craft cocktails and wine - to its offerings. Brunch options include a flight of mimosas - the classic strawberry and watermelon - and the appropriately named Tequila Mockingbird plus dynamite Bloody Marys.
 
And to make your day run a bit more smoothly, customers now can order coffee, tea and cold drinks online so it’s ready for pickup when you get to the counter.

Mockingbird Café
110 South Second Street
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520
Phone: 228.467.8383
Order coffee drinks online
website

Monday-Saturday 7 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Open later for special events

When writer/bookstore owner Scott Naugle begins to pack his library, he finds he's not the only book-lover to be transported by the task. 
- by Scott Naugle

When the writing, fiction or nonfiction, connects with me at the deepest intellectual and emotional levels, often decades ago, so too does memory include the physical surroundings, the room, the chair, the palpable sense of reading that specific book.

​A book is not read in a vacuum, but rather it is a sticky, intellectual syllabic immersion into the limbic region of the brain, where memory is stored, dense and nuanced with smell, touch, sight, and sounds.   

In Packing My Library: An Elegy and Ten Digressions, Alberto Manguel notes a similar cognitive connection: “The books most valuable to me were private association copies, such as one of the earliest books I read, a 1930’s edition of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Many years later, memories of my childhood drifted back whenever I turned the yellowed pages.” 
​   
In the year 2000, Manguel and his partner purchased a medieval presbytery in the Poitou-Charentes region of France, renovating it into a personal library and home. In 2016, he was named director of the National Library in his native Argentina, necessitating the crating and moving of his extensive collection.

A few months ago, at an age when I should be downsizing rather than upsizing, we purchased a home, originally constructed in 1885, meticulously renovated to its original state, heart pine floors, beadboard ceilings, and white porcelain doorknobs, with, of course, the necessary 21st century upgrades including oversized bathrooms and a gas stove top (I’m staying away from the contraption) with enough jets to launch a small aircraft.  
​ 
Manguel writes elegantly and passionately about packing and shipping 35,000 books overseas. I only moved 5,000 books less than two miles down East Second Street in Pass Christian. I’m a minnow to his white whale.

To carefully box for the short journey, I pulled a four-volume set of Edgar Allan Poe from the shelf. It was already old and loose in its binding when I purchased it for a few dollars at a flea market over forty years ago.   

“There are few persons who have not, at some period in their lives, amused themselves in retracing the steps by which particular conclusions of their own minds have been attained,” wrote Poe in The Murders in the Rue Morgue.

Rereading it in the present, I was transported back to Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on a snowy January evening.

Pushing midnight, I was sitting upright in bed on top of the tan and blood red striped bedspread in my bedroom, the fingers of the frigid winter air creeping in through the loose wooden window frame, rattling it when the snowy wind whooshed against it. The room was illuminated by the single bulb in my gooseneck reading lamp, casting menacing shadows on the far wall, as I turned the pages.

Downstairs, the late local television news was droning on, the imperceptible words of the stern newscaster like a distant wailing.   
​
Again Poe, “Madmen are of some nation, and their language, however incoherent in its words, has always the coherence of syllabifaction.”  

A few weeks ago, during our humid August, I packed several books by and about Toni Morrison. In The Bluest Eye, I had marked this passage, “Each night, without fail, she prayed for blue eyes. Fervently, for a year she had prayed.  Although somewhat discouraged, she was not without hope”
I was transported to my study in Jackson, Mississippi, first reading this novel twenty-five years ago, sitting in a green leather recliner, the white Berber carpet contrasting sharply with the blue walls. Beignet, my small black poodle, was sleeping against me.

It was a Sunday afternoon and I just finished several hours of working in the yard. The sun beamed through the double window at an angle with the effect that one half of my study was brightly lit while the other half remained in dusky blackness. It was as if a solid impenetrable line separated the two parts of the room into opposing worlds.     

Morrison’s use of language, the subtext, and how subtext overwrites a facile and simple interpretation of a story, captivated me. It was as if I was learning to read again for the first time.

As Morrison explains in a series of essays, Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination, I would discover years later, “In other words, I began to rely on my knowledge of how books get written, how language arrives; my sense of how and why writers abandon or take on certain aspects of their project… of a kind of willful critical blindness.”
​
From The Bluest Eye: “Outside, the March wind blew into the rip in her dress. She held her head down against the cold. But she could not hold it low enough to avoid seeing the snowflakes falling and dying on the pavement.” 

​Every reading of this passage then and now is weighted with my guilt at not doing enough to destroy the unfairness thriving in our world.     

I’m in the present, late October, relaxing for the first time in the upstairs library, early evening, in our new home. The two poodles, Gonzo and Snopes, are asleep. Glancing around the room, my eye snags every few seconds on a title, memories of how the book made me feel in a time and place of the past, how each informs my sense of self.
​
Jorge Luis Borges’ Collected Fictions rests behind me on a high shelf. From his short story The Library of Babel: “When it was announced that the Library contained all books, the first reaction was unbounded joy. All men felt themselves the possessors of an intact and secret treasure.”   

This abbreviated form of journaling can help with everything from budgeting to expressing gratitude to organizing your schedule. Find out why BuJo is all the rage in the digital age. 
- story by Denise Jacobs 

Was I depressed? Unmotivated? Under-stimulated by the tranquility of life in the Bay? Or was it simply a matter of adjusting to life without the proverbial time clock in this pseudo retirement phase of my life?

The post nine-to-five dearth of structure was messing with my mental health. In spite of myths about the happy-go-lucky retirement stage of life, this aging Boomer had things to do, people to see, and bills to pay.  

At 65, I have a long way to go and a short time to get there.  How could I become more productive? Get off the couch? Eliminate the angst associated with PPP (Piddling Progress on Projects)?

I Googled “best planners for attention deficit disorders” on the assumption that, diagnosis or not, I could probably benefit from research-based strategies for living with it.

​Chief among the “hits” was the Bullet Journal®, a new take on an old theme: jotting down ideas and tasks and tracking habits via the time-honored method of pen and paper. Jotting down because, at its core, the BuJo is based on rapid logging and bulleted lists.

At its core, the basic BuJo template consists of an index, a key, a future log, a monthly log, a daily log, and any “custom collections” your heart desires. Bullet Journal® extraordinaire and founder, Ryder Carroll, introduces the basic concepts in his How to Bullet Journal video.   ​

I use my BuJo to track credit card balances, my savings account, weight loss, and daily exercise along with the movies and TV series I’d like to stream. By naming the latter, I lend them an air of intentionality. If I schedule it, watching The Wire moves from something shameful, an activity I felt I had to hide, to something I consciously give myself in the name of “it’s OK to have down time.”
​
While I can rarely tuck into a project, I can usually tackle a task, so my daily pages break out the tasks that go into a given project (something that consists of three or more tasks) be it related to writing, household, or personal.

I have read that persons suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease track their daily pursed lip breathing and/or belly breathing. Congestive heart failure patients track fluctuations in weight. Yogis track their meditation practice. Others track fitness, fertility, and food.

Many BuJos include gratitude pages. Mental health experts suggest that the practice of daily identifying and recording three things for which we are grateful can uplift our spirits and increase our capacity for joy.  

In October I was able to easily identify at least one beautiful thing that brightened my day, usually a special moment with another person. Sometimes it was as simple as a welcome breeze or a rain shower. As I mapped out my November BuJo pages, I moved from a one-page gratitude spread to a two-page spread. More love. More joy.  

To start a BuJo of your own, get your hands on a journal filled with unlined dot-grid pages and invest in a few fine-tipped artist’s pens—how many depends on whether you take an artistic or minimalist approach to your journal. It is easy to get swept away by “supplies,” but the two basic components of bullet journaling are dot-grid pages and a fine-tipped artist pen. It’s that simple.
​
Be warned, however:  an internet search on “BuJo” will keep you off whatever your task for a good 24 hours.

During the Second Saturday Artwalk each month in Old Town Bay St. Louis, you'll find cool deals, fresh meals and lots of art and live music!

Be sure to check out "Hot Spots" Gallery 220 (220 Main Street) and Bay Books (131 Main Street).  Read more about these featured businesses below! 

- stories by Grace Wilson, photos by Ellis Anderson 

​As visitors and locals drive down Main Street into the heart of Old Town, it’s hard to miss Gallery 220. The vibrant Coca-Cola mural on the side of 220 Main literally welcomes visitors to Old Town Bay St. Louis.
 
Inside the Art Deco building, art lovers discover the work of 25 local makers, and at least one of the artists will be in the gallery greeting guests. Gallery 220 is a true co-operative where the artists work in the shop at least one day a month.
 
Gallery 220 features a wide variety of artwork including painting, sculpture, jewelry, mosaics, textiles, pottery, photography and more. Truly there’s something for every interest, every age and every budget at this eclectic gallery.
 
Jenise McCardell and Mark Currier acquired the building just before Katrina from local artist Vicki Niolet, who had a wide network of artists.

​“All of the artists of Bay St. Louis were suddenly adrift and needed a home base, so that’s why we opened as a co-op,” said McCardell.
 
Before Katrina, shoppers will remember McCardell’s “Funky Rose” dress shop. Currier and she also opened their Clay Creations studio and shop in the back, where it remains today.
 
The gallery’s artists also often host workshops to teach people tricks of their trades.
 
Every inch of the gallery oozes art. In addition to the iconic Coca-Cola mural on the north side of the building, there’s also a mural of a tree on the beach side of the gallery that faces California Drawstrings and the other shops and restaurants of the 200 block.
 
“We hosted a contest with the local school – the winning design was by a team of 4th graders who proposed a huge tree called Old Faithful,” said McCardell.

​McCardell loves surrounding herself with art and creativity. She used to live in the French Quarter. When her daughter Devon turned three years old, she found the Bay as an alternative to the creativity New Orleans offered, but with a small town feel.
 
“My favorite thing about Bay St. Louis is the people – lots of them are artists with New Orleans ties,” McCardell said. “We are funky with a Mayberry feel.”

Jeremy Burke, owner and operator of the local independent bookstore Bay Books sees his job as putting smiles on faces and talking to everyone. 
 
Kay Gough, founder of Bay Books, put the store up for sale in 2011 when her husband's work took them out of the country. There was the potential the business would close. 

​“When my wife and I bought this place, we couldn’t see Bay St. Louis without a bookstore,” said Burke.
 
The way Burke sees it, people from all different walks of life and political views can find books that suit them in his shop. “We’re a bit of a think tank,” he said.

Bay Books is certainly a wonderland of new and used books with a large selection of goodies children. The shop also specializes in local authors and has a great selection of cookbooks. 
 
If there's something a customer doesn't see on the shelves, Burke is always happy to order it. 
 
“The majority of our customers are kids or people wanting to buy stuff for children,” Burke said. “As long as people of all ages want to continue to think and get lost in their imagination, there will always be a place for books.”
 
Saturday is the busiest day of the week for Bay Books. “Everyone loves to shop on a beautiful Saturday afternoon,” said Burke. 
 
Second Saturdays are especially popular as Burke often hosts book signings during the busy season. Bay Books is open Monday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except for Second Saturday, of course, when Main Street shops are open well into the evening. 
 

One of the historic touchstones of Old Town Bay St. Louis, Century Hall (112 South Second Street), now serves as home to several new businesses.  And when a top floor renovation is complete, there's more goodness to come. 
- story by Lisa Monti, photos by Ellis Anderson and Lisa Monti

On the November 30 - the last Friday of the month - Century Hall will be open until 7:30 in conjunction with the Night Market at the Mockingbird Café (just next door!).  Stop in the see the new gallery and meet some of the artists. 

Century Hall is open Tues. - Saturday, 10am - 5pm,  on Sunday from 11am - 3pm and closed Monday. 

​Longtime tenant and Century Hall manager Susan Davis Peterson has taken over the space where Gallery Edge, an artistic cooperative, showcased works of 10 local artists. Peterson said when Gallery Edge ended its successful run, she couldn’t let the space remain vacant. And she wants art lovers to know that “the gallery has not gone away.”

It is now showing the works of several talented artists with various styles in paintings and pottery. The gallery is so new that Peterson hasn’t settled on a formal name yet. “It’s like naming a child: everybody’s got to have input,” she said.

​For now the working name is The Gallery at Century Hall, though somehow the word Rebirth keeps coming up, even on a small sign at the entrance to the new gallery. The works are in place, on walls and display tables, and Peterson is planning a grand opening soon. She also wants to have “pop up” exhibits regularly, probably every other month.

​Artists currently on display are Tazewell, Marion Knobbe-Scott, Bill Nelson, Eileen L. Morrison, Vicki Niolet, Alexander Brown, Sandra Epton, Kerr Grabowski, Liz Schaffer, Joey Rice, Bill Myers, Stacey Johnson, Craig McMillin, Dale Simmons and Pat Gavin.

Old Town anchor Bay Life Gifts & Gallery relocated from Main Street into Century Hall in March of this year, so it's a newish tenant, not actually new.  Owner Janice Guido says the move has turned out to be a great one.  Customers love having parking on-site and so many other shopping options under one roof. 

"With the all the new goings-on here, we're expecting 2020 to be even busier," said Guido.  "And we're thrilled to have Tami Curtis here now too." 

Guido's referring to another new addition to Century Hall - the Tami Curtis Gallery on the first floor - just across from Bay Life. The space is packed with colorful creations by the New Orleans artist: painting, prints, cutting boards, notecards and pillows all adorned with her creations that reflect the music, culture, nature and history of New Orleans and Louisiana and New Orleans.

​Familiar musicians including Irma Thomas, Kermit Ruffins and Pete Fountain are prominent subjects of Tami’s paintings. She’s been selected to create three posters for the French Quarter Festival. Her style is unique, with bold colors, and some works feature fabric and vintage architectural pieces found in and around New Orleans.
 
Tami and her husband, children’s writer Perry Guy, collaborated on a newly published book for young readers, “The Mardi Gras Boat Parade.”

Tami holds a BFA in graphic design and also has experience as an art teacher and worked at the New Orleans Museum of Art’s education coordination.
 
Tami, who moved to  Bay St. Louis from New Orleans and will soon have more space when the renovation of Century Hall’s third floor renovation is complete. She plans to host paint parties and offer private art lessons there.

​ “It’s a gorgeous space with lots of light,” she said. “I hope open and be ready for business the day after Thanksgiving.”

Across Tami Curtis’ new studio space in the top floor of Century Hall will be the much anticipated food venue Chef David Dickensauge announced earlier this year.

The focus of The Ugly Carrot will be on locally sourced produce (milk, lettuce, tomatoes and more) and products, signature juices, made-in-house Kombucha (fermented tea) and plant-based food to-go. 

​Covey Rise Farm in Kentwood, La., is just one of the suppliers for The Ugly Carrot.  Others include Shroomdom Seasonal Sensations, Country Girls Creamery and G & M Goat Farm.

The chef says all of these farms are located within a 60-mile radius.Chef Dickensauge, who also presides over his C&C Farm to Fork restaurant on Main Street, says the new market in Century Hall will be open at the end of November. The opening can’t come soon enough, according to followers on social media, who are tracking the project’s progress on The Ugly Carrot website and Facebook page.

Waveland Alderman Jeremy Burke reports on ​the elections, a glowing Studio Waveland art opening, the Christmas Bazaar, the Waveland Ground Zero Museum membership drive and the new "Little Library." 

​Absentee voting for the December 4 Waveland Municipal Election has begun. If you will be out of town on Tuesday, December 4, you may go to the 2nd floor of Waveland City Hall on Coleman Avenue during business hours to cast your ballot.  If you have any questions about the election, please call Tammy Fayard at 228-467-4134.

Set yourself a'glowing with this  2D, 3D, video, and performance under black light curated by James Flynn, opto-kinetic geometrical abstract painter!

More GLOWING events are scheduled through January 5, 2019.  ​

The 5th Annual Waveland Christmas Bazaar is Saturday, November 17 on Coleman Avenue. This free outdoor event features local arts, crafts, jewelry, candles and much more.  
 
The bazaar is a cash-and-carry-items event, and local businesses are encouraged to participate.  This event is a great way to find that unique local gift to give to your family and friends this Christmas.
 
If you are interested in being a vendor, please email clu1964@gmail and request a vendor application.  The bazaar is attempting to not have duplicated booths, so please list all items that you wish to sell on your application.  

​Waveland's Ground Zero Hurricane Museum is having a membership drive.  Annual membership is $25.  During this drive, an inflatable, waterproof solar light is being offered as a gift with membership.  This light should be in everyone's hurricane preparedness kit.  Stop by the Museum, join and get your light.  Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Tuesday through Friday. The Museum is located at 335 Coleman Avenue in Waveland.
 
Waveland's Ground Zero Hurricane Museum will be hosting an Open House on November 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to Ring in the Holiday Season. Stop by and enjoy some hot chocolate, punch and cookies.

​Waveland's first Little Free Library has been installed at 511 Jeff Davis Avenue.  This library was built by Santa Claus and provided by the Hancock County Library System.   The Little Free Library is a "take a book, return a book"  free book exchange. Anyone may take a book or bring a book to share. Come by and see what is in the Little Free Library.

Want to break away from dry-wall and create a more interesting wall - on a budget?  Break out the elbow grease and hang with DIY Diva Holly Lemoine-Raymond as she shows how to make your own shiplap siding. 

Shiplap is a tongue-and-groove type of plank and it can be pretty expensive. I’m going to show you how to make your own shiplap for a fraction of the cost. ​

• ​4 x 8 sheets of luan board (the number of sheets will depend on the size of the project)
• Table saw
• Nail gun and nails. (You can use either 16 or 18 gauge)
• Level
• 2 nickels to use as spacers
• Spackle
• Caulk
• Sandpaper
• Paint, paint brush/roller
• Carpenter’s pencil
• Eye protection (goggles or glasses)
• Work gloves
• *Helpful, but not necessary, is a stud finder

​Measure the space you will be covering in shiplap. This will help you determine how much Luan Board to purchase. Remember, always measure twice and cut once!

Cut the luan board. I cut my boards to be six (6) inches in width. For the back wall I used the full length of the 4 x 8 cut in six inch strips. If you know your measurements when you purchase your Luan Boards,  ask the merchant to cut them for you. Some stores may cut it for free while others may charge a nominal fee. Or, use your table saw and cut your own boards. 

Once the 6" strips are cut, it’s time to measure for the length.  As noted above, I was able to use the full length of the board on the back wall. However, the side walls, front walls, and around the windows were a bit of a challenge. Measure the length of the space being covered and cut accordingly. 

If the edges of the Luan Board you cut are a bit rough, grab that sand paper and smooth it out. It’s time to start putting your boards up. This is where that optional stud finder comes in. Locate the studs and mark them off so you know where to put your nails.
​
I typically start on the bottom and work my way up. However, with this project I started placing my boards from top to bottom. 

​Put your first board where you want it to go and using your nail gun, nail the board in place. Remember those nickels? It’s time to dig them out. Grab your next board and put it in place. Put the nickel in between your first two planks and using the nail gun again, nail plank number two (2). 

Continue to use the nickels as spacers, repeating step 5.

​Now that you have your own shiplap wall, you will need to take care of some final touches. Using the spackle, fill in the holes where you put the nails. 

Once the spackle has dried, it is time to paint your shiplap. First, give a quick sandpaper scrub of the spackled holes to smooth the surface. 

​I used a white paint to compliment the dark wooden framed windows. You can use any color you please to match the décor of the room. 

Now you have your own shiplap wall. I hope you have enjoyed this DIY. I would love to see your finished project. Take a picture and post it to our HL Raymond Properties FB page!​

First impressions aren't always the best ones with rescue dogs - the happy-ending experience of Irish and Dean Oden and their two adoptees shows that persistence pays. 
- story by Denise Jacobs 

Scroll to the end of the story to see future Shelter Stars now available for adoption at the Hancock Animal Shelter!  

In March 2016, Dean found Stella’s shelter picture online, invited Irish to lunch, and surprised her with a trip to the Hancock County Animal Shelter, but Stella was nowhere to be found.  She had been fostered and was living in Gulfport.  The shelter volunteer offered to bring Stella in, so Irish and Dean busied themselves for a couple of hours and returned.

“Stella had no interest in us,” Dean says. “She just walked around in the shelter and kind of ignored us. We thought, well, she’s not the prettiest thing, and she’s not showing any interest in us, so we were prepared to pass on her."

Surprised, the shelter volunteer said, “Really? You don’t like her?”

“Well, I don’t think she likes us! She’s indifferent. We were hoping for a little more enthusiasm than that.”  

“No, no—she’s great!  Take her home and see how it goes.”  
​
So, the Odens put Stella in their car and took her home. “She pouted the whole way,” Irish remembers. 

Once home, Stella began looking around the house. The more she wandered, the more her demeanor changed.

“She picked up speed,” Irish remembers. “She tore through the house, up the stairs, out to the yard, and around the pool. Then she came up to me all happy-like and seemed to say, ‘Hi! I think I’ll stay.’”

From that moment on, Irish says, Stella has been a perfectly obedient dog, and, Dean adds, “sweet to all people.”   

If there’s a fly in the ointment, it’s that Stella is a picky eater. Irish and Dean are accommodating people and serve up refrigerated dog food, which they cook in the same pan as they have cooked their own dinner, so it has some flavor in it.

​Dean says, “I pour a little olive oil over Stella’s food and add some salt and pepper. She likes it! It tastes like maybe it’s the same thing we’re eating.”

Dean notes that Stella is happiest when the family is moving.  Irish adds that, after a walk, Stella positions herself on the couch, where she pouts until the next time they open the door. She never has to wait very long because both Dean and Irish are steadfast walkers with an active lifestyle.

Two years later to the month after Stella's adoption, Dean and Irish decided it was time to get her a companion. Enter Ronan. 

This time serendipity played a role, as the Odens happened upon Ronan at a Lazy Magnolia Brewery event benefiting the Hancock County Animal Shelter. Ronan was the right size and seemed to be about the right age.  The thing is, he seemed a little traumatized, but the couple chalked that up to the brewery’s loud band and noisy crowd.

“Ronan was biting and breaking skin that first night,” Irish notes. “He wasn’t a good dog then, but we thought he was just scared.”  

It turns out that Ronan had been relinquished by his previous owner that very day, so he really was traumatized. Apparently, the dog had spent “life before Dean and Irish” in a crate and had never been socialized. He was afraid of the front door and green grass. He was nervous all the time and, if his growls were any indication, disliked women in particular.

“For a while, I was sorry I got him,” Irish says.  “I thought for sure he was going to bite me, but I knew that if I returned him, the shelter would put him down. I didn’t have the heart to do it. I thought, ‘We’ll figure it out.’”  
​
And figure it out they have. 

Irish, who spends the most time with Ronan, eventually realized that he was acting out of fear.  

“We worked to gain his trust slowly,” she says.  One strategy was to ignore the dog—to take care of him, of course, but to give him space. Playing hard-to-get proved successful.  Eventually, Ronan relaxed and came to Irish on his own.

Seven months later, after some tears and a lot of trial and error, Ronan is a different animal.  “Now, he never leaves my side,” Irish says.  In Ronan, Stella gained a brother, and Irish and Dean, cosmic merit badges in compassionate problem solving.

After being interviewed for this article, Irish said she hoped their story would inspire more people to adopt.  

The dogs below are available at the Hancock County Animal Shelter as of November 12, 2018.  Call the shelter at (228) 466-4516 for availability.  Check out the Facebook page of the Hancock County Animal Shelter for latest adoptables!

​This beautiful, sweet girl is CHARLOTTE, a 2 yr old American Pit bull Terrier mix, who has endeared herself to our staff and volunteers, and to all of the kiddos who volunteer with us on Saturdays at Pet Smart. It's safe to say that Charlotte has a fan club! ? 

This gal has it all...lovely personality, beauty, and smarts! She is friendly and playful with other dogs of all sizes and demeanor, and she seems oblivious to cats. She has a real affinity for children, and loves to play and interact with them. Charlotte sits for treats, "gives paws," walks well on a leash/harness, and is very well-behaved in her kennel. She is also house trained. She is very affectionate, and gives hugs and kisses very generously. ? 

She is so even-tempered and sweet-natured that she could join any family dynamic...a family with children, or she would be a wonderful companion for a single person/couple, or active retirees. Like we mentioned...Charlotte has it ALL! ? Come meet this awesome dog!

*Charlotte's adoption fee is sponsored $40 ("Lonely Heart"), which includes spaying, worming, vaccines, microchip, and a free vet check with one of our participating veterinarians. Charlotte is light heartworm positive, but she is currently on a monthly heartworm preventative and responding great.

TILLY, a three-year-old mixed breed, is a remarkably sweet girl, who has every reason to be dubious of humans, yet she truly loves everyone! She yearns to be petted and held, and she gives appreciative hugs and kisses to all.

Poor Tilly was dumped by her previous owner in Shoreline Park, left to fend for herself and her six-month-old puppies. All four of her puppies were either adopted locally, or were transported to the Northeast via our Rescue Transport Program. So, now it's Tilly's turn to be pampered and spoiled! She would be a wonderful family dog, as she is super loving with kiddos of all ages. A single person/couple, or a active retirees, looking for a quiet, sweet-natured best friend would be a perfect match.

We think she is delightful in every way, and we hold Tilly in very high esteem. We are unsure if she is house trained, but she walks well on a leash/harness and keeps her kennel clean. She is awesome with other dogs, so she could easily join a home with existing pets. Come meet Tilly, and you'll know why we're crazy about her!

*Tilly's adoption fee has been sponsored by a wonderful supporter of our shelter, but an approved adoption application still applies! Her adoption contract includes spaying, worming, vaccines, microchip, and a free vet check with one of our participating veterinarians. Tilly is heartworm positive, but she is currently on a flea/heartworm preventative and doing great.

​SPIKE is a handsome 2 yr old Manchester Terrier/Hound mix. He has quickly endeared himself to our staff and volunteers with his easy-going personality, sweet nature, and intelligence. He sits on command, walks obediently on a leash/harness, and enthusiastically "shakes" paws or hands. ? This smart boy also "rolls over." He loves to have his back and tummy rubbed, and he often rolls in the grass while sunning himself. He's such a sweetheart, and funny, too! ♥️ 

Spike is friendly with other dogs regardless of gender and demeanor, and he even greets pesky puppies with good humor. He is also accepting of cats. ? We feel that Spike could join any family dynamic and be a welcomed addition. A single person/couple, or active retirees would find a loyal and fun-loving pal in Spike. And, he could easily join a family with children and other dogs.

He appears to be house trained, as he keeps his kennel very clean, and he is crate trained. Please come meet Spike...he may be the furry family member that you've been looking for! ?
​
Spike's adoption fee is $75, which includes neutering, worming, vaccines, microchip, and a free vet check with one of our participating veterinarians. Spike is heartworm negative.

HONEY is a 10 month old Belgian Malinois mix puppy, who most definitely lives up to her name. She is the sweetest! ? She is a beautiful pup recently surrendered by her family because they moved from a home with extensive acreage to a home in the suburbs.

Honey would do best in a home with lots of land (securely fenced - wooden privacy) to explore and romp-n-play and enjoy the outdoors. Her previous home included both elementary school aged children and small breed dogs, so she could easily join a family with kids. At our recent adoption event at Pet Smart, Honey made many new friends, including some pretty cute kiddos and doggies of all sizes and shapes. She loved them all! ?
​
Honey would also be a great partner for an active single person/couple, or retirees dedicated to giving this growing puppy the exercise she needs to a healthy, happy dog. Robust walks, playtime, and lots of quality time with her family would be perfect for Honey.

This smart pup sits on command, behaves cooperatively in her kennel, and appears to be house trained. She walks great on a leash/harness once she settles down from the excitement of going for a walk. If you feel like Honey would be a good fit for your family, please come meet her. She is loving, beautiful, and smart! ?

Honey's adoption fee is $75, which includes spaying, worming, vaccines, microchip, and a free vet check with one of our participating veterinarians.

This cutie is MANNY, a 5 yr old Miniature Pinscher mix. He's such a little fella, but he has a BIG personality, so we are recommending that he join a home with similar size dogs. He met many new friends at Pet Smart this past Saturday at our adoption event, and our volunteers discovered that this smart chap sits on command, but especially for treats! ? 

If you're seeking a small companion to pamper and spoil, we are pretty sure this mature boy will love being the center of attention. He would be an ideal little friend for retirees, seniors, or a single person/couple. Manny also enjoys the company of older children, who can respect his size and need for gentle play and affection. He is waiting to meet you...come in soon!
​
*Manny's adoption fee is $50 (senior 5+ yrs old), which includes neutering, worming, vaccines, microchip, and a free vet check with one of our participating veterinarians.

This adorable little fella is ROCKY, is a 2 yr old Miniature Pinscher mix, who was surrendered by his owners in hopes he would find a loving home more well-suited to his needs and personality. Understandably, Rocky is confused and grieving, but he still seeks out the affection and reassurance of our staff and volunteers. He just wants to love and be loved. ❤ 

Rocky became overly protective of the adult female in his previous home, to the point that he would show possessive behavior when the male adult in the family came near his "momma." Obviously, Rocky has a deep need to bond with just one person, and does not want to share allegiances. So, we feel he would do best as the companion of a single woman of any age in an adult only home.

He does, however, get along with other dogs. Rocky is house trained and is very responsive to praise and affection. Please help us find an appropriate, loving home for this loyal, sweet boy! 
​?
*Rocky's adoption fee is $75, which includes neutering, worming, vaccines, microchip, and a free vet check with one of our participating veterinarians.

In 1958, Bay St. Louis celebrated its 100th birthday, but a recent discovery revealed that party was thrown forty years late. 

​It turns out the city was actually founded in 1818 - making 2018 the 200th year since its  establishment.  Find out what's in store! 
- story by Lisa Monti

Bay St. Louis is hosting a community celebration for its 200th birthday on December 8 to coincide with the holiday version of the Second Saturday Art Walk. 

Due to weather concerns, the bicentennial celebration will take place at 3pm at the Hancock County Historical Society on Cue Street (next to the Courthouse), to celebrate past and present community leaders who have made Bay Saint Louis one of the best small towns in America.

​Roth started doing a little research and when he found out nothing was planned for the 200th observance, he started getting individuals and organizations together to mark the event.

​Roth said the bicentennial's plans are being finalized with input from local elected officials, tourism groups and the business community. There will be a parade with a performance by the Bay Ratz Marching Battery and period costumed characters, a time capsule burial, and the unveiling of a plaque at the old City Hall near the Shoofly to replace the one Katrina destroyed. 

“The Hancock County Historical Society and the state Archives and History officials have worked together to make sure the sign we’re dedicating is historically correct,” Roth said.

​The four living mayors and their families will be special guests at the ceremony. Other invited guests include the governor and lieutenant governor.

​The Bay’s origins date back to 1699 when it was a French settlement. Spain laid claim to the area in 1763, followed by the British in 1780. In 1818, the settlement was incorporated by the first Mississippi Legislature as Shieldsborough, named in honor of Thomas Shields, an early settler.
 
The English name didn’t sit well with the town residents of French descent, who preferred calling it Bay St. Louis, after the body of water named by Bienville for French King Louis IX. Local officials took the emphatic step in 1858 to reincorporate the town once again as Shieldsborough, hoping the name would stick. But in 1875, city officials reincorporated yet again with the name Bay St. Louis.
 
The convoluted succession of maneuvers might have been why Bay residents chose 1958 to celebrate the city’s centennial, even though the city was actually 140 years old. Nonetheless, it was a huge community celebration when men grew beards, people wore period costumes and wooden nickels were prized currency.
 
This year’s celebrants will find the city enjoying its well earned reputation as a welcoming community filled with diversity and creativity that people want to visit and be part of as part-time or full-time residents. 

Organizers say the main thing about the bicentennial is to remind residents of the city’s long, illustrious and resilient history. And the event will be a special one for the residents who remember the 1958 centennial.

​“We want the public to know this is happening,” Roth said. “This is an historical event for our city and we want to make sure that our citizens are made aware of this milestone and hope those who can, will join us in the celebration.”