March 2013 News

Welcome to the March 2013 issue! The EXCITING April issue is in the works - look for publication in the next few days!

The Cleaver is a community on-line newsletter, written/photographed/published by volunteer contributors who live in Bay St. Louis, on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. We generally publish during first week of any given month, but our nifty new community calendar is always up to date (so you might want to bookmark it)! You can also check out archives from the menu above.

Remember - you don't have to live in the Fourth Ward (or even in Bay St. Louis) to be part of our neighborhood! It's easy (and free!) to subscribe - simply send your name, address and e-mail to: mailinglist@bslfourthward.com! We guard your e-mail address with our lives and promise to only send you one notification each month when a new issue is posted. We love to hear your comments too! Click here for the form!

Easter Weekend in Old Town

Check out the Old Town Merchant Association's website Easter Weekend specials offered by merchants, galleries and shop owners! You'll also find a complete member listings, maps and more! www.baystlouisoldtown.com

In the March Issue

It's Spring in Bay St. Louis!

Bookmark our community calendar for a full range of fun events and civic meetings!
Souper Mudfest happenings (literally, with all the rain we've been having!)
Message from 4th Ward Councilman Bobby Compretta
City Council Actions for January 2013
Good Neighbor Column - Phil "Smooth" Williams
A Streetcar Named Desire and A Day Away from the Bay, by Karen Fineran
Liz Maio Remembers Peterman's Deli in Waveland
Vintage Vignette considers undergarments and State of the Arts with Michelle Alle - both by Martha Whitney Butler
Coast Cuisine - Sycamore House review
Cypress Cafe finalist in national contest!

Bay-Waveland Pilgrimage Home Tour!

On March 9th, enjoy the annual BAY-WAVELAND GARDEN CLUB PILGRIMAGE and tour beautifully decorated homes! It begins at the Waveland Civic Center, Coleman Avenue! Enjoy light refreshments, plant sale, then pick up maps & brochures to begin your tour. Hosted by Bay- Waveland Garden Club. Festivities begin @ 11am, with home Tours 12noon-4pm, throughout Hancock County. For more information, call 466-4387 or 467-7337. BTW, this very fun event is absolutely FREE!

Get the Jump on 2nd Saturday!

Coast music legend Pat Murphy will be performing with the Jumpin' Jukes on Second Saturday, March 9th, beginning at 8pm at 100 Men Hall. This Depot District venue has an amazing history and is saturated with authentic Blues atmosphere (in fact, it's part of the Mississippi Blues Trail!). This Blues and "Funky R&B" band will have you spinning across the dance floor. Tickets only $12! For more info and where to get tickets, click here!

Waveland St. Paddy's Parade!

If you're not Irish, maybe their luck will rub off on you at the annual Waveland St. Patrick's Day parade! It takes place Saturday, March 16th, beginning at 2pm.

The parade includes lots of floats, with riders throwing “goodies,” as well as cabbage, potatoes, and carrots for a grand Irish stew to visitors & locals! Family fun for all! Hosted by the Waveland Civic Association!

Parade begins near the city park at the corner of Central and Waveland Avenues. The parade will travel east on Central to Coleman Avenue, turn down Coleman Avenue to the beach, and then travel west on the beach back to Waveland Avenue.

A New Play In The Bay:
A Streetcar Named Desire

contributed by Karen Fineran

Don't forget to come out and see the Little Theatre's new play this month! The Bay St. Louis Little Theatre opens its latest production “A Streetcar Named Desire” on March 22nd. The play was chosen by the Theatre Guild for the Little Theatre’s annual celebration of Tennessee Williams' March 26 birthday. (The Little Theatre was the setting for the movie “This Property is Condemned” which is based on a play by Tennessee Williams.) Next month's Williams tribute also includes the annual “Stella Yelling Contest,” and the all-day “Stella’s Blues and BBQ Festival” on Saturday, April 6th in the Depot District.

The show dates and times are March 22, March 23, March 29, April 5 at 8pm and March 24 and April 7 at 2pm. (There won't be shows on Saturday, March 25, Sunday, March 26, and Saturday, April 6 because of the “Stella’s Blues and BBQ Festival” and the Easter weekend.)

A Day Away From The Bay

Eric Lindell will be playing at Hogs for the Cause in New Orleans. He was a featured performer at Bay Bridgefest last year.

A Very Short List Of Getaways That You Might Not Have Thought Of...
contributed by Karen Fineran

March 1-3, Gulf Coast Garden and Patio Show, MS Coast Coliseum, Biloxi. Educational gardening seminars, experts in gardening products, services, outdoor living needs, yard art. For More Information, Call 601-919-8111. March 2, Trash or Treasure. 201 East Scenic Drive, Pass Christian, 11-2. Are you a fan of the television show Roadshow, and always wondered what your own treasures might be worth? Sponsored by the Pass Christian Historical Society, this fundraising event gives you the chance to speak informally with an expert, who will give you a brief opinion of the possible value of your item. In addition, all attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a certified appraisal of any three items. These are not official appraisals, but you will have a better understanding of your family heirloom or garage-sale find and you'll

know whether to take the time and effort to get your item appraised. The cost is $10 for item, $5 for each additional item. A maximum of 3 items per visitor allowed. 228-452-7254.

March 23, HOGS FOR THE CAUSE, New Orleans City Park Festival Fairgrounds, 11 am to 9:30 pm. A nonprofit pork-feast and music festival to raise money for pediatric brain cancer care. Music this year features Eric Lindell, the Revivalists, Rebirth Brass Band and Robert Randolph and the Family Band, among others.

Vintage Vignette -
Corset? We don't Endorse it!

Contributed by Martha Whitney Butler

It’s that time of the month again! I mean, it’s that month again! It’s March. Spring is on the way, kites will be flying through the sky, flowers will be blooming and oh yeah- it’s also Women’s History Month. While sometimes overlooked, it’s never underdressed, for this is the time of year when our craving for style reaches an insatiable peak. We become flowers, budding and blooming, in our Easter dresses and darling spring outfits.

Women’s fashion has always been, and I assume will always be, an ever-changing event. A moveable feast of colors, cloths, and even constraints, fashion is often a testament to the times that allows us to gain insight on the daily lives of our historic heroines. While what we wear represents our personality, line of work, or sense of style, it is what we wear under the entire attire that best tells our story... To read more, click here!

Free Weatherization opportunity!

Habitat for Humanity Bay-Waveland Area is seeking homeowners who meet eligibility requirements and have a need to weatherize their home to participate in a free program that will permanently lower their monthly utility bills.

Participating homeowners must own their home in Hancock County and not exceed the income requirements for their family size. Mobile homes are not eligible. Homeowners who meet the income and eligibility requirements can receive the home improvements at no cost to the homeowner. Please help us spread the word about this pilot program with the U.S. Department of Energy and Habitat for Humanity.

Applications can be obtained at the Habitat office at 414 Hwy 90 in Bay St. Louis or at the Housing Resource Center at 454 Hwy 90, Suite B in Waveland.

A memorial that grows...

The local Hancock County memorial tree planting program, "Life Grows On" was launched last fall. To date thirty-six trees have been purchased by family or friends in the name of loved ones who have passed on, in lieu of flowers or plants. Program trees are planted on public property.

The program is supported by the the Hancock County Development Commission as one element of its Economic Development Strategy, to help restore the county's tree canopy that was so severely depleted by Hurricane Katrina. Benefits of "Life Grows On" are environmental improvement, subjective representations, legacy to subsequent generations, honoring current generation, family pride, etc. For more information, email Katharine Truett Ohman at ktolsu@hotmail.com.

New Calendar Feature!

Our Calendar Whizard, Will Deal, researched, discovered and set up our nifty community events calendar over a year ago. He also spends lots of time each month maintaining it (Thanks,Will, we all appreciate it!!!). Now, to make it easier to submit your events, at the top of the calendar (right-hand side) on its menu bar is a "Suggest Events" button. Click, fill out the form and assuming your event fits our criteria, Will will list it for you. For free! Cool beans!

We love your feedback!

Click here for our contact page, where we have a nifty comment box set up! We're now using names when we post comments unless you otherwise specify when you write. Hey, you Faithful Cleaver Readers, send story ideas too!

A few comments from readers

Jan Mitchell - Oh my !! I miss my store. Thanks for bringing back all those great memories. I hope one day someone in the family has the energy to bring it all back !!!
Several of you wrote in appreciation of Liz Maio's article about Peterman's Deli in Waveland - and everybody wanted her to write about the famous Peterman boiling pot. So she is! The next installment is coming in the April issue!
Julie Nelson - KUDOS to Martha Butler for her wonderful articles on just some of our wonderful artists! If one is highlighted each month we will never run out of people to write about, because as everyone knows Bay St. Louis is THE arts community on the Coast! One artist in the spotlight puts ALL Bay artists in the spotlight! Keep up the great work on behalf of all of us.
Florence Fetterer - Thank you so very much. We have a house on Washington St, hope to spend more time there in the future (in Colorado now), and stay in touch, and as involved as possible, with the help of your site. I can't properly say how important your site is. Profiling Good Neighbors is a great idea - love to read about those who make the community what it is - wonderful.
from Aleana Waite - I'm delighted that you are doing this. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. BSL is dear to me and I am smiling to share it with all of you
from Dick Finegan - Thank You! The 4th Ward Cleaver is just as cool as a moose. I appreciate all of the time and effort that all of you put into this, 'YTB' (You're The Best). And thankfully you've kept the subscription rate within my budget, as the commercial asks " who doesn't like free?" See Ya.
From Marcie Baria - Well, you have done it again. What a great issue. I especially loved the pieces about Jeannie Deen and the Labats. They are all three such assets to our community and they, and the others like them-are the real secret to why BSL IS the coolest small town in America! (I am just sad that Jeannie isn't in the bank anymore and that Myron is no longer the principal for my girls. And I think that says it all. I love my former banker and children's principal!)

from Melinda Ward - I am so glad I found The Fourth Ward Cleaver. I moved from the Bay in 1983. I miss being there so much. Thank you for keeping us old "Bay rats" informed when we can't be there.

"Like" us and share the fun!

Councilman Update - Bobby Compretta

To all my Ward 4 Constituents,
The Mardi Gras season is over. I hope everyone enjoyed the Krewe of Nerieds and the Krewe of Diamonds parades. I know we are all looking forward to Spring. The beginning of spring is my favorite season of the year. I love to see the trees and flowers come to life and become so beautiful all around town. Our Beautification Department has done a great job planting all these trees and flowers in our city.

The City Council, at our February 5th meeting, approved to subscribe to Dreambox Creations for Govt. 2.0. Government 2.0 is a free smartphone app which will allow you to instantly report issues, send comments or access information directly from the city. This app helps reporting issues easily. You can report potholes, graffiti, code violations or other issues around Bay St. Louis. This app will help keep the city safe and beautiful by volunteering your own eyes and ears. Editor's note: Scroll down to find out more about the app and the link to upload.
Click here for Council Actions from our February Meetings. If anyone has any questions or suggestions, please email me or call 216-7197. I’ll be there for YOU.

Thanks,
Bobby

Good Neighbor
Phil "Smooth" Williams

contributed by Pat Saik

If you don’t know Philip Williams, you must not live in Bay St. Louis. That’s because just about everybody in town knows Mr. Williams. Gospel singer. Fisherman. Chef. He has been dishing out barbeque in the Bay for three decades. He belts out gospel in his baritone voice at St. Rose on Sunday and rhythm and blues at the Hundred Man Hall. And he’s the go-to man if you want to find out where the fish are biting.

Most Mondays Phil “likes to get out on the water.” For him, it’s always an adventure. Rough weather does not deter him. It’s the way I “hone my skills,” he explains, “like navigating due south into the wind.”

Williams enjoys fishing alone. “I like to go by myself,” Phil muses. “I can do what I do when I want to do it.” Phil loves fishing for flounder or speckled trout, “specks” as he calls them. “I like game fish, anything I can boast about,” he deadpans. Catching more than he and his family need, Williams likes to clean his catch, freeze it, and have it to give away all year, especially to the older ladies from church.

He confesses that on his last fishing expedition he thought it might be a good idea to... click here to read the whole article.

The State of the Arts -
Michelle Allee: Every Woman a Queen

contributed by Martha Whitney Butler

Looking at artwork is reminiscent of looking into a surreal mirror. One will find traces of themselves in each piece and we are forced to examine the relationship between us and our surrounding environment. In essence, there is a strong connection that draws us to view paintings of other humans and search ourselves and our feelings for what it is that connects us to the work.

When it comes to viewing the works of Pass Christian artist, Michelle Allee, a particular group (in this case, women) are quick to find the symbolism in her paintings. As you will see, several of her paintings feature women adorned with crowns. Their heavy heads gracefully support this ornament and carry an indistinguishable amount of pride and dignity across to her viewers. But alas, look closely and you will find that they convey so much more. Click here to read more!

Remembering Peterman's Deli

contributed by Liz Maio

Peterman’s Delicatessen on Coleman Avenue in Waveland! Anyone remember it? I do. Such fond remembrance of food eaten! Pearl Peterman’s cooking and Fred Peterman’s boiled seafood.

Pearl’s plate lunches were a staple in my life from the mid ‘90’s till, you know, 2005. Monday was, of course, Red Beans ‘n Rice, salad, and corn bread. Tuesday was Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green peas, French bread. Wednesday was smothered cabbage, pork chops, string bean, and cornbread. Thursday was spaghetti and meatballs, French bread and salad. Friday was your choice: fried catfish or stuffed crabs, potato salad, and cornbread. Those plate lunches, at about 5 to 7 bucks a plate, over the years from ’95 into the 2000’s, were scrumptious. They were seasoned to perfection to suit my New Orleans cuisine taste buds groomed by Mama’s cooking, from scratch, of course—the only way to cook in those days. No take out, no frozen short cuts; no premade roux in jars!

So Pearl’s cooking in 1995 was a return to paradise for me...
click here to read more!

Coast Cuisine - Sycamore House

Contributed by Ellis Anderson,
reprinted from Gulf Coast Woman Magazine, March/Apr 2013

It’s called “Destination Dining” and the growing trend involves traveling to another locale for an unforgettable meal and a mini-vacation experience. But what restaurant could possibly convince people to drive an hour from New Orleans, a city known around the world for culinary excellence? Sycamore House in Bay St. Louis does it easily and often, with a fan base of foodies from across the region.

While Sycamore House has built its reputation on top-quality ingredients served up in specialty dishes, another large part of the restaurant’s charm is its versatility. In addition to hosting romantic dinners for two, or elegant anniversary gatherings complete with wine-pairings, it also magically serves up bistro food like burgers and gourmet pizzas for families or couples seeking escape from fast-food mania. Sunday Brunch at Sycamore House has become a tradition for many, while Wednesdays are “sushi nights,” when imaginative rolls are created with a mouth-watering twist on traditional Japanese fare. Savvy brides are lining up to book the restaurant for smaller fuss-free weddings, beginning with brunch and going through ceremony to reception – all in the same gracious historic building with no shuttling of guests required.

The menu ranges from melt-in-your-mouth steaks to.... click here to read more!

Cypress Cafe National Finalist!

Vote for her on-line! Contest ends March 18th
Late Breaking News from The Sea Coast Echo:

Holly Lemoine-Raymond of Cypress Cafe in Bay St. Louis is one of nine finalists nationwide of the NFIB “How I Built My Business” video contest. The finalists will compete for a $5,000 grand prize in online voting that begins March 11 and ends March 18th.

Last month, entrepreneurs from across the country submitted videos explaining how they started their businesses. The contest was open to any independently-owned business with fewer than 500 employees incorporated or organized in the United States. Entries were judged based on creativity and originality.

Late Winter Gardens

contributed by Allen Reed
Winter is wrapping up and the excitement of the coming spring is upon us. This is the hard time of year as you don’t want to jump the gun and plant to soon but the itch is on. So what to do, Valentine's Day is a good marker for the end of our frost season, which does not mean it can’t happen - pay attention as this March is predicted to be cooler than normal. This is the time of year to prune crape myrtles and roses, add organic matter to your garden beds, turn and/or prep your vegetable beds, get your early seed starts going, and plant fruit trees, trees, roses, summer bulbs, etc.. In the vegetable garden – now is the time to plant potatoes, carrots, cold weather root crops, peas and beans. And it is time to walk around the yard, think about what you want to see when spring and summer kick in and plant accordingly.

Here is where I want to give some garden advice, some of the biggest problems people seem to have with planting are:

1) realizing the ultimate size of the plants – as the plants will grow up, it is important to pay attention to...
Click here to read more!

BSL Harbor Project Now Online

Aerial photo provided by Gill's Crane and Dozer service

Keep tabs on the progress of the Bay St. Louis harbor project at a new blog, filled with pictures of the construction. Click here to access.

New App for active citizens!

The City of Bay St. Louis is offering a new interactive tool to keep you connected to City Hall. Government 2.0 is a FREE smartphone app for iPhones and Android devices, which will allow you to instantly report issues, send comments or access information directly from the City. To make reporting issues easy, you can even take and pictures and send with GPS coordinates. Report a pot hole, graffiti, a code violation, or other issues around Bay St. Louis and help keep the city safe and beautiful by volunteering your own eyes and ears.

Download Government 2.0 today from the Apple App Store for iPhones or the Google Play Store for Android devices. For more information, go to www.iwantgovernment20.com
From the BSL city website

Cleaver Status Report

Perhaps of Interest: When the Cleaver crew loosely formed in late spring of 2011 and published the first issue in July 2011, we hoped to be a fun neighborhood service, with all volunteers being 4th Ward residents. Through comments we've gotten over the past year, it seems like we've become the on-line, off-beat, go-to place for what's happening in the Bay-Waveland area. In December 2012, the site saw over 4,000 unique visitors (repeats visits aren't included in this number). In January 2013, we saw over SIX thousand. Word's getting out.

So while we're not changing our name or original mission, we're going to start profiling Good Neighbors - and accepting contributions from folks - who live elsewhere in the Bay-Waveland area. In fact, in addition to October Fourth Ward Good Neighbors Myron and Rhonda Labat, that issue also featured our first Good Neighbor profile of a cool person who lives in (gasp!) the Second Ward, Jeannie Deen. And the November issue included a profile of artist Elizabeth Veglia, who lived in the Fourth Ward until the district lines changed earlier this year. So watch for some fun new Cleaver contributors and columns in the future!

contributors to this issue...

Martha Whitney Butler, Bobby Compretta, Will Deal, Fedora the Fabulous, Karen Fineran, Larry and Ellis Anderson Jaubert, Liz Maio, Allen Reed, Pat Saik.

Adieu -

Until next time! Thanks for joining us! And hey - send us YOUR news items and pictures - it takes a village to raise a good newsletter.
Please notify us of any errors or clear omissions so that we can make the correction. Send the information to news@bslfourthward.com