By Donna Cornelius The Decorators’ ShowHouse turns 40 this year, and it’s showing no signs of aging. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra fundraiser started in 1976. The first ShowHouse was a stately Mountain Brook house modeled after George Washington’s Mount Vernon. This year’s event, set for April 9-24, opens the doors of a Mountain Brook house that was built by Katherine and … [Read more...]
In Business – and Lovin’ It: Mountain Brook Mom Owns 13 McDonald’s Stores
By Donna Cornelius Lots of moms and dads take the kids to McDonald’s for a fun and casual night out. Ashley Kaple’s family meals at the popular fast food chain are no different, except for one thing. When the Kaples go to McDonald’s, there’s a good chance she owns the store. The 34-year-old Mountain Brook resident owns 13 McDonald’s in places such as Trussville, Leeds, … [Read more...]
Autism: A Grandmother Speaks
By Donna Cornelius At first glance, you wouldn’t have noticed anything unusual about a Birmingham school’s Christmas program. The children were dressed in hand-painted holiday T-shirts and sang songs like “Jingle Bell Rock.” Teachers hovered nearby to prompt forgetful singers. In the audience, parents and grandparents craned their necks, snapped photos and applauded … [Read more...]
A Feast for the Family: Saint Mark the Evangelist Church Event Is About All Things Italian
By Donna Cornelius Donna Francavilla’s Greystone home turned into a bakery on March 12. Friends and fellow church members from Saint Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church became chefs for a day to make traditional Italian cookies called pizzelles for the church’s annual Feast of Saint Mark, set this year for April 30. During the party, volunteer bakers of almost all ages … [Read more...]
Imagination Station: Lesley McRae’s Upstairs Bedroom Is a Haven for Creativity
By Donna CorneliusLesley McRae’s muse for the design of her Decorators’ ShowHouse room is someone she knows very well. “With this room, I had my own daughter in mind,” McRae said. Charlotte McRae, an 18-year-old Mountain Brook High School student, writes poetry and paints, her mother said. That’s why the designer’s ShowHouse space – an upstairs bedroom – has places … [Read more...]