Special Feature
Cloverdale Playhouse
MARCH/APRIL 2009
On the corner of Cloverdale Road and Fairview Avenue lies a beautiful hidden treasure. Most know of the Cloverdale Playhouse, but not many know the special story of how this community theater came to life and continues to thrive. In 2009, Morris Dees and Susan Starr bought the building, formed a nonprofit, and began to raise the funds to renovate the old church into a theater. The iconic old Cloverdale building has been a fixture on the corner for years, and is now Montgomery's only community theater.
Hampstead Celebrates 5 Years!
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013
Five years since the opening of Hampstead, a lot has changed in Montgomery. The economy is back to life and this city is viewed as an innovative, positive place to live and visit. Walkable, fun urban places are now the norm rather than the exception, and they’re booming. None more so than Hampstead. With its expanding town center, its rapid home sales and new lots and lake underway, Hampstead is celebrating its five year anniversary in a big way. RSVP Magazine caught up with Anna Lowder and Harvi Sahota, Directors of Design and Development for Hampstead, to talk shop on why they founded this community, what five years have taught, and what’s next... Q&A with the Hampstead Founders, Harvi Sahota & Anna Lowder By Kim Traff.
Remembering the Glory Days
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013
Being a star football player at either Alabama or Auburn bestows permanent fame on you in this state. Players exploits, struggles and failures will always be the subject of water cooler conversation, even years after they have moved on to more important things. Fans remember their jersey numbers and cherish their big plays. They are a part of our history, an integral part of this state’s obsession with college football and the love of the game.
RSVP had the privilege of sitting down with two of our state’s former SEC stars to recall their memories of our favorite sport and hear their thoughts on its future. While they may have played on opposing teams in one of the SEC’s most storied rivalries, it turns out Auburn Linebacker Quinten Riggins and Alabama Quarterback Tyler Watts have a lot in common when it comes to remembering their days as players in the sport.
Josh Lowder
JULY/AUGUST 2013
The Colonial Companies and the Lowder name have been synonymous with real estate in Montgomery and the southeast for almost 60 years. However, Josh Lowder is not your typical real estate executive. As an associate broker and vice president of Colonial Commercial Realty (CCR) he brings a new vision to his role as broker, manager and strategic planner.
Before returning to Montgomery, Josh served as managing partner for boutique condominium projects in Charleston, S.C., and received his Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation. His community work includes a position on the Board of Directors of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Redevelopment Authority. Josh is also completing his master’s degree in real estate development from Auburn University through their executive program while continuing his professional work.
Barnsley Resort
JULY/AUGUST 2013
A Trip to the Woodlands
There is nothing more relaxing and rejuvenating than taking a vacation, but for some of us, it seems like those getaways come about as often as a leap year. Having heard that Barnsley Resort was one of the most unique destinations in the South, and believing that my sanity depended on a little R&R, I packed a bag and headed to the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to see for myself.
The Shoe Surgeon
MAY/JUNE 2013
What girl doesn’t love shoes? Whether it’s a captivating strappy stiletto or that pair of cowboy boots you spent weeks searching for, the right pair of shoes can make you feel invincible. If you’re anything like me, then you have multiple favorite pairs of shoes: favorite pumps, favorite gladiators, favorite wedges…but what do we do when one of those precious pairs has gotten scratched or scuffed and lost its shine?
There is Beauty in the Broken
MAY/JUNE 2013
We may not like to admit that we often judge a book by its cover, but sadly that statement is true for most of us as humans. Inherently we want to protect ourselves against harm or danger, so we use our instinct and turn the other way when we encounter someone or something different than ourselves. Whether you’re in an actual dangerous situation, or alternatively an uncomfortable one, judging others by the way they look or the last act they’ve performed is simply….easy.
AviatorBAR Takes Flight
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013
At high noon on February 15th, 1910, Wilbur Wright stepped from a train onto the landing at Montgomery’s Union Station. At that precise moment the economic fortunes of our city changed forever. Within a couple of days Wilbur had been given the proverbial “keys to the city” and the world’s first Civil Aviation Flight School was soon founded in the middle of a 100 acre cotton field on the site of what is now Maxwell Air Force Base.
Have a Heart for Children
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2012
Earnestine Woods, a Montgomery Public Schools security officer, is known around the River Region for having a big heart. So big, in fact, that she started her very own charity organization 13 years ago when a young girl with special needs touched her heart.
Mary Ellen's Hearth
JULY/AUGUST 2012
Mary Ellen’s Hearth at the Nellie Burge Community Center has been lucky to have a number of volunteers step up already. Dobbins said volunteers have donated items to the center, donated supplies to keep the center stocked with essentials and many have volunteered to train and mentor the mothers. Mary Ellen’s Hearth even had about 40 volunteers who came to help paint the downstairs of the center.