I Fell in Love with a Theatre in Roanoke

I fell in love with a theatre in Roanoke, Alabama! I was asked to speak at a Slow Food USA Event a few weeks ago where I fell in love with a town and its theatre. Slow Food Organizations are popping up all over the country, even in the most unlikely places. People are truly seeing the importance of growing food the natural way just as it is meant to be grown.

I just adore old buildings, especially Theatres, in old towns. You can just feel the history!

First of all, I want to introduce you to the kind of folks I was privileged to share my journey of sustainable living and love for slow food with. Hospitality is just too weak of a word to describe these kind people.

Stacy Lyn Speaking at Alabama Slow Foods Chapter

There were people from all walks of life – a dancing chiropractor and his dancing wife (yes, I am serious…they were the coolest couple – they danced on the side while having professional day jobs!), preachers, green living folks, organic cattle farmers that sell their grass-fed beef all across the world, doctors, restaurant owners, and oh, so many more interesting folks.

This Alabama Chapter of Slow Food USA group is incredible diverse and yet incredibly like-minded about food! — This Alabama Chapter of Slow Food USA group is incredibly diverse and yet amazingly like-minded about where and how food should be grown!

Although each person had such different backgrounds, the passion and care concerning the origin of the food we eat, and how it is grown and tended to created a like-minded bond that brought encouragement, inspiration, and fun to everyone. People were there from Georgia and Alabama, some having traveled up to 2 hours to partake of the fine company of one another. You can look up chapters in your area by googling Slow Food USA if any of you are interested in joining a group.

Secondly, the theatre. It was eye candy to me. You probably need to know to understand my obsession with this theatre that one of my passions in life is restoring old houses, communities, theaters, or buildings to their original beauty.

This theatre was open air with exposed bricks containing a courtyard with tiered, green grass to spread your quilt and enjoy concerts, speaking events, plays, and ballets.

Isn't this architecture beautiful. I love the exposed brick in this open-air theatre and the tiered grass in the courtyard. It is perfect for concerts, speaking events, etc. It was a privilege to speak here about SLOW FOODS! — Isn’t this architecture beautiful. I love the exposed brick in this open-air theatre and the tiered grass in the courtyard. It is perfect for concerts, speaking events, etc. It was a privilege to speak here about SLOW FOODS!

One of the most interesting things to me about open air theaters is if the architecture is right you, the acoustics is quite amazing. I did have a microphone, but during the question and answer session, I had no problem hearing the questions from everyone that asked.

The acoustics are great in old open-air buildings..most anyway.

After the event, I took a walk through the town where I was introduced to a quant little restaurant. As I entered the restaurant, I perused a small organic store which housed fruits and vegetables sourced right from the community.

Gerson's Garden's is a quant restaurant using all local ingredients mostly from their own garden. — Gerson’s Garden’s is a quant restaurant using all local ingredients mostly from their own garden.

The chef walked in and grabbed a few vegetables and headed right back to the kitchen which was open to the restaurant to prepare one of the dishes on the menu. I though…”how authentic is that?” YOU CAN’T GET MORE FRESH THAN THAT!

Well, I just wanted to share this part of the world with you. I know that there are many restorations – so many that I cannot begin to imagine – taking place, but you just know when you have found something special and you just have to share with others. That is the way I feel about this little town in-between Auburn, AL and the Georgia line.

Here’s to restoring old theaters and the old ways of growing great food!

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