We Went to Camp

Posted on July 19, 2011 Written by 4 Comments

Last week my big girl and I had the opportunity to go with about 75 other 3rd and 4th graders from our church to children’s camp. We had a fabulous experience on gorgeous Lake Martin, one of the most relaxing and beautiful spots in Alabama. We had Bible study, worship time, and of course lots of super fun activities.

Our camp pastor, Michael, brought the Word to these kids several times. He was so good at preaching to their level. We talked about our responsibility to bring Christ to the world. Pretty heavy stuff for 9 and 10 year olds, but Pastor Michael challenged them well.

While worship and learning to serve was the main focus of children’s camp, we also had a lot of fun. The camp sits on Lake Martin, so water sports abound.

MA was excited to try tubing for the first time. I wasn’t sure my tentative child would actually follow through. She and her friend Lucy decided to watch other kids do it first to see how it’s done.

In the end they decided to be brave and give it a try. Of course, they had a ball and didn’t want to get off!

Horseback riding was another favorite of the activities. After teaching the kids how to handle the horses, the guides led us on a nice, long trail ride through the woods. It was a beautiful, relaxing (although blazing HOT) ride.

I am so thankful for a church that supports children’s ministry so much! My girls are blessed beyond measure to get the opportunities to learn, worship, serve and build community with their sweet church friends! And we have so much FUN doing it!

Filed Under: Faith, Family, Travels

100 Dishes In Alabama: Tacky Jack’s Farmer’s Omelet

Posted on June 30, 2011 Written by 7 Comments

Y’all the Alabama Gulf Coast is one of my favorite spots in the entire world! Not only do we get to visit with my parents when we come down, we also usually get to see friends who are vacationing. The sugary sand beaches are the most beautiful in the world. The native live oaks are gorgeous. The way of life is relaxed and casual. We always find good deals at the outlets in Foley. And the food is the best. Hands down. I would be in big trouble if I lived here all the time. My scale and I would have a constant battle. I find it very hard to resist the fresh seafood, and the come-as-you-are-even-if-it’s-in-a-swimsuit atmosphere of restaurants at the beach is relaxing. Speaking of dining in a swimsuit, I don’t know that I’ve ever been to Tacky Jack’s in anything BUT a swimsuit. It’s my kind of place.

Even if you aren’t from Alabama,you might remember Tacky Jack’s as the place where President Obama ate dinner when he was at the Alabama Gulf Coast after the BP oil spill. I can understand why Tacky Jack’s was chosen for him – it represents the best aspects of life at the beach. Fresh seafood, a stunning water view, and a laid-back atmosphere. Did I mention that Tack Jack’s is my kind of place?

Making the list of “100 Dishes To Eat In Alabama Before You Die” is Tacky Jack’s Farmer’s Omelet. Now, an omelet isn’t something I would normally order from a restaurant. However, this little project has given me many opportunities to broaden my culinary horizons, if you will. As omelets go, Tacky Jack’s farmer’s omelet is a good one. As the name implies, it is full of produce like onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and the most fabulous hash brown potatoes. (The potatoes are the best part; I could eat those by themselves and be quite happy!) It also has sausage, ham, and American and cheddar cheeses. It’s kind of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink type omelet.

The hash browns are hand cut and fried with the onions, peppers, mushrooms, sausage and ham. The cheeses are melted into the potatoes. The eggs are on top of the potato mixture, and more cheese is melted on top. Although we ordered the small size, it was more food than I could eat. I can’t imagine how big the large is!!

Of course, Tacky Jack’s has a full breakfast menu, and breakfast at Tacky Jack’s is a tradition on the Gulf Coast. My littles don’t enjoy eggs so much, so they opted for the french toast instead. MA said she just wanted a bite, and before we knew it, she and her sister had downed every bite.

I love how restaurants on the Gulf Coast are following after the pattern set by Lulu’s and installing play spaces for children to enjoy while the family waits on a table. We didn’t actually have to wait on seating this day, but my girls begged to play after breakfast was over.

The new Tacky Jack’s even provided a quiet spot for the parents to sit and watch the playground. Yes, definitely my kind of place!

The new Tack Jack’s location sits right across the water from another of our favorite places.

But her Lower Alabama Caviar and Cheeseburger in Paradise are a post for another day…

Filed Under: 100 Dishes, Family, Recipes, Travels

Gulf State Park Wildfires

Posted on June 29, 2011 Written by 3 Comments

As we were heading down to the beach for a little visit with my parents this week, I kept hearing reports about a wildfire at Gulf States Park in Gulf Shores. I’ve seen enough news reports about fires in California and Arizona in recent years to know how much damage uncontrolled wildfires can cause! Things didn’t sound good. As we pulled into Orange Beach, there was a thick cloud of smoke and the smell was terrible. Smoke was so dense on Canal Road near The Wharf that there were warning signs out and fire engines everywhere. That night we took photos from the end of my parents’ pier. You can clearly see the thick band of smoke in the sky.

The next day things were looking better. The smoke was clearing, although there was still a faint smell in the air. The fires were reportedly more controlled. We didn’t spot any fire engines. The view that night from the same spot looked much more normal.

However, tonight as we were driving to dinner we saw billows of smoke in the sky. They were HUGE and looked like giant puffy clouds, yet you could clearly distinguish between the clouds and the smoke. My dad said the fires were blazing again. It’s hard to believe how many acres this fire has burned in the state park.

Thankfully, as we headed home from dinner, the rains came. And I mean they came in torrents. It rained really hard for at least thirty minutes, and the steady rain continued after that. Hopefully that will put an end to the fires before they destroy much more. I hate to see so much of our beautiful state park torched!

Filed Under: Family, Travels

100 Best Dishes: Heaton Pecan Farm’s Pecan Pie

Posted on June 27, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment

Boy, this is a hard writing gig…all this eating pecan pie and cheese biscuits and other delightful dishes 😉 Seriously, my girls and my husband and I have had the best time trying out the fabulous dishes in our journey to eat all 100 Best Dishes in Alabama. Of course, many of these dishes are not new to us – we have loved Alabama food for a LONG time and many on the list are our personal favorites as well. But we have also discovered some really delightful new dishes that we’d never tried before. This week we were introduced to Heaton Pecan Farm and their oh-so-yummy pecan pie.

While I’m not usually a huge fan of pecan pie (I much prefer lemon thank-you-very-much), I was pretty impressed with the Heaton’s pie. The crust was homemade and perfectly cooked. The filling was syrupy sweet and just the right texture – not to runny or sticky. And the pecans were the best part. They were meaty and delicious, without even a hint of bitterness. The Heaton’s make a good pie, y’all.

I’m sorry that’s the best picture I got of my piece of pie. It really was much more delectable than that picture represents. You see, the sweet little lady who cut it for me had the most gosh-awful time trying to get it out of the pan. It was a new pie, and mine was the first cut piece. Any of you who have ever tried to get the first piece of pie know that it’s darn near impossible to have the first piece look pretty. She apologized profusely that my pie didn’t look good. I made such a fuss about her not worrying about it, that I didn’t have the heart to pull out my big camera in front of her for fear of making her even more upset about it, so I just took a quick shot with my phone when she wasn’t looking. If she knew I was showing it all over the internet, she’d probably die of embarassment, but honestly, the pie tasted just as good in two pieces as it would have in one.

When we pulled up I saw a sign advertising that Heaton’s will ship their items to you. On their website, you can order pies, bulk pecans, fudge, or some of the most decadent-looking candies made from their pecans.

We also saw that they ship Belgian waffles, and we got to watch the ladies making those through a glass window that looks directly into their kitchen.

Heaton Pecan Farm is located in Clanton, Alabama, at exit 208 on I-65. If you are headed to the beach and want a sweet treat for the trip, stop by Heaton and enjoy a piece of pie.

Filed Under: 100 Dishes, Travels

Lazy Days of Summer? I Don’t Think So!

Posted on June 17, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment

I tell you what, summer has turned out to be our busiest season yet! But with lots and lots of fun with friends and family, we wouldn’t trade these busy days for all the rest in the world! The craziness began last week with vacation Bible school at Shades Mountain Baptist Church. Shades does Bible school RIGHT. It’s always a ton of fun, but boy do they ever teach truth from God’s Word as well. Once again, I was in charge of crafts for the first-fifth graders and we had a BLAST!

The boys were so funny this year. They really surprised me by getting into the crafts much more than in previous years. Usually the boys would rather not even go to craft time, but they were good sports and actually had a great time.

Mary Anneliese and her friends held a lemonade stand to raise money for our VBS charity. This year we raised money for the Christian Service Mission to be able to provide microwaves for tornado victims. The girls raised over $30.

Wednesday night was Family Night, a fun time when the children lead in worship and they show videos of VBS week. We all have dinner together, and it’s a really awesome time to see what the kids have been doing all week.

Little Peanut gladly stood with her choir, but wouldn’t take her thumb out of her mouth to sing. Little stinker!

I guess I can’t blame her too much – she was exhausted. She looked like this almost everyday on the way home.

After a semi-restful weekend, we started soccer camp this week.

Mary Anneliese was able to go to soccer camp at Samford University, along with two of her soccer teammates. These girls played together last year, and they have all three signed on to play in their first competitive league next year. Rec league was fun, but they are ready to step up their game, and I am so proud of them for taking on the challenge. They will be practicing three night for an hour and a half, and then playing games on Saturdays. I hope we aren’t getting in over our heads, but she really wants to do it so J and I are willing to give it a try.

Patti and I would drop her off everyday and find some fun of our own to get into. One day she wanted cheese dip, so we wound up at Chuy’s at 10:45. Only for her! By 3:30 every day my girls were wiped out!

Patti decided she wanted to do schoolwork this week, so we bought her a new Summerbridge workbook. She has completed about ten days worth of material, and she is so proud of herself! Who knew Snow White knew so much about shapes and numbers?

By yesterday afternoon, we had all had enough of camps and being tired. We crashed early and woke this morning to meet some friends at the pool. We have spent the afternoon watching TV and eating and napping. THIS is what summer is all about!

Filed Under: Faith, Family, Travels

Check Out My Hometown

Posted on May 31, 2011 Written by 2 Comments

School’s out for summer, and that means people are hitting the road in search of some FUN! I have seen various posts this week showcasing the many fun things to do in different cities across our country. First there was Melanie’s post about San Antonio. Then there was James Spann’s “Best Way to the Bama Beaches“, which encourages Birminghamians to get off the interstate and onto the back roads to enjoy the scenery and sites in small town Alabama. I enjoyed Jamie’s post “staycation in Atlanta.” My hometown of Birmingham has so much to offer, I didn’t want us to be left out! So here is my list of interesting, fun, must-see family-friendly spots…

Sites:
1. Birmingham Zoo: The zoo recently opened their new “Trails of Africa” exhibit with elephants, giraffes, rhinos, ostriches, zebras, and so muchmore. There are two fabulous playgrounds and a splash pad. Enjoy a ride on the carousel or take a tour of the zoo by train.

2. McWane Science Center: The premier hands-on chlidren’s science center in Alabama! McWane features four floors of interactive exhibits, along with an IMAX theater. Currently showing at the IMAX are Born to be Wild and Tornado Alley. McWane also has a preschool-only play area called “Just Mice Size”. Step across the street to Pete’s Famous Hotdogs for lunch. The atmosphere of the closet-sized hotdog stand will never be the same since it’s beloved owner Gus Koutroulakis passed away in April, but the hotdogs are still the same good food Famous Pete’s has been serving up since 1948.

3. Alabama Theater: According to their website, “The Alabama Theatre was built in 1927 by Paramount Studios as an Alabama showcase for Paramount films. It was used primarily as a movie palace for 55 years, with the exception of the annual Miss Alabama pagent and the weekly Mickey Mouse Club. The new Alabama Theatre for the Performing Arts hosts many live events, as well as films. Each year the Theatre hosts over 300 events attended by a half million Birmingham area citizens.”

Summer film series includes Ramona and Beezus, Gone With the Wind, Key Largo, The Wizard of Oz, Grease, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, E.T., The Sound of Music, Roman Holiday, Viva Las Vegas, and Rebel Without a Cause.

4. Ice Skating at the Pelham Ice Arena: The ice skating rink is one of Birmingham’s best kept secrets. The Pelham Civic Complex boasts two National Hockey League-sized ice rinks. They offer figure-skating lessons and a hockey league as well. Private lessons are available. We had MA’s birthday party there last year, and it was one of the best parties she’s had!

5. Birmingham Botanical Gardens: The larger of the two botanical gardens in the greater Birmingham area, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens covers over 67 acres. Features include the rose gardens, the Southern Living Garden, the butterfly house, and our favorite – the Japanese Garden. Admission to the BBG is free, and it is well-worth the visit. Don’t forget your camera, as there are many picture-perfect spots around the gardens.

6. Aldridge Gardens: Located in Hoover, Aldridge Gardens is the smaller, and usually the least crowded, of the two botanical gardens in the area. Covering 30 acres, the former estate of Eddie and Kay Aldridge features some of the most beautiful hydrangeas in Birmingham. Take a picnic to eat in the boathouse and a loaf of bread to feed the fish and turtles. Take a half-mile walk around the serene lake. Again, don’t forget your camera. The lake makes a lovely backdrop for photos.

7. Shades Mountain Baptist Church: Is it a shameless plug for my favorite church in Birmingham, or is it worth a mention? You be the judge. While in Birmingham, check out Shades for our weekly service on Sunday at 9:30. You will not be disappointed in our spirit-filled worship time or pastor’s message straight from the Word of God. We offer fantastic children’s Sunday school and worship time, and our nursery staff is remarkable. You will leave refreshed and renewed after being in the presence of God. If you happen to be here the week of June 6-10, join us for VBS.

8. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and 16th Street Baptist Church: Unfortunately, Birmingham has been known throughout history for it’s role in the civil rights movement. I won’t try to sugar coat it – it was a horrible situation back in the day. You can visit the 16th Street Baptist Church, the site of the bombing that killed four young girls in 1963. I love that on their website they say, “This history is very important to us and we embrace it proudly; however, we want you to know that our history is only a portion of who we are!” They are still operating as a church, and the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is THE most important thing about this place. After visiting the church, you can cross the street to the Civil Rights Institute. Not only will you see in graphic detail the istory of the civil rights movement in Birmingham, but you can learn how the BCRI is active in promoting civil and human rights worldwide.

9. Vulcan Park: Birmingham was built on it’s iron and steel industry. The area has rich deposits of iron ore, limestone, and coal, which are the necessary ingredients to mine and forge iron and steel. This industry was the backbone of Birmingham, hence our nod to Vulcan, the Roman god of the forge. The statue of Vulcan was comissioned for the 1904-1905 World’s Fair in St. Louis to advertise the thriving and growing city of Birmingham. Eventually, it was moved to it’s current home atop Red Mountain, in a park built especially to house it. He’s been shining his hiney all over downtown Birmingham since then. You can tour the Vulcan exhibit to learn about its history, and then climb Vulcan for a spectacular view of downtown Birmingham.

10. Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum: Home to over 1200 vintage-to-modern motorcycles. While you’re there, check out the Barber Motorsports Park, home to the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. They feature they Porsche Sport Driving School and the Schwantz Motorcycle School. The Barber Superbike Classic is coming up on June 17-19.

11. American Village: This fantastic historical site is just a short drive south of Birmingham to the quaint little town of Montevallo. I’ve written about American Village before, so I won’t cover it again. But suffice it to say that it is a fun, educational spot.

12. Alabama National Cemetery: While you are at American Village, hop down the road a tenth of a mile or so and pay your respects at the Alabama National Cemetery.

13. Morgan Creek Vineyard: June and July are blueberry season at Morgan Creek Vineyards. Picking blueberries has become a tradition in our family, and we freeze and enjoy them all year. Morgan Creek is our favorite spot for blueberries.

Events:
1. Jefferson County Library System Children’s Programs: The JCLC hosts fabulous children’s programs all year, but in the summertime they offer them every week. These are professional-quality programs that the kiddos LOVE! See Safari Greg at the Hoover Library on Tuesday, June 14 at 10:30, 1:30 and 6:30 or on Wednesday, June 15 at 10:30 or 1:30. The Atlantic Coast Theater presents The Fairy Tales of Grimm at the Hoover Library on Tuesday, June 21 at 10:30, 1:30 and 6:30 or on Wednesday, June 22 at 10:30 and 1:30. Between the Lions’ Aaron Nigel Smith will be at the Hoover Library sharing his love for music and movement. Show times are Tuesday, June 28 at 10:30, 1:30 and 6:30 and Wednesday, June 29 at 10:30 and 1:30. We love That Puppet Guy (Lee Bryan) and paid lots of money to see him at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta. Shortly after that, we saw him for free at the library. He’ll be doing his Travelin’ Tales show at the Hoover Library on Tuesday, July 5 at 10:30, 1:30 and 6:30 and Wednesday, July 6 at 10:30 and 1:30.

2. Miss Alabama Pageant: We in Alabama love a good beauty pageant, and the Miss Alabama Pageant is the crown jewel! It is at the Leslie Stephen Wright Center on the beautiful campus of Samford University the week of June 8-11.

3. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center: Downtown on the campus of the University of Alabama at Birmingha, you will find the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. Concerts in the summer concert series include Herbie Hancock (Wednesday, June 1), Chris Isaak (Thursday, June 23), and Ben Folds (Saturday, August 20).

4. I Love America celebration at Wald Park: This is the 30th anniversary of this fun family event celebrating life in America. We have attended this event for the last several years, and it is always a ton of fun. There is a Pops in the Park concert by the Shades Mountain orchestra featuring all of your favorite patriotic songs and a recognition of armed forces. There are inflatables and face painting and games for the kiddos. Bring lawn chairs or a picnic blanket, along with your favorite dinner and enjoy this time on the grass at Wald Park. Stay late for the kid-friendly family movie on the big screen.

5. Rickwood Classic: Rickwood Field, America’s oldest ballpark, hosts the annual Rickwood Classic. The Birmingham Barons will play the Chattanooga Lookouts on Wednesday, June 1 at 12:30.

6. Who Shot Rock & Roll: June 24-September 18, the Birmingham Museum of Art will host this special exhibit featuring the work of photographers covering rock and roll legends. It shows photos from 1955 through the present day.

Shopping:
1. The Summit: The Summit is our go-to location for shopping. Home of Anthropologie, J. Crew, Saks, Gus Mayer, Francesca’s, Private Gallery, Pottery Barn, and so much more. If the shopping makes you hungry, stop in at Flip Burger, Chuy’s, Panera Bread, or one of many other choices. When you need to cool off, drop by the movie theater for a matinee.

2. Downtown Homewood: We love the specialty shops found in downtown Homewood. At Home and Seibel’s are two favorite home furnishings stores. The Jack and Jill Shop and Sikes are our mainstays for children’s clothing and shoes. Pop into Savage’s Bakery for a piece of white cake with chocolate icing. Walk along 18th Street and stop by any of the fabulous, locally-owned boutiques.

3. Mountain Brook Villages: Much like the downtown Homewood area, Mountain Brook is chock-full of unique locally-owned boutiques and restaurants. Take your choice of any of the five Mountain Brook villages – you can’t go wrong with any of them!

4. Patton Creek: If it’s chain stores you like, check out Patton Creek behind the Galleria in Hoover. You will have your choice of national chain stores and restaurants.

5. Shops of Grand River: This is a brand new outlet shopping district just outside the Birmingham city limits in Leeds. They feature a Nike store, Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, Ralph Lauren, and more.

Dining: In this town, we love to eat! Good food is part of the fabric of Birmingham, and we have no shortage of fantastic spots to choose from.
1. Dreamland BBQ: While the original location is in Tuscaloosa, the Birmingham location of Dreamland is fantastic. Dreamland is a BBQ joint known far and wide for its ribs. Served with white bread on a paper plate, this place is a Birmingham landmark.

2. The Pita Stop: The Pita stop is one of our new favorites. There are several locations around town, but a new one opened recently in Cahaba Heights. They serve Mediterranean food that it out of this world! We love the grilled grouper, served with rice pilaf on a bed of salad greens, with fresh fruit and hummus with pita bread. The kabobs are fantastic as well. So delicious!

3. Jim Davenport’s Pizza Palace: There is nothing like homemade pizza, and Davenport’s has been serving it up for over 40 years. Davenport’s is where the locals go to eat pizza.

4.Surin West or Surin 280: You can’t go wrong with either location of this fabulous Birmingham Thai restaurant. The sushi is perfection, and any of the entrees are delicious! The spicy shrimp coconut soup is a fantastic appetizer.

5. Jim ‘N Nick’s: Yes, I know I’ve already given you a BBQ option, but in Birmingham we adore our BBQ. Jim ‘N Nick’s is a different taste than Dreamland, so go to both and compare. There are several locations of Jim ‘N Nickss around Birmingham, and since all are good, you can take your pick. Be sure to try the cheese biscuits, and if you have had enough BBQ, try the fried catfish. So good!

6. Iguana Grill: Mexican food is also a staple in Birmingham. There is a Mexican restaurant on almost on every corner, as they say. However, Iguana Grill is a cut above the rest. You must try their roasted pepper salsa. To die for!

7. Niki’s West: The steam line at Niki’s West is possibly one of my favorite meals in Birmingham. There is not one thing on it that isn’t top-notch. The Hontzas brothers know what they’re doing when it comes to that steam line, and they’ve been doing it since 1957. While the restaurant is open for business everyday, and anything you order from the menu is delicious, the steam line is only available during weekday lunch hours. It’s worth the trip to Ensley!

8. Sumo Japanese Steakhouse: Japanese hibachi restaurants are becoming quite popular around this town, but Sumo is our choice of them all. The food is fresh and tasty, and the chefs are entertaining and personable. I recommend the chicken and filet dinner. It comes with rice, vegetables, noodles, salad, and soup. It’s enough to feed three people. I love to take home my leftovers and have them for lunch the next day.

9. Milo’s Hamburgers: A sit-down, full service restaurant meal just isn’t always feasible when out and about in Birmingham. Milo’s is our #1 fast food hamburger joint. Go for the double with cheese, and don’t leave off the fries. The sweet tea is so good that it is sold by the gallon in the local grocery stores. You can’t go wrong with a burger from Milo’s.

10. Taco Casa: Hamburgers aren’t the only yummy fast food in Birmingham. Taco Casa is a fast food Mexican restaurant that is far and away better than anything like Taco Bell. You can’t even compare the two! Go for a taco burger and beefy nachos with peppers.

11. Nabeels: As long as I’ve lived in Birmingham, I have never taken the time to eat in the restaurant at Nabeel’s. That’s probably a shame, because I’m sure the food is fantastic. I always go to the market and get hummus (the best you have EVER eaten), homemade pita chips, tabouli salad, and Nabeel’s famous chicken salad. We love to pull into the market and stock up, especially when we have family coming for the weekend. You can’t get food like it anywhere else in Birmingham.

12. Tip Top Grill: On a sunny day, you can’t beat a lunch at the Tip Top Grill. It sits on Shades Crest Road, overlooking Ozmoor Valley. A lunch at the Tip Top isn’t “real” unless you eat it on the patio and enjoy the view. While the food is yummy burgers, fries, and soft drinks, the experience of eating at the Tip Top is really about the view.

13. Bright Star: Alright, enough about burgers, fries and other fast food. Let’s get to one of the most fabulous restaurants in Birmingham. The Bright Star in Bessemer opened its doors in 1907. Its Greek fare has been enjoyed by generations of Birminghamians. The most spectacular dishes are the beef tenderloin, the gumbo, the red snapper, and the lobster and crabmeat au gratin. Do yourself a favor and go hungry!

14. Mudtown: Mudtown is a neighborhood joint that serves delicious food. My favorite is the fried green tomato sandwich. It is located in Cahaba Heights.

15. Ezell’s: If you want good fried catfish, you need to take a short drive to Trussville for Ezell’s Catfish Cabin. The fish is fried perfectly. The hush puppies are divine, and the cole slaw is straight from Heaven’s banquet table.

Lodging
You know, I’m not sure I’m even qualified to give advice on lodging accommodations because I never, ever stay in a hotel in Birmingham. I do know that Ross Bridge Resort is fabulous, so it’s going to be my one and only mention. If you love golf, spas, and fine food, you will definitely love Ross Bridge.

Ok, kiddos. There you have it. There is so much to do, eat, and experience in Birmingham. I could have written two more posts just as lengthy about the wonderful attractions in my hometown.

Have you been to any of these attractions, restaurants or sites? Leave me a comment and let me know!

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Filed Under: Family, Travels

Southern Accents Architectural Antiques

Posted on May 20, 2011 Written by 1 Comment

Do y’all read Kevin and Layla’s blog called The Lettered Cottage? It’s all about renovating their little cottage in Alabama, and it is full of fabulous decorating/renovating ideas and how-to’s. I adore it. Well, a few weeks ago, Layla wrote a post about redo-ing their darling little reading room into a guest room. You have to go see the results – sooo precious! Anyhoo, in the post she mentioned that she drove to Southern Accents Architectural Antiques in Cullman, Alabama, to buy some old gym flooring to use in the reno.

You know, I had a little blog envy.

And Cullman is only a few miles up the interstate from me.

And I like quirky old things.

What’s a girl to do, except hop in her car and drive north!

You guys would not BEEE-LIEVE how fantastic this place is. It is about four or five beautiful old downtown buildings, and each building is filled to overflowing with items that have been salvaged from old homes, buildings, stores – you name it. They have some of the most unique finds that are just oozing with character. Oozing, I tell ya.

The business was started in the 1960’s by Dr. Garlan Gudger. He loved old architectural pieces and began collecting them from homes and buildings around Cullman. Soon his collection overtook his garage and other people began buying his treasures. Once it got to be too big of an operation to keep selling from his garage, Southern Accents Architectural Antiques was born. It has, in the years since then, come to be known as one of the best antique salvage operations in the country.

They have stained glass. They have old doors. They have mantles. They have knobs and pulls and hooks. They have lighting fixtures. They have bathtubs. They have room after room of molding.They have ironwork. And it is all fabulous!

Did I tell you?!? Fabulous!
Now, many of you know that downtown Cullman, where SAAA is located, was hit by a tornado on the horrible tornado day in Alabama last month. I spoke with Kolby, the manager at SAAA, and got the word on how they fared. The store was only one block away from the tornado. They had some damage, broken windows, overturned planters.  However, many of their neighbors and surrounding businesses were not so fortunate. The store stayed closed for several days, as the guys helped their neighbors with clean-up, debris removal, tree cutting, and whatever else this close-knit community needed.

The store re-opened last Monday. They have been super busy working with builders and demo guys to salvage anything they can from storm-damaged buildings. As a result, they will have new items in stock every week. If you want to make the drive to Cullman, call first to be sure about hours. (Normal hours are Monday-Friday 9-5 and Saturday 10-4).If you want to shop online, they are currently offering 25% off all online orders, excluding salvaged wood. Take a peek at http://www.sa1969.com/. If you have architectural items you would like salvaged, please contact them by phone or email. If you stop by, be sure to tell them that you read about them here on the Hill Hangout!
 
Filed Under: Style, Travels

Magic City Art Connection 2011

Posted on May 5, 2011 Written by 3 Comments
Last weekend, after two days of doing relief work for tornado recovery, I was wiped out. I needed a break from the heaviness of the last few days. Jonathan suggested that we take the girls downtown to Linn Park to see the Magic City Art Connection art show. Jonathan’s sister, Cecily, who is an artist, had a booth. We decided it was a perfect idea! We loaded up the littles and headed down to Linn Park.
The MCAC is a fantastic art show. The had hundreds of booth with ALL KINDS of artwork. They had paintings and glassware and wood carvings and photography and jewelry – so many really cool styles of art.
They had art projects submitted by high school art departments…

Is anything more southern than the Piggly Wiggly logo? I thought these were hysterical!

Isn’t this such a cool way to display jewelry? This booth had three of these funky mannequins, and they all had fabulous jewelry hanging from them!

There were so many pieces with brilliant color. Loved this glass piece!

And of course, they had musicians doing their thing for entertainment.

Of course, my girls were so happy to run into their aunt Cecily. Cecily said she’d had a great weekend and sold lots of paintings! She wrote about her experience on her blog.
Her booth looked fantastic when we saw it late on Saturday afternoon, so I’m sure it REALLY looked good before she sold so much!

She sold this one about five minutes after I took this picture. A sweet college girl bought it for her bother who was graduating from college and going on to medical school. Nice gift from little sister!

We had a great time at the MCAC. Wish we’d gotten there early enough to see every booth.

Filed Under: Family, Travels

Happy Saturday

Posted on April 17, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment
Big J and I took the girls to the zoo today. It was a cool but gorgeous day in Birmingham – quite a stark contrast to yesterday’s stormy weather. Perfect for hanging out for a little while at the zoo. We got there early enough to check out the sea lion performance.
Of course, sister girl had to take some snacks.

 

We have a new exhibit that the zoo has been working on for a sweet forever. The grand opening of Trails of Africa isn’t until next weekend, but they had it open today for a sneak peak.

 

They have two ginormous, stinky elephants.

 

And some equally stinky rhinos.
And a cool play area where kiddos can play these African drums.

 

It was a fun day. In other news, we are trying to eat healthier around this house. Tonight I needed a low-calorie dinner, and this one was very yummy. I made a spinach salad with grilled apples, mushrooms, and a balsamic vinaigrette. I’ve never grilled apples before, but grilling them really brings out the sweetness.
I grilled a flounder fillet with Old Bay seasoning and served it with whole grain penne. I used about two tablespoons of spaghetti sauce and garlic powder on the noodles. It was very fresh and filling. And best of all it was only 438 calories for the entire meal.

 

Hope y’all had a blessed Saturday!
Filed Under: Family, Homeschooling, Recipes, Travels

Adventures in the ATL: American Girl Doll Store

Posted on February 22, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment
My girl and I love a field trip, and when said field trip requires a road trip, it’s even better. Last weekend we sent Daddy to the deer camp with some friends and sent baby sister to Gran Camp and we set off for a weekend in Atlanta. We had a lofty agenda, jam-packed with educational (and not-so-educational) fun. The very first thing we did, before we even checked into our hotel (aka Auntie Anne and Uncle Larry’s spare bedroom) we made a beeline for the American Girl doll store. My girl adores the American Girl doll store, and we visit every time we go to Atlanta. Young ladies can bring their American Girl doll to their hair dresser for an update on her hairstyle. They have all of their clothing on display so that little ladies can walk around and ponder intently before making their final selections. They have a bistro where girls can have lunch with their dolls (and their parents, too, of course!). They even provide seats for the dolls so that they can sit at the table with the rest of the family. The staff are so friendly and love to chat about your girls doll with them.
 
MA has been saving her birthday and Christmas money for something special. She decided that a new outfit for her American Girl doll was special enough to spend her precious dollars on.  

 

 
It can almost be overwhelming trying to decide on ONE outfit. They are all very well made and so, so cute! My girl walked around the store for almost an hour weighing her options. Decisions, decisions!!!

 

 
She finally decided that since she is a ballerina, she would go with the ballerina outfit for her doll. It was very cute and came with a leotard, leg warmers, ballet shoes, ballet skirt, and a cover-up.

 

 

If you have little ladies in your house, especially ones who love American Girl dolls, the doll store is a wonderland experience. The staff works hard to make it a trip your girl will always remember!
 
Since we arrived in town around dinner time, we headed on over to Auntie Anne’s house after the doll store to go to bed early and be ready for our next day’s fun. We arrived at Auntie Anne’s house just in time for spaghetti (delicious) and a soak in the hot tub. I think Auntie Anne’s hot tub is one of Mary Anneliese’s favorite places on earth! I think she would move in with them if I would let her.
Filed Under: Family, Travels
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