Hispanic Heritage Month spans September and October. These books I took on Good Day Alabama on WBRC Fox 6 celebrate it with two memoirs and a children’s book that incorporates Halloween—one of my personal favorite holidays! Solito by Javier Zamora In 1999, at age 9, Javier Zamora left his home where he lived with his … Continue reading Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Cantina is back! Three simple words are bringing a whole lot of happiness to the Birmingham-area food community. Cantina Tortilla Grill has been a hometown favorite for fresh, inventive Mexican food since it first opened in 2003 at Pepper Place in the Lakeview District. After a four-year hiatus, it’s back but in a different area—the … Continue reading A Beloved Birmingham Original is Back in Business
I rarely train for vacation. But Iceland was different. Between the two of us, my husband, Rick, and I hiked for miles and miles (including a steep sheep trail up a mountain); he competed in a 100k gravel bike race; I snorkeled between continents; and raced up hills on a spirited, but sweet, Icelandic horse. … Continue reading Iceland Adventures
I’ve found myself still with some wanderlust after summer travel. I always get this way after spending months planning and anticipating a trip. This first book is how I informed my recent trip to Iceland. The other two offer armchair travel to another time and place. I took all of them to Good Day Alabama … Continue reading Armchair Travel
Adjectives abound for The Waverly Local. “Seasonally inspired, simple Southern fare” served in a “beautifully repurposed garage” amid “mid-century modern décor.” Add to that delicious, imaginative dishes; inventive craft cocktails; a genuinely friendly staff; and the occasional thrilling sports-celebrity sighting. Chef-partner Christian Watson, whose approach to food at The Local is “less is more” just … Continue reading Hyper Local
Here are a few new books I’ve enjoyed lately and shared with Good Day Alabama on WBRC Fox 6.. The fiction has waitlists at the local libraries. Go ahead and put your holds on now. The children’s books, from an author I met at the American Library Association conference, are science-based with a beautiful message. … Continue reading New & Noteworthy
Wherever you visit, it’s almost always a great idea to eat where the locals eat. In the artsy, tourist-friendly town of Fairhope on the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, locals eat at Locals. So, you should, too. Locals Fairhope is owned by the husband-and-wife team of Wade and Ashley Peryer. After managing other people’s restaurants … Continue reading Eat Local
Quick. What’s your favorite thing about Full Moon Bar-B-Que? Besides, of course, the fantastic ‘que? (BTW, I like my Full Moon pork sandwiches “sliced with a little bit of the outside.”) Some might say it’s the famous chow-chow or the vinegar-based slaw that is one of the 100 Things to Eat in Alabama or the … Continue reading Full Moon’s Backpack Blessings
On a recent visit to Chicago for the American Library Association conference (I am a trustee for the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest), I spent four big, long days learning about trends in publishing and programing (inclusiveness is key in all kinds of ways) and how to be a better advocate for our library. … Continue reading Work & Play in Chicago
Here are three brand-new works of nonfiction. All are books I gathered at the recent American Library Association conference, where I met two of the enthusiastic authors. I shared these books this month on Good Day Alabama on WBRC Fox 6. There are (No) Stupid Questions … in Science Written and illustrated by Leah Elson In … Continue reading New and True
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