There’s a lot that’s unique about Magnolia Springs. But two things come to mind immediately. This small town in south Alabama is the only one in the entire United States that gets mail delivered by boat year-round. (There are nearly 200 boxes on the Magnolia Star River Route.) And Magnolia Springs is the home of … Continue reading Delicious Food, Historic Space in Beautiful Magnolia Springs
“There’s something that is true in this town: Collaboration wins over competition every time,” says Jennifer Ryan, owner of BLUEROOT Co. “And the people who figure that out sooner, understand Birmingham.” Ryan, from Southern California by way of New York City, figured this out pretty quickly when she came to the Magic City six years … Continue reading A Community of Creative Women
Before I get to the details of our time in Germany, I’ll share why I wanted to go in the first place. My grandfather, my Opa, was from Munich, and I grew up hearing about him hiking in the Alps. My Oma was from Nuremberg, and I grew up hearing about that historic city’s landmarks, … Continue reading A Trip to Germany That was a Quarter Century in the Making
Watching Chad Slade make kolaches is surreal. The man is big—a former offensive lineman for Auburn, he also played for eight years in the NFL—so seeing his huge hands gently fill and shape the little pastries is riveting. But the owner of American Kolache in Vestavia knows how to whip up some baked goods, and … Continue reading American Comfort Food with a Czech Accent
Shady Street looks a little … umm … shady (and not in a tree-lined way). But do not be deterred. At the end of this off-the-beaten-path road—down by the Alabama River and very near downtown Montgomery—you’ll find Capitol Oyster Bar. (Again, do not be deterred.) This white, corrugated metal building is way more than it … Continue reading Gulf-Fresh Seafood with a Side of Blues
Continuing my "new to me in '23" experiences, I went to Oxford, Mississippi, for the first time. Yes, I know. How can that be? It's so close! It has that wonderful bookstore! Well, it has a lot of things, and I made the most of my half a day there while Rick was riding his … Continue reading A Day in Oxford, MS
I'm not usually one for New Year's resolutions, but I do love new experiences. So my goal for 2023: one new-to-me experience each week all year! This goal is wide open. New foods to cook (and eat), new authors to read, new food trucks and restaurants to try, new movies to watch, new cities to … Continue reading A Year of Newness: One Week at a Time
This has been Bill E. Stitt’s year. A high-on-the-hog kind of year. The founder and owner of Bill-E’s Small Batch Bacon and Bill-E’s the Restaurant, both in Fairhope, was recognized as a Silver Retailer of the Year by the Alabama Retail Association (sales $1 million to $5 million annually; Stitt says these numbers apply independently to … Continue reading Because … Bacon
The entire country knows that Birmingham is a destination for dining. And young, local chefs like Abhishek Sainju, the Nepalese chef-owner of Abhi Eatery + Bar in Mountain Brook Village, are an important part of the reason why. Abhi (as he’s known to everyone) is one of several restaurateurs who have made the Magic City … Continue reading True Destination Dining
I went to New York City recently for the Les Dames d’Escoffier International conference. I’ve learned from past conferences to see the city when I can because I barely see the light of day during the actual conference. So, we took the first plane in, the last plane out and here’s what we did in … Continue reading Taking a Few Bites from The Big Apple
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