There’s a saying on the Domestique Coffee website: Beyond the mountains, more mountains. It’s a Haitian proverb about perseverance, resiliency and hope in the face of challenges—no matter how many challenges arise. Domestique's newest location is inside Cahaba Cycles in Homewood. Nathan and Michael Pocus are not intimidated by mountains of any sort, or even … Continue reading Domestique is Serving Coffee and Communities
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
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
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
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
Kristian Denis created her own domain, and she has downtown Huntsville covered. This restaurant owner grew a tiny wine shop (400 square feet in a former lumberyard switch house building) into two different dining destinations: Le Petit Bijou Sandwich & Wine Bar and Domaine South. The complementary restaurant concepts, just a stone’s throw from each other … Continue reading Raise a Glass to Destination Dining
The very idea of gas-station sushi is so incongruous that it was lampooned in a memorable Esurance commercial. The ad was funny. Zhu Jianjun thinks so, too. And he talks about it, and laughs about it, even as he proudly serves colorful rainbow rolls and beautiful salmon nigiri to customers – familiar and frequently new – in his … Continue reading Fuel Up Deliciously at Bayou Fresh Seafood
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