By Donna Cornelius There’s always a crowd at the Market at Pepper Place, which on summer Saturdays fills several streets in downtown Birmingham. Vendors come to the sprawling farmers market from all over Alabama to sell their fruits, vegetables, cheeses, eggs, baked goods and other fresh-off-the-farm products. But plenty of good things can be found at smaller farmers … [Read more...]
Humph Day: For the Humphrey Kids, He Was Just ‘Dad,’ But They Followed in His Footsteps
By Rubin E. Grant As a child, Breona Humphrey didn’t realize her dad was famous, but her friends certainly did. “He was never one to brag,” Breona said of her dad, football star Bobby Humphrey. “We saw the pictures, but we never considered the magnitude of how great he was and that he was a celebrity. “When our friends came over and saw him, they would go crazy, and we were … [Read more...]
Collector Turned Curator: Over the Mountain Man Showed Collection of Ancient Middle Eastern Artifacts
By Sarah Kuper A priest, a rabbi and a Syrian Aramaic Christian. It might sound like the beginning of a cliché joke, but for Bronx native Nathan Salant, these individuals are responsible for encouraging his passion for collecting pre-Biblical, Biblical and post-Biblical antiquities. Salant has lived in the Over the Mountain area for more than 20 years, but it is his … [Read more...]
The Constant Gardener: Eddie Aldridge Has Made the World a Little More Beautiful
By Donna CorneliusEddie Aldridge was on a tour bus heading into Canada’s famous Butchart Gardens several years ago when he gave his fellow passengers a bit of a jolt."I started screaming because there at the entrance to the gardens were our plants," he said, smiling at the memory. The plants that so delighted him were Snowflake hydrangeas. … [Read more...]
Low and Slow: Restaurateur Brings Texas BBQ to Mountain Brook – and Plans New Edgewood Eatery
By Donna CorneliusDebates about which state has the best barbecue can get heated in a hurry. But a Mountain Brook restaurant that opened in March puts forth a pretty tasty case for Texas.“In Alabama, barbecue is more focused on ribs and pork,” said Tom Sheffer, owner of Icehouse Texas BBQ on Culver Road. “In Kentucky, where I’m from, it’s more mutton and … [Read more...]