By Emily Williams The spirits have arrive d early at the Mountain Brook home of Roye and Phyllis Tinsley as the couple prepares for their annual Halloween party and scavenger hunt, a party they say has become a tradition. About 40 years ago, the Tinsleys attended a party in a small town house in North Carolina where the hosts created a scavenger hunt for their guests. … [Read more...]
Solemn Celebrations: Former Homewood Restaurateur Honors Family at Day of the Dead Festival
By Kaitlin Candelaria Birmingham resident Franklin Biggs became a key player in Dia de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead festival, while dealing with his own family death. The holiday, which traditionally is celebrated on Nov. 2 in the Mexican culture, focuses on honoring and remembering family and friends who have passed away. People do this by gathering their families, … [Read more...]
Fountain of Memories: Altamont Student Raises Money for Fountain to Honor Uncle
By Kaitlin Candelaria Arjun Lakhanpal was inspired by his uncle’s death, but more importantly by the way he lived his life, to raise funds for a fountain on Jemison Trail. Sundeep Caplash, a Mountain Brook resident, was struck and killed by an off-duty Mountain Brook police officer in 2011 while running along Montevallo Road. He was busy training for his first Mercedes … [Read more...]
Fish First: Wallace Reflects on His Acclaimed Novel
By Emily Williams Nowadays he finds himself teaching at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but best-selling author Daniel Wallace said he finds the most literary inspiration in his hometown of Birmingham – by way of Mountain Brook and Homewood. It is a city that he says is built upon myth. “I don’t know why everyone in Birmingham is not interested in myth when … [Read more...]
Hellenic Heartbeat of the South
By Kaitlin Candelaria Niki Sepsas has been on the adventure of a lifetime for more than 30 years. Some days you might find him mountain climbing at Mount Kilimanjaro, and others you may find him wearing a tuxedo on a cruise ship or dragging a canoe through the mud in the Amazon. Sepsas, a Birmingham native, has been working as a tour guide since the 1970s. He spends about … [Read more...]