By Blake Ells Buddy Anderson still remembers the night his life’s path became clear to him. It was Jan. 12, 1968, and he was sitting in his father’s old pickup that he had driven to play in a high school basketball game. “It wasn’t completely overcast, but there were clouds,” he recalls, as if the date nearly 50 years ago were yesterday. “I had been struggling with … [Read more...]
The Cheese Stands Alone
By Sue Murphy Now that school has started, everyone will be choosing up teams. Not Alabama or Auburn. That was locked in at birth. I’m talking about other-than-that choices. You may or may not make your high school football team. You may or may not make cheerleading. Like I’ve said before, too many people, too few slots. That’s the way it goes. But there are also insidious, … [Read more...]
All in the Family: Crestline House Welcomes a Fourth-Generation Owner
By Emily Williams Though the landscape of Mountain Brook's Crestline neighborhood has changed during the past 60 years, there are some things that never change. One of those things is a Grodner living in the family home. The house was built by Paul Grodner and served as the childhood home for his son, Ken. After sending his own kids off to college, Ken and his wife moved … [Read more...]
Exploring Good Eats: This Year’s Birmingham Restaurant Week Is Bigger Than Ever
By Donna Cornelius Russell Hooks has learned it’s wise to pace himself during Birmingham Restaurant Week. He and his wife, Amber, are the founders of Happenin’s in the ’Ham, which uses multiple media platforms to spread news about Birmingham events and activities. They’re also two of the official BRW bloggers. That means from Aug. 11-20, when the annual culinary affair is in … [Read more...]
Space Makers: AllSouth Kitchen Renovation Breaks Down Walls and Brings Family Together
By Emily Williams Winds of change blew into Wende Grehalva's Hoover home shortly after the new year. From January through March of this year, Grehalva’s kitchen was being transformed from cramped quarters to an open space with plenty of room for family. The kitchen, stuck in the 1980s, was renovated with help from AllSouth Appliances designer Lynn McWhorter. “It’s really … [Read more...]