By Lee Davis After winning two consecutive Class 7A state volleyball championships, the Mountain Brook Lady Spartans might be automatically favored to earn their third consecutive blue trophy. But taking the prize might not be quite that simple. Yes, Mountain Brook was imposing last season, posting a 57-6 record climaxed by a sweep of McGill-Toolen to win a second straight … [Read more...]
Ten Days to Dine Out: Birmingham Restaurant Week Showcases City’s Food with Special Deals, Events
By Donna Cornelius Dining out is fun, especially in the metro Birmingham area. There are new restaurants to try, old favorites to revisit and menus that range from hamburgers and fries, to French, to farm-to-table. In recent years, the city’s culinary culture has been like Chef Emeril Lagasse’s concoctions: kicked up a notch. Last year, Birmingham had the top spot on Zagat’s … [Read more...]
An Artistic Affair: UCP’s Vino & Van Gogh Is Set for Aug. 18 at Iron City
By Donna Cornelius Robert Mondavi could have been writing a tagline for Vino & Van Gogh when he said wine is “warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art.” That’s because the annual event centers on both wine and art – and it gives warm-hearted, generous folks an opportunity to support United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham. Set this year for 6 to 10 p.m. … [Read more...]
A String of Stories: Cat’s Newest Production Brings Director Norton Dill Back to His Roots
By Emily Williams For Norton Dill, directing and performing in the Central Alabama Theater’s upcoming production of “Smoke on the Mountain” evokes a feeling of deja vu. The wildly popular off-Broadway musical about The Sanders Family, a family string-band performing in a Baptist church in North Carolina in 1938, is one of the most produced shows in the world. A natural … [Read more...]
Ice Age: OTM Fifth-Grader Prepares to Shine at Magic City Figure Skating Competition
By Sarah Kuper Creative, kind and intuitive. Those are the words Amy Stiftel-Sedlis uses to describe her 10-year-old son, Jared. “He is a unique and compassionate person and very well-rounded,” she said. A rising fifth-grader at Brookwood Forest Elementary, Jared has not spent his summer poolside or boating on the lake. Rather, he has been busy practicing on the cool ice of … [Read more...]