May 2008 Archives

You've no doubt seen the Birmingham Weekly paper around town; if you've had time over lunch, you've probably read through its commentaries on city government or glanced through the assorted articles of local interest.

What you may not have realized is that this publication offers a membership card that offers significant savings among Birmingham restaurants and various entertainment venues.

The Birmingham Weekly Card requires a membership fee of $24.95, then allows you to fund your card and use it like currency with participating merchants.  The incentive?  Your dollar can go further - usually 40% - when you use your Birmingham Weekly card.  For example, you purchase a $100 credit for your Weekly card for only $60, then use your card for purchases.  Your can recoup your enrollment fee with just one pair of Workplay tickets, which are frequenly thrown in as incentives when you purchase a minimum amount of credits for your card.  Another option is to puchase a gift certificate (for example, a $25 gift card to Restaurant 26 is $17.50 with the Card right now). 

You'll receive regular e-mails with any new discounts or ticket opportunities, some of which are limited in quantity.  Just a few of the current participating merchants include Village Tavern at the Summit, Yankee Pizza in Cahaba Heights, Jackson's Bar and Bistro in Homewood, and the lunchtime classic, Irondale Cafe.  Several salons and spas also participate from time to time. 

The Birmingham Weekly Card is a great way to stretch your budget for date night, "me" time, or a night out with the girls.  You can reload the card on the Birmingham Weekly website and your credits are available almost immediately.  What BirminghamMom wouldn't enjoy a night out on the town for 40% less?  Maybe this is just the incentive you need to arrange for a sitter and have some fun. 

I was recently introduced to the Wheels on the Bus blog written by a BirminghamMom and I am struck by how much we all share the universal experiences of motherhood.  The wonder of a tiny new person, the gravity of responsibility, and the redefining of Self are recurrent themes, the same and yet completely different for every Mom.

Like anyone on the verge of becoming a parent, I was offered loads of advice, some of it solicited and some not.  These three insights stuck with me and I am passing them on:

"So many life events can be anti-climatic.  You hear about them for years, then you experience them firsthand - first kiss, prom, a perfect wedding day - and maybe they're memorable but not like you imagined.  Becoming a parent is the one event that lives up to its billing" - work colleague with three children   

 "After you have children, your relationship with your own mother changes.  You view her from a different perspective and, even if your generations approach motherhood in completely different ways, you share a new kind of common bond" -  former work colleague expecting her second child, on her practice of speaking with her mom every day since the birth of her first child   

 "It's like a mother's secret, how much you love your children.  You never even know you have such capacity until they arrive.  And there isn't any less for the next children; you just find new space you never knew you were missing" - former high school classmate and mother of three, on seeing me pregnant the first time 

 If you love the restrained aesthetic of Restoration Hardware furnishings, get ready for the same level of chic for your nursery or kids' room.  Restoration Hardware is introducing furnishings for Baby and Child.

This catalog promises to inspire even if you're not in the market for new baby furniture.    The look, unsurprisingly, is furniture in strong, classic sillhouettes, coordinating fabrics in repetitive prints, and soothing color combinations grounded by neutrals like soft white or cocoa brown.  The benefits of this approach are that furnishings aren't too tiresome after the first baby (especially important considering the investment) and that they suit a child's needs without being overly juvenile. 

This is catalog fantasy at its best, letting you believe that any occupied room could actually exist in this staged perfection for longer than a snapshot.  

Time was when no self-respecting southern mom would be in her Sunday best on

This lapel pin can turn any garden or grocery store specimen into a snazzy accessory, and on Mother's Day it creates a sweet memento for Mom.  Fill it with water and insert the flower stem; the hand-blown tip prevents it from spilling.   If you prefer to have corsage-like ribbons, the stem is long enough to attach those, too. 

 Find this "Posy Pin" for around $12 at Smith's Variety in Mountain Brook Village. 

It's just in a Mom's nature to do good when she can, and this site makes it possible to let your purchase benefit a cause of your choice without any additional cost or effort on your part.

Nonprofitshoppingmall.com allows you to select from over 70 non-profits, then make a purchase, with a portion of the purchase price being directed to your chosen non-profit.  As long as you connect to the retailer from the Nonprofitshoppingmall.com site, you do not need to take any other action for a portion of your purchase price to benefit your non-profit. 

There is a wide range of non-profit choices, from Habitat for Humanity to Global Fund for Women.  The retail selection is good, too, with favorites like Target along with Sephora and Gap.  The price you pay is the same as you'd find shopping with the retailer online directly and the retailer takes care of the donation through an arrangement with the site.  

What a great way to appeal to our multi-tasking selves - the chance shop and benefit a national or global non-profit at the same time.