June 2008 Archives

 

Professional caterer Anna Fowler, a BirminghamMom from Hoover, understands the pressure of getting a meal on the table.  Her Metro Market in the Harbert Plaza lobby is the downtown professional's answer to What's for Dinner?

 

The menu changes weekly. Entrees are portioned for two adults and are packaged ready to heat and eat.  You can reserve your order by phone ahead of time or just drop by, although quantities are limited.  What a great feeling, to start your evening commute with dinner in the bag beside you.  If it's your husband's turn to fetch dinner and he's downtown, you can call in an order and let him pick it up.

 

Metro Market is open until 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, a good thing since many dining establishments in the heart of downtown still roll up their carpet by 5 p.m.  Metro Market could provide your own meal during the nights when a deadline means you will have to heat your plate in the company break room and eat at your desk.  Sigh. At least you'll have leftovers for lunch the next day.

 

If your kids are school age, you are likely convinced that between gymnastics lessons, karate and WrestleMania impersonations, you see more that enough stunts every day.  Make room for a few more with Ninja Warrior, a Japanese show airing on cable channel G4.  Our family has had many side-splitting laughs at the expense of these wanna-be warriors.

 

Rather than having participants compete with one another, Ninja Warrior matches competitors against a series of increasingly difficult obstacle courses that are essentially souped-up playgrounds, with features like a balance bridge, Tarzan swing, and Hop Rocket.  Instead of swaddling the contestants in protective gear, the course obstacles themselves are padded.  Participants range from former Olympic athletes to gas station attendants, and while you root for their success, it is their miscalculated leaps and spectacular face plants that appeal to your most banal sense of humor.  Any guy will love it.

 

All commentary is in Japanese, so the programs are subtitled in English.  I like to think this is forcing my kids to read quickly while attending to the action on the screen.

 

The G4 channel is not family entertainment; much of its programming falls on the raunchy side.  Out of dozens of finalists featured, there are two male competitors – one a transvestite, one wearing a sumo style thong – that may be objectionable for young kids, though you may find they add to your amusement.  They certainly provide irresistible opportunities for the commentator (“Enough of that angle, Mr. Cameraman!”). If you record the shows, you can skip over the commercials or just re-play that fantastic wipeout for one more laugh.

Kids entering Grades 1 – 6 can earn a free book this summer at Barnes & Noble.  To qualify, kids must:  

1. Read eight books of their own choosing 

2.  Complete a journal sheet provided by the store or 

3.  Record the title, author, and the favorite part of the book on the journal sheet  

4.  Have a parent sign the journal 

5.  Bring the journal to the store store and exchange for a free book coupon 

 

Note that the free book is from a limited paperback selection and the journal must be submitted by September 2nd. 

 

Your kids probably have been assigned school summer reading lists anyway; let this promotion incent them to earn a new book for their efforts.  Birmingham Barnes & Noble locations are at Patton Creek and The Summit.

Cahaba Clayworks in Leeds is the studio home for Tena Payne and Larry Allen, both professional potters and expert craftspeople.  Payne supplies upscale restaurants and specialty shops with her earthenware serving pieces, while Allen creates distinctive stoneware vessels. 

During a recent visit for a day of classes, I took instruction from several gifted artists on staff.  Despite their own hard-won expertise, these instructors demonstrated unending patience with our group of intrepid new potters.  We envisioned pieces well beyond our abilities, then panicked when an unintended indention or curve didn't match our ambitious plans.  Fortunately, these guys were able to restore or salvage all of our work, encouraging our every effort. 

 

 

It is such an adventure to find a spot that has a sense of place, with its own unique identity that just can't be duplicated anywhere else.  This is why I like The Depot in Old Town Helena.

For starters, it actually is a former train depot, with a long and narrow interior and a narrative of its history displayed outside.  It's a true burger joint (also hot dogs, chicken fingers, specialty sandwiches, even salads), with an open grill and short order cook working the lunch crowd.  

Dollar bills are stapled to the walls along with old photos and memorabilia - we Alabamians must love this version of wallpaper in all our barbeque, burger, and beer joints - and the atmosphere alone would make for a fun excursion.  However, with a back porch overlooking Buck Creek, a vintage caboose in the parking lot, and the Old Town Ampitheater (with a small playground) just across the road, this is a mini-destination in its own right.

Besides a good burger and crinkle fries, you can enjoy the relaxing sounds of water coursing over the small dam, appropriately interrupted by the trains from nearby tracks.  In a recent lunch visit, we observed people riding bicycles, throwing frisbees, posing for photos (a swimsuit model, of all things), and even fishing from the flat greenspace below the back porch (see photo).

There is a kids' menu, although there is not a kid's burger selection; only regular-size burgers are served.  However, you could easily split a burger and serve two kids.  The restrooms are adjacent to the dining room and must be accessed from a back door under an awning. 

There are several storefronts within walking distance and the nearby park suits toddlers and young children. Older children will probably prefer to skip a few rocks across the creek and throw a football or frisbee.  If your kids like trains and you are up for a tame little adventure, a visit to The Depot is an easy afternoon of exploring.  Don't miss the tiny former jail across the street (now a commercial office) and the photo-op to pose behind bars. 

The Depot is open M-F 10:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. and Sat. 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. and is off Hwy 261 (I-65 South to exit 247; turn right onto Valleydale Road, which becomes Hwy 261 and leads directly to The Depot and Old Town Helena).

 

 

You don't have to get out of town to find some time to yourself.  One of the best summer escapes for a BirminghamMom has to be a day at Ross Bridge Spa.  A day here can take you a world away without a plane ticket, though you'll feel like you had every bit of the vacation you deserve.

 

For starters, spa services are discounted 20% for us locals on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Your spa service allows access to the spa facilities for the full day, with the relaxation room, whirlpool, steam room and showers, which feature tumbled marble, dark woods, and fluffy white towels.  Best of all, your facility access includes Ross Bridge’s glorious outdoor pool with its abundance of lounge chairs, sun umbrellas, and a range of depths that are perfect for soaking, dipping or swimming. 

 

The spa itself is chock full of luscious lotions, soaps and creams at your disposal, and the sunscreen is particularly rich and fresh smelling.  The spa boutique opens onto the pool deck, with much appreciated easy access to the large, private showers and restrooms.  Since the spa is open until 8 p.m. on weekdays, you really do have a full day and most of the evening to relax and unwind.

As a true southerner, I was skeptical when I first noticed Lipton Cold Brew  tea bags blended specially for cold water.  Though in the winter I might enjoy the ritual of brewing tea, the sudden onset of hot weather and my general need to save time wherever I can convinced me this product was worth a try.

 

I poured a pitcher of cold water and watched closely as I dunked and swirled the tea bags.  As promised, the water slowly deepened in color, and in minutes I had full-bodied, cold tea ready to enjoy – no melting ice cubes watering down the flavor, no waiting for the tea to cool.  Voila!  A perfect refreshment, and I could replenish the pitcher again just as quickly.  

 

Cold brew tea has been a wonderful discovery for me because I love iced tea and  appreciate the convenience of not having an additional pot to clean.  Although a box of quart-size tea bags does cost slightly more than regular tea – about 5 cents per bag – that is nominal compared to generating unnecessary heat in the kitchen and the inconvenient wait for a tall, cold glass of tea.