Tuesday, August 30, 2011

ALsocme Tech Tweet-Up September 21!

One of the chief purposes of Alabama Bloggers is to encourage relationship building between area bloggers, and specifically to offer opportunities for bloggers to meet in person. Although the social media world is a fabulous place to make friends, those friendships grow exponentially when you actually speak face-to-face. It is for this reason that I am so excited about The Alabama Social Media Association (ALsocme). They offer excellent opportunities to meet other social media professionals and hobbyists within the state, as well as increasing knowledge and awareness of social media. If you haven't been to an ALsocme meeting yet, I highly encourage taking advantage of this next one!

It is scheduled for September 21 from 5 - 8 pm. This event will be a wonderful opportunity to network with people you've already met via social media and meet new people, as well as learn more about social media as it relates to Birmingham.

Mayor William Bell will be presenting a short address on the state of technology in the city from 6 - 6:30, and there will be networking time before and after.

This event is sponsored by Wesban Financial Consultants, and dinner will be provided (and free!) from the amazing Birmingham Landmark, Ted's Restaurant.

Tickets are free, but attendees must register at alsocme.com. I hope to see you there!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Best Post of the Week: Week 114


It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Birmingham Restaurant Week: Rojo


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Rojo is a delightfully eccentric Mexican restaurant on Highland Avenue.  We have taken our kids there several times, so in my quest to show how Birmingham Restaurant Week is kid-friendly, we eagerly signed up for Rojo.

We enjoyed our food quite a bit, but in kid-friendly terms, I would recommend Rojo at lunch instead of dinner.  We arrived at our normal dining time of 6pm, which at other restaurants is usually just us and older couples.  But Rojo, being hip and urban, has quite the bustling after-work crowd, so it felt more like happy hour than our usual quiet early-dinner experience. 

Which is perfectly fine, but it was too loud for my four year old, and we felt a little more out of place than usual with our young brood in tow.  However, we’ve had many wonderfully pleasant lunches there, so we’ll stick to that from now on.

Rojo's Birmingham Restaurant Week Menu (which, by the way, is available for lunch or dinner) has the option of a Salsa Trio or Queso.  I am a sucker for variety, especially in dips, so I opted for the trio.

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The regular salsa was spicy, flavorful and thin – the consistency that salsa should be, in my opinion.  The black bean salsa contained fresh (non-mushy) beans, corn, onions and cilantro, giving it the Tex-Mex sweet and hearty taste that was very pleasing.  The Pineapple Salsa was something I’d never had before, but loved from the first bite.  Almost completely sweet with just a hint of red onion, it was a delightful surprise.

Their entree choices include a Chipotle Pork and Mushroom Burrito, Chicken Tomatillo Tacos, or Shrimp Tomatillo Tacos.

Already being a fan of fish tacos, I opted to try the shrimp tomatillo tacos for my entree.


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The tacos came ready to customize with only shrimp and onions already in the tortillas.  I added the black beans and tomatillo salsa, giving it a wonderfully varied flavor.

The shrimp were fairly spicy, but the tomatillo salsa was cool and mild, helping bring the temperature back down.  I enjoyed my tacos, and there was plenty provided – I chose to forego my tortilla on the second one and just eat the shrimp/tomatillo/black bean mixture.

Dessert options included Chango (cheesecake in a fried tortilla) or Peanut Butter Pie.  I chose the Peanut Butter Pie…


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…which had an added benefit: unlike my last two Birmingham Restaurant Week desserts where the kids ate WAY too much of it, I only had to share my pie with Ali, as Noah is too young for Peanuts.  Score!

The pie was a perfect completion to the meal, bringing it back full-circle to sweet.  It had chunks of peanuts in the rich and creamy pie filling, and a delightfully subtle layer of chocolate fudge between the peanut butter and the crust that left me licking my spoon clean. 

Rojo 
2921 Highland Avenue, 35205
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11 AM – 10 PM



Rachel is a Birmingham-Based Blogger who writes at Grasping for Objectivity and runs this networking site for all Alabama Bloggers. She and her family love eating out, especially at local establishments where the food is divine and kids are welcomed with open arms.Rojo on Urbanspoon

Monday, August 22, 2011

Birmingham Restaurant Week: The Silvertron Cafe.

by Rachel
The Silvertron Cafe sits inconspicuously in the Forest Park neighborhood of Birmingham, along Clairmont Road.


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My family and I have come to adore Silvertron over the past couple of years, and when we rave about it to others, we get one of two responses: either excited agreement, or “I’ve never heard of Silvertron, where is it?”

…which would have been our own reaction five years ago.

However, it’s been a favorite of those in the know for the past twenty-five years, and with good reason.

Their expansive and widely-varied menu offers up something (or, in my case, a dozen somethings) for everyone, and the fabulously generous portion sizes are sure to feed you tonight AND tomorrow night.

But they don’t skimp on quality for quantity – they offer both. The owner, Marco Morosini, adds his seasoned and highly-acclaimed touch to each menu item.

Another great perk that Silvertron offers is their constantly varying menu. They display their specials on the wall as you come in,

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As well as offering fun event nights like Monday Night Pasta and Tex-Mex Tuesdays.

We always bring our kids along, and I’ve never felt uncomfortable doing so, despite the high-end tastes that Silvertron offers. Their dining room is open and airy, leaving plenty of room between tables. The atmosphere is casual and inviting, with a wide array of diner demographics.

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The wait staff is always friendly and overly helpful to our burdened-with-kids state. Last time we visited, our waiter chased for a block to bring us our leftovers that we’d accidentally left on the table. This visit, the staff only had good humor in Ali’s efforts at making herself at home, depositing her shoes underneath my chair.

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The kid’s meals are more than enough to feed two (or more) children off of one plate – they use the same platter-sized plates that they use for entrees, and fill them to the brim with kid goodness.

And then, because every kid needs help filling in the cracks after dinner, you can let them finish the meal off with a Kid’s Ice Cream Sunday, made to order:

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This week’s Birmingham Restaurant Week Menu offers some fabulous choices to let diners sample what Silvertron is all about.

For the appetizer course, you have the choice between Tomato and Mozzarella Salad or Roasted Eggplant and Goat Cheese Bruschetta.

I had the opportunity to taste the bruschetta at the Preview Party Thursday night, and it was fabulous. The Eggplant and Goat Cheese were warm and rich, and the toast was perfectly done, not hard and dry like many bruschettas tend to be.

Since I had already tried the bruschetta, I chose the Tomato and Mozzarella Salad when we visited Silvertron the next night.

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It is amazing. The balsamic reduction is the perfect flavor to highlight the softness of the Mozzarella and bring the whole salad together.

For the entree course, there are three choices: Chicken Tacos with Caribbean Sauce, Tagliata with lemon-mustard mayo, or Mango-chipotle Tilapia.

When given the choice, I always opt for fish. However, since the Tilapia is fried and served over Mashed Potatoes (which sounded fabulous, but was probably a few more calories than I wanted to consume that night), I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try something completely new for me: the Tagliata.

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Besides being gorgeous, it was wonderful. The roasted vegetables had a great spiced flavor without losing their natural tastes, and the beef medallions (which I ordered rare) were tender and juicy. The mustard sauce was a surprising combination, but fit perfectly with the meal. I found myself sopping up every last bit of it.

The dessert options include a Bailey’s Parfait, Homemade Roasted Sweet Potato Pie, or Chocolate Chip and Espresso Bread Pudding.

Always a sucker for the chocolate, my choice was easy. I was a little hesitant because sometimes bread pudding isn’t sweet enough for my needy taste buds, but this one is perfect.

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The bread pudding is moist and flavorful, and the powdered sugar and chocolate syrup only helped guarantee that it would be sweet enough, causing me to, once again, scrape my plate clean.


The Silvertron Cafe
3813 Clairmont Avenue, 35222
Open Monday – Friday 11:00 AM – 9:45 PM, Saturday 8:00 AM – 9:45 PM, Sunday 11:00 AM – 8:45 PM.




Rachel is a Birmingham-Based Blogger who writes at Grasping for Objectivity and runs this networking site for all Alabama Bloggers. She and her family love eating out, especially at local establishments where the food is divine and kids are welcomed with open arms.Silvertron Cafe on Urbanspoon

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Birmingham Restaurant Week: Nabeel’s Cafe.

by Rachel
Growing up in an intensely Greek family (think “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” collides with “Sweet Home Alabama”), Nabeel’s Market was a regular stop for us.

The tiny storefront in Homewood with gigantic glass cases full of authentic Mediterranean olives and cheeses was an integral part of the preparation for every family get-together. They would slice and scoop giant portions of feta cheese and Kalamata Olives, then package them simply in doubled-plastic bags sealed with a twist tie.

They had three tables in the deli where they served one type of sandwich, but I suspect that the tables and chairs were more of an excuse for the socially-centric Mediterranean population of Birmingham to congregate and solve the world’s problems than to sell a lot of sandwiches.

In 1994, the original owner of the market sold it to John and Ottavia Krontiras, John from Greece and Ottavia from Italy. Their desire was to keep the market, but also expand it into a family-oriented restaurant.

Coming from an international executive job, John told me that he didn’t even know how to fry an egg when he bought Nabeel’s, but he had vision and determination.

As the adjoining salon became available, they expanded their restaurant into it. Then the florist on the other side of the salon closed, and they expanded again, enabling them to bring their dream to fruition.

John and Ottavia’s goal to create an atmosphere for families to slow down, enjoy each other, and eat home-cooked, authentic Mediterranean food was most definitely achieved in my life. My childhood trips to Nabeel’s Market quickly morphed into teenage trips to Nabeel’s Cafe. I remember eating there on a special night, just my Mom and I, for my fourteenth birthday. Then five years later, she and I had another special Nabeel’s meal together, only this time the occasion was that it was the week before I got married. On that trip, my Mom gave me my wedding present – a laboriously documented collection of our family recipes, many of which were Greek, and some requiring ingredients from Nabeel’s Market. There couldn’t have been a more fitting and sentimental place to receive that priceless gift that I still use constantly.

Ten years later, Chris and I regularly take our two kids to Nabeel’s Cafe, enjoying the family atmosphere from the other side of the equation. Although we love everything we’ve ever eaten there, we both agree that they have the absolute best hamburger in town (and we’ve tasted them all!!) – the Bifteki. The Bifteki is an juicy, gigantic Greek Hamburger that is mixed with a blend of Greek spices, stuffed with a generous portion of Kefalograviera Cheese, and topped with Tzatziki Sauce.
They also serve it with their fabulous dressing on the side, which we pour over our burgers to add even more Greek flavor.

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(Nabeel’s also helps make our homemade burgers Greek masterpieces – we mix their dressing into the beef, giving it wonderfully tart, sumptuous Greek flavor.)

We jumped at the opportunity to visit Nabeel’s during Birmingham Restaurant Week. Of all of the BRW menus I’ve looked at, Nabeel’s is one of the most thorough, offering four courses and including a beverage of your choice.

For only $20, you will receive pita bread with your choice of Tzatziki, Hummous, or Taramosalata Dip (I went with the Tzatziki, a wonderful blend of Greek Yogurt, Cucumbers, and a generous amount of Dill), along with an unbeatable Greek Salad, Spinach Lasagne, Tiramisu, and soda, Mint Tea, or wine.

The Spinach Lasagne was divine, with layers of ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach, pasta, and fresh tomato sauce.

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It was both creamy and hearty, full of a richness of flavors that totally masked the fact that it is quite low calorie and healthy!

Chris ordered the Gyro Salad with extra meat, which was just how he likes it: so much meat that you could hardly even see the salad:

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Ali opted for the PB & J.

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My favorite part of the kid’s menu is that it is so affordable - $1.95 for a Grilled Cheese or Peanut Butter & Jelly - with Nabeel’s gourmet fries, no less - is the best kid’s deal in town. I couldn’t be happier, and neither could she.

Then the Tiramisu came.

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This was the only part of the meal that I wished we hadn’t brought the kids along, because I really, REALLY wanted the Tiramisu all for myself.

…but instead, it made for several happy customers.

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So happy, in fact, that once I let Noah have one bite, every bite I attempted to get for myself thereafter got this reaction:

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(Mental Note: Go back and get more Tiramisu on date night when the kids are at the Grandparent’s.)
Besides the family atmosphere and the inexpensive yet quality kid’s menu, the fact that Nabeel’s is located directly across from Homewood Park makes it an even better family destination – after all, you need somewhere to let the kids run off their energy after allowing them to indulge in coffee-soaked, chocolate-covered Tiramisu.

Nabeel’s Cafe and Market
1700 Oxmoor Road, Homewood Alabama 35209
Open Monday – Saturday, 10:30 AM – 9:30 PM



Rachel is a Birmingham-Based Blogger who writes at Grasping for Objectivity and runs this networking site for all Alabama Bloggers. She and her family love eating out, especially at local establishments where the food is divine and kids are welcomed with open arms. Nabeel's Cafe & Market on Urbanspoon

Friday, August 19, 2011

Best Post of the Week: Week 113


It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Birmingham Restaurant Week Kicks Off This Weekend!!


Last year, a new and wonderful development hit the streets of the Birmingham food scene: Birmingham Restaurant Week. Being in love with our city's amazing local dining, my husband and I were in heaven. We attended the preview party and delighted over the samplings from all of our favorite restaurants. Then we proceeded to plan our entire week's dining around eating at the participating restaurants.

And this year - well, it promises to be even better.

Offering amazing prices on three course dinners, almost thirty local restaurants are participating in this epic ten day eating extravaganza.

Beginning this Friday night, BRW lasts through August 28. Designed to fit into any budget and eating experience, there are three price options offered by the various restaurants: $10, $20, and $30. I recommend that you start to scour the menus now to plan your week around visiting your favorites!

But don't miss out on the event before the event: the preview party is, in my opinion, one of the best features of the entire week. At the amazing price of only $20 per person (or $30 per couple), you will be served a full meal's worth of samplings from a dozen of the participating restaurants.

The preview party is this Thursday night at the Hill Event Center from 5:30 - 8:30. You can order your tickets through Eventbrite by clicking here.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Pratt City: Still in Need of Your Help!

Jamie, Wade, Javacia, Cindy, and I volunteered on Saturday at the Pratt City Tornado Relief Center.  PrattCity0811B

We checked customers in and took them around to the various rooms, gathering the supplies that they needed.

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(Thank you so much to Jamie for taking some awesome photos for us.)


It was a blessing to be able to do something – small as it may have been – to help those so decimated by April 27th.

We got to talk in depth with the directors and see the inside view of what is going on, almost four months later.

They still have hundreds of needy, displaced people coming through their doors every week.

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Yet, so many in the world have forgotten the pain that still permeates our state – volunteers are significantly down, as are donations.

Pratt City was decimated in the storms, entire blocks completely wiped away.

Yet there is hope.

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They are trying to make their comeback, but they need our help – just as we would need their help if it had been our neighborhood instead of theirs.

If you can give, the relief center would gladly take your donations.  Especially for items like canned goods, paper products, batteries, diapers, brooms and mops.

If you can volunteer, they are always in need of more help!  The staff there have been volunteering tirelessly for months, so support for them to take a respite would be much appreciated. 

They are located at 1517 Hibernian Street, off of Highway 78 directly after the walking bridge over the road.

They are open Wednesdays through Saturdays every week.  Call 791-7562 to let them know what day you can help – any amount of time would be appreciated!

Also, they are having an exciting opportunity on August 23rd for which they need many volunteers:  Women’s clothier Alfred Dunner is sending a delivery of new clothes to Temple Emmanuel in 5 Points South to be distributed to Tornado Survivors.

They need 40 volunteers anytime between the hours of 9 AM and 7 PM on the 23rd to help distribute these supplies, as well as some volunteers on 8/22 to help set up.  If you can help at any time on either of these days, please contact regclark (at) bellsouth (dot) net.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Best Post of the Week: Week 112


It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Pratt City Tornado Relief Needs

We will be going this Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM to help Tornado Relief at the Scott School Relief Center in Pratt City. If you would like to join us, all of the information can be found here. However, if you're unable to join us but would still like to help, the Relief Center is in desperate need of canned goods. They also need paper goods and cleaning supplies, but their supply of canned goods especially low.

If you can drop these items off in Pratt City at any time (off of the Arkadelphia Road exit of 59/20), it would be greatly appreciated!!

The address for Scott School is 1517 Hibernian Street - it is right off of Highway 78.

Also, please help us help them by getting the word out about their needs on Twitter and Facebook!

Thank you, and let me know if you would like to join us on Saturday!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Tornado Relief Blogger Work Day THIS SATURDAY!!

This Saturday, August 13th, from 10 AM to 1 PM, we will be having a Blogger Work Day to help with the ongoing Tornado Relief Efforts. We would LOVE for you to join us!!

We will be meeting at and working at the Pratt City Scott School Relief Center. I have talked to the director there a few times and she is very grateful for our offering to help and excited to have us!

We will be doing various tasks including unloading delivery trucks, sorting donations and placing them in the right rooms, helping tornado survivors go through the rooms and get what they need, and manning the donation rooms. There should be tasks available for every level of ability.


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If you would like to join us, simply register by Clicking Here. If you can't come for the whole time, no problem - come when you can!

The address for Scott School is 1517 Hibernian Street - it is right off of Highway 78.

Thank you for your continued efforts of tornado relief!

The hashtag for this is #AlaBlogVol. Thank you!!

Friday, August 5, 2011

Best Post of the Week: Week 111


It's time to link in your best post of the week!

The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights.

So, link up, tell us why you linked that post, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit!

p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Amy's Extraordinary Alabama: Fort McClellan

By Amy

"Why is it I only realize how much I miss the foothills of my childhood when I return for a visit?" I posted this question on twitter and Facebook during a recent visit to my parents'. To which a dear friend replied: "that's why they call it home."


I travel ninety miles to visit my parents every couple of months. A few weeks ago when I went I took a new route for part of the journey. One that took me through an old military base that closed in 1999. As I drove through an area of Fort McClellan I had never seen I was struck by how time had changed the area surrounding my childhood home.

I visited the base as a child. My dad as a member of the National Guard had privileges on base, but my visual knowledge of the base was limited. Driving along an area in the eastern part I realized the government owned some of the most beautiful land in our county. Untouched by habitation or development.

When it was announced in 1997 that Fort McClellan would close everyone worried what impact it would have economically. I haven't studied the economic impact now twelve years later, but it seems that the county is doing as well as any other area in the country considering all things. While a portion of the base belongs to the Alabama National Guard the majority of it has been given to the city. Many of the homes are being remodeled. Businesses are moving in.

I saw signs of growth. Base homes remodeled and sold. The senior officers area known as Buckner Circle showing signs of life. These more upscale homes of the base restored and now home to civilian families. Bicycles and swing sets dot the back yards.

Time has transformed these areas.

Yet other areas remain abandoned. As the detour wound me through the base I was struck by the dichotomy, the juxtaposition of it all. Vines overgrown, grass too high around buildings now empty with stories untold.

Time transformed. Time abandoned.

To view more of these photos visit the set on my Flickr here. I'll also be sharing more photos I took from other areas of the county in the coming days.

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If you haven't linked up and introduced yourself yet, be sure to go here to do so!