Local Culture

On any given night in downtown Birmingham, you can find folks gathering over food and drink. Restaurants are bustling, neighbors are grilling out and catching up over a beer, and if you're lucky you might find yourself invited to dine with some of the city's most talented chefs. In this city food is what's brining people together. Birmingham is home to some of the country's most talented chefs including Chris Hastings, Frank Stitt, Ben Vaughn, & the fella I want to tell you all about- Garrett Osburn. Chef Garrett's love of food started with at a young age. Growing up his family was in the...

Y’all the cutest mobile shop just opened in the Ham- Trove Design Studio! Trove boasts local fair from so many talented artists all over the Southeast. I have to give a special shout out to my friend Mollie of Big Wave Paper who made this adorable greeting card. All of her cards are made by hand on an antique letterpress. How cool! Visit Trove’s Instagram account to find out all the info about the hours of operations! I’ll see ya there!

They've done it again! Food Party has rocked my world and taken my taste buds on a wild adventure! Tony and I were so excited to attend Food Party PopUp Volume 2 Sunday night at Avondale Common House. Food Party is the creation of Chef David Smith, Chef Brent Seamon, and Michelle Schaefer. It is so much more than just amazing food. It is community. It is genuine connection. It is chefs encouraging each other, supporting each other, and putting aside any type of competition to create something beautiful for each person that attends. Food Party is bringing something truly special to Birmingham...

Seeds coffee has just opened a location in Lakeview in Birmingham! I popped in briefly yesterday to grab a cappuccino and snap a couple of photos with my phone, but I look forward to going for a longer experience in the near future. The store front has a pleasant, minimal design that continues into the shop. The addition of tiny green plants spread throughout the store added charm and whimsy. The menu has a modern, minimal feel as well. The staff were super friendly! And how was my almond milk cappuccino? The almond milk was steamed perfectly leaving the milk frothy, creamy, and light, and it...

As you've seen from my Instagram stories over the past year I have eaten a lot of Tropicaleo food at various pop-ups around town. And yesterday, all of my food dreams came true when they opened their doors for their grand opening event! As soon as you pull into the parking lot in Avondale, the sense of community is easy to spot. We enjoyed seeing the familiar faces of our neighbors laughing, eating, and having a great time. The lovely art work on the front of the building invites you in to see just what this spot is all about. The menu board boasts tons of unique entrees with roots in...

So... about last night. I ate some of the best food of my life, drank delicious wine, and met fun and interesting people at the first ever Food Party Bham . Chefs Dave Smith, Brent Seamon, and Garrett Osburn created a menu full of whimsy, elegance, and pure joy. With each bite the chefs displayed an understanding and respect for ingredients presented in a very unique way. Chefs Garrett, Brent, and Dave plating the final course of the evening. The inagural food party was held at Serendipity and drinks were provided by Rush and Red Hare Brewing Company . Now, for the reason you're all here.....

One of my favorite markets in town is Pepperplace Market. I love running into friends and neighbors each time I visit. On one of my recent visits I was entranced by the amazingness of Hepzibah Farms . The flowers and the sampler basket I purchased were enough to last all throughout the week. I highly recommend you stop by and see these guys!

The first time you see your work in print is the most incredible, astounding, prideful, gleeful, exciting... Ok, let me start at the beginning. Last year I participated in the See Jane Write challenge Blog Like Crazy . Every November women all accross the country commit to blog every single day of the month . Last year when I decided to participate I experienced many emotions throughout the challenge. Joy: yay I'm going to rock this! Anger: late at night, no blog ideas... why did I decide to do this? Fear: what if I write every day, and no one takes the time to read it? Pride: wow, I'm really...

I had the amazing privelege of attending the soft opening for Tropicaleo . If you haven't heard of Tropicaleo yet, stop what you are doing and read this. After that, go eat the best Puerto Rican food in Alabama! They are currently serving lunch in the kitchen of Crestwood Tavern (until their new location opens in Avondale) Mon-Fri from 11-3 and brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10-3. Ok, so back to the opening. As soon as I entered Crestwood Tavern the smell of earthy spices filled my senses. I had my first taste of this delcious food at the Woodlawn Street Market and the anticipation of...

Today was my first visit to the Alabama Farmer's Market. What an incredible day it was! I brought my friend Mary along and we scouted out the best peaches we could find. These will make a beautiful biscuit topping, cobbler, or maybe even an ice cream! I also snagged some juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers to whip up a simple summer salad later this week. There was also face painting and a small petting zoo! These guys are very photogenic. Here is our entire haul from the market. All for $25, I might add. I'm excited about these Mississippi sweet potatoes. Maybe some sweet potato pie...