Urban Dweller

The past couple of weeks have made me extremely grateful/proud to live in downtown Birmingham. There are a lot of exciting new developments in the works and some upcoming events that are sure to draw a crowd outside of regular business hours.

Last week, Birmingham magazine’s Green Event at Railroad Park on Southside provided a unique insight into the plans for this great initiative. It is turning an otherwise “rough” area, into picturesque scenery and a lifestyle destination.

Recent announcements of new developments revitalizing abandoned buildings are always great to hear – especially when they have real promise behind them.

• The Pizitz Building is being redeveloped by Bayer Properties and Baker Donelson who will house their corporate offices there. Commercial space is available for lease on the ground floor.
• V. Richards is also expanding into the Pizitz Building. It will have grocery store sections and bakery, deli and meat departments. The cafe will be large enough to accommodate breakfast/lunch crowds and the dining area will be converted into a white tablecloth restaurant at night. An outdoor, sidewalk seating area also is in the plans.
• A former chef de cuisine at Highlands Bar and Grill is planning a gourmet sandwich shop on 20th Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues North, rumored to be named, “Brick & Tin.”
  

And this Saturday is “Paint the Town Red” a digital art festival to benefit the American Red Cross – check it out!

Then, the following weekend (April 23-25) is Magic City Art Connection in Linn Park featuring artists from all over the country and CORKS & Chefs - a food & wine tasting event featuring local chefs and restaurants. Not to be missed!

Come out and get to know your city...there is stuff to do, you just have to know where to find it.

On a totally unrelated note...

Ok, anyone that knows me knows I LOVE clothes, especially heels, and I love to try different styles and LOVE to dress up. Living in Alabama can make these passions hard to accomplish, but I do my best. I pour over my monthly Vogue and mentally dissect every photo, article and aspect on its pages from cover to cover.

So in an effort to update my wardrobe for Spring/Summer, I’ve acquired a few new items:

1. a white, button-up, safari-style blouse - Lauren Ralph Lauren
2. green & white tunic – Banana Republic
3. blue & white silk blouse – Michael Kors
4. black, ballet flats – Jessica Simpson
5. white trousers – Banana Republic
6. 2 pairs of nude heels – Nine West

Ok, but here is what I'm really looking for - a black, halter or strapless pant jumpsuit with flowing legs (not harem) – here’s the catch – for under $100 – like this one below:

Suggestions are welcome! I’ve been looking all over and can’t find one and a lot online are no longer available.

It's fun to stay at the...

YMCA
I find it very funny interesting (not funny haha) that in Birmingham - and probably in Alabama in general - the Y is the gym to belong to and the place to get your work out on. And there is one in every part of town.

Based on my hometown, I was of the school of thought that the YMCA was from the '70s when the Village People had a hit and the facilities were all old and outdated with moldy locker rooms.

So when I moved to the Ham and wanted to join a gym, I was drooling over the new UAB rec center, but realized I couldn't be a member unless I was a student. So I found an apartment first and then chose a gym based on proximity - Dawson Baptist Church's gym - because I could walk there.

It wasn't quite the state-out-the-art facility I was looking for, so when I asked a Bham native where I should join, and they suggested the YMCA, I was flabbergasted. I'm sure I made a face and said, "Are you kidding?"

No, they weren't kidding and the YMCAs here in Birmingham turned out to be a very different story from the ones in Southeast Louisiana. I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoy having the multiple locations as an option (I can even walk to the one downtown) and love the classes they offer. A far cry from the seedy, falling-apart Ys I grew up with.