Governor’s Mansion open for Christmas Candlelight Tours on Monday

Governor and Mrs. Robert Bentley will open the Governor’s Mansion for Christmas candlelight tours from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 19. The 1907 Colonial Revival mansion located at 1142 South Perry Street in Montgomery will be aglow with lights and filled with the spirit of the season. Guests should pick up their free tickets at the Governor’s Mansion Gift shop across the street on Finley Avenue. The first Monday will feature live music, the second a cooking demonstration and the third will feature the Christmas story. For more information please see www.alabama.travel.

Birmingham’s Railroad Park wins award from SATW

The Society of American Travel Writers’ (SATW) annual convention, held in New Zealand last month, served as the backdrop to announce the 2011 Phoenix Award winners. Created in 1969, the Phoenix Awards recognize conservation, preservation, beautification, and environmental accomplishments as they relate to travel. Birmingham’s Railroad Park was one of four developments in the nation recognized with a Phoenix Award. Nearly four decades in the making, Railroad Park is a linear, 19-acre green space created on a former urban wasteland in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. The first stage of a planned “Three Parks Initiative,” it features a two-acre lake and meandering creeks; paths for bicyclists, runners, and walkers; benches; free wifi; a skate park; play areas for children; a grassy hillside amphitheatre; outdoor workout equipment; and a shaded plaza with covered sheds that hold park offices, bathrooms, and areas for concessions. It serves as a space for recreation and small- and large-scale events. “Railroad Park has all the parts for a Phoenix Award – historical and environmental conservation, public/private partnerships, across-the-board benefit to the community and potential to fuel future growth,” a committee member wrote.

For more information on Railroad Park please see www.railroadpark.org

From articles by Rhonda A. Pickett and Casandra Andrews in the Press-Register:

From articles by Rhonda A. Pickett and Casandra Andrews in the Press-Register:

Big Shrimpin’- the new reality-based series filmed in Bayou La Batre and on the Gulf of Mexico — premieres Thursday night, Nov. 17.  The eight-episode program follows three south Mobile County boat captains and their boss as they head to the opening of shrimp season in Texas the summer after the Gulf oil spill. The first one-hour episode is set to air Thursday night at 9 p.m. on The History Channel.

The shrimp boat captains -nicknamed Bullfrog, Redbone and Roundhead – answer to Dominick Ficarino, who owns a fleet of shrimp trawlers and Dominick’s Seafood, a sprawling processing plant in Bayou La Batre, Alabama.  Ficarino said he wasn’t surprised when a production company told him they wanted to film a reality show about the plight of shrimpers. After watching “Deadliest Catch,” a series about hauling in crabs as crews battle treacherous weather, he knew that harvesting seafood from the Gulf of Mexico would also make for good TV. “I think our business is extremely interesting, and people are going to see how hard these guys really work,” Ficarino said. “It’s a long, hard grinding job, and there’s nothing easy about it.” Ficarino and his fourth generation family business is determined to rebound from the widespread devastation of Hurricane Katrina and the oil spill at a time when nearly 90 percent of shrimp in America comes from outside the U.S. “We definitely feel pressure,” he said. “We are in here believing it’s not a dying breed. We strive every day to keep it going. A lot of people don’t realize whether they are eating imports or domestic shrimp. I live in Mobile, and my own neighbors don’t know.”

Several people filmed for the series said they hope it brings more attention to the struggles of those who work in the local seafood industry. Those who tune in will meet Captain Redbone, a 35-year veteran of the business, who is known for hauling in the most shrimp. At 32, Captain Bullfrog is already known as the “shrimp whisperer” and is the youngest leader in Ficarino’s fleet. Captain Roundhead claimed he was once the best in the business, but he’s had a few hard seasons and is looking for redemption. Away from home and their families for months at a time, the boat crews battled weather, equipment failure and sometimes each other as they earned a livelihood, according to those familiar with the show. Camera crews stayed on the shrimp trawlers for an entire 47-day trip, which included the July 15 opening of the Texas shrimp season three states away. They spent a total of 16 weeks filming on the Gulf of Mexico and other spots around Bayou La Batre, including a shop where shrimp nets are still created by the nimble fingers of local craftsmen.

Gumbo Cook-Off between Alabama and LSU fans

Tuscaloosa- Alabama and LSU fans will compete in the first-ever LouisiBama Gumbo Bowl Tailgate Cook-Off as part of game day celebrations in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 5.

Four Alabama fans and four LSU fans will put their gumbo recipes to the test in front of Bryant-Denny Stadium before the big game. The winner of the cook-off will take home the Gumbo Bowl Tailgate Grand Champion trophy. Judges for the challenge include Alabama football star Kenny Stabler and LSU football star A.J. Duhe, as well as Alabama Executive Chef and Great American Seafood Cook-off winner Jim Smith. For information on being one of the Alabama fans selected for the cook-off see www.alabama.travel.

Other events planned for the LouisiBama Gumbo Bowl include a shot at the world’s record for the largest pot of gumbo.

The world’s largest pot of gumbo is a joint effort by Alabama football All-American and All-pro Miami Dolphin legend Bob Baumhower, Chef Steve Zucker from Baumhower’s namesake restaurants and renowned award-winning chefs John Folse and Rick Tramonto. This unique cooking team will be preparing the gumbo in a huge 300-year-old cast iron pot being brought in on a flatbed tractor trailer from South Louisiana to Tuscaloosa.

The gumbo recipe the chefs are using will feed 10,000 people and calls for 750 pounds shrimp, 450 pounds catfish fillets, 100 pounds claw crabmeat, 50 pounds white crabmeat, 200 pounds alligator meat, 25 pounds Louisiana crawfish tail meat, 200 pounds diced onions, 75 pounds diced celery, 100 pounds diced green bell pepper, 150 pounds sliced okra, 50 pounds garlic and 20 pounds butter. The Guinness Book of World Records will be verifying the gumbo for the record.

Bowls of the gumbo will be sold to the pre-game football crowd for $5 with all proceeds going to benefit Tuscaloosa area charities and their work in the tornado recovery effort. For information on purchasing advance tickets see www.alabama.travel.

Birmingham chef Frank Stitt selected to Esquire Restaurant Hall of Fame

Frank Stitt
In 1984, when the words Southern and cuisine were rarely used in the same sentence, Esquire named Highlands in Birmingham one of the Best New Restaurants in America. I wrote that chef-owner Frank Stitt’s bistro appealed to “the affluent suburban crowds coaxed out of their clubs to come downtown and eat well for a change” – Georgia Bay scallops with basil, for example, and local baked oysters. Back when Paula Deen was working as a bank teller, Alabama-bred Stitt was already at the forefront of New Southern cuisine. Since then, he’s opened two other excellent restaurants and racked up awards. But what he hasn’t done is also remarkable: He has not left Alabama, instead staying put to turn out highly personal food that has inspired a wave of Southern chefs. And yet like any great chef – and any true Southerner – he keeps searching for better ways to do things, which means his days of influence are far from over.

For the complete article please see http://www.esquire.com/features/food-drink/best-restaurants-2011/best-chefs-america-1111.

Alabama Bed & Breakfast Inns

Alabama boasts more than 100 bed and breakfast inns as alternatives to hotel and resort accommodations. Many of these inns predate the 20th century and served as homes of prominent residents, while those constructed in the late 20th century resemble 19th-century Victorian homes. Several bed and breakfast inns are historic landmarks and contain original antique furniture left by their former residents; they sit on palatial properties in rural areas or in historic districts.

For a site that list all the “indepentantly inspected” bed and breakfast, visit the official state association website at bedandbreakfastalablam.com

For an Alabama Bed and Breakfast that is Birmingham’s romantic getaways retreat. Whether it’s a wedding honeymoon, a week-end romantic getaway, or a family get-together, escape to our Logan Martin Lake home, and relax right on the shore of the Coosa river. Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast awaits you!…

Chasing colors from Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast

The state tourism website alabama.travel has a great interactive toolto help determine when fall color peaks in Alabama. www.alabama.travel/activities/tours-and-trails/fall-color-trail/

Based on its predictions – and you can look out the window yourself to confirm this – slight changes will be evident in North Alabama through next weekend. The Birmingham area to the north should be near its color peak on Oct. 22, and areas north of Cullman will peak around Oct. 29. North Alabama will be past its peak on Nov. 19.

The Alabama tourism department also suggests the following scenic drives/areas:

1. Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham: Peavine Overlook and Peavine Falls

2. Oneonta/Blount County: covered bridges, Palisades Park

3. Cullman/Cullman County: Ave Maria Grotto, covered bridge

4. Bankhead National Forest, Winston and Lawrence counties: Double Springs

5. Natchez Trace: Lauderdale and Colbert counties

6. Joe Wheeler State Park, Rogersville: Joe Wheeler Dam area

7. Monte Sano State Park, Huntsville: Warpath Ridge Trail and its overlooks

8. Scottsboro/Jackson County: Russell Cave National Monument, Alabama 79 across Skyline Mountain, Alabama 65 through Paint Rock River Valley

9. Guntersville State Park, Guntersville: Buck’s Pocket State Park

10. Gadsden/Etowah County: Noccalula Falls Park

11. DeSoto State Park and Lodge, DeSoto Falls, Little River Canyon, Fort Payne: Lookout Mountain Parkway, DeSoto Parkway and Old DeSoto Parkway. Alabama 176, part of Lookout Mountain Parkway, includes scenic overlooks of Little River Canyon.

12. Cheaha State Park, Lineville: Bald Rock and Pulpit Rock trails, Talladega Scenic Drive, Skyline Drive and Skyway Motorway.

www.alabama.travel/activities/tours-and-trails/circle-of-colors/
For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/living-times/2011/10/travel_feature_enjoy_the_color.html.

Head for the hills at Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast

At Alabama’s highest point (2,407 feet), Cheaha State Park near Anniston offers chalets, cabins, hiking trails, waterfalls and some good views of Talladega National Forest. Lake Guntersville, Joe Wheeler, Buck’s Pocket and DeSoto state parks offer opportunities to walk the woods.  Drive up Lookout Mountain on Alabama 117 to poke around the tiny downtown with the circa 1884 Mentone Springs Hotel, little shops (look for Oprah favorite Orbix glass from Fort Payne), restaurants like Wildflower Cafe, Log Cabin and Magnolia Joe’s. Little River Falls, Little River Canyon, Cloudland Ski resort and DeSoto State Park are nearby. There are lots of B&Bs and inns tucked in the mountainous terrain. The town’s Fall Colorfest is always the third weekend in October, which would make it Oct. 14-16 this year. Friday features a bonfire, and Saturday and Sunday include entertainment, a parade and arts.

BASS organization moving to Birmingham

From the article “BASS to move into Colonial Center Blue Lake in Birmingham” by Michael Tomberlin in The Birmingham News:

BASS LLC has found a home in a Blue Lake in Birmingham. The fishing and media organization, which is moving its headquarters from Orlando, has picked an office building off U.S. 280 for its new base. Officials say BASS LLC plans to take just more than 15,000 square feet of space in the Colonial Center Blue Lake at 3500 Blue Lake Drive. Like The Summit retail center across Interstate 459, the building is in the city limits of Birmingham, honoring a commitment by BASS to land in the city. “We’re in the process of getting ready for it,” BASS co-owner Don Logan said of the move. “We’re going to be out in the U.S. 280/I-459 area, and we plan to be there Nov. 1.” Logan said the move should bring around 50 employees to Birmingham and position the company to grow.

Birmingham Mayor William Bell said the Blue Lake site is a good fit for BASS. “With the recruitment of almost any company, easy access to interstates is very important,” Bell said. “That was definitely a major factor for BASS and a big advantage for a city of Birmingham location so close to I-459, east-west and north-south interstates, and our airport.” Bell said Birmingham won the project after competing with other cities in central Alabama. “The city is a natural fit for BASS when you consider the quality of our workforce and the fact that Alabama is known throughout the world for its love of fishing, many beautiful lakes and rivers, and, in general, a quality of life that is second to none,” he said. “We appreciate BASS and its decision to locate in Birmingham and look forward to making the transition from the present headquarters in Florida easy and seamless.” Birmingham is offering an incentives package to lure BASS here, but the particulars are not complete. “We have assisted in identifying possible state incentives, but local incentives are still being discussed,” Bell said.

The headquarters move will bring the company’s Bassmaster, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer magazines and online operations; the Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Classic fishing tournament tours; sales management positions; tournament management jobs; and corporate executive positions. The move will not include the television production company operated by BASS co-owner Jerry McKinnis. That will remain in Little Rock, Ark. David Fullington, senior vice president of leasing at Colonial Properties Trust, handles leasing duties for the Blue Lake building. “We are thrilled to have BASS LLC locate their headquarters at Blue Lake and think they will be a great, positive addition,” Fullington said. Fullington said the BASS lease gives the four-story, 160,000-square-foot building an occupancy rate close to 76 percent. The mirrored-glass covered building was built in 1982 and renovated in 2008.

BASS is based in Celebration, Fla., near Orlando, but it was founded in Montgomery in 1968 by Ray Scott, who sold it in 1986. ESPN Inc. took control of BASS in 2001, and Logan led a group of investors who purchased the company from ESPN almost one year ago. Logan, a retired Time Inc. executive who once ran Birmingham magazine publisher Southern Progress Corp., now lives in Mountain Brook and also owns the Birmingham Barons baseball team. Dave Rickey, spokesman for the Birmingham Business Alliance, said BASS is a big catch for the metro area. “We’re going to work with them to ensure everything is finalized and their move to Birmingham goes well,” Rickey said.
For lodging at the best fishing lake in Alabama, stay on the shore of Logan Martin Lake at Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast
For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2011/09/bass_to_move_into_colonial_cen.html.

 

Newsweek names Alabama and Auburn to list of “most beautiful” colleges

From the article “Alabama, Auburn make Newsweek’s ‘most beautiful’ college list” by Chris Pow on al.com:

The University of Alabama and Auburn University are used to making the top 25 rankings, and now thanks to Newsweek and The Daily Beast, they rank as two of the most beautiful colleges in the nation. The magazine put Alabama at No. 3 and Auburn at No. 15 on their “Most Beautiful” list, one of more than 20 lists ranking U.S. colleges in categories ranging from “Happiest Schools” to “Best Food.” For the “Most Beautiful” category, the magazine weighted rankings and grades produced by websites PopCrunch,The Best Colleges and College Prowler on the attractiveness of both students and campuses. Four other SEC universities were ranked as one of the 25 most beautiful schools. Ole Miss topped the list, with Florida at No. 5, Georgia at No. 8 and Kentucky at No. 12. Auburn was the sole SEC representative on the “Most Service-Oriented” list, coming in at No. 23. A study by Newsweek and Washington Monthly determined these rankings by analyzing participation of students and alumni in service organizations and colleges’ involvement in service.

For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/tuscaloosa/2011/09/alabama_auburn_make_newsweeks.html.