Last full week of July, friends. Here are your vitals:

July 26th.

‘Gram of the Week:

I want to live at The Yard inside the Elyton. Photo by @love_lexington

Beginning –> End
Sidewalk Film Festival has announced their opening and closing films. The opening film will be Step, a documentary about a high school step team competing for a college scholarship. The closing film, albeit less inspiring, is still a captivating one about Jeffrey Dahmer’s high school experience. My Friend Dahmer was described as “a perfect example of stellar film that Birmingham deserves.” You’ll catch me at there for sure. Sidewalk begins on August 25th with day and weekend passes starting at $30. Stay tuned to Bham Now for the latest updates on film announcements.

Sponsored by:

Do you know a home brewer? It’s (barely) legal, remember?
Good news for the hippin’ and HOPpin’ world of Alabama homebrewers: a competitive TV show wants to feature you. Beerland is a show on VICELAND where host Meg Gill tours all the nooks and crannies of the US to find the best tasting home-brewed beers by unique folks. Her favorite beers get a chance to be brewed at her brewery in LA. Show producers will be in Alabamaland July 31st through August 3rd, and are looking for young, outgoing and passionate people with tight-knit beer communities. There’s still time to send in your info and get Birmingham on the map.

The Small Biz You’re Looking For
This week’s #SmallBizSpotlight is projected on the big screen at Backyard Movie Parties. For over 22 years, you’ve seen the huge inflatable outdoor movie screens in parks, backyards and parking lots for all types of events. Owner Keri Lane told us that Backyard Movie Parties actually has five different screen size systems to accommodate whatever type of event it is in the Southeast—whether it’s a birthday party, Park & Rec movie night or even a school event. Fun fact: she once showed Star Wars in a small village in Belize. If we want this world to prosper, we need all the villages and cities and towns to be exposed to Jedis, and the magic of a Backyard Movie Party.

Eating in a Shu Shop
The long-awaited authentic Japanese restaurant Shu Shop has finally opened in a prime location next to Revelator/across from the McWane Center. Open late, it’s a perfect addition to the Theatre District. See Producer James’ experience at the soft opening last week. Think actual, authentic ramen that’s not packed into a wavy brick. Shu Shop, sure to make your taste buds rock. (Please tell me you read that to the tune of “Bulls on Parade”)

Got Guides?
When I say last week was a week for the people, I ain’t lying. We published lots of guides to Birmingham, so let me sum them up all nice and pretty:

Guide to Birmingham statues – the “symbolic” edition by Pat Byington.
- The 2nd installment in our guide to Birmingham statues. Features favs like Vulcan, Lady Liberty and The Storyteller—aka the Five Points South fountain staple. See the “people” edition here.
Guide to the best views of Birmingham by Madeline Ingram.
- Find the new hot spot to impress all of your out-of-town visitors. You familiar with Norwood or Tip Top Grill?
Guide to downtown Birmingham retail by Madeline Ingram.
- Because this is often overlooked, unfortunately. Visit the quirky, the fine and the all of them. Your suburban friends will beg you to tag along.
A Birmingham guide getting your ‘poodle do’ – doggie groomers by Vicky Lewis.
- Research can be overwhelming when it comes to your fur-children. There are plenty of places that will pamper your pup with a wash, trim and even add a new bandanna to the collection. The grins don’t lie.
Get childish in Birmingham by Liz Brody.
- The kids get Chuck E. Cheese. So lucky. But where can the adults go to let loose like a 4 year-old on pixie stix? Find your new playground.
Bham Now’s ultimate voter’s guide by JH Daniel.
- Because knowing how to vote in local elections should be common knowledge. The only thing we won’t tell you is who to vote for.

Bright and Shiny
The Bright Star, in the heart of Bessemer, is the state’s oldest restaurant and is also known by their James Beard recognition, and maybe even their murals. The murals, painted over 100 years ago by transient European artists, make up large art pieces inside the restaurant. The Bright Star restored the murals of German landscapes to their original beauty, and Bham Now took a little tour. See the century-old art.

To Cherish is to Volunteer

Alabama is home to some of the most beautiful State Parks in all the land. Want to cherish them even more than you already do? Volunteer. There can never be too many volunteers or donations for our beloved Parks. At Oak Mountain, the Back Country Horsemen are building horse stalls at the equestrian campground so camper’s horses can see the stars at night. At Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, a Boy Scout troop helped build and install 15 bluebird nesting boxes. The possibilities are endless. Pick your Park, and get out there.

Green Reading
Alabama native John Green has a new novel coming out, and your local BAM! has your “in” for a signed 1st edition. Turtles All the Way Down is Green’s 5th YA novel, and with the author’s other best sellers such as Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, I can only assume we will cry and laugh on repeat with Turtles. Green is an Indian Springs alum, and in Looking for Alaska, you can clearly tell that the school’s setting is modeled after Indian Springs. Learn more about his Birmingham ties. Bonus: see his vlog tour of Indian Springs back in 2010.

Sponsored by:
Books-a-Million

Rock ‘Em Shock ‘Em
The Southside Shockers is the 7- and 8-year-old all-star baseball team that made it to the final six of the Dizzy Dean World Series. Big deal alert, because this is the first team from Avondale Park to compete in a youth World Series in 64 years. The Southside Ball Association went through a major renaissance this year, enrolling over 350 kids in the Spring ‘17 ball season as compared to <100 in previous years. Play ball, y’all.

Taking the “pain” out of campaign
Making your local election research a whole lot easier.

And I’m plugging our ultimate voter’s guide again because I didn’t know what district I lived in until I read it. Hello, D3 neighbors.

Top 3 Events This Week

Birmingham Burger Fest @ Avondale Brewing. Saturday, July 29th. 12-4PM. $15 includes your ticket and four 1/4 burger samplings. So, one whole burger.
Roller Derby & Comic Book Fun @ Zamora Shrine Center. Tragic City Roller Derby with a superhero theme. Bring the costumes. Saturday, July 29th. 5-8:30PM. $12 online / $15 at the door. Kids under 8 are free.
Bad Art Night @ Emmet O’Neal Library. Make ugly crafts, win pretty prizes. August 1st. 6:30-8:30PM. FREE.

PLUS: Check out Producer James’ top 10 picks for the week. He included all the events I couldn’t squeeze into the top 3.

There’s always something to do around here. See more of the 3,000+ events on the Bham Now calendar.

Bite-sized
Quiz: Are you a true Blazer fan?
Weather: Um, I see no rain in the forecast for the next week. Are we being punk’d? But it is Alabama in summer, so we know better. Average daytime temps in the high 80s/low 90s and nighttime lows in the low 70s.
Eat: Chicken tandoori with rice and a side of daal from Sitar.
Job: Account Manager/Customer Service Representative @ S.S. Nesbitt. Apply.
Adorable and Adoptable: Meet Jerry (Lee Lewis) and Kenny (Rodgers). I like to imagine they were named after music legends. Love on them at the GBHS and take them home with you forever.

I got the recipe for Southern Kitchen & Bar’s jalapeno honey fries and it pretty much made my whole week. Brb, inviting all my friends over as an excuse to make them.

Thanks for all of the good things you have to say about Bham Now. We appreciate ya! And as always, thanks for always reading.

Hunter Holland, Producer
Let me know what’s up – hunter@bhamnow.com

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