Bham Family - November 2022

EDITOR’S

Changing seasons and the upcoming holidays always cause me to reflect, and today I am thinking about things for which I’m grateful. One thing I am thankful for is, of course, my family. As a mom, I feel strongly about teaching my 6-year-old daughter to appreciate what we have. Practicing gratitude easy with our Blessing Mix recipe on page 18. It’s an easy and tasty stir-it-up treat that includes a little learning, too! We also rounded up a few ways you and your family can give back to others this holiday season.

I’m also thankful for our regular columnists: Ward Williams of Just for Dads (page 8), Alana Smith of Holy Moly Motherhood (page 10), and Sean Dietrich of Sean of the South (page 16). I’m always excited to read their words each month, and I know you’ll enjoy what they have to say as always.

Birmingham is fortunate to be home to so many wonderful businesses, and I am ever thankful for the chance to highlight a few of them each

month. In this issue, we had a magical time chatting princess (and prince!) parties with Enchanted Princesses (page 12), exploring the new location of pizza mainstay Davenport’s (page 20), and learning about a coming-soon family fun center on the city’s west side (page 22). There’s also a fun couple of centerpieces for your Thanksgiving table—one for the grownups and one just for kids—on page 27.

I hope this list has caused you to stop and reflect on the things for which you are grateful, too— because we are certainly thankful for you.

Happy November and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Just for Dads

Ward Williams gives advice p. 8

Holy Moly Motherhood Practicing gratitude p. 10

Sean of the South Thanksgiving p. 16 Food

Kid-friendly blessing mix p. 18 Crafting

10-minute Thanksgiving centerpieces p. 27

Kids Who Shine

Student works on criminal justice reform p. 30

FEATURE STORIES

Parties Fit for Royalty

Enchanted Princesses delivers character entertainment all around Birmingham p. 12

That’s (More) Amore!

Mountain Brook’s beloved Davenport’s Pizza opens new location p. 20

Under Construction: Family Fun

A new recreation center is coming to West Birmingham p. 22

If I were to tell you a story of my recent drive through the backroads of Eastern Illinois and Western Indiana, it would be a very corny one. There was corn everywhere on this drive, and it looked ready to be harvested. The corn fields reminded me of my deep appreciation of farmers and their impact on our culture. Agriculture and related industries were the predominate occupation for families and communities in the United States 150 years ago. According to the 1950 U.S. Census, the percentage of farmers decreased from 50% of all U.S. workers in 1870 to less than 20% in 1950. Farmers have been models of hard work, resilience, and problem solving, living in community through their ability to cultivate the land for good. According to Merriam-Webster, the two definitions of the word “cultivate” are “to prepare soil for use and raising of crops; and to improve by labor, care, or study.”

Lessons that we have learned from farmers on cultivating can help families today.

One of the most important lessons is that we should first prepare ourselves for having a family before we start a family. How you prepare is to begin with the end in mind. What do I want the kids to look like when they leave my house? What can I do to build a strong marriage that will impact and cause my children to want and strive for a strong marriage of their own one day? Once we build a family, we then take on the task of preparing our children to have healthy families.

The next lesson to take from farmers is to continually learn from those who came before us. Farmers learn from those who came before them. Great-grandparents and grandparents have important lessons to share, and we can use those to our benefit. It is important to learn from others’ mistakes and their triumphs.

We should understand advances in technology and use them to our advantage. Technology can be helpful, and we should use it and teach our children to use it to accomplish goals.

We must adjust based on current situations. Sometimes everything goes right, and sometimes it seems like there are constant obstacles. Farmers are pulling weeds when they must and working constantly to build to soil to provide healthy

crops. The soil of your family should be rich and packed with the life and nutrients needed to grow your family.

We should judge the finished product. We often give up before we get to the end. In order to judge the finished product, you need to first know what you want it to be and look like. What character traits, morals, and values do you want your children to have when they go to college? Talk about it, make a plan to implement it, and make sure you value it.

Last thought: Galatians 6:9 states, “Let us not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

Ward Williams is the founder and executive director of Vineyard Family Services. Contact him at ward@vfsdads.com.

Ward Williams is the founder and executive director of Vineyard Family Services. Contact him at ward@vfsdads.com.

Ward Williams

PHOTOGRAPHBY CHRISTOPHE MAERTENS ON UNSPLASH

Living With Diabetes?

Listen to your heart.

People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease than those who don’t have this disease. High blood sugar, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels all raise the risk for heart disease with no obvious symptoms. Don’t take the risk. If you live with diabetes, listen to your heart. Talk to one of our cardiologists to get answers about your heart health.

Feeling Grateful

It’s November, y’all. One of my favorite times of year. The leaves are changing and the humidity is almost gone. The air is cool and the coffee is hot. College football is in full swing, and it’s finally appropriate to eat soup and build a fire. The anticipation that Christmas is right around the corner—but not so close that you feel frantic and need to shop and wrap all in a hurry.

November is just easy. Less yard work. Less pressure to exercise and diet. More time for movies and baking pies. A month to prepare, really. And to be thankful.

Alana Smith

And this year, I want to focus on being more thankful. Intentionally thankful. It can be a challenge when the nightly news is frustrating and sad. And when everything is so expensive. Or when family gatherings loom and you know the air will be tense. This year, I’m choosing thankfulness despite all of that.

For the breath in my lungs. For the health of my two boys. For a warm bed and lights and clean water to drink. For the Thanksgiving meal that awaits. For second chances and old friends and Starbucks.

When we are thankful for the big stuff—family, health, food—then it’s easier to see all the small things as blessings as well, and not take them for granted. I am less bothered by daily annoyances when I remind myself of how blessed I truly am. And in return, I am more hopeful for the future. I recently read that gratitude is an “affirmation of goodness,” meaning that life isn’t perfect, but finding the good and being thankful for it shows gratitude. And I think that gratitude leads to happiness. I’m no expert, but I bet it does.

I hope your November is full of happiness, rest, and all the carbs. Happy Thanksgiving!

Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 7 and 2), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.

PHOTOGRAPH BY RUVIM NOGA ON UNSPLASH

Party with a Princess

Bring the magic of storybook characters to your event

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

Another creative local grows up, and Birmingham gets lucky enough to hang on to their talent. Lara Vickery spent her childhood in McCalla and attended Alabama School of Fine Arts. Having fallen in love with theatre at a young age, she began acting classes at UAB and through Town and Gown Theater’s Summerfest summer camps when she was about 8 years old, going on to ASFA in 7th grade to major in Theatre Arts. After graduation in 1988, she moved to Los Angeles to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts West. To earn extra money while in school, she began doing makeup and fashion styling for photo shoots. Birmingham lured her back to the University of Montevallo, where she finished her BFA in Acting in 1991.

With school complete, Lara went to work as a professional actor in children’s and regional theatre. Her makeup styling experience came in handy when MAC Cosmetics launched a second location in the south and hired her as their assistant manager. Advancing quickly, Lara spent 13 years with MAC, the last decade as southeast regional

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF LARA VICKERY

director of artist training and development, where she opened 124 locations and loaned her skills to nine states, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda. “I had amazing opportunities as a MAC Senior Artist, working events like New York Fashion Week, Miami Swim Fashion Week, Fashion Week of the Americas, Broadway Bares, Fashion Cares Toronto, and numerous televised awards shows, pageants, and musical acts,” she says.

Lara moved on to Apple and remains in corporate America, though in 2014 she and her husband, Daniel, started their business that would become The Enchanted Princesses. “We have been in the business of doing parties ever since!” says Lara, who runs the family business while also juggling her “real” job as sales and training coordinator for IT Cosmetics in Alabama and northern Mississippi. She’s also mom to daughter Oona, a sophomore at ASFA majoring in theatre. (Oona is on the family business, too: She portrays Tinker Bell, Peter Pan, and Alice in Wonderland.)

Daniel, a theatrical properties and set designer who specializes in the unusual, “is an amazing sculptor who works in all mediums including clay, stone, and wood foam,” says Lara. “He has worked for multiple theatre, film, and television companies including HBO, Cartoon Network, and Nippon TV (Japan).” Together the two, friends since they were teens and married for close to 20 years, are a creative force. Daniel fell into balloon twisting as a parent volunteer at Oona’s school, and Lara had a love of bringing storybook characters to life. The couple closed their girls’ boutique—which offered special occasion clothing for birthdays and Disney trips, plus in-house princess parties. “At that time there were only a few companies offering

quality in-home princess performers around the South. The idea of offering performers who come to your event seemed like a great way of bringing my love of theatre, fairytales, and Disney characters into one business,” says Lara. It was a natural progression for Lara, who has always loved fairytales, mermaids, and pirates and is a huge Disney fan. “Part of my job at MAC was to provide training and information on new products and techniques to the Disney World Cosmetology Department, and I loved getting to go behind the scenes in Orlando and see the performers transforming into characters,” she says.

“We started in-home parties in summer 2014, and I still have two of my original princesses working with me. My first-ever princess hire was Charlotte Clare Wickersham (now Norris). She was a freshman getting her BFA in musical theatre at the University of Montevallo, and now she is the theatre and show choir teacher at Pelham Park Middle School. She’s our primary Snow Queen and Little Mermaid, but she offers a huge range of beloved characters from movies to books and plays. Josie Jackson joined us in 2015 and is now our primary Snow Princess and Fairy Face Painter. She is an exceptional costumer and creates all her own costumes.”

Currently, The Enchanted Princesses offers well over 100 characters, including favorite movie princesses, superheroes, villains, pirates, mermaids, fairies, and preschool characters. “The only three mascot-style characters we offer are Beauty’s Beast, the Easter Bunny in the spring, and everyone’s favorite snowman from October through March,” says Lara. “We do all sorts of events, including one-on-one playdates with

a princess, character visits for small sleepover parties, entertainers for large birthday parties for children, teens, or adults, and large corporate events.” Lately, they find themselves doing more entertaining for adults and family parties. “We offer party atmosphere characters including Alice in Wonderland characters, roaring 20s performers, pirates, and swimming mermaids for your pool. Adults love whimsy as much as kids and are truly delighted to find characters they can interact with at events. It also adds authenticity to your themed event and gives your guests the perfect photo opportunity.”

A huge part of The Enchanted Princesses’ appeal is the ability to customize a character visit to your party needs. Performers are booked by the hour and typically that allows time for an arrival where they make a big deal about being invited, reading a story, painting nails, teaching a princess class, and singing a signature song or two. “Our princess and superhero performers are actual actors and actresses, and they stay in character the entire time, so they do not face paint or do balloons,” says Lara. They do offer a costumed balloon twister and seasonal fairy or mermaid tattoo artists and face painters.

When hiring performers, Lara considers a range of factors. “There are many amazinglooking performers, but to be truly good at what we do, there are a lot of other factors that come in to play besides quality of costume and how you look. You need great improvisation skills and—honestly—physical stamina. People don’t realize how hard it is to wear a wig, princess dress, corset, petticoat, and heels in the summer heat and still look and act like a princess,” says Lara. “During the last eight years, I have really enjoyed watching our young performers come, grow, and move on to exciting careers in music, opera, teaching, theatre, the military, and even at Disney. Being a party performer is magical, but it is also really hard work mentally and physically! It teaches you to think on your feet, and you learn a tremendous amount about people and how to relate to them. Like so many service industry jobs, it is something I wish everyone had the chance to do just once. Although, unlike waiters and waitresses, our clients are under 21 and typically far better behaved!”

“My favorite part of owning the business is honestly seeing the delight on children’s faces when their favorite character arrives at their door

in real life. Those expressions are magical! Just like all moms, I try to balance everything. I have so much respect for parents who try to make childhood as magical as possible for their kids. The reality is that none of us can be that way all the time. The everyday stresses of work, family, and life in general get the best of us sometimes. Our job as a party entertainment company is to take some of the stress off the parents. Our performers are very experienced, and they truly have seen it all, so they are better equipped to transition a party from a meltdown situation onto the next activity without a hitch. As a parent it is almost impossible to do that, even when you do it every day!”

“I have long since passed princess performer age, but I do still occasionally get to play a villain or do fairy face painting. My favorite thing to do is perform everyone’s favorite Frozen snowman! He loves warm hugs and, wow, does he get a lot of them from children and adults. From behind his eyes, I have gotten to see hundreds of amazing smiles. In these days of rising costs, a trip to Disney has become cost-prohibitive for many people. We get to bring that storybook magic right to them at a fraction of the cost, without them ever leaving the comfort of their homes.”

Note: Enchanted Princesses is in no way affiliated with Disney, nor do they claim to offer exact representation of any proprietary characters they own. Instead, they offer cosplay likenesses of favorite characters from stories and movies. For more information, visit facebook.com/ theenchantedprincesses.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Yeah, I know most folks would choose Christmas as their favorite, but not me. Namely because I was a chubby kid, and we chubby kids preferred our holidays to center around cholesterol.

In my family, the ladies would get started preparing many days in advance for the big calorie party. You’d see females dusting countertops with flour, working tirelessly on butcher blocks, wielding surgically sharp cutlery, and threatening to neuter any male who came within 14 feet of her range oven.

The house would be a symphony of chopping sounds, cabinets slamming, and the roar of Briggs & Stratton 12-horsepower hand-mixers. Christmas simply could not compare.

At Thanksgiving, the food spread was sinful enough to qualify for an R rating. We had heaps of refined carbohydrates, wads of saturated fat, volcanoes of gluten, and fruit pies that were completely obscured by Reddi-wip.

Whereas at Christmas, all I got was khakis.

Our childhood home would also be inundated with loud family members. Sometimes there were people loitering in our house who I’d never even met.

“Come say hello to your cousin Hilda,” my mother would say, matting my hair with her own spit.

Cousin Hilda was 94 years old, a complete stranger to me, and she talked at length about the disruptive nature of kidney stones to anyone within earshot.

All day the walls of our little house would throb

with the sounds of human voices. And even though our family was decidedly dysfunctional, it was pretty fun.

My uncle would sit on a sofa, reading the newspaper, sipping Pabst, yelling at his kids. He did this even though his kids were, for example, in their late-40s.

Other uncles and male cousins would hang out in the driveway, trying to look masculine. This is a typical male activity at Thanksgiving—driveway standing.

Driveway standing is not a difficult sport to engage in. It goes like this: While one guy does something important, such as staring beneath the hood of his ’77 Ford Pinto, other men stand at a distance with hands on hips, offering manly suggestions, and occasionally spitting. This is 97 percent of being a man.

Unless you’re a teenage man. In which case, Thanksgiving Day is all about bottle rockets.

One year my cousin Ed Lee brought a gym bag full of barely legal fireworks to our family celebration. I will never forget when he attempted to launch a bottle rocket from the waistband of his pants. My cousin had to eat dinner standing up that year.

The young female cousins were different animals altogether. They would clump together, apparently discussing matters of national security among themselves.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CLAUDIO SCHWARZ ON UNSPLASH

Girls were always so private. Which made us boys wonder: What the heck were they being so secretive about? Did they actually think we boys cared what they were discussing? Give me a break. We didn’t care. We had way more important things to worry about. So, we eavesdropped.

Then it was time to eat.

We’d all gather around the table, and in that moment, you’d realize how messed-up your family was. Sometimes you’d look at your kinfolk, all gathered in one place, and you’d marvel at how you—the only normal person at the table—managed to spring from this malfunctioning group of walnuts.

“Look at these people,” you’d think to yourself. “They’re crazy.”

One of your uncles defined himself as a “serial monogamist.” One of your aunts kept adjusting the household thermostat to “meat locker” until everyone could see their breath vapor. One cousin had spent half the day on the phone with her boyfriend having a heated tele-argument.

But before food came the big prayer. The great equalizer. We all bowed our heads while the elder of our family folded his hands and tucked his knuckles beneath his nose.

First, we would engage in that incredibly corny

family tradition wherein everyone takes turns naming things they’re thankful for. Nobody was very original during this little Joyce Brothers exercise.

Usually, everyone thanked God for the usual. Things like “good food” and “family.” But then some people actually surprised you and offered heartfelt thanks. “I’m thankful for my mom,” said one. “I’m grateful my daughter is out of ICU,” said another.

Then, the patriarch would pray aloud. And it would move you. Because until today you had never seen your cuckoo family as real people before.

So, while the head of the family would utter prayers for all, including the souls who left us, and those who were sick among us, the air in the room would change.

Aunts would sniffle, uncles cleared throats, mothers blew noses loudly, and some of us dabbed our eyes. Because at this moment you somehow felt connected to something bigger than yourself.

Today was more than just a holiday, this was about something much deeper than food. Today was about understanding that even though you belonged to this messed-up group of humans, these were YOUR messed-up humans. And when everything goes wrong in life, sometimes these humans are the only ones you will have left.

By the time everyone said amen, you knew without a doubt that Christmas had nothing on Thanksgiving.

We aren’t just your dental team...we’re family.

Blessing Mix

An Easy Treat to Make Together

Mix up these ingredients to remind your family of this season of thanksgiving.

It’s easy to lose sight of the season—what with Halloween just behind us and Christmas looming in the not-so-distant future. So, pause for a minute and toss together this yummy mix of pantry staples to

remind your family of the meaning of thankfulness. You can combine the ingredients in a large bowl, then divvy up into cellophane bags tied with a cute ribbon for gifting, or store everything in a large glass cookie jar on the kitchen counter for easy snacking.

There are plenty of cute printable labels and tags to add on Pinterest (mostly free) and Etsy (via paid printable download). Enjoy!

You will need the following (eyeball amounts to suit your tastes):

Bugles Pretzels Candy Corn Nuts and/or Seeds Dried Fruit Chocolate Kisses

Gently stir all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Store in a large container with a tightfitting lid, or seal in individual bags.

Blessing

Mix

Bugles represent the cornucopia, a horn of plenty Pretzels represent arms folded in thanks and prayer dy corn reminds us that during the first winter th Pilgrims were allowed only a few kernels of corn per day because food was so scarce

Seeds are promise of a future harvest if they a planted and well tended Fruit is a reminder of the harvest gifts from the land M&Ms are for Memories of those who came before us

Hershey's Kiss is a reminder of the love of family and friends that sweetens our lives

Serve Others this Season

Check out these opportunities to make it a family affair and share with the community this month!

THE JUST PEOPLE PROJECT

thejustpeopleproject.com

Accepting donations for Christmas Eve stockings for the homeless. Items needed include stockings, Christmas Tree Cakes, crackers, Hot Hands, travel-size shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks, gloves, toboggans, and more.

BIRMINGHAM

POLICE DEPARTMENT

police.birminghamal.gov

Accepting new, unwrapped toys and new, unused coats and shoes at precinct locations through December 16. (BPD Headquarters, North, South, East, and West Precincts, and the City Jail)

COMMUNITY SHARING TABLE facebook.com/TheCleanUpProjectUSA

Locals can drop off donations any time at 208 Montgomery Lane in Homewood. Current most needed items include cleaning supplies, diapers, baby wipes, and bread.

BLESSING BOXES

Trinity United Methodist and Independent Presbyterian Drop off nonperishable food items and toiletry supplies at Trinity (1400 Oxmoor Road in Homewood; the box is located on Seminole Drive near the upper sidewalk and entry to the church building). Email conniemccallum@me.com for

specific needs. IPC’s box is located under the covered walkway on the side of the church. Drop off donations weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Community Ministries’ entrance on 31st Street South. (Call Lisa at 205-9333725 to arrange.) Needs include peanut butter, jelly, cereal, nutrition bars, canned fruits and vegetables, canned spaghetti, dried rice and beans, and soups.

ANGEL TREE STUFF THE BUS

Drop off new, unwrapped toys or coats for kids under age 12 at Chick-Fil-A locations around the city. (Greystone, 11/21-22; Hoover Commons, 11/28-29; and Eastwood Village, 11/30-12/1)

TOYS FOR TOTS

bessemer-al.toysfortots.org

Accepting new, unwrapped toys through December all around Birmingham. Visit the website above for a local donation bin near you.

COMMUNITY FURNITURE BANK

communityfurniturebank.org

Accepting donations of new and used bath and hand towels and washcloths. (You can also ship directly to the warehouse.) Address for donations: 219 Distribution Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209

If you know of a volunteer opportunity that is a great fit for families, be sure to let us know! Email stephanie@ jbmcmedia.com.

The King of (Pizza) Pie

Beloved Birmingham mainstay Davenport’s Pizza Palace expands to Vestavia.

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

“My grandparents, Rex and Ardyce Hollis, started Davenport’s Pizza in 1964 in Mountain Brook Village,” says co-owner Amanda Thames. “They went door-todoor to introduce the neighborhood to our unique pizza, and—fortunately—the community took a liking to it! And here we are 58 years later.” Those nearly six decades hold lotsa pizza memories for many local families. On any given weekend (or weeknight!), you’ll find families, friends, and even first dates celebrating milestones and birthdays inside the cozy, old-school

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF AMANDA THAMES, DAVENPORT’S PIZZA Davenport’s pizzas include their signature square-cut slices.

pizzeria walls of the original Mountain Brook Village Davenport’s. Often, you’ll also find a bit of a (totally worth it) wait. Which makes this news all the better: Davenport’s has now added a second location at the Vestavia City Center. Open since late September, the new pizza palace features the same great pizza, along with a few extras Amanda and her coowner and cousin, Yates Norris, are excited about: outdoor seating, garage doors in the arcade, TVs for watching football, a bar for happy hour, and an outdoor walkup window for orders. “Plus, there’s a movie theater within walking distance, which pairs well with pizza!” says Amanda.

“We are excited to serve more customers in the Birmingham community and grow our family business that we care so much about,” she continues. Amanda and Yates are the third generation of their family to operate Davenport’s. Amanda took over for her mom—who ran the store for years with Amanda’s aunt—12 years ago. “It was quite a transition from an accounting job to working in a restaurant, but those accounting skills certainly come in handy!” Yates prepares the restaurant’s signature homemade dough and sauce, and together the two manage day-to-day operations. “We hope our grandparents would be proud of where we are today!”

Though the family often batted around the idea of another location, it was around two years ago that discussions went from just talk to serious consideration. “We looked at a few different areas, but the Vestavia City Center felt like the perfect fit,” says Amanda. “The outdoor space, nearby movie theater, and family atmosphere were very appealing to us. And there was a second Davenport’s location in Vestavia in the 1970s for about 15 years, so it seemed right to bring Davenport’s back to Vestavia Hills.” Opening a second spot was a big decision, but both Amanda and Yates were confident that their time-tested pizza paired with the right construction team and stellar staff would be a success outside of Mountain Brook, too.

“We hear from customers in Mountain Brook every day about how Davenport’s is such a part of their family history and traditions, and it’s truly an honor to be a part of so many memories over several decades,” says Amanda. “We hope the Vestavia location will also be a special gathering place for many years to come for family birthday celebrations, baseball team parties, first dates, watching a football game, and much more. Our wait time on the weekends in Mountain Brook can be long, so now we hope to serve more customers with two locations.”

At the moment, there are no plans to expand beyond Mountain Brook and Vestavia, but two locations are enough for customers to get their fill of Davenport’s top-selling menu items: The Jim Special and classic pepperoni pizza. “You can’t go wrong with either one,” says Amanda. “We have so many great combos, but my favorite is the Rex Special. And our salad with homemade Italian dressing is hard to beat!”

Though the pizza is king, for Amanda and Yates the highlight of owning Davenport’s is hearing about the role the restaurant has played in their customers lives. “It never gets old hearing how many years they have been enjoying our pizza or how Davenport’s is such a special part of their family memories. I love talking with customers who knew my grandparents and have great stories to share,” says Amanda. “It’s an honor to continue serving generations of customers and also to continue the legacy that our grandparents started so long ago.”

New Family Fun Center

Birmingham City officials announced plans for a state-of-the-art westside facility

Earlier this month, Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin announced plans for a new, city-owned family fun center, set to open in 2024 on the CrossPlex property located in West Birmingham.

On Halloween evening, Mayor Woodfin and his team met with a group of neighborhood leaders and District 8 Councilor Carol Clarke to discuss the proposal and get feedback. The meeting ended in a unanimous endorsement of the project. Several attendees noted that

the fairground area’s original purpose was as a gathering space for the westside community, and the new center will restore the space to its intended purpose.

“I am thrilled to honor our West Birmingham residents by bringing this into their community,” said Mayor Woodfin. “The concept of sports and entertainment options under one roof will

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF CITY OF BIRMINGHAM

be a game-changer for our families, our children, and our visitors.”

The plan includes a 20,000-square-foot facility with a skating rink, jump park, e-sports center, bowling alley, a food court, and more. “I envision this being a major hub for family fun and plan to make sure it is a state-of-the-art facility because our community deserves it.”

The city has already allocated $2 million for pre-construction, made available for the CrossPlex redevelopment through the refinancing of commercial development bonds; this was approved

by Birmingham City Council in September 2020.

To meet the target opening date of 2024, Mayor Woodfin commissioned the City of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity (IEO) to expedite the construction timeline.

Administration officials are expected to provide additional plans, cost estimates, and collaboration details with surrounding neighborhoods, as well as city council approval, in the coming weeks.

For city updates, follow along at facebook.com/ cobmayorsoffice, or text “BHAMREADY” to 888777.

Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and with all the stress the holidays can often bring, I want to share a quick (10 minutes!) Thanksgiving centerpiece that will take your dinner table to the next level. The centerpiece as a whole might look complicated at first, but once we break it down, you will see how simple it is to dress up your décor for this special holiday! Experiment with colors that you wouldn’t typically consider “fall” shades—like coral and lime—and pair with deep greens and autumnal reds. Most of the supplies can be found at your local grocery or crafts store! (Watch the tutorial at https://youtu.be/ Va5sdYpA6xY.)

COPY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY CARMEN JOHNSTON / BESPOKEGARDENPLANS.COM & CARMENJOHNSTONGARDENS.COM

Choose a vibrant tablecloth that can tie in with several aspects of your centerpiece. For my table, I chose a coral cloth with an apricot table runner. My table runner is actually sewn into the tablecloth—it makes setup so much easier! I set my tablecloth out several days in advance to let gravity take care of all the wrinkles. Hooray for no ironing! The plants I used include ornamental cabbages, caramel watermelon heuchera, roses in fall colors, and pyra canthus branches. The decorative pieces are dried limes, dried putka pod mini pumpkins, and small pine cones. These are just some suggestions; make your table yours with the plants and decor you already have on hand or can easily find locally. The key is to combine live and cut plants and decorative pieces across the table.

Give your plants a good drink before getting started! This will allow them to stay fresh without having to water them daily. Start by gathering your materials. (Ornamental cabbages can sometimes even be found at your local grocery store.) Just stuff and shove them into some gorgeous containers and top dress with moss to cover. These red plants are gorgeous caramel watermelon heuchera. I love using these because, as the weather gets colder, the hue gets brighter! I think everyone should own what I call “personality-driven containers,” ones that can be used for a number of occasions and go with almost everything! Mine are ceramic pots with a beautiful gold inlay. I have used them for so many weddings and other events. I always use an odd number of containers because it gives a better look to the overall design.

I started with a large cabbage in the center and layered in the heuchera in a zigzag pattern. There is no right or wrong way to do this! Then, nestle containers of rosebuds throughout the cabbages and heuchera. It helps to use zip ties to hold the rose stems together before putting into vases. I like to weave pyra canthus branches between the vases; be careful with these, as they have thorns. They are well worth the extra effort! Finish up by layering greenery throughout to add softness to the overall design.

I always try to add a contrasting color to my centerpieces, and this is where the dried limes come in. They have a gorgeous green color that will brighten up the whole look! Just scatter them across the table to add variety and texture. I do the same with mini pine cones and the putka pod mini

pumpkins. Simply tuck them in throughout the table to add a natural look to the florals. If your event is in the evening, add some candles for a pretty glow and to soften the edges of the arrangement. This entire centerpiece can last for three to four days, and then the cabbages and heuchera can be planted outside when you are done!

When setting your table, use a combination of chargers with plates to give another layer of texture. Invest in a set of flatware to use for occasions, along with glasses or goblets to accent your table. I love my flatware set with bamboo handles, and the wicker chargers are another textural element that look pretty with the tablecloth, too. Cloth napkins will really take your table up a notch, as well! Find a signature fold, add some place cards, and you are set!

Thanksgiving is such a beautiful time for family to come together and celebrate all that we have. With loved ones coming into your home, be sure you dress up your table to impress. This tutorial will make it a cinch! Just remember: Make it your own, and find the plants that bring out the most in your decor. Happy decorating!

CUTE AS A PUMPKIN!

Need a quick centerpiece for the kids’ table, or maybe even a fun craft for them to complete while everyone else eats pie? We have just the thing!

Between now and Thanksgiving, gather a small- to medium-size white pumpkin and orange paint. You can do this with your kids at home, or save it for the day-of feast. Simply use fingerprints to create “pumpkins along the pumpkin, then connect them with a green Sharpie “vine.” Display all month!

If you’re feeling extra-crafty, purchase small white pumpkins for each child attending Thanksgiving dinner. Supply small bottles of orange paint, paper plates (for squeezing paint onto), and wipes for dirty hands. Let each child make an individual fingerprint pumpkin, add the vine, then send home with them to enjoy. If you’d like to create a keepsake, use faux white pumpkins.

For more outdoor entertaining and gardening ideas, follow @bespokegardenplans and @carmenjohnstongardens on Instagram.

BY SEAN FLYNT

Altamont School junior Parker Denson understands why some nonprofit organizations might not be excited about working with a 16-year-old high school volunteer. “There’s a lot of skepticism around that, and there should be,” she says as she discusses a project she is developing with Altamont’s C. Kyser Miree Ethical Leadership Center. Miree Center director Beth Dille explained that organizations often encounter young volunteers who are interested and mean well, but who lack knowledge of issues, have unrealistic expectations, and will not be around long enough or consistently enough to really help. When staff are already overwhelmed, they’re not able to invest much in bringing those volunteers and interns into the work in meaningful ways. The leadership education offered at Altamont—from fifthgrade introductions through the long-term community partnerships developed by Parker and other advanced students—emphasizes a more thoughtful approach.

Parker came to the Miree Center as a ninthgrade debater recently immersed in the issues of criminal justice reform. “I spent all year reading, writing arguments and discussing criminal justice, and talking about the problems in the justice system,” she says. Beth helped her refine and direct that interest as part of Parker’s preparation for meaningful service leadership. They ran into some dead ends, but Parker finally connected with Alabama Appleseed (alabamaappleseed. org), a legal advocacy organization focused on criminal justice reform. A neighbor who knows the organization’s work and recognized Parker’s sincere interest helped make the match.

Parker met with executives of the organization last year and began her Miree project as an intern with the organization this summer. The selfdescribed “debate kid” has reveled in compiling legislator voting records and researching how southern states fund re-entry programs for people released from prison. She also has been exploring ways to make the organization’s website and member communication accessible to young people and anyone else unfamiliar with the technical language of criminal justice reform. “It’s been a fantastic experience for me,” she says.

Parker’s interest has only grown through the work, especially as she has met the people Alabama Appleseed serves. Ronald McKeithen (alabamaappleseed.org/freeatlast), one of the organization’s first clients and now its re-entry Coordinator and Advocate, made an especially strong impression. “He’s one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met,” Parker says. “Talking with him and hearing his story was super-inspiring.” She says the experience also has introduced her to a network of mentors and law student interns who might one day be her colleagues. “Just being able to get advice from them about their undergraduate experience and how they got into social justice work and found their way to law school has been really cool for me,” she says.

Parker expects to continue and deepen her work with Alabama Appleseed, hopefully opening doors to other young people who share a passion for deeply meaningful work that can also be difficult and frustrating. “That is what I believe the essence of a leader is,” Beth says as she reflects on Parker’s strengths in the work. “You hit a block and push through it, or you change your direction to still get where you want to go.”

Altamont junior Parker Denson voluteers for the Miree Center. .

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