PLANET WEEKLY 509

// IN THIS ISSUE AUSTIN POWER TOM GORE TEXT NECK SHELBIE & BEYONCE

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MANAGING EDITOR

STORIES

ENTERTAINMENT

4 THE AVETT BROTHERS // ALAN SCULLEY

5 CHAMBER NEWS

W I L L I AM BA R S HOP

COVER DESIGN

L AU R A L I N E B E R R Y

EVENTS

C H A S E DY E R

ROAD TRIP

T R E Y B R OOK S

RESTAURANT GUIDE DOC FRANKENSTEIN

PRODUCTION

L AU R A L I N E B E R R Y

IMAGES

Images: Creative Common License unless otherwise credited.

ADVERTISING MA R T Y R OBERSON 205.523.4 668

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS REGINALD ALLEN R A I H A B A J WA WILLIAM BARSHOP CO U R T N E Y BLA N CH A R D K A I T LY N B LO U N T TREY BROOKS KELSEY CAMERON JORDAN CISSELL MARGIE GOLDSMITH SHEENA QUIZON GREGG GARY HARRIS C I N DY H U G G I N S KEVIN LEDGEWOOD BRETT REID VA N R O B E R T S JON ROGERS RACHEL STEINER ALEJANDRA TENORIO

Planet Weekly P. O . B o x 2 3 1 5 Tuscaloosa, AL 35403 Phone: 205.792.7239 Email: publisher@theplanetweek ly.com Please direct correspondence to: publisher@theplanetweekly.com The Planet Weekly is a proud member of The West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. © 2015 All rights reserved. THE PLANET WEEKLY is a registered trademark.

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>>> planetweeklyissue509

The Avett Brothers have been on quite a musical journey of evolving their sound over the past decade, going from a trio playing acoustic guitar, banjo and standup bass to what is now a seven-member lineup that can build considerably on the group’s scrappy, stripped back acoustic beginnings.

L I N DA W. J OHN S ON

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7 AFTER EIGHTEEN FORTY-TWO // RACHEL DOBSON

6 WINE/BEER REVIEWS 9 RESTAURANT GUIDE

Sarah Ann Austin’s MFA thesis exhibition, After Eighteen Forty Two - Works by Sarah Ann Austin, May 6-30, 2016, at Harrison Galleries in downtown Tuscaloosa.

14 COMMUNITY ARTS

9 DIAGNOSIS: TEXT NECK // RACHEL STEINER

15/18 MOVIE REVIEW

With the advancement of technology and more frequent complaints of neck pain, shoulder pain, and headaches, this new term is only going to be seen more often.

18 LEMONADE // REGINALD ALLEN

Beyonce and Lemonade: What makes Lemonade so enjoyable, is distinguishing fact from fiction. Unlike any other album Beyoncé album, this one has a raw, unedited taste that makes you think afterward.

19 SHELBIE Z // REGINALD ALLEN

Being on stage in front of thousands is reminiscent to Shelbie Z's time doing pageants. But instead of a tiara, she was feigning for something much bigger, the title of American Idol.

16 PET PLANET 18 EVENTS 20 PUZZLEMANIA / EDITORIAL CARTOON 21 HOROSCOPE

HIGH TIDE SPORTS 23 RECRUIT UPDATE GARY HARRIS

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F E AT U R E | A L A N S C U L L E Y

THE AVETT BROTHERS // BARE BONES

T

he Avett Brothers have been on quite a musical journey of evolving their sound over the past decade, going from a trio playing acoustic guitar, banjo and stand-up bass to what is now a seven-member lineup that can build considerably on the group’s scrappy, stripped back acoustic beginnings.

The big shift came with the 2009 album, “I and Love and You.” Produced

by Rick Rubin, it found the Avett Brothers retaining their acoustic foundation, but broadened their instrumental and stylistic reach to the point that the group could no longer be considered simply folk nor acoustic.

The next two albums, 2012’s “The Carpenter” and 2014’s “Magpie and the Dandelion,” continued down that path. And now, Seth Avett, who started the group with his older brother, Scott, in 2000, feels the next AvettBrothers album, “True Sadness,” represents another leap forward for the group.

“This one’s a major one in terms of me reframing what I think the Avett Brothers sound like,” Avett said of “True Sadness” in a late-March phone interview. “You know, it’s a funny thing. For an artist, they really love to be surprised by some thing they’re making that doesn’t sound like them. Whereas a lot of times the listener is like ‘I don’t want to hear, like if I want to hear calypso, I’m going to listen to a calypso artist. I don’t go to the Avett Brothers to hear calypso music.’ And I get that. But I hope, what I feel like is happening is we are opening ourselves up further, further and further in the aesthetics, to have no boundaries while hopefully staying heavily rooted in what makes us us, which is by and large some version of story telling, I think.”

“True Sadness,” which will be released June 24, is the most sonically adventurous, most instrumentally diverse – and arguably the most stylistically varied album yet from the group. Recorded with the current seven-member touring band (bassist/fiddle player Bob Crawford, drummer Mike Marsh, keyboardist Paul Defiglia, cellist Joe Kwon and fiddle player Tania Elizabeth), the songs touch on a myriad of styles.

There’s stomping pop delivered with bass, drum and a ragged choir on the first single, “Ain’t No Man.” “You Are Mine” takes jangly folk-rock and gives it a jolt with a big, fuzzed up bass line and sprinkles of keyboard. “Fisher Road” is a gentle and pretty finger-picked acoustic ballad.

“There Is A Sea” sounds like it was written for an epic western or sea-faring movie soundtrack with its lush, swelling strings and expansive melody. “Satan” adds some psychedelia to its rowdy, twangy rock sound.

Even with that variety, “True Sadness” sounds very much like an Avett Brothers album, mainly because many of the songs (“Roof Over My Past,” “Mama,” “Smithsonian” and “No Hard Feelings”) still have the acoustic folk and rough-hewn rock foundation that defined the early music of the

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group. Avett agreed with that assessment.

“You can’t change your beginning. You can’t go back and change where you’re from. It just is what it is,” he said. “Our skeleton is the acoustic guitar (played by Seth Avett) and the banjo (Scott Avett) and the stand-up bass (Crawford, who joined the Avetts in 2002), and our stories and our romanticism and me and Scott’s voices. That’s what we are at our core. So I think as long as we don’t disgrace that or completely turn our backs on that, I think it will come through.”

Like the previous three albums, “True Sadness” was produced by Rubin (whose work with the likes of Johnny Cash, Slayer, Tom Petty and ZZ Top, to name a few, has made him one of music’s most respected producers).

The friendship and familiarity that has developed between Rubin and the band made for a great environment during the making of “True Sadness,” Avett said.

“There’s just this friendship and there’s this great mutual respect,” Avett said. “So it really sort of freed us up to have a lot of fun and have a lot of experimentation with just a good friend. I think it makes for better work because there are no nerves in it and because we’re that much further along in our growth.”

The two Avett brothers remained the songwriters on “True Sadness,” but Avett said the other band members, more than ever, brought their influences and ideas to the table and had a big hand in how the songs grew from their bare bones beginnings to the versions heard on the album.

For the most part, he said, the songs developed organically as the other musicians got involved.

“We have, I think, a very good, very

natural sort of rhythm within our communication where Scott and I are able to present our visions for a song,” Avett said. “You just have faith in the players and you don’t have to micro-manage everything…I think we all have enough experience where we can come to a great agreement, normally without saying anything at all.”

That sort of musical chemistry and communication has been developed through four-plus years of touring. And while shows of recent vintage demonstrate that the seven-member lineup is plenty potent live (a recently released concert disc, “Live, Vol. Four,” offers a good example of the group’s live sound), Avett feels the group has plenty of room to grow as a live unit.

“We have not really fully embraced what is possible here with this band. I mean, seven people with more than a few that are multi-instrumentalists, there’s a lot that can be done,” he said. “I know we’ve embraced it a little. But over the last couple of years, we’ve worked up kind of outlaw country songs, a Harry Belafonte song, we did a Beyonce song for a little while.

“Sometimes it starts feeling like we really could be presenting something with a lot more breadth than we have so far,” Avett said. “Now, we’re a little bit, we’re committed to our original material. That in and of itself is going to be kind of a stew of a lot of things. But man, it’s so fun to dig into something that seems really out of our comfort zone and then realizing we can actually present it because of this band. So I think we’re just beginning to get a handle on what we might be able to do.”

Some of that growth could happen as the group revisits songs both new and

old on tour this spring and summer and explores different ways to perform the material.

“Right now, it’s that very exciting time, which only happens for us once every few years now, where we’re starting to share, like really share in earnest, all of the new material from the new record,” Avett said.

“That just has a way of injecting some life into the whole set. I think that we’re all really ready to have the entire (“True Sadness”) record at our fingertips and start exploring where the songs will go.

“You know, we subscribe very heavily to like the (Bob) Dylan mentality where no song, it’s not settled how you play the songs,” he said. “Like one night it might be, whatever, a ragtime song, the next time it might be folk. If the night and the personality of the night, the audience and the feeling is calling for something different, you don’t fight it. You try to go with it.”

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NEWS

Minority Business Council Workshop Aids Small Business Owners

The Minority Business Council of West Alabama, a group that fosters the growth and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses in West Alabama, recognized Financial Literacy Month with a workshop designed to help business owners with a range of busi“ness issues.

Business Playbook: Game Plan to a Champion Business, was held Thursday at the Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy, and assisted more than 50 small business owners and entrepreneurs with financial questions.

Damian Carson, Small Business Program Coordinator for HOPE Inside, led the “Credit 101” session. “Access to Capital” was led by Cory Johnson, Director of Community and Economic Development for the West Alabama Regional Commission.

Charmaine Morrow, owner of Fast Tax in Tuscaloosa, assisted participants in learning “Bookkeeping for your Small Business.” Local attorney Dennis Steverson answered the question “To LLC or not to LLC,” and Beau Laird, Digital Sales Manager for the Tuscaloosa News, tackled “Savvy Marketing: Promoting on a Dime Budget.” The Small Business Development Center was also on hand to talk about the importance of “Business Plan Development.”

Regions Bank and Woodforest National Bank were also on hand as a financial resource for participants.

The 2016 Board of Directors of the Women's Leadership Alliance are Susan Randall, President; Kimberly McMurray, Past President; Debra McCrary, Secretary; Peggy Babb; Susan Hathorne; Lori Colburn; Stephanie Hudson; Vicki Burch; Melissia Davis; Carol Wright and Brenda Randall.

Women's Leadership Alliance Welcomes Sister Schubert

Patricia Barnes, also known as Sister Schubert, spoke to a crowd at the Women's Leadership Alliance of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama on Thursday, April 14.

Nearly 200 people attended the luncheon and book signing, which also included door prizes donated by area businesses. Proceeds from the luncheon will benefit Arts 'n Autism, the Boys and Girls Club of West Alabama and the Tuscaloosa Public Library.

Table sponsors for the event were Alabama Power, Allstate Insurance: Ryan Powell, Bank of Tuscaloosa, Bryant Bank, Capstone Bank, Corder Real Estate, DCH Health System, Englewood Village, FNB of Central Alabama, JamisonMoneyFarmer PC, Phi Mu Sorority, The University of Alabama System and Winter McFarland, LLC. Door prize contributors were Alabama Power, Anna Kate's, Archibald's BBQ, Barton's Nursery, Belk, Beverly's, Bryant Bank, Canterbury Clothiers, Capstone Bank, Capstone Village, Christy's, Cypress Inn, Dr. Colburn, Effie's, Faucett's, Fincher & Ozment, Hudson-Poole Fine Jewelers, Lampadas, Linda Lochman Pottery, Locker Room, Maki Fresh, Nancy & Company, New Creations, Northridge Fitness, NorthRiver Yacht Club, Paul W. Bryant Museum, Rhubarb's, Spirits, Sue's Flowers, The Perfect Touch, Tide Treasures, The University of Alabama National Alumni Association, University of Alabama Gymnastics and 301 Bistro.

Very special thanks to SWAG LLC and Peco Foods, Inc.

Presenting Sponsor for the event was LiftFund. The event was part of the 2016 Spring Small Business Training Series presented by Rosen Harwood, Attorneys at Law.Presenting

April Business After Hours Attracts Crowd The Chamber's April Business After Hours networking event, sponsored by BankFirst, welcomed both longtime and brand-new members. The event, which was held at the bank's new downtown branch, featured food from Glory Bound, door prizes, and entertainment provided by American Idol favorite Casey Thrasher.

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APRIL 28 + MAY 12

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>>> W I N E R E V I E W | J O N R O G E R S

TOM GORE CABERNET

T

om Gore Cabernet Sauvignon is the second in a series of three wines from Tom Gore Vineyards that I’m reviewing.

The first was Tom Gore Field-Blend which I really enjoyed! Number three comes out next week.

FROM THE BOTTLE Great wines aren’t just made, they’re grown. Tom Gore has followed in his father’s footsteps, working every harvest since age 7 to become the farmer he is today growing exceptional grapes and making great wines. You can taste the craft of careful farming in every glass of this velvety Cabernet Sauvignon with flavors of blackberry and dark chocolate.

For this review, I had help from my good friend Miss Jonelle and her keen wine tasting palate.

We tasted the 2013 vintage of this California Cabernet.

It had been awhile since I’d had the perspective of a female tasting partner, so I was very happy to have her help me with this review.

As we proceeded through the review we soon discovered differences in our opinions of this wine.

APPEARANCE Upon pouring, we quickly saw that this wine was very dark in color.

We described it as dark ruby with a garnet colored rim.

The wine’s legs developed slowly and were thin, evenly spaced and numerous.

AROMA On the nose we encountered a little tobacco and another subtle aroma that we couldn’t quite place.

After giving it some thought and a few more sniffs we came up with pomegranate.

The alcohol in the aroma was noticeable. We called it a medium non-offensive sting to the nose.

Tom Gore Cabernet Sauvignon

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alcohol content 13.5% by volume per the bottle.

Overall, the aroma is light with this wine.

TASTE For Jonelle, there weren’t any significant fruits or flavors that came through. She noted that the wine was dry to her and the taste did not jump out, much like the aroma.

For myself, I found the wine’s taste to be subdued with perhaps some subtle mocha or black cherry.

I was pleasantly surprised that there wasn’t much alcohol in the taste and called the wine “juicy.”

MOUTHFEEL & TANNINS For Jonelle, the mouthfeel was dominated by the wine’s tannins. She called them moderate and said they made her tongue feel all tingly. She especially noted the wine’s effect on the tip of her tongue.

For me, I called the mouthfeel milky and felt the tannins were more soft.

We clearly had different experiences.

Neither right nor wrong, just different.

>>> B E E R R E V I E W | B R E T T R E I D

POSITIVE JAM LAVENDER AND CORIANDER WHEAT ALE I ’m sure I’ve said this before, but I’m a big fan of collaboration beers. Whether they’re with two breweries or they’re done with a brewery and a band, the end result is usually a pretty unique offering.

You’ve got two different brains coming together to put their own spin on something that could easily be boring as all hell, but with the right amount of creativity, you can get something that’s utterly fascinating.

Such is the case with Champion Brewing from Charlottesville, VA. From my bare bones research on them, I’ve gathered that they’re big fans of collaborations and particularly collaborations with bands. They brewed a Rye IPA with the band NOFX called Stickin’ In My IPA that’s mad decent.

What I’m here to talk about though is something that caught my attention from the moment I read the title. The Hold Steady, a band who gladly accepts the title “America’s Bar Rock Band,” came together with the Virginia brewery to develop something that’s clearly worth writing about. Much like their quirky, storytelling style of music, this beer is nothing ordinary and everything unique.

Here are my thoughts: A wheat beer is not something I normally jump for, because well, it’s a wheat beer. It’s not that good to me. There’s a huge lack of flavor in most and the style as a whole lacks to be desired. However, my feelings and tastes have drastically changed since discovering and drinking and enjoying this brew.

As far as color, it’s pretty run of the mill. A pale golden color fills the glass with about a finger’s width of bright white foam sitting on top. All seems pretty normal so far, but once you take a whiff of what’s coming out of the top of this glass, the tables turn and the game is changed. Huge notes of lavender and earthy coriander hit your nostrils and you’re suddenly unsure about what’s going on. These flavors shouldn’t be in beer, yet they seem so fitting, because

FINISH We both agreed the wine finished long.

For her the finish was carried by the tannins and for me it was carried by the flavor.

OVERALL OPINION Overall, Jonelle didn’t really care for this wine. She said she was a little overwhelmed by the tannins.

I liked it quite a bit. I felt it had great drink-ability and strength in its subtlety of flavor. I also really enjoyed the juiciness of this wine.

Having said that, if you gravitate to a big bold flavorful Cabernet, then this wine may not be for you. It’s much softer, in my opinion.

Tom Gore Cabernet Sauvignon price $12.99.

Cheers!

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of the medley that’s created with the hops, grain, and spices. It’s truly a symphony of aromas that leads directly to the tastebuds.

I’ll be honest, after the first sip I had similar feelings about this beer that I had when I heard The Hold Steady for the first time. I thought “this is a pretty weird, but in a good way. No, the best way.”

There’s so much going on and so many flavors playing off of each other, it’s hard to pin down what to analyze first. Champion has created a strong base wheat beer, and I believe it would be good all on its own. There’s a creamy character to it that makes it delicate and smooth, but then the lavender and coriander come racing in and you’ve suddenly got this bouquet of flavors resting on your tongue. After a few sips, you can start to taste more and more of the lavender while the coriander takes a back seat, but it’s definitely still there. As the beer warms up, you start to get more of that base beer flavor again and the creamy aspect is resurrected. I think the herb flavors are so strong because of the base beer. It’s very open to… we’ll call them enhancements. It’s something that I don’t think can be replicated by just anyone, and I’m sure Champion knows that.

Mouthfeel is on par with some of the best beers I’ve ever had. Like I said before, the creaminess adds to the beer and makes it smooth and sessionable. The carbonation level is moderate to high and makes the beer crisp and suitable for a hot day. Even after a few I don’t think this would get too heavy in your stomach, and believe me, you’ll want a few.

Overall, this one brew may have changed my outlook on most wheat beers and there’s not many that can do that. I can only think of 2-3 other breweries that make wheat beers that I’m going to be eager to drink, and this one can now be added. The complex flavors, the story behind it, and really everything else about this brew make it something that can get any beer fan or music fan excited. If you have the opportunity to grab a six pack or even just a couple of cans, I highly suggest doing so, because this is something that will surprise you.

>>> A R T S | R A C H E L D O B S O N

SARAH ANN AUSTIN MFA THESIS EXHIBITION After Eighteen Forty Two

T

he University of Alabama Department of Art and Art History is pleased to announce Sarah Ann Austin’s MFA thesis exhibition, After Eighteen Forty Two Works by Sarah Ann Austin, May 6-30, 2016, at Harrison Galleries in downtown Tuscaloosa. There will be a reception on First Friday, May 6, 6-9 p.m. The public is cordially invited to attend. Read this online: http://art.ua.edu/news/sarah-annaustin-mfa-thesis-exhibition/

The exhibition will highlight Austin’s most recent investigations with cyanotype photograms, handmade paper and other alternative image-making practices.

Sarah Ann Austin teaches beginning darkroom photography, intermediate photography and advanced photography as a graduate assistant in the UA Department of Art and Art History. She received her BFA in photography from the University of Michigan.

Two of Austin’s photographs were accepted into the 2015 SPE Combined Caucus Juried Exhibition at the Society of Photographic Education Conference, Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans, in March of 2015, juried by Deborah Willis and Carol McCusker. Austin received an SPESC Student Scholarship Award at the Regional Conference of the Society for Photographic Education in October 2014, where her photograph strung was also exhibited at the members’ exhibition. Her work was chosen for the 2015 Joyce Elaine Grant Photography Exhibition at Texas Woman’s University juried by April Watson, cura-

The thesis exhibition is in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in the Department of Art and Art History at The University of Alabama. For more information on our graduate programs, visit this link: http://art.ua.edu/academics/ graduate-programs/art-requirements/up.

In Sarah's Words

RAMSEY GRIFFIN

tor of photography at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. More of her work is here.

Harrison Galleries is located at 2315 University Boulevard in downtown Tuscaloosa and is open Monday through Friday, 12 noon to 5:00 pm, and by appointment: (205) 464-0054.

“With the passing of my maternal grandmother, Josephine Northrup, I received small objects, doilies, keepsakes, journals, jewelry, furniture, and photographs of her and my mother as a child. These “things” have been my inspiration over the past year. I’ve learned how to make cotton handmade paper, anneal copper, crochet my own doilies, overall woodworking skills, and specifically make a dovetail joint, In making with these practices I feel as though I am forging a connection to a family history that I have yet to experience. With the use of these objects, fabric as sculpture, and historical processes embedded within the work I hope to replicate a sudden sense of emotion or a condition that mirrors my own experience with their legacy. In this, my expectation is to reveal a sensation of being overwhelmed with thought or passion.

I want to make the viewer feel vulnerable while allowing them to draw from his or her own understanding of grief and loss. Grief has accumulated in my life personally with the loss of both my parents and grandparents. While interacting with these artifacts I found that the transfer of the object’s image creates and references a different history formed from both my perception and those who interact with the image. This history is what I have been searching for and wished to define.

Building upon and creating a new accumulation of memories and a history I am able to re-write and therefore dictate my own (less Traumatic) legacy for my children and me. With my accumulation of materials and light over time my imagery strings a thread of continued motion and gives the objects a new history, beyond their functional value both in the past and present.”

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APRIL 28 + MAY 12

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>>> RESTAURANTS |

W H E R E TO E AT I N T U S C A LO O SA

BREAKFAST / LUNCH

Brown Bag 9425 Jones Road | Northport // 333.0970 Its speciality, fried green tomatoes, joins barbecue plates and fish filets on an extended list of meats and vegetables.

Tues 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Wed-Sat 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

City Cafe 408 Main Ave | Downtown Northport // 758.9171 Established in 1936. Big on food, low on price. Open for breakfast and lunch. Historic downtown Northport. Closed weekends.

CountryPride Restaurant 3501 Buttermilk Rd // 554.0215 www.ta.travelcenters.com Breakfast 24 hours. Lunch and Dinner buffet.

Evangeline’s 1653 McFarland Blvd. North // 752.0830 Located in the Tuscaloosa Galleria. 2004 West Alabama Tourism Award Winning Restaurant. American Eclectic Cuisine. Lunch: Mon–Fri 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: Tues–Sat 5 p.m. until... Fall: Saturday Brunch.

>>> H E A LT H | D R . R AC H E L S T E I N E R

DIAGNOSIS: TEXT NECK

FIVE Bar 2324 6th Street. // 205.345.6089 A restaurant/bar based on simplicity. We offer 5 entrees, 5 red wines, 5 white wines, 5 import beers, 5 domestic, and 5 signature cocktails, to go along with our full liquor bar.

Dinner: Sunday - Thursday 5-10; Friday and Saturday 5-12 Lunch: Friday and Saturday 11-3; Sunday Jazz Brunch: 10-3 five-bar.com; 205.345.6089 Kozy’s 3510 Loop Road E | near VA Medical Center // 556.4112 Great locally-sourced foods and live piono music on the weekends. |killionrestaurants.com/kozys/

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 4800 Doris Pate Dr | Exit 76 // 562.8282 www.crackerbarrel.com

The Side by Side Restaurant 2410 University Blvd. | Embassy Suites | 561-2500 thesidebysiderestaurant.com

International House of Pancakes 724 Skyland Blvd // 366.1130 Jack's 1200 Hackberry Lane | Tuscaloosa // 345.1199

JAPANESE

Benkei Japanese Steak House 1223 McFarland Blvd // 759-5300 Hours: Mon–Thurs 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. | Fri–Sat 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant 2715 McFarland Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 333.9312 Panera Bread 1800 McFarland Blvd *402 | Tuscaloosa // 366.8780

Bento Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar 1306 University Blvd // 758.7426

Quick Grill 1208 University Blvd | The Strip | Tuscaloosa // 342.0022

Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant 607 15th Street Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Rama Jama’s 1000 Bryant Dr // 750.0901 Closest restaurant to Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Sweet Home Food Bar 2218 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 764-9346 Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Waysider 1512 Greensboro Ave // 345.8239 Open for breakfast and lunch. Smoke free.

Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi 502 15th Street // 752.8844 Tokyo Japanese Steak & Sushi Bar 6521 Hwy 69 S | Hillcrest Center // 366.1177 Offers steak, seafood, tempura, teriyaki and sushi. Including cooking at your table, if you choose. Sun–Thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Fri & Sat 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.

MEXICAN Chipotle Mexican Grill

Kobe Steak House 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 759-1400 Lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Sat & Sun 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Don Tono's 2312 4th Street | Temerson Square // 345.9191

Broadway Pizzeria 2880 Rice Mine Road Northeast Tuscaloosa, // 391.6969

El Mariachi 3520 McFarland Blvd E |Tuscaloosa // 409-8585

DePalma’s Italian Cafe 2300 University Blvd, Downtown // 759.1879 Menu ranges from sanwiches to finer pasta dishes and pizza.

Varied beer and wine selection.

Hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. www.depalmascafe.com

1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 391.0140 www.chipotle.com

ITALIAN

El Rincon (2 locations) 1225 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 366.0855 1726 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 330.1274 Fernando's Mexican Grill 824 McFarland Blvd E | Northport // 205.331.4587

Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343

Iguana Grill 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 752.5895 Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill 2001 New Watermelon Rd | Northport // 342.3378

Mellow Mushroom 2230 University Blvd // 758.0112 Pizzas, calzones, hoagies and more. Open daily for lunch and dinner. www.mellowmushroom.com

LaGran Fiesta 9770 Hwy 69 S // 345.8871

Mr. G’s 908 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339-8505

Los Calientes Mexican Grill 3429 McFarland Blvd E // 553.1558

Olive Garden 2100 McFarland Blvd E // 750-0321 Open daily from 11 a.m. | www.olivegarden.com

Los Tarascos (2 locations) 1759 Skyland Blvd // 553.8896 3380 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 330.0919

CASUAL DINING

Avenue Pub 405 23rd Avenue // Tuscaloosa Brunch, lunch, and dinner.

Specialty cocktails, local pints, bottled beer, and wine.

Mon - Fri. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sat. Noon – 11 p.m., Sun.Noon p.m. – 9 p.m.

Margarita's Grill 1241 McFarland Blvd E // 343.0300 Moe’s Southwest Grill (2 locations) 2330 McFarland Blvd E // 342.1487 1130 University Blvd // 752.0234 moes.com

Big Daddy’s Cafe 514 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 759.9925

Pepito’s (2 locations) 1203 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9028 1301 McFarland Blvd NE // 391.4861

The Blue Plate Restaurant (Was Northport Diner) 450 McFarland Blvd, Northport // 462-3626 Brumfield's Restaurant 4851 Rice Mine Road | Tue. - Thu.: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri - Sat.: 11 a.m. 10 p.m., and Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Taco Mama 2104 A University Blvd, Tuscaloosa // 409.8173

FINE DINING

Chuck’s Fish 508 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 248.9370 Monday - Thursday 5-10 p.m. and Friday - Saturday 5-11 p.m. Steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials: Monday - $20 Bottles of Wine; Tuesday - Ladies Night 1/2 off Domestic Beer and House Wine, Select $5 Martinis, $2 off Select Sushi Rolls for Everyone; Uptown Wednesday - $6 Uptown Shrimp; Featured Cocktails and $20 Bottles of Wine.

Cypress Inn 501 Rice Mine Rd // 345.6963 Fax: 345.6997 | www.cypressinnrestaurant.com 2003 Restaurant of Distinction. Beautiful riverfront location.

Steaks, seafood and more with Southern flavor. Wine list, full bar. Specialities of the house include Shrimp Cypress Inn and Smoked Chicken with white barbecue sauce. Kid friendly. Closed Saturday lunch. Mike Spiller is featured the first Thursday of every month. Happy Hour- Mon-Fri from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. featuring 1/2 price appetizers. $2 Domestic Draft Beers and $3 Well cocktails.

Epiphany Cafe 19 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 344.5583 “New American cuisine” with a strong emphasis on local produce, organic meats, and sustainable seafood. The menu is always changing and features include an extensive wine list, a large vibrant bar and martini lounge area, as well as patio seating. Reservations are available online at epiphanyfinedining.com or through open table. Hours: Mon–Sat 5 p.m. - until

Buddy’s Ribs & Steaks 2701 Bridge Ave | Northport // 339.4885 Buffalo Wild Wings 2710 McFarland Blvd // 523.0273 Mon–Wed 11 a.m. - midnight | Thurs–Sat 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Chicken Salad Chick The Shoppes at Midtown & Essex Square, Northport | Said to be the very best chicken salad that can be found anywhere. www. chickensaladchick.com Chili’s 1030 Skyland Blvd | Near McFarland Mall // 750.8881 Fax: 758.7715 // www.chilis.com Dave’s Dogs 1701 McFarland Blvd E | University Mall // 722.2800 Five Guys Burgers & Fries 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 391.0575 www.fiveguys.com

T

ext Neck, definitely a condition coined in the past decade among health care professionals when describing the symptoms of their patients. With the advancement of technology and more frequent complaints of neck pain, shoulder pain, and headaches, this new term is only going to be seen more often.

Text Neck is the term used to describe neck pain and damage caused by looking down at your cell phone, tablet, and/ or other forms of technology too frequent and for long periods of time. According to statistics, Americans are spending a staggering average of 4.7 hours on their cell phones or tablet devices a day. Considering the average person gets 8 hours of sleep, we are spending over a third of our day on our “handheld lifelines”.

The constant bending of your neck forward has been going on long before cellphones for things such as reading, but the problem is technology is adding one more activity that is leading to these musculoskeletal problems.

Symptoms of “Text Neck” include neck pain and upper back pain that is sharp in nature, muscle spasms, headaches, shoulder pain and tightness, and in severe cases causes neurological symptoms like numbness and tingling into ones arm and fingers due to nerve entrapment. Our bodies were designed to have a curve in the neck that develops and is strengthened when we are babies that keeps our head upright . The purpose of the curve is to keep pres-

sure off our discs, nerves, and bones. The consistent flexion or bending of the neck over time can change ones posture that causes loss of the crucial curve in the neck that we were designed to have. The muscles running from the base of skull, down the back of the neck, and even to the shoulder area become weakened and stretched and can lead to chronic headaches and muscle spasm.

As a chiropractor, I am seeing this condition more often in the office. Examining x-rays of a healthy neck, there is a visible curve that is present and the spaces where the discs sit are evenly open through the neck. On the flip side, someone with text neck has an alarmingly straight neck with a loss of the important curve.

The average adult head weighs between 10-12 pounds, and when the head is tilted forward and constantly looking down at technology, this increases the gravitational pull on the neck and supporting muscles. This applies a great deal of pressure to this delicate area of the spine and the force is equivalent to 60 pounds of extra weight.

Technology is not going anywheresocial media, text messaging, and gaming is making us more addictive to our devices than ever. So what can we do about it to decrease the risk of damage to our precious spine? Because, we can buy new technology but our spine is irreplaceable. The first tip is no slouching. Not only are we looking down at our devices but usually hunched forward as well. Bring your phone or tablet to eye level. This will be very uncomfortable at first but your body will get used to it and it will save your neck. Strengthening and stretching your muscles can help alleviate the nagging pain caused from “text neck”, visit your chiropractor or physical therapist to learn exercises that will help your posture. Lastly, if you are a parent and have control over how much your children are using technology, limit their time on their devices. Childhood are crucial years for spinal and muscular development and their activities and posture at even a young age are setting them up for the rest of their lives.

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Glory Bound Gyro Company 2325 University Blvd // 349-0505 Glory Bound Gyro Company is a unique restaurant that focuses on great food and service in a funky, fun-filled atmosphere.

Open Mon-Thu: 11am - 10pm | Fri - Sat: 11am-10pm | Sun: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

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>>> RESTAURANTS |

W H E R E TO E AT I N T U S C A LO O SA

Heritage House 700 Towncenter | Northport // 758.0042 Open Mon-Fri 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Moe's BBQ 101 15th Street | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 752.3616 Mon-Sat 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Bar open until 2 a.m., 3 a.m. on Fridays

Hooligan’s 1915 University Blvd // 759.2424 From hamburgers to hummus. Open daily 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Mugshots Grill & Bar 511 Greensboro Ave // 391.0572 Great burgers. Full service bar. Open late. www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Horny's 508 Red Drew Ave | Tuscaloosa // 345.6869 Mon 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. | Tues-Thurs 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Fri 11 a.m. - 3 a.m. | Sat 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.

New Orleans style atmosphere in the heart of Tuscaloosa on the strip. Horny's offerings include a full liquor bar, beer, and a variety of classic American food. Horny's Bar and Grill offers a limited late night menu from 1:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.

Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company 1014 7th Ave. | Tuscaloosa // 764.1976 Over 160 craft beers.

Tue. - Thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri - Sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Large selection of decadent desserts Wilhagan’s 2209 4th St | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 366.0913

Logan's Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd E // 349.3554

Wings U 1800 McFarland Blvd East Suite 218 | Pick-up Tuscaloosa // 561.3984 Features the first coal-fired pizza oven in Alabama. Owned by former UA/Miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. Completely open concept! www.wingsu.com

Madear’s 1735 Culver Road // 343.7773 Mon–Fri 6 a.m. - 5 p.m. | 2nd & 3rd Sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Mugshots Grill & Bar 511 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 391.0572 Great burgers & sandwiches. Unique setting, full service bar, veggie entrees, kid friendly, and open late www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

WingZone 1241 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 342.2473

Newk’s Express Cafe 205 University Blvd. East // 758.2455 Fax: 758.2470 // www.newkscafe.com Express casual dining experience in a refreshing and stylish atmosphere. Serving fresh tossed salads, oven baked sandwiches, California style pizzas and homemade cakes from Newk’s open kitchen. Sun–Wed 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Thurs–Sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

O’Charley’s 3799 McFarland Blvd // 556.5143 Open daily lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch // www.ocharleys.com Panera Bread 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 366.8780 www.panerabread.com

BARBEQUE

Archibald & Woodrow's BBQ 4215 Greensboro Ave | Tuscaloosa // 331.4858 Mon-Sat 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Sun lunch Bama BBQ & Grill 3380 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 333.9816 Dickey's BBQ (3 locations) 9770 Alabama 69; Midtown; and 13544 Hwy 43 North at Rose Blvd. in Northport. Texas Barbecue. | 344.6500 1800 McFarland Blvd, Midtown Village, Tuscaloosa. | 758-1133 13544 Hwy 43 North, Winn Dixie Shopping Center, Northport. | 330-1147 Dreamland (2 locations) 5535 15th Ave | Tuscaloosa // 758.8135 101 Bridge Ave | Northport // 343.6677 The legend. On game day, get there early if you want to make kickoff. Seating is limited. Hours: Mon–Sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. | Sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Piccadilly Cafeteria 1701 McFarland Blvd E | University Mall // 556.4960 www.piccadilly.com Quick Grill 1208 University Blvd | The Strip // 342.0022 www.bamaquickgrill.com

Hick’s BBQ 4400 Fayette Hwy // 339.3678 // Tues–Sat 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Ruby Tuesday (2 locations) 6421 Interstate Drive | Cottondale // 633.3939 Just off I-20/59 at exit 77. Near Hampton Inn and Microtel Inn 311 Merchants Walk | Northport // 345.4540 www.rubytuesdays.com

Moe's Original BBQ 2101 University Blvd.. // 752.3616 Mon–Sat 11am - 10pm | Bar service Mon-Sat 2am and Fri -3am | Kitchen closes at 10pm

Ryan’s 4373 Courtney Dr // 366.1114 Near Marriott Courtyard and Fairfield Inn Sitar Indian Cuisine 500 15th St // 345-1419 Southern Ale House 1530 McFarland Blvd N Monday-Thursday 11a-9p, Friday-Saturday 11a-10p Sunday Brunch 11a-2p A warm and inviting restaurant just north of the river with both classic and contemporary interpretations of Southern Cuisine. We boast a large variety of local craft beers on tap and other options in bottle for our beer loving constituents. Wine and Signature cocktails

Pottery Grill (2 locations) Highway 11 | Cottondale // 554.1815 3420 Alabama 69 | Northport // 333.5848 Menu: thepotterygrill.com Awesome barbecue. The Pottery Grill serves up everything from pork, chicken, ribs and sausage to burgers, hot dogs and salads.

Take-out and catering available.

Tee’s Ribs and Thangs 1702 10th Avenue // 366.9974 |11 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily

STEAKS

Southland Restaurant 5388 Skyland Blvd E // 556.3070 Steaks, chops and home-cooked vegetables Mon–Fri 10:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Logan’s Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd | next to Sams // 349.3554 Steaks, ribs and spirits

T-Town Café 500 14th Street, Tuscaloosa | 759-5559 |www.ttowncafe.co Mon - Fri: 5 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sat: 5 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sun: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Longhorn Steakhouse 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 345-8244 #412

Tacogi 500 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 342.3647

New Orleans Steak and Seafood House 824 McFarland Boulevard |11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. daily.

248-7666

Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company 1014 7th Ave. | Tuscaloosa // 764.1976 Over 160 craft beers.

Tue. - Thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri - Sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Large selection of decadent desserts.

Nick's In the Sticks 4018 Culver Rd | Tuscaloosa // 758.9316 A long-time Tuscaloosa tradition.

Good steaks at a reasonable price Try a Nicodemus if you have a designated driver.

Zoe’s Kitchen 312 Merchants Walk // 344.4450 A wonderful selection of Greek foods

Outback Steakhouse 5001 Oscar Baxter Dr // 759.9000

SEAFOOD

SPORTS GRILL

Chuck’s Fish 508 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 248.9370 Monday - Thursday 5-10 p.m. and Friday - Saturday 5-11 p.m. Steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials.

Baumhower's Wings of Tuscaloosa 500 Harper Lee Drive | catering-Pick-up Tuscaloosa // 556.5858 | Always fresh and always fun. Owned by former UA/ Miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. Kid Friendly Buffalo Phil’s 1149 University Blvd | The Strip // 758.3318 Sports grille with TVs galore. Diverse beer and wine selection, full bar Billy's Sports Grill Historic Downtown Northport // 879.2238 Good food, beverages and family friendly Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. till 9 p.m. (Sunday Brunch 10:30am-3pm).

Buffalo Wild Wings 2710 McFarland Blvd. East | Tuscaloosa // 523.0273 Sports grille with TVs galore. Diverse beer and wine, full bar Champs Sports Grille 320 Paul Bryant Drive | inside Four Points Sheraton Hotel // 752.3200 Breakfast and lunch buffets. Sunday brunch 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Hooter’s 5025 Oscar Baxter Dr | Next to Jameson Inn // 758.3035 Wings, clams, shrimp and of course the Hooters Girls www.hooters.com Innisfree Irish Pub 1925 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 345.1199

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APRIL 28 + MAY 12

New Orleans Steak and Seafood House 824 McFarland Blvd |11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. daily. // 248-7666 Red Lobster 2620 McFarland Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.553.8810 Sun-Thurs 11AM-10PM//Fri & Sat 11AM-11PM Reservations Accepted Take-Out Available Private Dining Area Available for Advanced Booking (Lunch Specials Available Mon-Fri 11AM-3PM) Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company 1014 7th Ave. | Tuscaloosa // 764.1976 Tue. - Thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri - Sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Over 160 craft beers. Large selection of decadent desserts.

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The Levee Bar and Grill 1 Bridge Ave | Northport // 632.3136 Casual riverfront dining Hours: Mon-Thurs 11 AM-9 PM, Fri-Sat 11 AM-10 PM, Sun 10:30 AM-3 PM (Happy Hour Mon-Thurs 2 PM-6 PM) leveebarandgrill.com

CHINESE Buffet City

1747 Skyland Blvd E // 553.3308 All you can eat buffet. Open 7 days a week.

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>>> RESTAURANTS |

W H E R E TO E AT I N T U S C A LO O S A (CO N T.) McAlister’s Deli (2 locations) 101 15th St | Tuscaloosa // 758.0039 3021 Tyler Dr | Northport // 330.7940 Sandwiches, salads and spuds www.mcalistersdeli.com

Chang’s Chinese Restaurant 1825 McFarland Blvd N // 391.9131 China Fun 2600 University Blvd | Alberta City // 553.2435

Momma Goldberg’s Deli 409 23rd Ave // 345.5501 |www.mommagoldbergs.com

Chongwah Express 1425 McFarland Boulevard, Northport. 333-1088

Newk's 205 University Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 758.2455

Hot Wok Express 6751 Alabama 69, Tuscaloosa // 758.0148

Schlotsky’s Deli 405 15th St. E // 759.1975 // schlotskys.com

Lee Palace 6521 Highway 69 S // 391.9990 / Open daily 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Which Wich University Blvd.// Downtown Tuscaloosa // Mon – Sat 10:30 – 9 // Sunday 11 – 7 // Fresh ingredients, great sandwiches. 764.1673

Mr. Chen's Authentic Chinese Cooking & Oriental Market 514 14th St. | In the Oz Music shopping center // 343.6889 // Open Sun - Thu 11am - 9pm, Fri & Sat 11am - 9:30pm

ASIAN CUISINE

Pearl Garden 2719 Lurleen Wallace Blvd | Northport // 339.0880

Ruan Thai 1407 University Blvd // 391.9973 | ruanthaituscaloosa.com Exotic Thai cuisine. Offers vegetarian options, outdoor dining, and a full bar. Sushi on Thursdays. Lunch: Mon–Sat 11 a.m. -2 p.m. | Dinner: Mon–Thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Fri & Sat 5 p.m. -10pm | Sun 11 a.m. -3 p.m.

Peking Chinese Restaurant 1816 McFarland | Northport // 333.0361 Open 7 days a week. Super lunch and dinner buffet.

Hours: Sun–Thurs 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Surin of Thailand 1402 University Blvd // 752.7970 Authentic Thai restaurant and sushi bar. Open daily.

Lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. www.surinofthailand.com

Swen Chinese Restaurant 1130 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9887 Trey Yuen 4200 McFarland Blvd E // 752.0088

PIZZA AND SUBS

A Taste Of Chicago 1700 Greensboro Avenue 205-342-DOGS Mon. - Thurs. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Fri. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

17th Street and Greensboro Avenue. Authentic Chicago style foods.

Italian Beef Sandwiches, Chicago Rib Tips, and Chicago Style Pizza.

California Underground 13552 Highway 43, Northport | 339.8660 Firehouse Subs 1130 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 248.0680 Hungry Howie’s (2 locations) 1105 Southview Ln | South Tuscaloosa // 345.6000 1844 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 333.2633 1211 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa | The Strip // 366.1500 4851 Rice Mine Rd | Northriver/Holt // 345.3737 Lenny’s Sub Shop 220 15th St // 752.7450 // Fax: 752.7481 // www.lennys.com Little Caesars Pizza 1414 10th Ave // 366.2220 | 1www.littlecaesars.com Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. // 345.4354 Mellow Mushroom 2230 University Blvd | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 758.0112 Subs n' You 2427 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.758.0088 Roly Poly Sandwiches 2300 4th Street | Tuscaloosa // 366.1222 The Pita Pit 1207 University Blvd | The Strip // 345.9606 Hours: Mon–Sat 10:30 a.m. - 3 a.m. | Sun 11:30 a.m. - midnight Pizza 120 50115th St. East | 561.6853 Pizza Palace Buffet 6521 Alabama 69 | 752.5444 Tut’s Place 1306 University Blvd | The Strip // 759.1004

DELICATESSEN

Honeybaked Ham Company 421 15th St. E // 345.5508 //www.honeybaked.com Jason’s Deli 2300 McFarland Blvd // 752.6192 Fax: 752.6193 // www.jasonsdeli.com Located in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center.

Jimmy John’s (3 locations) 1400 University Blvd | The Strip // 366.3699 1875 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 752.7714 815 Lurleen B. Wallace S | Tuscaloosa // 722.2268 Delivery 7 days a week. www.jimmyjohns.com Manna Grocery & Deli 2300 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 752.9955

COFFEE SHOP

Barnes & Noble 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 349.6366 Five Java Coffee, fresh juices, smoothies and treats from Mary's Cakes.

Open Monday - Saturday at 7am; 9am on Sundays Heritage House 700 Towncenter | Northport // 758.0042 Open Mon-Fri 7 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Krispy Kreme Doughnut 1400 McFarland Blvd // 758.6913 //www.krispykreme.com Starbucks (2 locations) 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 343.2468 1901 13th Ave East | inside Super Target // 462.1064 starbucks.com

DESSERTS

Celebrations Bakery, Inc. 1832 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339.3221 Fax: 349.1945 Cold Stone Creamery 1130 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa //343.1670 Specializes in customized ice cream Hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Sun 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Dunkin' Donuts 2520 Stillman Blvd. |Tuscaloosa// 349.3400 McCorvey Dr. | Tuscaloosa // 348.4041 www.dunkindonuts.com Mary's Cakes & Pastries 412 22nd Avenue | behind Opus | Northport // 345.8610 www.maryscakesandpastries.com Mon–Fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Sat 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Smoothie King (2 locations) 415 15th Street | Tuscaloosa // 349.1721 Fax: 349.1945 1403 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 462.3664 Sweet CeCe's Frozen yogurt Treats 2217 University Blvd. | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 561.6458 A fun and friendly make your own creation, yogurt experience!

TCBY (3 Locations) 2304 Mcfarland Blbd | Meadowbrook Shopping Center // 349.4661 // 2 Mcfarland Blvd | Northport | Essex Shopping Center // 758.6855 // 1130 Univ. Blvd. | The Strip // 345.0804 Yogurt In Love Patriot Center 7402 Highway 69 South Phone Number: 764.9173 Fax Number: 764.9228 Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.-10 pm.

Yogurt Lab 920 Paul W. Bryant Dr Ste 200 | Tuscaloosa // 347.9522 Yogurt Mountain 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 342.1484 Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - midnigh

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APRIL 28 + MAY 12

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>>> C O M M U N I T Y A R T S

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APR 28 Rodger Stella (theremin & synthesizer), Sella-Granata Art Gallery, UA, 7 pm APR 30 Andrew Dewar & Brad Davis (reeds & electronics), Sella-Granata Art Gallery, UA, 7:30 pm MAY 1 LaDonna Smith (viola), Davey Williams (guitar), Gerard Assayag (laptop) and Andrew Dewar (reeds), Sella-Granata Art Gallery, UA, 7:30 pm NOW-APR 29 (Re)Pair: Heather Whidden MFA Thesis Exhibition, UA Gallery, DWCAC, Tuscaloosa NOW-APR 29 Black is Beautiful, Paul R. Jones Gallery of Art, Tuscaloosa APR 18-30 2016 Annual BFA Juried Exhibition, Harrison Galleries, Tuscaloosa (Reception APR 22) NOW-APR 30 New Paintings – Lorrie Lane, Gallery at Canterbury Chapel, Tuscaloosa APR 30 Hog Wild for Art Festival, Black Belt Treasures Cultural Arts Center, Camden, Alabama NOW-APR 30 For the Love of Mardi Gras Exhibition, Daniel Day Gallery, Birmingham APR 18-MAY 3 Passage: Celestia Morgan MA Exhibition | Turner Williams MFA Exhibition, Sella-Granata Art Gallery MAY 7 Art in the Park 2016, Jasper NOW-MAY 7 Karina Salazar Senior Art Exhibition, Wynn Center Art Gallery, Stillman College MAY 14 Early Bird Deadline, 45th Kentuck Festival NOW-MAY 15 Haitian Flags from the Cargo Collection, Birmingham Museum of Art MAY 20 Reception, Flora and Fauna Exhibition, Daniel Day Gallery, Birmingham MAY 21 Reception, Intimate Spaces, Union Grove Gallery, UAH, 6-9 pm APR 19-MAY 27 UA Faculty Biennial Exhibition, Sarah Moody Gallery of Art JUN 1 DEADLINE: Final Application Deadline, 45th Kentuck Festival MAY 21-JUL 2 Intimate Spaces, Union Grove Gallery, UAH AUG 5-SEP 30 UAB/UA Faculty Exhibition, Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, Tuscaloosa SEP 2 Reception, UAB/UA Faculty Exhibition, DWCAC, 5:00-8:00, First Friday

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THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR

★★

OU T OF 4

C

edric Nicolas-Troyan, who served as Second Unit Director on both “Maleficent” and “Snow White & The Huntsman,” makes a less than dazzling cinematic debut as the director of “The Huntsman: Winter’s War”with Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Jessica Chastain, and Emily Blunt. This ambitious but lackluster Universal Pictures release fails to live up to its impressive predecessor and struggles to accommodate a burgeoning franchise as either a prequel or a sequel. Ultimately, “The Huntsman” amounts to more of a superficial spin-off. The first film with its dark but imaginative adaptation of the oft-told Grimm’s fairy tale emerged as a enchanting epic. Unfortunately, neither “Twilight” actress Kristen Stewart who toplined “Snow White & the Huntsman” nor director Rupert Sanders who helmed the 2012 release that garnered $395 million globally and generated $155 million of those receipts domestically had anything to do with the half-baked follow-up film. Mind you, Troyan wasn’t the first choice to call the shots on “The Huntsman.” Three time Oscar nominee Frank Darabont who directed both “The Green Mile” and “The Shawshank Redemption” signed on to direct “The Huntsman,” but he withdrew after creative differences with the studio.

Troyan stepped into replace Darabont.

Clearly, Troyan he stepped into a film that should have been put out to pasture with the other piles. If these misguided maneuvers behind the scenes weren’t enough to sink “The Huntsman,” you have to consider the derivative plot that is not only second-rate but also obviously indebted to the Walt Disney blockbuster “Frozen.” Scenarist Evan Spiliotopoulos, who penned the screenplays of such Disney movies as “Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure” as well as “The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning,” has modeled one of the two villainess in “The Huntsman” on the Elsa character in the “Frozen.” Unless you’ve seen “Frozen,” you’d probably think that Spiliotopoulos had borrowed the idea of a woman who can freeze people until they turn into ice crystals from the Rogue character in the Twentieth Century Fox Marvel “X-Men” franchise. The surprising thing is that Disney hasn’t cried foul about such a transparently obvious imitation.

“The Huntsman” functions as an origins prequel during its first half-hour. Troyan and his writers present the evil Ravenna (Charlize Theron of “Mad Max: Fury Road”) before she married Snow White’s father. Apparently, she acts like a serial slayer of sorts who liquidates one husband after another. Ravenna’s husband, an anonymous monarch that she has wed, dies under mysterious but supernatural circumstances during a chess match while they are alone together. After his death, Ravenna rules over his kingdom, and we are informed by omnipresent narrator (Liam Neeson) that he was among many who fell victim to her venomous charms.

At the same time, we encounter

Ravenna’s younger sister, the impressionable Freya (Emily Blunt of “Loopers”), who is pregnant with the child of a Duke.

Ravenna warns Freya that the Duke will disavow her since he is engaged to marry another dame. Although the Duke lives up to his promise to Freya, disaster strikes later and Freya’s infant daughter dies under mysterious circumstances apparently at the hands of the Duke who cremated her with fire. We only see smoke rising from the cradle. Ravenna has told Freya that one day she—Freya—will discover her gifts just as Ravenna discovered her own gifts as a sorceress. The hideous death of her daughter prompts Freya to freeze the Duke in his tracks. Freya reviles love and leaves Ravenna to create her own kingdom in the North and she wields her icy wrath without a qualm. She wipes out all her immediate adversaries with an army that she has recruited from the children that she has abducted from the families of her enemies.

This concept is reminiscent of the science fiction movie “Ender’s Game” with Harrison Ford as well as the Netflix movie “Beast of No Nation” with Idris Elba. Among those children that Freya has recruited are Eric and Sara who grow up to be played by Chris Hemsworth and Jessica Chastain.

If you remember “Snow White and the Huntsman,” Eric lamented the death of his wife Sara. In “The Huntsman,” Eric and Sara serve Freya faithfully throughout several bloodthirsty campaigns against her foes. Secretly, they become attracted to each other and Sara ‘marries’ Eric in a hot springs one night when she drapes a medallion that her mother gave her around his neck. Naturally, Freya discovers this relationship and takes them to task for it. The first rule of Freya’s kingdom is that love is a sin. Promptly, Freya has Sara killed and banishes Eric.

The remainder of its 114 minutes isn’t exactly a sequel. You can catch glimpses of Kristen Stewart in the flashback se-

quences and you’ll see her husband, King William of Tabor (Sam Claflin of “The Hunger Games”) invoke Snow White’s royal name when he approaches Eric about an important mission. Snow White has taken ill because of Ravenna’s notorious mirror and she had sent an armed escort to take the mirror to safe location.

The escort was slaughtered during the mission, and Snow White wants Eric to recover the mirror. Uneven best describes “The Huntsman,” and the contrived halfmeasures that Troyan and his scenarists attempt to preserve some semblance of a sequel seem labored at best. Typically, when a movie rakes in a million dollar plus haul, the studios keep the original director unless he has brokered a bigger deal for another movie. Most sequels try to reunite the original cast but Universal appears to have ostracized Stewart and undoubted her fans will be disappointed at her lack of participation. Indeed, “The Huntsman” antes up two surprises that anybody with half a brain can see coming. Hollywood doesn’t kill off two major characters in

the first part of the sprawling adventure saga and leave them to molder in death.

Nudge, Nudge; Wink, Wink; Know what I mean. Quite often Hemsworth and Chastain speak in accents that challenge your ears. Altogether, “The Huntsman: Winter’s War” ranks as a stinker.

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>>> PET PLANET

INDIA // GORGEOUS TABBY This beautiful lady is India, a female adult tabby. India has Tortoiseshell colors with a tabby coat pattern. She’s gorgeous! She’s very sweet and affectionate. She socializes well with other friendly cats. She would do well as the only cat in the home or as a companion cat. India is negative for FIV and FeLK, current on vaccinations and spayed. She is a sweet girl looking for her forever home!

DIXIE // SOUTHERN BELLE This pretty southern gal is Dixie, a 1- to 1 ½-year-old female Labrador Retriever/Terrier mix. Dixie has a shiny, smooth black coat with white markings. She is much smaller than a lab, which is why we believe there is some Terrier in her. She weighs only 37 pounds, and this is full-grown.

Dixie was pulled from our local animal shelter, where she was picked up by Animal Control and had been at the shelter for almost 3 months with no one claiming her, so she was ready to get out! Dixie is a great dog: very sweet, loving and playful! She is very friendly and social, but calms down very nicely. Dixie loves attention and should be great with children.

She seems to do well with other dogs and tends to be the submissive one in a pack. Dixie would probably do okay in an apartment, as long as she has daily walks. She will require a fenced in yard if left outside any unattended. We have started on her crate training. Dixie is up to date on her vet care, spayed, heartworm negative and is microchipped. She is on heartworm and flea/tick prevention. She is a happy-go-lucky dog that is ready for her forever home!

If you are interested in giving INDIA or DIXIE the forever home they want and deserve, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at http://www.humanesocietyofwa.org or call us at (205)-554-0011.

The Humane Society of West Alabama is in need of volunteers for both the cat and dog facilities. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteerhswa@gmail.com or go ahead and download a volunteer application from www.humanesocietyofwa.org/formsinfo. html and send to the same email.

VOLUNTEER

If you ever decide to adopt a dog, check out your local shelter. Buying dogs from pet stores or online increases the demand for the cruel puppy mills that often supply them. If you already have a dog, please remember to get it spayed or neutered. It's the best way you can help prevent dog overpopulation.

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>>> PLANETWEEKLY • TUSCALOOSA'S SOURCE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, MUSIC, SPORTS & THE ARTS

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APRIL 28 + MAY 12

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>>> MUSIC REVIEW | R E G I N A L D A L L E N

LEMONADE

I

t is an understatement to say that Beyoncé Knowles- Carter is anything less than that of an innovator. At the young age of 34, she has earned the title of music pioneer, clothing designer, poet and now visual artist.

Since 2013, Beyoncé has become something of a noun, verb and adjective.

Even though it has been done a myriad times, releasing a surprise album, sans hype, has now become known as “pulling a Beyoncé.”

But, then again, this is the woman that is known for pulling stunts worthy of applause. In 2013, she supposedly shut down one of the biggest football games of the year. This year, she managed to drop a music video and announce a world tour for a performance that she wasn’t even headlining. This, ladies and gents, is the way of Queen Bey. Playing the role of repeat offender, Beyoncé has done it again. On Saturday, she released Lemonade, her second visual album.

Lemonade has a simple premise: the protagonist finds out that her man has been cheating on her. The rest that follows is an hour-long fueled catharsis. It is risky choice for the R&B singer, given that she is known for keeping her personal life, especially her marriage to Jay Z under the wraps.

There is already speculation if the theme is centered on Jay Z or her father, Matthew Knowles, who was caught in an infidelity scandal. We may never know if this motif is autobiographical or purely cinematic. But given that Father Knowles and Jay Z are both featured in the album, the answer is a mystery.

The album is split into different chapters that follow Beyoncé’s road to emotional recovery and acceptance.

The true glue that holds Lemonade together is the powerful interludes, courtesy of Somali-British poet Warsan Shire.

Throughout the album, Shire’s prose (spoken by Beyoncé) in conjunction with the strong rustic and cultural visuals guide the album to its close.

This wouldn’t be the first time that Bey channeled the words of a popular writer.

Her last album notably quoted lines from famed Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi

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APRIL 28 + MAY 12

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Adichie.

Beyoncé’s stance as a Feminist really flows throughout Lemonade. The album, visually and audibly, pays homage to past and current strong female role models.

Trendsetting women like tennis player Serena Williams and actresses Zendaya and Quvenzhané Wallis are scattered across the project, and quick nods to artists like Nina Simone are subtly tucked in the crevices.

Fan favorites will easily be the controversial “Sorry”, a high-tempo single produced by newcomer Melo X; “Freedom,” a strong “call to action” ballad featuring and co-written by Kendrick Lamar; and “Daddy Lessons”, her country-themed lament.

Writing credits feature Father John Misty, Diplo, Andre 300, Big Boi, Burt Bacharach, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Led Zepellin as well as many more.

There is a line at the end of “Freedom” that sums up the album: “I was served lemons, but made Lemonade.”

With ballad popular singles like “Flawless” and “Drunk in Love”, her first visual album conveyed the theme of love gone right. Lemonade shows the story of love gone sour. It is an imperfect and vulnerable side that we never see from the R&B artist.

What makes Lemonade so enjoyable, is distinguishing fact from fiction. Unlike any other album Beyoncé album, this one has a raw, unedited taste that makes you think afterward. Was it all real, or did we all fall what she wanted us to feel?

For years, Beyonce’s has made it a habit to deflect people from the reality of her personally life, but Lemonade may just be the “realest” thing she has released.

Thankfully, Lemonade has a happy ending. In typical Hollywood fashion, the album ends on sweet a note with the soulful “All Night”, which features various couples and rare clips of her pregnancy with daughter Blue Ivy and marriage to Jay Z. It should be noted that the Formation is featured on the album, but the not on the visual counterpart. *Lemonade is available to be streamed on Jay Z’s Tidal service or can be purchased on iTunes. Beyoncé’s Formation Tour will kick off April 27 in Miami, Florida.

>>> MUSIC REVIEW | R E G I N A L D A L L E N

F

or Shelbie Zora James Panter, better known as Shelbie Z, being on stage in front of thousands is reminiscent to her time doing pageants.

But instead of a tiara, she was feigning for something much bigger, the title of American Idol. The last American Idol. She had made it to the top 24, and had just belted a rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” with Idol alum Constantine Maroulis the night before. Things were looking good.

For Z, getting this far was a blessing.

But as she stood next to the two other contestants up for elimination, her pageant instincts started to kick in. Something was wrong.

“It was a very strange feeling, but I’ve done pageants my whole life,” Z said. “It kind of reverted me back to that feeling.

You know when you’re going home or not.

You have this little gut feeling. You either have butterflies, which is a good thing, or your stomach drops, which is a bad thing.

It ended up being the latter. On February 18., Z would be sent home, something that a lot of fans, or Lil’ Shuges as she calls them, went into an uproar about.

According to them, she was robbed. It is something that she is reminded of every time she leaves the house.

“People stop me all the time,” Z chuckled. “I’ll be walking in the grocery store and people will stop me and tell me ‘You got robbed. Keep doing what you’re doing.’”

Hailing from the small town of Sumiton, Alabama, Z knew that she always wanted to be a musician. She even quit her job as a cosmetologist to pursue music full time.

But it wasn’t Z’s first walk in the park.

She had been auditioning for singingbased reality shows for years. It was persistence and a bit of luck that got her on American Idol.

Z gained initial fame during her time on the Voice with Blake Shelton as her mentor. Her time on the show had given her notoriety for her sultry, vivacious live performances. Z would later pick “Last Name,” the last song she sung on The Voice, for her Idol audition.

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After her elimination from The Voice, Z thought that reality shows were not meant for her. But she had faith that things would work out.

“I doubted myself into asking ‘Is this what I really want to do? God, please give me a sign, I’ll quit right now and do something totally different’,” Z said.

Two reality shows later, she says that she can get back to doing what she started in the first place, make more music.

Though she is no longer on American Idol, she is not bitter and says that her time on the show was one of the most humbling experiences.

“They really care about you furthering yourself in your career and, that in itself, really stuck out to me and it’s a really wonderful experience,” Z said.

A few weeks after her return to Alabama, she was surprised by her town when they declared March 4. declared as “Shelbie Z day.”

Citing Lynard Skynard, Reba McIntire and Miranda Lambert as her music influences, the former reality star said she

PHOTOS BY REGINALD ALLEN

Shelbie Z: The Voice of the American Southern Girl

sees herself as a country-rock star hybrid.

“This is something I haven’t told anyone, but when I first started my music, I wanted to do the more techno thing, which I know may sound really weird, but no matter what I do, I sound country. I lean more toward the kind of country genre.”

While she does not see herself returning to a reality show anytime soon, she will never say never. But right for now, Z wants to focus on her music. Perhaps, one day to work with one her idols and Idol alum, Taylor Hicks. But nothing is set now.

Z is just enjoying life and taking it one step at time.

Now she enjoys her time as at stay-at-home wife to her husband Zack and enjoys spending her time with their two pets; a yorkie and Great Dane. She is also using this time work on more original music and shop for record labels.

After her time on reality television, Z said that it didn’t break her. It made her stronger, and she is using the exposure from the show and making the best of it.

“You either take the exposure or run with it,” Z said. “That or you can sit and do nothing with it, and I’m

not one to sit and feel sorry for myself.

I’m one to take it and run with it and sees where the path leads me.”

Looking back, Z never thought that she would get this far.

“Not in a million years. I didn’t think I would make two reality shows and travel to Los Angeles. I think that I am very blessed. I didn’t think I would get this far.

I had the faith that I could, but I never thought it would happen by the time that I was 23.”

Shelbie Z can found on Instagram and Twitter ( Shelbie_Z) and Facebook.

>>> R OA D T R I P D I R E C T O RY Travel the South's best venues. Visit their website for ticket info and more.

Acoustic Café 2758 County Hwy 9 205.647.3237

Fox Theatre 660 Peachtree St NE 404.881.2100

Montgomery Performing Arts Center 201 Tallapoosa St 334.481.5100

Von Braun Center 700 Monroe St SW 256.551.2345

Amphitheater at the Wharf 23101 Canal Rd 251.224.1020

The Hangout 251.948.3030 thehangout1.com

The Nick 2514 10th Ave S 205.252.3831

WorkPlay 500 23rd St S 205.380.4082

Bridgestone Arena 501 Broadway 615.770.2000

Marathon Music Works 1402 Clinton St 615.891.1781

Sloss Furnaces 20 32nd St N 205.324.1911

Zydeco 2001 15th Ave S 205.933.1032

Centennial Olympic Park 265 Park Ave W NW 404.223.4412

Minglewood Hall 1555 Madison Ave 901.312.6058

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 2200 Encore Pkwy 404.733.5010

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APRIL 28 + MAY 12

19

>>> PUZZLEMANIA | C R O S S W O R D P U Z Z L E

Across 1. Tending to the problem 5. Yuri's love 9. Striped cat 14. Jungle noise 15. "What ____ state of affairs!"

16. Heron 17. ___ Mean Time 19. Like ears 20. Hindu ascetic 21. "I don't believe you!"

23. Volga tributary 25. New enlistee 30. Credits for doing nice things 33. B-F connection 35. Padre or Pirate, slangily 36. Flavored coffee 37. David Bowie's "___ Dance" 39. Marsh bird 42. Take wing 43. Do tailoring on 45. The world has seven of them 47. Map lines (abbr.)

48. Ozzy Osbourne song 52. Ravenous fish 53. Melody 54. Used Elmer's 57. Disgusting 61. Tom's "Splash" co-star 65. Baggie binders 67. Toaster, or roaster 68. Geological periods 69. Parisian pronoun 70. ___ Joe's (classic sign) 71. Some old theaters 72. Active sort Down 1. Sch. yearbook section 2. Scand. country 3. UN watchdog org.

4. Little earthquake 5. Actor Jude

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6. "____ sure you know..."

7. Ribald 8. Stick like glue 9. Verizon or Sprint 10. Prior to this point 11. Internet conversation pauser 12. Honey gatherer 13. Abbr. on a pay stub 18. Minolta rival 22. Slangy agreement 24. Punching gadgets 26. Rivers in Mexico 27. Pop open, as champagne 28. "___ to Be You" 29. Russian royals 30. Guest at a casino 31. Clear 32. Football's Fighting ___ 33. Join, as hands 34. Northern Indian metropolis 38. "____ course for adventure..."

40. Bruce ____ 41. Spoken fanfare 44. Curl 46. Holy one 49. Stanley Cup grp.

50. More tense 51. Like many violent films 55. Endor dweller 56. Flintstone pet 58. Building next to a barn 59. TV part 60. Belgian river 61. Billy ___ Williams 62. Physicians' org.

63. Proof of sale (abbr.)

64. Vote of support 66. Heckling sound

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMANIA CROSSWORD ON PAGE 21

>>> PUZZLEMANIA| S U D O K U

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>>> HOROSCOPES | W E E K L Y O V E R V I E W Personal projects and plans could be delayed as the planet of talk and thought turns retrograde on Thursday. But you only need to worry about this if you're about to commit to a major project or plan. The small stuff will take care of itself. If possible, hold off signing important documents until after May 22. If you can't, go ahead, but know that changes to your original plans are likely. On the upside, Venus encourages you to indulge and have fun.

As your personal planet Mercury enters its retrograde phase in your spiritual sector, you can use this opportunity to connect with yourself more deeply. This phase can be particularly useful for keeping a dream diary. The more acquainted you become with the messages from your subconscious mind, the better you'll be able to understand the guidance they offer. When Venus moves into this same sector, the chance to volunteer your time to help others could be very rewarding.

A reunion may be in the cards this week or in the next three weeks.

Mercury retrograde in your social sector suggests that old friends may be in touch or an ex or old flame may come back into your life.

This can be an opportunity to talk over old times or seek healing regarding a difficult breakup. You might find that you get on much better this time. And with Venus entering Taurus on Friday, a past romance could be rekindled.

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Just as you're hitting your stride regarding a career move, Mercury turns retrograde in your professional sector. This doesn't mean you should drop everything and wait until it turns direct again. Do what you have to, but bear in mind that your original plans could change in the weeks ahead. You'll easily navigate this phase if you can go with the flow. You'll also be able to mount a charm offensive and impress superiors, so use this to your advantage.

As Mercury begins its backward dance on Thursday, you may particularly notice its influence if you're traveling or on vacation.

It would be helpful to have a checklist ready before you set off and make sure you've packed everything you need. Despite your preparations, be ready for a few unexpected detours along the way.

As Venus sashays into Taurus on Friday, you'll be likelier to encounter romance when you move outside your comfort zone.

You'll need to take extra care when closing deals, discussing important issues, handling business affairs, or dealing with shared resources during this time. As Mercury enters its retrograde phase, you'll be ideally placed to tackle debt issues and improve your financial standing as much as you can. This isn't the best time to take out a loan or incur debt, particularly if it serves no real purpose. That said, investing in quality art could bring a good return in the future.

Relationships seem to be a major focus for you at this time. However, you also need to take extra care when interacting with others as Mercury turns retrograde on Thursday. This can be an opportunity to connect with old friends and enjoy a reunion, but there's also the potential for misunderstandings. Just be aware of this as you go about your daily business. With Venus also dancing into Taurus, your social life could be particularly exciting, with romance looking very promising.

Although you may be eager to lose weight and get as toned and fit as possible, this may not easy in practice. The temptation to indulge could interfere with your plans. But you may be able to overcome such hurdles if you enlist the services of a personal trainer or coach.

Still, the urge to overeat could be almost impossible to resist once Venus dances into Taurus later in the week. You might have to give in and enjoy yourself.

Mercury enters its retrograde phase in your leisure sector, so you could be tempted to take up a hobby or pastime that you enjoyed as a child. Rather than bring on a feeling of nostalgia, it could have real relevance to the person you are today. You may find that it ignites your sense of joy and creativity. Venus glides into this same sector, so it's time to indulge your senses. Whatever it takes to have fun, just do it!

Friends and family you haven't seen in a while may turn up on your doorstep as Mercury enters its retrograde phase in your home and family sector. However, as Venus dances in later in the week, you'll very much enjoy the chance to entertain guests. At the same time, this is a good opportunity to kick back and nurture yourself. You've been exceptionally busy lately and your body and brain need this time to relax and recharge.

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If you're inspired to study, write, teach, or network with like-minded others, you're very much in tune with the present planetary picture.

No matter what your interests, this is the time to go for it. However, it's important not to have too many expectations as Mercury turns retrograde. If you find that an activity isn't for you, drop it and try something else. Romance could play a big part in your life in the weeks ahead, so enjoy it!

Mercury turns retrograde in your sector of personal finances on Thursday, so be particularly mindful when purchasing anything online or anything expensive. Keep receipts and other important details just in case. Venus enters Taurus on Friday, making your money zone an area of interest. Although you might be tempted to splurge, it would be better to opt for small luxuries rather than one big blowout. Try to invest more of your cash rather than spend it.–

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>>> M O V I E R E V I E W | V A N R O B E R T S

CRIMINAL // PACE NEVER LETS UP

★★★

OU T OF 4

O

scar winning film director Kevin Costner hasn’t made a good action movie like “Criminal” since he co-starred with Kurt Russell in the eccentric Las Vegas-heist caper “3000 Miles to Graceland” where robbers were Elvis impersonators. “Criminal” washed the sour taste of dreadful epics like “Three Days to Kill” and “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” out of my mouth. Aside from his supporting roles in good movies like “Man of Steel” and his cameo in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” most of Costner’s actioneers have been forgettable. Basically, he hasn’t made a good movie in 16 years, at least nothing that matches his better films, including “Message in a Bottle,” “13 Days,” “Waterworld,” “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” “No Way Out,” “The Untouchables,” “Silverado,” and “JFK.” Yes, I enjoyed “Waterworld.” In “Criminal,” Costner gets a chance to shine with a performance that ranges back and forth from one end of the spectrum to the other end. Mind you, “Criminal” isn’t going to clinch Costner an Oscar. Nevertheless, this contrived but entertaining memory swap movie is provocative enough to watch more than once. The London settings add a touch of exoticism, and the cast boasts Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Oldman, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds. Clearly, Ryan Reynolds must have made this movie before “Deadpool” smashed global box office records. If you’re a Reynolds fan, you’re going to be enormously disappointed with his peripheral role. Indeed, had “Deadpool” not become the sensational hit that it did, Reynolds might have been reduced to minimal roles like “Criminal.” Interestingly enough, Reynolds starred in a movie about a year ago with Ben Kingsley where he played the guy who acquired the memories from another man. “Selfless” was a terrific movie. Ironically, the roles are reversed for Reynolds in “Criminal.”

London-based CIA agent Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds of “The Proposal”) has stashed a cunning computer hacker, Jan Stroop, alias ‘The Dutchman’ (Michael Pitt of “Seven Psychopaths”), in a safe place until he can conduct the million dollar deal that the Agency has promised Stroop. ‘The Dutchman,’ it seems, has pulled a “War Games” and has hacked through the Pentagon’s firewalls so he can launch weapons of mass destruction whenever and wherever he pleases. The Agency is not alone in their pursuit of Stroop. Insane anarchist Xavier Heimdahl (Jordi Mollà of “Colombiana”) has been tracking Pope so he can find ‘The Dutchman.’ Heimdahl’s right-hand man, actually an indestructible, trigger-happy dame, Else Mueller (Antje Traue of “Seventh Son”), has been maintaining surveillance on Pope. She nabs Pope with Xavier’s henchmen, and Xavier personally tortures Pope in the worst way possible to learn the whereabouts of ‘The Dutchman.’ Although he shoves a taser into Pope’s mouth and singes him to death, Xavier cannot get a useful word out of

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him. The CIA careens onto the scene at the last moment, but Pope is kaput. What began as an Edward Snowden type thriller takes a crazy swerve into science fiction as the CIA bring in a neurosurgeon, Dr. Franks (Tommy Lee Jones), who has been tinkering with the concept of transferring the memories from one man to another person. All this reminded me of the recent predicament that FBI found themselves in with a terrorist’s iPhone. Anyway, with clinical trials years away, Franks manages to appropriate Pope’s memories and transfer them intact into another man’s mind. “Criminal” shifts gears as swiftly and abruptly and goes from probable to improbable. The CIA hopes that this new guy will be able to lead them to whenever Pope has hidden Stroop before Stroop either gives himself up to the Russians or Xavier’s henchman can find him. Meantime, Stroop aims to prove to the world that he can really hack U.S. military technology with an example of his derring do.

If the CIA and Western Civilization weren’t in dire straits enough, the man selected by Dr. Franks for the memory transfer turns out to be a psycho afflicted with a condition known as “frontal lobe syndrome.” Meaning, prison inmate Jerico Stewart (Kevin Costner of “Wyatt Earp”) has no feelings one way or another and does whatever he feels when the occasion arises. Basically, he is a loose cannon without a qualm. The experiment succeeds and Jerico suffers intervals when he speaks French that he has never spoken and has access to Pope’s memories. He enters the correct security codes to Pope’s London apartment and questions Pope’s suspicious wife Jill (Gal Gadot of “Batman v Superman”) about a case containing millions of dollars. Originally, Pope had planned to use this money to pay off The Dutchman, but everything fell through after he died. Initially, Jerico wants the loot for himself. As the plot of this 113-minute,

R-rated epic thickens, he decides to do the right thing. Incredibly, he wants to pick up where Bill Pope left off, and Pope’s adorable daughter Emma (newcomer Lara Decaro) takes a shine to Jerico.

The pair who penned the Sean Connery & Nicholas Cage thriller “The Rock” were the minds behind “Criminal.” Scenarists Douglas Cook and David Weisberg also collaborated on the Tommy Lee Jones & Ashley Judd thriller “Double Jeopardy” as well as the Patricia Arquette crime comedy “Holy Matrimony.” “Criminal” shares similarities with “The Rock.” First, when we are introduced to Jerico, he is locked up in maximum security and sports shoulderlength hair, just as Connery did in “The Rock.” Against everybody’s objections, Jerico is recruited for this radical experiment. Like the Connery hero in “The Rock,” Jerico is a Houdini of an escape artist, but he doesn’t give a crap about anybody but himself. Second, the man-in-the-middle of “Criminal” is as amoral as Ed Harris was in “The Rock.” The Harris character threatened to launch missiles, and ‘The Dutch-

man’ is prepared to wield the Pentagon’s doomsday arsenal against it. Essentially, the similarities end here. Of course, “Criminal” is incredibly far-fetched, especially its happily ever after finale, but “Iceman” director Ariel Vromen never lets the pace slacken and stages several exciting action scenes.

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>>> H I G H T I D E S P O R T S | GARY HARRIS

JARED MAYDEN

A perfect fit for Tide's secondary Jared Mayden made the trek from Sachse, Texas to Tuscaloosa for the recent A-Day Game. The Tide's incoming freshman cornerback wasn't expecting what he saw.

"Their DBs, they're really physical. That got my attention," says the 6-0, 202-pound Mayden. "I wasn't really expecting that. You don't see DBs that physical at many other places. But Alabama's DBs aren't afraid to come up and hit."

In high school, Mayden was known for his physical, aggressive style.

"What Alabama does, it fits what I do best," Mayden says. "I like to come up and hit. That's what it takes."

Mayden was rated among the nation's elite cornerbacks in the 2016 class.

He originally committed to Oregon before reconsidering.

"Coach Pruitt had recruited me for Georgia," Mayden says. "I wasn't very interested in Georgia, but I did like Coach Pruitt, so when I changed my mind and started looking around again, I saw that Coach Pruitt was at Alabama. That's what really made me interested in Alabama.

"They have a great program and everything, but I'd have to say the main thing that convinced me to go to Alabama was Coach Pruitt. He's just a really cool guy. He's really cool with his players. He's not one of those guys who tells you what you want to hear and then changes once he gets you. He's just really cool."

Mayden has an excellent combination of size, speed and strength. He's versatile enough to play every position in the Tide's secondary.

"The first thing they want is for me to learn corner," Mayden says. "After that, I'll learn Star and maybe safety. They think I could play in their Money package, too. I'll do whatever it takes to get on the field. I don't care where they put me. I just want to get on the field."

Even though Alabama already has one of the nation's most talented secondary corps, Mayden might find a role next season.

"Coach Saban told me on Saturday that he's moving things around trying to find the right guys," Mayden says. "He said he would like to keep Minkah (Fitzpatrick) in the slot at Star if he can find another corner. If not, he said he'd play Minkah at corner. He said there's an opportunity there at corner."

Mayden also spent time with two of his fellow freshmen from Texas, quarterback Jalen Hurts and offensive guard Chris Owens. Hurts and Owens enrolled in January and participated in spring practice.

"I hung with them after the game," Mayden says. "Jalen was really happy with how the game went. He felt good about how he's done so far."

Mayden says that his A-Day experience was good overall.

"It was cool," Mayden says. "The main reason for going was to see what I needed to do to get ready. I sat in on meetings and learned about techniques. I saw how physical they play. So I feel like I learned some things."

play next season.

"That's the big thing Coach Saban talks to me about all the time," Hall says.

"He stresses that I need to stay in the playbook and learn the responsibilities of the Jack and the Sam. They want me to learn as much as I can before I get there. That will give me a better opportunity to play and give them some depth next season.

"I'm not taking the attitude that I'm just a freshman and that I've got time.

I'm preparing to play now."

Some compare Hall to current Alabama star Jonathan Allen. Like Hall, Allen was signed as a Jack linebacker but gained weight and became a defensive end. Some think Hall might eventually do the same.

"I've heard that comparison from a lot of people," Hall says. "I think part of it is because we are from the same area. But I'm also about the same size he was when he signed with Alabama. I could end up at defensive end, like he did.

It all depends on how much I grow.

"I'm kind of big for an outside linebacker. But I've got the athletic ability to play in space. I think I'll stay at linebacker, but that could change. It doesn't matter. Either position is fine with me."

Hall was recruited by Tide assistant Tosh Lupoi, who coaches the outside linebackers.

"At first, I was committed to Ohio State," Hall says. "Coach Tosh kept recruiting me. He wanted me to come down to visit. When I visited Alabama, I said, 'Man, this is too good to be true.' I couldn't believe how much I loved it and how much I liked Coach Tosh. But I wanted to be careful. I didn't want to rush into a decision. I wanted to make sure that the trust was there."

"I love Coach Tosh. He's already like an uncle to me," Hall says. "I was the only guy he recruited in this class. He always tells me that I'm his guy and that he's going to be there for me. He's always been honest with me. Everything he told me would happen is happening so far.

"I have a really cool relationship with Coach a Tosh and with Coach Saban."

Hall will arrive in Tuscaloosa for summer school and workouts on May 28.

"Man, I'm so excited," he says. "I can't wait.

TERRELL HALL

Counting down to Bama Terrell Hall is counting down the days until he reports to Tuscaloosa.

"Thirty-four days and I can't wait," says the Tide's incoming freshman linebacker from Washington DC-St. John's. "Every time I visit Alabama, I never want to go home."

Hall didn't make it to A-Day, but he did spend a week in Tuscaloosa in March.

"I spent my spring break down there with the team," the 6-4, 250-pound Hall says. "I got to watch three practices and spend time with the coaches. I worked out, watched film and really got into the playbook. That was one of the main reasons I wanted to go down there, was to learn the playbook. I learned a lot. It was very helpful."

The Tide returns two outstanding senior outside linebackers in Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams. Two very promising young players on the outside are sophomore Christian Miller and redshirt freshman Anfernee Jennings, who might end up at defensive end.

"With Tim and Ryan coming back, I don't have to come in with the pressure of making a big impact immediately," Hall says. "I can come in and learn and develop my freshman season and be ready to compete for a starting position as a sophomore."

Even though Hall doesn't expect to start as a freshman, he's preparing to

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