PLANET WEEKLY 492

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STORIES 6 THROWBACK THURSDAY // CARA BRAKE

Remembering cartoons "Daria" and "Invader Zim," two classic cartoons geared toward adults

HIGH TIDE SPORTS 22 UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH DERRICK HENRY AND CYRUS JONES // GARY HARRIS

7 WILCO // JORDAN CISSELL

Wilco's new album "Star Wars' now on sale PUBLISHER

L I N DA W. J OHN S ON

MANAGING EDITOR

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

WILLIAM BARSHOP

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

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.

Planet Weekly is published every other Thursday. No part of this publication including editorials may be reproduced, in whole or part, by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the Publisher’s prior expressed written consent. One copy of each issue of THE PLANET WEEKLY is free to each of our readers. Any reader who takes more than four copies without expressed permission of the publisher shall be deemed to have committed theft. The views and opinions of the authors of articles appearing in this publication may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Publisher.

12 STAY FOCUSED AT WORK // JAMY FOSTER

Distractions are lethal for our goals and dreams

13 FABULOUS LIFE OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR // DR. RACHEL STEINER

Vinegar, specifically apple cider vinegar has recently gained popularity for various health benefits in which some are backed by scientific evidence.

19 LADY ANTEBELLUM // ALAN SCULLEY

An interview with Lady Antebellum, one of today’s most popular country acts

ENTERTAINMENT

22 ARDARIUS STEWART // STEPHEN SMITH

6 BOOKS 10-12 RESTAURANT GUIDE / WINE & BEER

FEATURE

15 MOVIE REVIEW

5 PJ MORTON’S TAKES THE WORKPLAY TO CHURCH Maroon 5 member can hold his own.

17 EVENTS 19 MUSIC 20 PUZZLEMANIA / EDITORIAL CARTOON 21 HOROSCOPE

COVER PHOTO BY JIM WRIGHT

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>>> F E A T U R E | R E G G I E A L L E N

PJ MORTON’S TAKES THE WORKPLAY TO CHURCH I

n 2009, Louisiana-born singer PJ Morton wrote a book titled “Why I Can’t Sing About Love.” Don’t let the song fool you; Morton’s lengthy repertoire has a good number of love ballads. Morton was just trying to stay that “church” and secular music aren’t that different. As a Grammynominated artist who has collaborated with Stevie Wonder, Jazmine Sullivan and Monica, maybe Morton knows what he was talking about.

Now Morton plays with the big boys. In 2012, the singer joined Grammy Awardwinning pop band Maroon 5 as their new keyboardist. But that did not mean that he has lost his roots.

The Iron City has always welcomed Morton back with open arms. It is where his career blossomed during his time in the short-lived band Freestyle Nation. But now, four albums later, nothing has really changed. He may be part of critically acclaimed band, but he can still hold his own with a keyboard and microphone.

Morton and The Crusade dropped by

The Workplay in Birmingham this Sunday, one of the stops for his Live Show Killer tour. Live Show Killer, his first live album hit the shelves earlier last month.

Throughout the hour and half set, Morton took the audience to church, no bible or hymn book required. Morton’s last Birmingham show was also at the Workplay in 2013 as part of his “New Orleans” tour.

Aside from the 8 p.m. on a Sunday start time, it was pretty much a family- friendly affair. The music had flavor. The Lyrics had substance and were clean of profanity and secular epithets. Just love and a little spirituality.

In addition to his traveling house band The Crusade, Morton brought along two opening artist: Newbie Jimi Cravity and seasoned rapper Dee-1.

Cravity, an artist from Atlanta, had a strong Christian-themed set. Equipped with just an acoustic guitar, the young singer pushed through a handful of songs, before closing with one of his

upcoming singles.

Louisiana-bred rapper Dee-1 took more of a biographical approach. Emerging on the stage in a crimson graduation robe, the teacher-turned musician coasted through a mixture of tracks and freestyles.

Throughout his set he spoke about leaving his day job to pursue music, turning down a contact with rapper Lil Wayne’s record label and finding his place in the music industry. He closed with single “3’s Up.” Morton warmed up the crowd by opening with upbeat single “Don’t Ever Leave” before tackling songs from his past three albums, including an improvised cover of Jay Z and Kanye’s “Otis.” One thing that the Maroon 5 member did not lack was energy. At the beginning of his set, Morton mentioned how he was not used people sitting at his shows but gave them permission to sit this time.

Throughout the show, Morton proved his mastery of the keyboard. When he

was not striking keys, he parading across the stage until he was singing on his knees.

Toward the conclusion of the set, the Workplay had turned into a small church chapel. As Morton closed the show with “Mountains and Molehills”, the crowd was cat callin’ and standing on their feet, swaying to the beat.

After their set, Morton and The Crusade, quickly returned to the stage for a brief three-song encore.

“We like to think of everyone in the audience as our extended family,” Morton told the audience, before engaging the crowd in a soulful renditions of “ Thank You for Being a Friend” and “ Where Everyone Knows Your Name.”

With only three shows left in his Live Show Killer tour, Morton and company treated The Workplay like it was his last.

Until next time, Pj.

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>>> T V | C A R A B R A K E

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

THROWBACK THURSDAY

CENTER PLACES I

S

ometimes you need to sit back and watch some classics. Summer is a dull time for television shows, since new seasons start in fall and come back from a break in the spring. When in doubt, streaming websites offer a lot of options for the viewer to kick back and watch some classic television. Some of the shows people can enjoy are, surprisingly enough, cartoons that are geared toward adults and teenagers. Some of these cartoons come on networks geared toward teens and adults, like MTV, and some come on children’s networks, but are deemed too crude and graphic for children, pushing them toward the teen demographic. These shows aren’t aired anymore, but can still be found on websites such as Hulu.

The first show to toss the viewer back a few years is “Daria”, created by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis. The show presents the life of Daria Morgendorffer.

Daria was born weird, and now she tries to navigate high school with as little human contact as possible. Her only friend is Jane Lane, her best friend an eccentric artist, and Jane’s brother Trent, who is in a band called Mystic Spiral. Daria goes through normal teenage experiences: first crushes, boyfriends, and friend breakups.

She takes each event in stride, however, with as much sarcasm and cynicism as she can muster. Daria’s dry sense of humor guides her through high school and home life, where she lives with her lawyer mother, her dim witted and dramatic father, Jake, and her vapid sister, Quinn, who is the president of the fashion club.

This show is definitely geared toward those who feel like outcasts in the world and among their peers, showing them that it is possible to have characters one can relate to when the world of television is filmed for the “normal” teenager.

Daria stands up for the outcast, even

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when she doesn’t want to or just doesn’t care enough. Daria’s distinctive, dry voice is given by Tracy Grandstaff, who is also known for Beavis and Butthead, another adult animated show that aired on MTV. Jane Lane is voiced by Wendy Hoops.

The next show is “Invader Zim”, which aired on Nickolodeon. This show was pulled from the air after two seasons due to the graphic nature of one of the episodes being deemed too inappropriate for children’s television. “Invader Zim” was about a short alien named Zim who, after begging his superiors, or “The Tallest”, to let him help invade the galaxy, they send him to a lost planet that no one had been to before, calling it “earth”. They send Zim to Earth with broken down technology, including a pieced together, brainless robot named GIR, hoping he would be lost in space and never return. To their surprise, Zim finds this Earth, and broadcasts to The Tallest that he is already starting his invasion. His plans get hitched, however, when he runs into Dib, a fellow student in the school Zim enrolls in to blend in with the humans, who is obsessed with aliens and fixates on Zim. Dib sets out to prove to everyone that Zim is an alien, with his disinterested sister, Gaz, tagging along.

The show was created by Jhonen Vasques, the creator of “Johnny, The Homicidal Maniac” the comic. “Zim” was pulled in 2003 after parents complained that an episode was too graphic for television, which included Zim stealing organs from humans to prove that he was human.

In one scene, Zim opens his mouth to speak, and a large intestine tumbles out. Zim shoves the organ back in, and the nurse opens her mouth only to moo, showing that Zim has replaced her organ with a toy. The episodes are available for streaming on Hulu, and an “Invader Zim” comic is set to be released this year.

n Center Places and Cherokee Towns, Christopher B. Rodning opens a panoramic vista onto protohistoric Cherokee culture. He posits that Cherokee households and towns were anchored within their cultural and natural landscapes by built features that acted as “center places.”

Rodning investigates the period from just before the first Spanish contact with sixteenth-century Native American chiefdoms in La Florida through the development of formal trade relations between Native American societies and English and French colonial provinces in the American South during the late 1600s and 1700s. Rodning focuses particularly on the Coweeta Creek archaeological site in the upper Little Tennessee Valley in southwestern North Carolina and describes the ways in which elements of the built environment were manifestations of Cherokee senses of place.

Drawing on archaeological data, delving into primary documentary sources dating from the eighteenth century, and considering Cherokee myths and legends remembered and recorded during the nineteenth century, Rodning shows how the arrangement of public structures and household dwellings in Cherokee towns both shaped and were shaped by Cherokee culture. Center places at different scales served as points of attachment between Cherokee individuals and their communities as well as between their present and past. Rodning explores the ways in which Cherokee architecture and the built environment were sources of cultural stability in the aftermath of European contact, and how the course of European contact altered the landscape of Cherokee towns in the long run.

In this multi-faceted consideration of archaeology, ethnohistory, and recorded oral tradition, Rodning adeptly demon-

Effective

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strates the distinct ways that Cherokee identity was constructed through architecture and other material forms. Center Places and Cherokee Towns will have a broad appeal to students and scholars of southeastern archaeology, anthropology, Native American studies, prehistoric and protohistoric Cherokee culture, landscape archaeology, and ethnohistory.

AUTHOR Christopher B. Rodning is an associate professor of anthropology at Tulane University.

REVIEW Center Places and Cherokee Towns is a theoretically informed study that dovetails with popular, contemporary, and archaeological concerns with landscape, social memory, and symbolism. Well written and well cited, it will have broad appeal to archaeologists working throughout the eastern United States and elsewhere in North America.”

—Gregory D. Wilson, author of The Archaeology of Everyday Life at Early Moundville

***

The University of Alabama Press is a proud member of the Association of American University Presses. The Press currently publishes 80-85 new titles a year and has over 1,700 titles in print; it is a founding member of the University Press Content Consortium and is at the cutting edge of digital publishing. The Press is the publishing arm of the University of Alabama. | www.uapress.ua.edu

>>> M U S I C R E V I E W | J O R D A N C I S S E L L

WILCO'S STAR WARS // FULL OF SURPRISES Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars Recommended If You Like: Wussy King Crimson Rilo Kiley Velvet Underground “A miracle only ever grows wild,” Jeff Tweedy half-mumbles on “Random Name Generator,” one of 11 tracks from Wilco’s new album “Star Wars.” Miracle or no, “Star Wars,” now available on CD after being released as a free download on the band’s website earlier in the summer, is certainly wild, and at times it feels like it’s still growing.

Temporally speaking, the album is assertively concise, with only one song clocking in at more than four minutes long. But the tracks are sprawling in their scope, raucous and speculative at times, soothing and focused at others. With each new listen, the album’s songs as a collective whole push forward from the din some novel twig of sound that briefly captures your attention before being bent and tangled back in with the other bramble and brush that comprise the album’s bird nest of synthesized musical styles.

“Random Name Generator” is one of the album’s most compelling conglomerations. The track’s tight, fuzzy guitar riff and big, swinging drums evoke “Bang a Gong (Get It On)”-era T. Rex, but guitarist Nels Cline’s overdriven runs avoid the stagnation that plague many big glam rock riffs. Instead, Cline guides his strings down variations on the song’s central theme in a manner reminiscent of St. Vincent’s buoyant, looping attack. “Random Name Generator” sounds contained but never subdued, like the child put in the time-out corner who continues to make provoking faces at her brother each time Mom turns her back.

“More…” opens with slack acoustic strumming and Sugar Rayesque boll weevil guitar fuzz before sliding into lush, “Magical Mystery Tour”-era Beatles harmonies at the chorus. Before it’s all said and done, a frantic dive bomb of a guitar solo rips through the track’s queasy bass line, and the final chorus repetition billows into an impenetrable crescendo of reverb and feedback.

Tweedy delivers the lyrics of “The

PHOTO BY ZORAN ORLIC

Joke Explained” in a faux-country slur, like Bob Dylan did on “Nashville Skyline” in 1968, pulling syllables like taffy as he meanders his way through a tangle of fuzz guitar and shuffling drum. The droning, muffled churn of Velvet Underground-informed “You Satellite” devolves into a barrage of ferocious drums and bright guitar chimes as the song ap-

proaches its cacophonous close.

“Taste the Ceiling” is a sort of “Peaceful Easy Feeling” for the dream pop set, deftly combining a rollicking rhythm and lilting slide guitar with pangs of discordant guitar and chirping, Buck Rogers synthesizer, and the jagged guitar interjections in “Pickled Ginger” punch through the song’s brooding bass line like frayed transmission signals from the mother ship.

The steady, percussive bass line of “Cold Slope” stalks confidently through the track like some jungle cat plot-

ting its next kill.

The album’s final track is also its most hauntingly beautiful. “Magnetized” is a love song of graceful simplicity. Sustained piano chords gently rumble over the faint ticking of a clock in the song’s opening seconds. “I sleep underneath a picture that I keep of you next to me / I realize we’re magnetized,” Tweedy whispers as the track expands into a sprawling chorale of lush strings, stately piano, ethereal voices and interplanetary sound effects.

There’s room enough here for everyone to burrow in and fall head over heels, be it with memory or fantasy, with the newness and adventure of a young crush or the comfort and support of a field-tested lifetime union.

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NEWS CCAA Names Chamber Professionals as Accredited Alabama Chamber Executives

T

he Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama (CCAA) announced that nine Alabama chamber professionals have received the Accredited Alabama Chamber Executive distinction (AACE).

Those receiving the AACE were: Morri Yancy, Lake Guntersville Chamber of Commerce; Harold L. Boone, Sr., Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce; Donna Watts, South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce; Jim M. Page and Donald L. Jones, Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama; Kirk R. Mancer, Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce; Jennifer M. Palmer, Albertville Chamber of Commerce; Rick Roden, Greater Jackson County Jim M. Page Chamber of Commerce; and, Linda Lewis, Chamber of Commerce of Walker County.

The announcement was made at the CCAA’s summer convention in Orange Beach.

The CCAA established the Accredited Alabama Chamber Executive Program (AACE) to recognize the professional competence of chamber of commerce executives in the State of Alabama. The AACE designation is based on the experience, service to CCAA, training, continuing education, and professional achievement of CCAA members. The AACE award is intended to strengthen the career development objectives of CCAA and provide personal recognition to chamber professionals in Alabama.

“All of the individuals receiving their accredited chamber Donald L. Jones professional designation are to be commended for receiving this prestigious distinction,” said Brian Hilson, President and CEO of the Birmingham Business Alliance and the CCAA’s 2015 Chairman of the Board of Directors.

“They most certainly represent the highest standards in our profession.”

Jeremy L. Arthur, President and CEO of the CCAA, said the nine local chamber leaders are true testament to the chamber profession.

“The accreditation process is very rigorous and highlights that each recipient is truly the ‘best of the best’ across our state,” Arthur said. “The commitment shown by each person that receives the Alabama Accredited Chamber Executive distinction shows their continued commitment to professional development and the overall success of their local chamber of commerce and our collective state association.”

Since its beginning in 1937 the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama has remained dedicated to advancing the goal that chambers of commerce are the premier local business advocate in the State of Alabama. In conjunction with the Business Council of Alabama (BCA), a non-partisan organization, the two groups, through the BCA/CCAA Partnership represent the interests and concerns of over 1 million working Alabamians every day.

Chamber Announces Staff Retirement, Personnel Changes

T

he Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama has announced the retirement of Loo Whitfield, Director of Education, effective this “October. Whitfield has led the Chamber’s highly successful AdoptA-School program for the past 10 years. She has also been heavily involved in the development of multiple education-related community programs during her tenure, including the Tuscaloosa Pre-K initiative, the Literacy Council of West Alabama and the Chamber’s Education Policy Council.

The Adopt-A-School program celebrated its 30th anniversary in May and kicked off its 31st year last week. Under Whitfield’s leadership, the program has seen extraordinary growth. More than 100 Loo Whitfield local companies and organizations are involved in partnerships with all 58 public schools in the Tuscaloosa City and County systems.

Partners often provide much-needed financial resources to their respective schools as well as offer a significant investment of personnel to participate in various classroom programs.

Prior to her time with the Chamber, Whitfield retired from the Tuscaloosa City Schools after 28 years as a teacher, coach and athletic director. “Loo has been an invaluable member of the Chamber team and has truly made the Adopt-A-School program a household name in this community”, said Chamber President and CEO Jim Page. “Thousands of Tuscaloosa County students have benefitted from Loo’s energy, enthusiasm and genuine passion for education.”

Robin Jenkins Page has named Robin Jenkins, the Chamber’s Director of Communications and Marketing, as Whitfield’s successor. Jenkins served as the Assistant Director of Adopt-A-School earlier in her career. Carolyn Tubbs, the Chamber’s Assistant Director of Education and Events, will continue to work closely with the Adopt-A-School program in addition to managing other Chamber initiatives. “Robin’s previous experience with the Adopt-A-School program and excellent communication skills make her an ideal fit for this important position”, stated Page. “Robin and Carolyn are a great team and will ensure that we continue the momentum of our outstanding education programs.”

Allison McCants has joined the Chamber staff as Workforce Development Project Manager. She will provide administrative support Allison McCants to the Region 3 Workforce Development Council and West Alabama Works. McCants will also serve as a central point of contact for any private or public entity seeking assistance with workforce training in the seven-county region, as well as coordinate meetings and activities of numerous industry workforce clusters.

McCants earned a degree from the University of Alabama and has served as an Administrative Assistant for Harrison Construction, Inc. for the past eight years. “Allison brings superb administrative and organizational skills to this position. We are proud to add her to our professional staff and know she will be a tremendous asset to our region’s dynamic workforce development efforts”, said Page.

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

>>> RESTAURANTS |

NOBILO SAUVIGNON BLANC // A CRISP WHITE

BREAKFAST / LUNCH Brown Bag

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

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.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 4800 Doris Pate Dr | Exit 76 // 562.8282 www.crackerbarrel.com International House of Pancakes 724 Skyland Blvd // 366.1130 Jack's 1200 Hackberry Lane | Tuscaloosa // 345.1199 Maggie's Diner 1307 Ty Rogers Jr. Ave | Tuscaloosa // 366.0302 Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant 2715 McFarland Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 333.9312 Panera Bread 1800 McFarland Blvd *402 | Tuscaloosa // 366.8780 Quick Grill 1208 University Blvd | The Strip | Tuscaloosa // 342.0022 Rama Jama’s 1000 Bryant Dr // 750.0901 Closest restaurant to Bryant-Denny Stadium.

N

obilo Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp white wine from Marlborough, New Zealand.

Nobilo was started by Nikola Nobilo.

He left Croatia in 1943 and moved to New Zealand to plant the vines and start the business. He came from a long tradition of family winemaking, reported to be over 300 years.Fast forward to today, the winemaker is David Edmonds and the grapes for Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc came from the Wairau and Awatere vineyards.

REVIEW I shared this wine with a group of longtime friends, bringing together a total of four trusted palates.

For this review we tasted the 2014 vintage of this wine.

Similar to other New Zealand wines, Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc had a twist top.

APPEARANCE The wine’s appearance was golden in color. It was definitely darker than many other Sauvignon Blancs I’ve experienced.

It was also quite leggy in the glass with many slow falling drips.

AROMA I served this wine chilled, so it was a little difficult to discern the aroma notes at first.

But after a little time and lots of sniffing, we agreed on enjoyable notes of grapefruit and pineapple in the wine’s aroma.

We didn’t pick up any herbal notes of nettles or fresh cut tomato plant, as the tasting notes suggested.

There was very

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little sting of alcohol in the nose. Most of us guessed the alcohol content to be no more than 11.8%. But it turned out we were quite off in our estimates.

Actual Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc alcohol content 12.5% by volume, per the bottle.

TASTE We all agreed the wine’s taste was tart, clean, crisp and pleasant.

For flavors, the pineapple carried through from the aroma to the taste, as did the grapefruit.

We also noted some granny smith apple.

FINISH The wine’s finish was quite interesting. It was a two-pronged finish carried by the flavors.

The first, a more tart flavored finish, was short. However a secondary sweeter finish was noted on the sides of the tongue. We characterized that as a medium finish.

OVERALL OPINION Overall, all four of us greatly enjoyed this wine. The votes included “liked it”, “pleasant” and “clean and crisp.”

We felt it to be great summer afternoon sipper and agreed on pairing this wine with a nice salad, a light fish dish or with chicken.

Nobilo also suggests oysters, tuna and caviar which sounds great to me!

Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc price $9.99.

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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

Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi 502 15th Street // 752.8844

MEXICAN

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.

Don Rafa's 2313 4th Street | Temerson Square // 345.9191

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.

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

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

ITALIAN

Avenue Pub 405 23rd Avenue

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

Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill 2001 New Watermelon Rd | Northport // 342.3378

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

LaGran Fiesta 9770 Hwy 69 S // 345.8871

Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343

Los Calientes Mexican Grill 3429 McFarland Blvd E // 553.1558

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

Iguana Grill 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 752.5895

Los Tarascos (2 locations) 1759 Skyland Blvd // 553.8896 3380 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 330.0919 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 Pepito’s (2 locations) 1203 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9028 1301 McFarland Blvd NE // 391.4861 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.

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Mr. G’s 908 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339-8505 Olive Garden 2100 McFarland Blvd E // 750-0321 Open daily from 11 a.m. www.olivegarden.com

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.

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

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

>>> RESTAURANTS |

W H E R E T O E AT I N T U S C A L O O S A ( C O N T. )

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

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 selection, full bar

Five Guys Burgers & Fries 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 391.0575 www.fiveguys.com

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.

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.

Hooter’s 5025 Oscar Baxter Dr | Next to Jameson Inn // 758.3035 Wings, clams, shrimp and of course the Hooters Girls www.hooters.com

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

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

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.

Logan's Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd E // 349.3554 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 Newk’s Express Cafe 205 University Blvd. East // 758.2455 Fax: 758.2470 // www.newkscafe.com An 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 for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch www.ocharleys.com Panera Bread 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 366.8780 www.panerabread.com 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 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 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 Southland Restaurant 5388 Skyland Blvd E // 556.3070 Steaks, chops and home-cooked vegetables Mon–Fri 10:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

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.

Tacogi 500 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 342.3647 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.

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

SPORTS GRILL

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

Innisfree Irish Pub 1925 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 345.1199 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 Mugshots Grill & Bar 511 Greensboro Ave // 391.0572 Great burgers. Full service bar. Open late. www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com 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 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 WingZone 1241 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 342.2473

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.

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

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 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

Logan’s Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd | next to Sams // 349.3554 Steaks, ribs and spirits Longhorn Steakhouse 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 345-8244 #412 New Orleans Steak and Seafood House 824 McFarland Boulevard |11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. daily.

248-7666 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.

Outback Steakhouse 5001 Oscar Baxter Dr // 759.9000 Twin Restaurant 3700 6th Street |Tuscaloosa | 758-7528 A full service restaurant specializing in Sushi, Prime Steaks, made fresh daily pasta, and whiskey oriented cocktails. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. // Former Tuscaloosa Country Club

SEAFOOD

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.

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

STONE BREWING COMPANY // W00TSTOUT 2015 H

ere in the state of Alabama, we’re still neck deep in the Hell fire of summer even though we’re approaching the month of September. I don’t usually drink stouts when it’s this damn hot outside, but every now and then, I have the opportunity to drink a rare brew, I take the bull by the horns. Such is the case with the Stone W00tstout, a beer brewed in collaboration with former Star Trek: The Next Generation star Wil Wheaton; an odd concoction to say the least. Anyways, this beer has been brewed once a year for three years, and this is the first time I’ve been able to find one. I originally planned on cellaring the beer, but there was no way it was going to just hang out in my fridge for a year.

So, I decided to break this incredible brew out and see what the fuss was about, and oh my Lord, it lives up to every bit of hype that has been placed on it. Here are my thoughts: First things first, the bottle itself is very interesting and much better designwise than any of the other W00tstout bottles that have been produced. The color scheme is much more fun, and the artwork gives the beer its own identity and slightly separates itself from all other Stone beers which is refreshing. Don’t get me wrong, Stone bottles and labels are cool, but at the end of the day, I need a breath of fresh air and the 2015 W00tstout is it. It looks like some sort of B Movie poster or something comic book inspired, but either way, it’s pretty dang cool.

I poured the beer into a shaker pint glass and a thick, velvety pitch-black liquid filled the glass. A light brown head formed and lasted for a long while and left some decent lacing on the sides of the glass.

When you smell the beer, you basically get a nose full of chocolate and bourbon.

So, without saying, the beer smells amazing. I’m usually not a big fan of barrel aged beers, but this one has possibly turned me around, because there was, to me, more bourbon aroma than bourbon taste, but we’ll get there shortly. Just by the way the beer smelled, I knew I was in for a treat.

Like I said, mostly bourbon but with a light mix of vanilla, chocolate and nuttiness from the pecans; a beautifully balanced aroma.

As I mentioned before, the nose had a ton of bourbon, but taste of bourbon was really faint, and I honestly enjoyed that.

The few barrel aged beers that I’ve had in the past have all been overwhelmingly boozy because of the bourbon, but this one really did it right. Up front you get a ton of vanilla along with some charred chocolate notes and some more of that pecan nuttiness. After all that has time to be processed in your head, because believe me it’s a lot going on at once, you start to pick up some of the bourbon and

it’s like an insanely delicious dessert that your alcoholic aunt made for Christmas.

As the beer warmed, I began to get more and more notes of oak, bourbon, and pecan. Another thing that appeared as the beer warmed was a nice burn on the back of your throat from the intensely high ABV (13% to be exact.) I honestly can’t find anything wrong with the flavor of this beer.

Seriously, one of the best beers I’ve ever had.

Mouthfeel was just as superb as every other aspect of the brew. Carbonation level was on point, it had that heavier body that I expect a stout to have, and it was thick; oh man it was like syrup, but in the best way possible. Forget all those Founders beers that tout “Beers that drink like a meal,” because this is the only beer I’ve ever had that honestly made me full after one glass. Don’t think I didn’t finish it though, because you better believe I didn’t let any of this precious gem go to waste. I expected it to be a little boozier than it was to be honest. Thirteen percent alcohol is no easy task, and to hide it that well takes some skill. I didn’t really grasp it going down, but after I finished the bottle, I felt like someone had been giving me whiskey shots for at least an hour; I was hammered, but in heaven.

Overall, this has been the best beer of 2015 for me. I think the flavors were so intense and they blended so well together that there is just so much to process in each sip. It really takes a bomber bottle full of this stuff to understand what exactly you have. Each sip highlights another element and it keeps it exciting. I can’t wait for next year and another brew, because if it’s anything like this year’s, I’m going to be stocking up and convincing myself to cellar at least one of them to see how time takes its toll on it. I know these were flying off the shelves, but if you can find one you’re dumb if you don’t buy it, and if you find two, you better get both. Believe me, they’re worth every penny.

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AUGUST 27 + SEPTEMBER 10

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>>> SELF HELP | JA M Y F O S T E R

>>> RESTAURANTS |

8 WAYS TO STAY FOCUSED AT WORK

D

istractions are lethal for our goals and dreams. Things that take our focus away from the task at hand must be avoided during work hours. They divert our attention from things that matter to busy nothingness.

Anything from getting phone calls, texts, interruption by colleagues or frequently checking Facebook, email should be avoided to ensure your well on your way to success.

Now there are some techniques you can practice to quiet the buzz in your head and become super focused. These techniques will not only make you more focused, but you’ll also feel calmer and efficient. Numerous studies have proved that people aren’t good at doing multiple things at once. Whenever they’re interrupted from any task, it takes about 15-20 minutes to regain focus and resume a serious mental task. Here are few steps you can take to significantly improve your focus while working.

1) Work in a place where there’s not much noise in the background. A quiet work environment helps stay concentrated even if you don’t feel like working 2) Keep your desk clean. Clear the clutter by throwing away all the papers and unnecessary things from your desk. A well-organized desk will help you stay concentrated on the work.

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AUGUST 27 + SEPTEMBER 10

3) Eliminate multi-tasking from your life.

Whatever it is you’re working on, never do two things at once. Don’t code while listening to a podcast, don’t design while writing an email, and don’t do laundry, while checking your Twitter feed.

4) Turn off your phone ringer. Hearing it ring makes you jumpy and anxious.

Keep it on buzzer if you are expecting an important call.

5) Take breaks after every 50 minute session of focused work. It’s good for both your physical and mental health.

6) Instead of jumping from one task to another, keep a list of things you plan to do in a day. Limit your internet use to only tasks.

7) Sign out your email and all social networks for some parts of the day. You will be surprised to see how much time was being wasted on refreshing feed and checking email.

8) Track the time you spend on each task.

This will allow you to improve your work efficiency.

One thing to keep in mind is that every individual is wired differently. Some people thrive in chaotic situations, while others tend to be more productive when they’re not pressured. It is best to find what workstyle suits you and roll with it.

W H E R E TO E AT I N T U S C A LO O S A (CO N T.)

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

248-7666

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

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)

Pearl Garden 2719 Lurleen Wallace Blvd | Northport // 339.0880

Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar 4851 Rice Mine Rd NE #460 // 462.3399 McFarland Plaza Shopping Center & Temerson Square

Swen Chinese Restaurant 1130 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9887

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.

The Levee Bar and Grill 1 Bridge Ave | Northport // 632.3136 Casual riverfront dining Open Mon-Thurs 11am-9:30pm, Fri&Sat 11am, Sun 11am-8pm. www. leveebarandgrill.com Wintzell's Oyster House 808 Skyland Blvd. at the intersection of Skyland and Alabama Highway 69. | 247-7772 | wintzellsoysterhouse.com/location/tuscaloosa/

CHINESE

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

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.

Trey Yuen 4200 McFarland Blvd E // 752.0088

ASIAN CUISINE

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.

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

PIZZA AND SUBS

Chang’s Chinese Restaurant 1825 McFarland Blvd N // 391.9131

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.

China Fun 2600 University Blvd | Alberta City // 553.2435

California Underground 13552 Highway 43, Northport | 339.8660

Chongwah Express 1425 McFarland Boulevard, Northport. 333-1088

Firehouse Subs 1130 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 248.0680

Hot Wok Express 6751 Alabama 69, Tuscaloosa // 758.0148

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

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

Lenny’s Sub Shop

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

>>> RESTAURANTS |

W H E R E TO E AT I N T U S C A LO O S A (CO N T.)

TO HAVE YOUR RESTAURANT LISTED HERE PLEASE EMAIL PLANETEDITOR@ YAHOO.COM

COFFEE SHOP

220 15th St // 752.7450 Fax: 752.7481 // www.lennys.com

Barnes & Noble 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa 349.6366

Little Caesars Pizza 1414 10th Ave // 366.2220 | 1www.littlecaesars.com Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. // 345.4354

Five Java Coffee, fresh juices, smoothies and treats from Mary's Cakes.

Open Monday - Saturday at 7am; 9am on Sundays

Mellow Mushroom 2230 University Blvd | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 758.0112

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

Subs n' You 2427 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.758.0088

Krispy Kreme Doughnut 1400 McFarland Blvd // 758.6913 www.krispykreme.com

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

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.

Pizza Palace Buffet 6521 Alabama 69 | 752.5444

1832 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339.3221 Fax: 349.1945

Tut’s Place 1306 University Blvd | The Strip // 759.1004

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.

DELICATESSEN Honeybaked Ham Company 421 15th St. E // 345.5508 www.honeybaked.com

Dunkin' Donuts 2520 Stillman Blvd. |Tuscaloosa// 349.3400 McCorvey Dr. | Tuscaloosa // 348.4041 www.dunkindonuts.com

Jason’s Deli 2300 McFarland Blvd // 752.6192 Fax: 752.6193 // www.jasonsdeli.com Located in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center.

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.

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

Smoothie King (2 locations) 415 15th Street | Tuscaloosa // 349.1721 Fax: 349.1945 1403 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 462.3664

McAlister’s Deli (2 locations) 101 15th St | Tuscaloosa // 758.0039 3021 Tyler Dr | Northport // 330.7940 Sandwiches, salads and spuds www.mcalistersdeli.com

Sweet CeCe's Frozen yogurt Treats 2217 University Blvd. | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 561.6458 A fun and friendly make your own creation, yogurt experience!

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

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

Newk's 205 University Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 758.2455 Schlotsky’s Deli 405 15th St. E // 759.1975 schlotskys.com Which Wich University Blvd.// Downtown Tuscaloosa // Mon – Sat 10:30 – 9 // Sunday 11 – 7 // Fun atmosphere,fresh ingredients, great sandwiches. 764.1673

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. - midnight

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

THE FABULOUS LIFE OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR V

inegar has been used for centuries for all kinds of things in the kitchen including cooking and cleaning. It is also an old folk remedy that was used for many health conditions. Vinegar, specifically apple cider vinegar has recently gained popularity for various health benefits in which some are backed by scientific evidence. Apple cider vinegar is made in a two-step process similar to how alcohol is made. The first step is done by exposing crushed apples to yeast, which ferment the sugars and turns them into alcohol. The second step involves bacteria being added to the alcohol solution, which further ferments the alcohol and turns it into the main active compound in vinegar. The organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar is supposed to be the most beneficial, which contains strands of proteins, enzymes and friendly bacteria that give it a murky appearance. It is thought that is what gives it its health benefits. I have dug a little deeper to see exactly what is in this sour liquid that provides such health benefits.

LOWERING BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS

Type 2 Diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugars, either because the body has become resistant to insulin or lost the inability to produce insulin. However, elevated blood sugar is common in people who do not have diabetes in people who don’t have diabetes which can lead to many health problems. Apple cider vinegar has been shown to have numerous benefits such as improving insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar levels.

WEIGHT LOSS

Because vinegar can lower blood sugar and insulin levels, it makes sense that it could help you lose weight.

Several studies suggest that vinegar can increase ones feeling of fullness, leading to less calories consumed, and as a result losing weight. These same studies found that people who consumed apple cider vinegar ate 200-275 fewer calories per day. But with that being said, just by adding or eliminating a single ingredient to your diet rarely has a long-term effect on your weight. You have to make an entire diet and lifestyle change to maintain results. From the

research, it sounds like apple cider vinegar may have a positive affect in aiding with weight loss.

HEART HEALTH

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both men and women in the United States. A study showed that consuming apple cider vinegar resulted in lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. The science behind it is that the vinegar contains an antioxidant that prevents bad cholesterol from fully forming. Another benefit is shown to be the reduction of blood pressure. This study was done in Harvard and it concluded women who ate salad dressing with apple cider vinegar had a reduction in blood pressure over time.

These benefits target three major health concerns in United States and all over the world; obesity, heart disease, and high blood sugar. As apple cider gains popularity, more studies and research are being done and I think we will soon have more concrete evidence about it. Although there is much more research that needs to be performed as I tell my patients, I believe adding this old remedy to your diet won’t hurt and could possibly benefit in many ways. If you are going to use apple cider vinegar, it is suggested to by the unfiltered, organic kind to get the purest most beneficial form.

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AUGUST 27 + SEPTEMBER 10

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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

AMERICAN ULTRA // AUDACIOUS I

magine crisscrossing the amnesia, espionage thriller “The Bourne Identity” with the stoner saga “The Pineapple Express,” and you’ve got the nitty-gritty of “Project X” director Nima Nourizadeh’s “American Ultra” starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kirsten Stewart, John Leguizamo, and Bill Pullman. Although it remains far from original with its formulaic content, this violent, offbeat, 96-minute, R-rated epic delivers one startling surprise after another, not the least of which is the unusual casting of the loquacious, sissified Eisenberg as a weaponized lethal hero. At the same time, “American Ultra” reunites Eisenberg with his “Adventureland” co-star Kristen Stewart of the “Twilight” franchise. Just as Eisenberg plays rough and tumble with blood on his hands, Stewart isn’t far behind as an action heroine, too. While Eisenberg kills in self-defense with considerable qualms, he conducts himself at times as if he were imitating Richard Dean Anderson’s Angus MacGuyer, wielding everyday objects with devastating ferocity, when he isn’t pondering his mysterious memory lapses like Matt Damon’s Jason Bourne. Action thrillers don’t make the grade unless the heroes and heroines have to thwart challenging adversaries. As the bad guys, Topher Grace and Walton Goggins are appropriately villainous, and “Independence Day” actor Bill Pullman makes an appearance as their CIA superior. Director Nima Nourizadeh doesn’t let the action slacken for a second.

Incidentally, the Eisenberg hero doesn’t discover his true identity until about halfway through his nimbly-staged thriller.

Eisenberg has never pulled off anything as physically assertive as “American Ultra” because he lacks the debonair looks of a romantic leading man. Ironically, the fact that he doesn’t think of himself as an action hero until he finds himself dispatching one heavily armed thug after another makes his performance happily believable. Moviegoers that prefer the kind of indie-styled comedies that Eisenberg makes may abhor “American Ultra,” while moviegoers who crave melodramatic massacres may loathe Eisenberg’s casting.

Shaggy-haired Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg of “Zombieland”) runs the cash register at a grocery store in the Podunk town of Liman, West Virginia. Mike spends more time behind the register illustrating a graphic novel about an ape in an astronaut outfit called Apollo Ape than interacting with customers. Indeed, we rarely see anybody venture into his store.

When Mike is neither clerking nor drawing, he gets high on marijuana cigarettes that he rolls by hand for himself and listens to vinyl albums on his turntable.

He shares his house with his equally lackluster girlfriend, Phoebe Larson (Kristen Stewart of “Camp X-Ray”), who holds down a job at a bail bonding office.

Mike suffers from delusions of paranoia, and he often experiences meltdowns. For years he has struggled to leave Liman, but he finds himself unable to realize his dream without grief and anxiety assailing

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him. Essentially, Mike is a petty criminal who has gotten into trouble so often in his hometown that the local constabulary know him by his first name and keep an eye peeled for him. Meanwhile, he peeks at an engagement ring that he has gotten for Phoebe and wonders when he should spring the question. Mike purchases his pot from a zany drug dealer named Rose (John Leguizamo of “John Wick”) who lives in a psychedelic house. Altogether, Mike doesn’t look like he could harm a gnat in his worst nightmare.

Meantime, at C.I.A headquarters, agent Victoria Lasseter (Connie Britton of the ABC-TV series “Nashville”) learns from an anonymous phone call that the top-secret Ultra program that she established to create sleeper agents is about to be liquidated. Victoria’s rival at the Agency, smug-minded Adrian Yates (Topher Grace of “Predators”), has decided that the time is ripe to eliminate anybody involved with Ultra. Actually, the Ultra program has been shut down since most of the recruits went whacko and died. As it turns out, one recruit survived and surpassed everybody’s expectations. Imagine poor Mike’s consternation when he wanders out into the parking lot and spots two guys rigging up a bomb to his automobile. Although the two guys are much better built than Mike, our hero kills both of them in next to no time. He uses a spoon to stab one of his assailants in the neck and kill him. Mike has no idea how he has managed to perform such incredible feats.

He remembers an oddball woman that entered his store earlier in the evening and spouted some gibberish at him that puzzled him. Victoria Lasseter was the lady and she was trying to warn poor Mike about his impending doom at the hands of CIA assassins. No sooner does the opposition try to exterminate Mike with extreme prejudice than he surprises them with his impeccable combat skills. At one point, pinned down behind a refrigerator in his kitchen by a barrage of gunfire, Mike slings a skillet above his head, pops off a round at it, and his bullet ricochets, and cuts down the trigger-happy soldier armed with an assault rifle!

Jesse Eisenberg appears out of place in this blood and gore, tongue-in-cheek actioneer. Nevertheless, he handles himself competently in the close-quarters combat scenes. A villain plunges a screwdriver through one of our hero’s hands, but Eisenberg clobbers his foe into submission with a hammer. “Justified” villain Walton Goggins has a field day as a psychotic henchman that Yates dispatches to dispose of our unlikely hero.

The Goggins character is named Laughter, and Laughter tangles with Eisenberg’s Mike repeatedly throughout “American Ultra.” Initially, when they confront each other, Mike smashes in Laughter’s front teeth. Meantime, Kristen Stewart doesn’t lose her cool as level-headed Phoebe.

Occasionally, she gets to whip a villain, but she gives another of her typically icy, inexpressive performances. In her best

scene, she reprimands Mike for locking up Laughter in a jail cell, but forgetting to retrieve an automatic pistol he left behind.

Predictably, Laughter grabs the gun and blasts away at their fleeing backs. Aside from the splendidly orchestrated action

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scenes that resemble something Asian filmmaker John Woo of “Broken Arrow” might stage, director Nima Nourizadeh keeps surprising us with Eisenberg’s audacious heroism and shocking sadism.

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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

FANTASTIC FOUR // LACKS IMPACT A

fter an eight year absence from the screen, “The Fantastic Four” are back, but little about this polished-looking but predictable pabulum may tempt you to see it twice. Twentieth Century Fox and gifted “Chronicle” director Josh Trank have rebooted “The Fantastic Four” (** OUT OF ****) with Miles Teller as Reed Richards, Kate Mara as Sue Storm, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm, Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm, and Toby Kebbell as Doctor Doom. If you’re counting, this marks the third time the classic Marvel superhero ensemble has appeared on the big screen. Mind you, the first attempt to immortalize “The Fantastic Four” on celluloid ended with more of a whimper than a bang. Cheapskate producer Roger Corman made the original “Fantastic Four” (1994) with a no-name cast. Moreover, Corman’s low-budget epic never saw the light of day. Afterward, “Barbershop” director Tim Story achieved greater success the second time out with “The Fantastic Four” starring “San Andreas” villain Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards, “Sin City” heroine Jessica Alba as Susan Storm, “Captain America’s” Chris Evans as Johnny Storm, Michael Chiklis as Ben Grimm, and “Nip/Tuck’s” Julian McMahon as Victor Von Doom. Stan Lee appeared briefly as mailman Willie Lumpkin.

Personally, I enjoyed this guilty

pleasure along with its 2007 sequel “The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”

In retrospect, Alba’s prudish Susan Storm still makes me cringe. Everything that director Tim Story’s two “Fantastic Four” movies did wrong, director Josh Trunks’ “Fantastic Four” fixes. Unfortunately, the new “Fantastic Four” does virtually everything else wrong. Trank’s “Fantastic Four” takes forever to introduce the heroic quar-

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tet along with their dastardly adversary and then pits them against each other for a humdrum finale. Happily, this foursome doesn’t don spandex costumes, and the tone of Trank’s “Fantastic Four” is laudably solemn compared to Story’s colorful but goofy “Fantastic Four.” Indeed, the biggest departure between Trank’s “Four” and the two previous versions lie with the source material. Trank and “X-Men” scenarist Simon Kinberg and “Lazarus Effect” scribe Jeremy Slater didn’t adapt the Stan Lee & Jack Kirby original. Instead, they are working from the reimagined graphic novels that Brian Michael Bendis & Mark Millar penned and Adam Kubert illustrated.

If you’ve read the Bendis and Millar “Ultimate Fantastic Four,” you have justifiable reason to be disappointed with its respectable but routine cinematic counterpart. The film unfolds in 2007 with Oyster Bay fifth graders Reed Richards and Ben Grimm as visionaries who win no respect.

Young Reed blacks out his neighborhood while trying to teleport a toy car to another dimension. Comparatively, Reed’s efforts aren’t as trendy as the high school students in “Project Almanac.” Nevertheless, Trank and his writers remain in part faithful to their source material. They have jettisoned the scenes where Ben rescued Reed from the clutches of high school bullies. The “Ultimate Fantastic Four” graphic novel opens with a gang of bullies flushing Reed’s face in a toilet until Ben intervenes. The message that bullying is bad has worn out its novelty. Furthermore, the filmmakers have eliminated the contentious relationship between Reed and his father. Eventually, the action leaps ahead seven years with Miles Teller and Jamie Bell replacing child actors Evan Hannemann and Chet Hanks respectively as Reed and Ben. Although the academic intellects that command Oyster Bay don’t appreciate Reed’s explosive experiments, two New York City outsiders appreciate Reed’s potential. Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey of “American Psycho”) and his adopted daughter Sue Storm (Kate Mara

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of “Iron Man 2”) represent the Baxter Foundation, a government-sponsored think-tank for young prodigies, and they offer Reed a scholarship he cannot refuse. Reed encounters Dr. Storm’s insubordinate son Johnny (Michael B. Jordan of “Chronicle”) and the obnoxious Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbell of “Prince of Persia”) who have little use for each other. Later, when Victor catches Reed getting chummy with Sue, the jealous Von Doom reminds Reed to maintain professional detachment. Actually, Von Doom hates Reed because Reed has engineered a way to complete Von Doom’s original project. Grudgingly, Von Doom acknowledges Reed’s genius.

Naturally, the adults at the Baxter Foundation are suitably impressed when our heroes teleport a chimp to another dimension and then bring the simian back alive. Indeed, the adults plan to invite NASA to supervise the project. Our impertinent youthful quartet balks at such meddling and proceeds with human teleportation before the grown-ups can interfere. Reed summons Ben from out of town to participate in this landmark event. However, things go awry when our heroes make it to another dimension and wind up on a desolate planet oozing with green slime that exerts dire consequences for them. An earthquake separates Victor from his colleagues, and a defective door seals Ben’s fate on takeoff. When all but Von Doom return from the other dimension, things have changed drastically for them as well as for Sue who monitored their flight. Indeed, Reed has become freakishly elastic, while Ben resembles a pile of rocks. Johnny has acquired incendiary powers, while Sue can become invisible and create force fields. The Pentagon imprisons them and then exploits their powers to carry out missions. Meanwhile, Ben hates Reed because he looks ugly. The resourceful Reed escapes from captivity and searches for a cure for his old friend. Back on Planet Zero, evil Victor dons a hoodie and plots his vengeance.

The problem with “The Fantastic Four” isn’t the acting. The cast is exceptional, especially Teller as the bespectacled Reed. Jamie Bell looks extraordinary as The Thing. Kate Mara holds her own against the predominantly male cast.

Unfortunately, Dr. Doom’s attack on Earth lacks sufficient impact. Glacial pacing and overall predictability sabotage “The Fantastic Four.” You can guess whatever happens before it occurs or what they will say before they say it. Ultimately, the comic book surpasses the film in terms of striking visuals and narrative content.

Had Trank and his CGI team generated images as exciting, “The Fantastic Four” would truly have qualified as fantastic

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AUGUST 27 + SEPTEMBER 10

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>>> PET PLANET | K E L S E Y C A M E R O N

SASHA // THIS IS YOUR GIRL Meet Sasha! Sasha is a medium to long haired 1 year old girl (as of 8/4/15). She is a tabby and Siamese mix. Isn’t she beautiful? We have her mother, Princess, who is a Siamese mix. We also currently have her kitten Carter. Three generations of cats, and they are all up for adoption! She is very shy and will need a quiet home where she can feel safe. She gets along well with the other cats in the room, especially her mother. Sasha is negative for FIV and FeLK, current on vaccinations, and spayed/ neutered. If you are looking for a sweet, loving girl to add to your family, this is your girl!

BRUNO // MISS PERSONALITY Liven up your life with this cute, cuddly little ball of energy! This little frisky fellow is Bruno, a 1-year-old male Terrier mix. Bruno has a sleek brindle coat (black and brown striped) and is a small dog, weighing only 16 pounds, and this is full-grown. He is mostly all legs! Bruno was pulled from our local animal shelter, where he was surrendered by his owners because they were moving. Poor Bruno had been down there almost 2 months, so it was time to get him out! Bruno is just a social butterfly! He loves to be with you and loves to run and play. He has some energy, but can settle down and snuggle when tired. Bruno should be fine in an apartment as long as he gets daily walks. He will require a fenced in yard if left outside at any time. Bruno seems to get along fine with other dogs and should be good with children ages 12 and older, not younger due to his small size. We have started on his crate training. Bruno is up to date on his vet care, neutered, heartworm negative and is microchipped. He is on heartworm and flea/tick prevention. Such a cute dog, Bruno is ready to find his forever home where he will be loved for the rest of his life!

If you are interested in giving Sasha or Bruno 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.

VOLUNTEER 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.

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

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H E S O U T H E A S T ' S L A R G E S T NOTE: All events listed here have phone numbers in the 205 area code unless otherwise indicated.

>>> A R T S | KEVIN LEDGEWOOD

BAMA ART HOUSE FILM SERIES FALL

T

he mission of the Bama Art House series is to bring current and contemporary independent film to West Alabama, transforming the historic Bama Theatre into a cinematic art house.

Screenings will take place at the Bama Theatre on Tuesday nights at 7:30 p.m. with the box office opening at 6:30 p.m. and doors at 6:45 p.m.

Single Tickets are priced at $8 general, $7 seniors & students and $6 Arts Council members. Patrons can visit bamatheatre.org/bamaarthouse to view the list of films, details and accompanying trailers.

FRIDAY, Aug 28

Exhibition: Joyce J. Scott: Truths and Visions WHEN: 9am-4:30pm COST: Free WHERE: Sarah Moody Gallery of Art, 103 Garland Garland Hall PHONE: (205) 348-1891 LINK: http://art.ua.edu/news/smgas-inaugural-fall-exhibition-joyce-j-scott-truths-and-visions/ DESCRIPTION: Contemporary sculptural works by Joyce J. Scott featuring meticulous beadwork combined with blown glass, molded glass components and found African wooden artifacts will be on display beginning August 27, 2015, at The University of Alabama Sarah Moody Gallery of Art. Scott will lecture about her art, Wednesday, August 26, at 7:00 p.m. in 205 Gorgas Library. There will be a reception on Thursday, August 27 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the gallery. The exhibition will be on display through October 16.

Scott’s art practice spans more than forty years, reflecting her African American, feminine and urban identity. She combines beauty and sophisticated craftsmanship with current cultural issues of race, gender and class.

Joyce J. Scott is a Baltimore native and earned her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art and M.F.A. from the Instituto Allende in Mexico. Her work is in numerous public collections including the Detroit Insti-

Sept. 1: Love & Mercy Sept. 8: Court- Sponsored by Sanjay &

Dibya Singh Sept. 15: The Look of Silence Sept. 22: No film this week Sept. 29: Irrational Man Oct. 6: A Borrowed Identity Oct. 13: No film this week Oct. 20: Film TBA

Sponsors include Left Hand Soap Company and Sanjay & Dibya Singh.

For more information Call 205758-5195 or visit bamatheatre.org for further information.

tute of the Arts; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

FRIDAY, Aug 28-30

All Alabama Veterans & Family Reunion WHEN: 7am-8am COST: Free WHERE: Embassy Suites 2410 University Blvd Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 PHONE: (205) 391-9200 LINK: http://visittuscaloosa.com/calendar-ofevents-old DESCRIPTION: The Alabama All Veterans & Family Reunion is a weekend filled with activities, and events that will bring you and your family pride, as we honor the men and women of Alabama that have served our Country

FRIDAY, Aug 29-30

Heritage Celebration Decorators BreakOut Showcase WHEN: 29th 10am-4pm, 30th 1pm-4pm COST: Tour Tickets $25 WHERE: Historic Old Jail, 2803 6th Street, 35401 PHONE: (205) 758-2238 LINK: http://www.historictuscaloosa.org/ index.php?page=events DESCRIPTION: Talented, local decorators will turn the rooms of the Old Jail into imaginative themed settings. Artists, decorators, and florists will create tablescapes that give

continued on page 18

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AUGUST 27 + SEPTEMBER 10

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>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H E S O U T H E A S T ' S L A R G E S T new meaning to “setting the table!” Architectural renderings will outline the Old Jail’s history throughout the site! A Tea Room on the lawn will offer refreshments to visitors. Enjoy music in the 19th c. inspired Garden at 2pm both days!! There has not been a Decorators Showcase since 2001

SATURDAY, Aug 29

Xterra Tide WHEN: 7am-12pm COST: Xterra Tide $60 race Fee + $3.60 Signup Fee, Xterra Tide relay $120 Race Fee + $7.20 Signup fee WHERE: 13226 Lake Lurleen Road Coker, AL US 35425 PHONE: (334) 333-0728 LINK: https://runsignup.com/Race/AL/coker/ XTERRATide DESCRIPTION: After completing the 2015 XTERRA Tide, XTERRA racers will agree that the venue for the event is “world-class”.

The evidence to support this claim comes from a beautiful overall setting, a clean lake with concrete ramps for swim start/finish, an open and spacious transition area, a large paved parking area, and bike/run courses that are almost exclusively on sweet and flowing single track trails Lake Lurleen State Park is a 1,625-acre hidden treasure located just to the west of Tuscaloosa, AL and the University of Alabama. Ninety-one modern campsites overlook the scenic 250-acre spring fed lake. All sites have water and electrical connections and thirty-five sites have sewer hookups. Camping reservations may be made by telephone (205-339-1558) to Lake Lurleen State Park, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The Arts Council Fun(D) Brunch 2015 WHEN: 10am-2pm COST: $40 WHERE: Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center, 600 Greensboro Ave. Tuscaloosa, Alabama PHONE: (205) 758-5195 LINK: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/1888046 DESCRIPTION: The Arts Council Fun(d) Brunch 2015 Benefiting The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa Saturday, August 29, 2015 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. At the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center 620 Greensboro Avenue Downtown Tuscaloosa Located on the same block as the Bama Theatre With live musical performances by The Cavell Trio from 10 a.m. - noon and The Voodoo Saints from noon - 2 p.m. Catered brunch by A Cutting Edge Caterers and 2 drink tickets at the bloody mary/mimosa bar included (bar tickets only for patrons 21+) Buy tickets online, $40 http://www.brownpapertickets. com/event/1888046 Pre-sale tickets only online or call 758-5195 x7 and set up a time to come by the office and pay by check.

Tuscaloosa Farmers’ Market WHEN: August 29- December 26 Saturday’s from 7am-Noon.

COST: Free. Price Varies with Vendors WHERE: 1900 Jack Warner Parkway Tuscaloosa AL PHONE: (205) 248-5295 LINK: http://www.visittuscaloosa.com/calendar-of-events-old DESCRIPTION: Fresh produce, grass fed beef, cheeses and so much more for the entire family 2nd Annual Bacon and Brewfest WHEN: 1pm-5pm COST: $10 Designated Driver/Bacon only

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ticket, $35 Day of Admission,$30 advanced General Admission, $45 Advanced VIP Admission WHERE: 7601 R Cardinal Airport Rd Tuscaloosa AL PHONE: (205) 345_7200 LINK: http://www.visittuscaloosa.com/calendar-of-events-old DESCRIPTION: Townsquare Media and Greene Beverage is hosting its 2nd Annual Bacon and Brew Fest, an ALL-YOU-CARETO-TASTE extravaganza complete with the best craft beers for your tasting pleasure… and of course the food of the Gods: BACON. Don’t miss what has been deemed “The Greatest Day Ever!” Your ticket includes a souvenir Southern Ale House sampling glass for beer and all the bacony goodness from area restaurants you can handle.

The Color Run WHEN: 7am-8pm COST: Team (4+) Runners* $35/person – Team Runner Pricing, Individual Runner $39.50 – Solo Runner Pricing.

WHERE: Munny Sokol Park 6198 Watermelon Rd Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 PHONE: (205) 562-3220 LINK: http://thecolorrun.com/tuscaloosa DESCRIPTION: The Color Run was founded in March 2011 as an event to promote healthiness and happiness by bringing the community together to participate in the “Happiest 5k on the Planet”. We are the original paint race and have created a completely new genre of running events that continues to grow exponentially.

Now the single largest event series in the world, The Color Run has exploded since our debut event. We have more than tripled our growth, hosting more than 300 events in 50+ countries in 2014.

In 2014, The Color Run debuts their first ever U.S. night run in Philadelphia! Also in 2014, The Color Run launched its massively successful Kaleidoscope Tour which visited over 150 cities in the U.S. and Canada.

In 2015, Color Runners around the world will experience the all-new Shine Tour which introduces a whole new element of glittery race attractions.

MONDAY, Aug 31

“To Kill a Mockingbird” performance at Theatre Tuscaloosa WHEN: 6pm-11:59pm COST: Free WHERE: Theatre Tuscaloosa 9500 Old Greenboro Road #135 Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 PHONE: (205) 391-2277 LINK: http://www.visittuscaloosa.com/calendar-of-events-old DESCRIPTION: This stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel is the familiar tale of Scout, Jem, Atticus, and Boo Radley. When Atticus Finch agrees to defend an AfricanAmerican man in the Jim Crowe South, it has profound effects upon his children and community. Come re-live this landmark story as Harper Lee’s much-anticipated sequel hits the shelves. October 23 - November 1, 2015 Auditions for “To Kill a Mockingbird” WHEN: 6pm COST: Free WHERE: 9500 Old Greensboro Road #135 Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 PHONE: (205) 391-2277 LINK: http://www.theatretusc.com/shows/tokill-a-mockingbird/ DESCRIPTION: Prepare for cold readings

from the script. Auditions will be held at 6:00 pm in the Bean-Brown Theatre. Changes and updates will be posted nearing the date on our website and Facebook page.

This stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s novel is the familiar tale of Scout, Jem, Atticus, and Boo Radley. When Atticus Finch agrees to defend an African-American man in the Jim Crowe South, it has profound effects upon his children and community.

Come re-live this landmark story as Harper Lee’s much-anticipated sequel hits the shelves.

TUESDAY, Sep 1

Bama Art House: Love & Mercy WHEN: 7:30pm & 9:30pm COST: Free WHERE: 600 Greensboro Ave Tuscaloosa AL PHONE: (205) 758-5195 LINK: http://bamatheatre.org/ DESCRIPTION: In the 1960s, Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson struggles with emerging psychosis as he attempts to craft his avantgarde pop masterpiece. In the 1980s, he is a broken, confused man under the 24-hour watch of shady therapist Dr. Eugene Landy.

THURSDAY, Sep 3

University Libraries Fair WHEN: 10am-11:30am COST: Free WHERE: 711 Capstone Drive Tuscaloosa, AL PHONE: (205) 348-6047 LINK: http://events.ua.edu/event/26491 DESCRIPTION: The third annual University Libraries Fair will take place on Wednesday Sept. 2nd (2:00 – 3:30 p.m.) and Thursday, Sept. 3rd (10:00 – 11:30 a.m.), in Gorgas 205. Representatives from all areas of the Libraries will be on hand to answer any questions about our resources and services. Though geared towards graduate students and faculty, all are welcome to

attend this two-day outreach event. Refreshments provided.

FRIDAY, Sep 4

First Friday WHEN: 5pm-9pm COST: Free WHERE: 600 Greensboro Avenue Tuscaloosa AL PHONE: (205) 758 5195 LINK: http://tuscarts.org/ DESCRIPTION: First Friday takes place on the first Friday of the month from 5-9 pm in Downtown Tuscaloosa and is free to the public. Local galleries, businesses and restaurants are open as an event for the community to see what Downtown Tuscaloosa has to offer. The First Friday event will offer gallery owners and merchants the chance to showcase their offerings after hours within the festive atmosphere created with the emerging presence of the downtown arts community

THURSDAY, Sep 10

Alzheimer’s Support Group WHEN: 6pm-7pm COST: Free WHERE: 1801 Rice Mine Rd N Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 PHONE: (205) 765-6549 LINK: http://www.tuscaloosachamber.com/ visiting/calendar-of-events#/?i=4 DESCRIPTION: Open to the Community.

This is a free group and does not require an RSVP

SARAH MCQUAID

S

arah McQuaid will perform on Acoustic Night at the Bama Theatre’s Greensboro Room on Sept. 6, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. Presented by The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa, the project features both solo and ensemble performances of a wide range of acoustic music throughout the calendar year in the intimate setting of the Bama Theatre’s Greensboro Room. Doors open at 7 p.m. Cover charge is $10 with a full service bar available.

Sarah McQuaid’s voice has been likened to malt whiskey, melted chocolate and “honey poured into wine” (Minor 7th). Her new album, “Walking Into White” (2015), is her most honest and adventurous work to date, with a depth and texture of soundscape that are reflected in her beautifully crafted live shows.

A captivating performer, she seduces her audience with cheeky banter and stories from the road, as well as with stunning musicianship. In her hands, the guitar becomes much more than merely an accompanying instrument.

Born in Spain, raised in Chicago and now living in rural England, McQuaid refuses to be pigeonholed, segueing easily from one of her emotive originals into a 1930s Cuban jazz number, a 16th century lute piece or an unexpected contemporary cover.

Like its predecessors, her fourth solo CD has drawn international critical acclaim.

“The Musician” (UK) called it “A work that grows with each listen,” while Germany’s “Folker” hailed it as “Ein mutiges Album mit einem potenziellen Pophit” (A courageous album that includes a potential pop hit). “Sending out a trembling resonance, this is a collection of songs that feel their way into your being,” wrote “FolkWords” (UK), where it prevailed over stiff competition to be selected as Album of the Month.

For more information about the artist visit sarahmcquaid.com, facebook.com/sarahmcquaidmusic and Sarah McQuaid (sarahmcquaid) on Twitter.

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>>> MUSIC | A L A N S C U L L E Y

An interview with LADY ANTEBELLUM D

ave Haywood, guitarist/keyboardist for Lady Antebellum, readily says the kind of songs that come most naturally to the group are ballads and midtempo songs. That has worked fine so far for Haywood and his bandmates, singer Hillary Scott and singer/guitarist Charles Kelley.

Its resume is filled with hit songs that fall into that category, including “I Run To You,” “Need You Now” and “American Honey.”

“I think we write that style really well,” Haywood said. “I think when the three of us sit down, it’s a lot of times just me on guitar or piano, and just the three of us sitting to write a song all being super collaborative in the process, and those were the kind of songs we tended to write a lot of, a lot of nostalgia, a lot of heartbreak.”

The hit ballads have played a leading role in making Lady Antebellum one of today’s most popular country acts, a group that now routinely headlines outdoor and arena shows.

But the group’s talent for writing compelling and heartfelt ballads and mid-tempo material has created one problem for Lady Antebellum as the trio has moved up to headlining the largest of venues.

“Obviously, some of these songs are massive songs for us and they do so well and we love them,” Haywood said.

“But when you do get on a big stage, you kind of start to look at the set list over the past few years, and we’ve gone ‘Oh wow, there’s a ballad, now I guess we have to follow it with this ballad.’ You kind of start hitting that wall.”

Realizing that they needed to add some juice to the live show, Lady Antebellum set a specific objective for its latest album, “747” – write songs that would bring more energy of the live shows.

“We had to push ourselves, I think, out of our comfort zone a little bit more,” Haywood said. “Writing a song like ‘Bartender,’ I mean, we were on the tour bus, I remember, when we were writing that song in the middle of Missouri or Kansas and just working on that. And you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone. It feels a little different for us, you know, as a band known a lot for ‘I Run To You’ and ‘Need You Now’ and ‘Just a Kiss’ and these songs, to sit there and (write lyrics that) talk about being on the dance floor and having a party, doing all these fun things.

But that’s what’s fun.”

As Lady Antebellum follows up tours of Europe and Australia with an extensive U.S. run in support of “747,” Hayward is already seeing the difference the new

rockers are making from the stage on this “Wheels Up” tour.

“I do think for the first time in Lady A history, we’ve really paced out a show that is really, I mean, the ballads become some of those big moments because there are so few of them now,” he said. “And there is such an exciting pace and energy to the show, because we’ve got (uptempo) songs like ‘Bartender’ and ‘Long Stretch of Love,’ ‘Freestyle’’ and a lot of those songs from the new record that are able to carve out a great set list I feel like, which is a lot more high energy and on your feet. It feels a lot more like a Lady A party this year.”

Lady Antebellum is matching the more energetic feel of its set list with stage production that is meant to amp up the show visually.

“We really spent about six or seven months sketching out ideas ahead of the tour, and ways to really make this the most top-notch, high energy show that we’ve had,” Haywood said. “I think we really tried to focus our efforts on making it look amazing no matter where you’re sitting in an arena or in an amphitheater, even if you’re at the back of the amphitheater, to have ways that the whole stage is lit up in a great looking fashion, great production, great video screens so people can really feel engaged all the way in the back of these large venues is a priority for us too.

“This whole theme for us, ‘747’ and the ‘Wheels Up’ tour, has really been what’s the biggest kind of sound we can go for with the biggest kind of production we can go for?” he said.

Of course, this still leaves the question of how the friskier songs from “747” would work in another forum — on radio.

So far the results are mixed. “Bartender” did well, reaching number four on “Billboard” magazine’s Hot Country Songs chart, but “Freestyle” stalled out at number 24, a rare whiff for Lady Antebellum when it’s come to choosing singles.

Otherwise, Lady Antebellum has been one of the most consistent hitmakers in country over the past seven years with multiple top 20 country singles from each album and a healthy collection of number one singles, beginning with “I Run To You,” off of the group’s 2008 self-titled debut album.

Lady Antebellum then did that song one better with the title track from its 2010 follow-up album, “Need You Now.” That aching ballad became a huge crossover hit, topping both the country and adult contemporary charts and hit number two on the all-genre “Billboard” Hot 100 chart.

To top things off, “Need You Now” earned the song the 2011 Grammy for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Two other songs from that album, “American Honey” and “Our Kind of Love” also went number one.

The third album, “Own The Night,” followed in fall 2011, and produced two more number one country singles, “Just a Kiss” and the title song before 2013’s “Golden” came up just short of delivering another number one single when “Downtown” peaked at number two on the “Hot Country Songs” chart. The deluxe edition of the “Golden” album gave the group another top 10 hit in “Compass.”

The latter song represented a bit of a departure for the group in that it was produced by Nathan Chapman (known for his work with Taylor Swift) rather than Paul Worley, who had handled those duties on the first four albums.

Lady Antebellum decided to stick with

Chapman for “747,” but Haywood emphasized that this was no knock on Worley.

“I always try to approach this correctly because I’d never want to say anything bad about Paul because we have all the intention to continue to work with Paul and continue to cut and record with Paul Worley moving forward,” Haywood said.

“You know, we had loved everything we had cut with him and we got a taste of working with Nathan, and I think we caught a bug of the excitement that he really shares. Nathan is very, I think, very unique and special in the fact that he is just like a little kid in the candy store in the studio. He is so excitable, and it’s infectious. And that was fun. We really latched onto that and wanted to pursue that. Really I think the moment we were at in our career lined up with the moment that works for what his sound is as a producer.”

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

Across 1. "My treat!"

5. Wacky ones 10. Disapproving sounds 14. Jessica Rabbit, e.g.

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28. Milanese veal dish 33. "You ___ here" 34. Melodious 36. 1998 De Niro thriller 37. Day's opposite, in commercials 39. Jack of "The Texas Rangers" 41. Tête thought 42. Number system in which 8 is 10 44. Film director Jonathan 46. She, in Lisbon 47. Actress Nicollette 49. Lorry liquid 51. IM chuckle 52. Mouselike insectivore 53. Eye-related 57. Former Smashing Pumpkin 58. Newspaper section 61. Acts as umpire 63. Where Anna met a king 64. Lens type 65. Meat problem 66. To be, in Toulon 67. Oil company of old 68. Vassals 69. Chapeau's perch Down 1. Gambling venues, briefly 2. U.S. weather grp.

3. Singer who once was on "You Can't

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Do That on Television" 4. As a whole, in French 5. The red one is the world's largest marsupial 6. Skunk's defence 7. Inning divisions 8. Carrier to Amsterdam 9. State of balance 10. Half of a seafood special 11. Eye opening for a squint 12. Patella site 13. After-school anti-drinking org.

19. Exactitude 24. ___ Tuesday 25. "Snap into ___ Jim!" ("Macho Man" adline) 26. Shuffle alternatives 27. "If I Were ___ Man" 28. Like some furniture 29. Avril Lavigne's "Sk8ter ___" 30. Guarantee against failure 31. Spanish sky 32. "Shaq" 35. Rafael ____ (tennis pro) 38. Musical talent 40. Stress 43. Light purple 45. Always, in verse 48. Fishing vessels 50. Cups, saucers, etc.

52. Knickknack holder 53. Slowly flow 54. Corp. money minders 55. E.T. vehicles 56. Prom night transportation 57. Ripley's "Believe ___ Not!" 59. Tangy 60. Hook's first mate 62. ___ Ventura

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 You can be very practical and down to earth, so you'll enjoy the current blend of energies focused on Virgo and your romance and creativity zone. If you enjoy making things, you'll be on cloud nine, particularly if you're eager to acquire new skills. Upgrading your technique and giving your business a professional makeover could see you earning a lot more money. At home, Mars encourages you to clear out clutter and give yourself space to expand.

The present alignment could coincide with ideas to create a home office or start a home-based business from your kitchen table.

The current Virgo focus encourages you to think ahead, create a business plan, and work out the costs involved. You may also want to expand by purchasing a bigger property, adding rooms to the one you have, or making one or two additions to your family. Try to avoid making important decisions around the time of Saturday's Full Moon.

If you work in sales, media, advertising, or education, you'll have your work cut out for you. This and the weeks ahead could bring opportunities for more work that pays at a higher rate. Don't settle for the tried and trusted. Be prepared to challenge yourself and take on new jobs or projects even if they seem somewhat daunting.

Mercury enters Libra on Thursday, urging you to be tactful with family members. Saturday's Full Moon encourages you to embrace new adventures.

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Mars continues in Leo, so you may find you get more done more quickly. You seem to work best when you work fast. When you allow creative ideas to flow, and respond accordingly, you could produce some of your best pieces yet, but you may be shy about putting them on display. When it comes to money matters, you might want to invest in upgrading your skill set or getting a qualification. Both could help you improve your income in the future.

You might feel like partying even if you don't have anything to celebrate. There's an air of optimism and confidence about you that gives you hope for the future. If aspects of your life have been a bit of a trial lately, Jupiter in your sign comes just in time to boost your spirits. Mercury in Libra encourages you to balance your accounts and get finances up to the mark. Saturday's Full Moon can be excellent for a sparkling date.

It's that time of year when you'll benefit from taking a sabbatical.

Although you're likely busy in key areas of your life, the cosmos encourages you to spend some time alone reflecting, recharging, and harvesting insights that can help you make the right decisions.

Mercury enters Libra on Thursday, so you'll feel motivated to express your feelings and share personal ideas. Try to relax your schedule around Saturday's Full Moon and make time for a spa treatment or soothing massage.

Mars in Leo hints that you're in manager mode, eager to get projects off the ground and delegate where necessary. Your determination to proceed may mean you're pressuring yourself to succeed. This is absolutely the time to do so. Your social life sparkles, too, with plenty of chances to attend exciting events. If you want to date, you may be feeling more confident about the outcome than you have in some time. Saturday's Full Moon shimmers with romance and passion.

This week's upbeat alignment may push you to knuckle down and succeed at a career plan or ambitious goal. You may be feeling more confident about your chances than you have in some time, contributing to your enthusiasm and determination to succeed.

Mercury's move to Libra on Thursday adds extra sparkle to your social life, encouraging you to mingle and perhaps involve yourself in teamwork. Saturday's Pisces Full Moon can enhance a gettogether or party at your place.

It could be decision time concerning a desire to expand your horizons. If you've been researching options, perhaps a class appeals to you as a way to improve your chances in the job market.

Travel adventures could give you a fresh perspective on life that impacts your choices and personality. Mercury glides into Libra on Thursday, so you may be giving fresh thought to career goals and what you need to do to achieve them. Saturday's Full Moon could confuse matters!

Business matters seem to flourish as Jupiter moves deeper into your zone of shared finances. If you've been thinking about taking on a business partner or pooling resources with someone, it's time to do some research. Venus continues retrograde, so don't commit to anything just yet. Wait until after September 6 to make a decision.

Mercury in Libra as of Thursday could see you flirting with someone and hoping to impress. If you're shopping on Saturday, avoid buying on impulse.

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Your social life seems to take on a new and positive tone, with friends eager to see you do well. People are generally happy to spend time in your company, so you may receive more invitations than ever. You're also in luck when it comes to romance. Mercury in Libra as of Thursday encourages you to come to grips with financial issues and ease anxiety as a result. Saturday's Full Moon in your sign encourages you to dream big dreams.

You'll excel at competitive sports as Mars encourages you to pit yourself against others' strength and agility. When it comes to romance, you'll be just as ardent, eager to impress, and ready to sweep someone off their feet. You also seem to be enjoying yourself at work, with Jupiter and the Sun encouraging you to knuckle down and bring your dreams to life. You're entering a phase in which it pays to grab every opportunity that comes your way.

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

PHOTOS: UA ATHLETICS

SCRIMMAGE NUMBER 2 // NICK SABAN SEES IMPROVEMENT N

ick Saban said that all of the quarterbacks got some opportunities on Saturday, noting that Cooper Bateman threw 27 passes, Jake Coker 26, Alec Morris 21 and Blake Barnett 11. He said that Coker did a “decent job,” considering he’d missed some practice time this week with a toe injury.

Then he was asked about Alec Morris.

“Alec has done a nice job,” Saban said. “I think he does a really good job understanding the offense.

“He helps the other players play better. I think he has probably shown command at the position, which I think is important. “(He’s) got to continue to work on touch, accuracy, efficiency, but we’re really pleased with what Alec has done in camp.”

QUARTERBACK WORKLOAD Asked how the quarterback workload was broken down between the first, second and third units, Saban said, “It’s really complicated. It’s important to me. It’s important to us. But it’s not a plan to be put out for speculation. They all got turns.”

Saban added that efficiency in the passing game needed to improve.

“Eliminate the drops, make plays when you have the opportunity, quarterbacks put the ball in a place where you have a chance to catch and run it,” Saban said. “So just a little more precision we need to develop. There was improvement from the week before. But I think we need a little more precision in that area.”

“I thought (wide receiver) ArDarius Stewart had a really good day today,” Saban said. “He had eight catches. He made some really good catches, adjusted to the ball well, made some contested plays, which was great to see.

22

AUGUST 27 + SEPTEMBER 10

UPDATE ON RUNNING GAME “I like the running backs and I like the things we can do in the running game (and) the backs that we have. Obviously that’s not something we really emphasize in the scrimmage.”

“It was our goal today that (Derrick Henry) get six to eight (carries),” Saban said. “He had eight and Kenyan Drake had six. Damien Harris had 14. So that’s about what we wanted to get out of it. We didn’t want to get them banged.

“We wanted Kenyan Drake to get hit. He hadn’t been hit since the Ole Miss game, so he scrimmaged today quite a bit.”

RAGLAND LOOKS GOOD “Defensively, Reggie Ragland has had a really good camp,” Saban said. “I thought he did a nice job out there today. Reuben (Foster) has had a nice camp and did a good job out there today.

“J.K. Scott had a really good day punting the ball. Griff (Adam Griffith) made a 53 (or) 52-yard field goal, which was really encouraging. He missed a 52-yarder.”

Saban said that overall there was “a lot of improvement” from the first to second scrimmage.

“It was tough. Took a lot of mental toughness to grind through the conditions that we were in,” Saban said.

“I thought at the beginning of the scrimmage, the two first teams didn’t sort of dominate like you’d want them to, because the first 55 plays or so were sort of like a game, play whatever situation comes up, whatever play comes up. But then as the scrimmage moved on, I think the first teams played a little better, tackled a little better. Defense had a couple of turnovers. We’d like to get more turnovers, but two for scores, which when you’re playing against yourself, you don’t like that you didn’t take care of the ball.”

SABAN ON SCRIMMAGE INJURIES “The only two guys that I feel, injury-wise, (right tackle) Dominick Jackson strained his shoulder. He may be out a couple of days. (Backup right tackle) Korren Kirven got a sprained knee, and we think it’s an MCL, which Robert Foster had an MCL last week and he didn’t miss any time.”

SPECIAL TEAMS Saban was asked about the punt return spot.

“Cyrus (Jones) has done it before and has done a really nice job in the spring and fall,” Saban said. “He’s got really good judgment and really good hands. He’s fast and explosive.

“After that, we’re looking at three or four guys to be backups. Probably Chris Black, one of those guys who has done some of that in the past. (Richard) Mullaney is a very sure-handed guy, so we feel good about that part of it.”

As for special teams cover guys, Saban mentioned several.

“Tony Brown, Bradley Sylve, Minkah (Fitzpatrick) has turned out to be a really good special teams player. Robert Foster

has done a really good job on special teams. Shaun Dion (Hamilton) has always been a really good special teams player.

Dillon Lee. We’ve got kind of a group that has got some experience. Obviously it’s important for us to get a lot of people involved on special teams, so we don’t have to play starters and I think it’s good for team morale that you have a lot guys that have roles. Shawn Burgess-Becker has done a nice job on special teams so far.”

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

A

labama’s true freshman wide receiver Calvin Ridley is expected to be Amari Cooper’s long-term successor, but for now the role may fall on redshirt sophomore ArDarius Stewart.

A native of Fultondale, Ala., Stewart enters his third season on the team and has embraced a leadership role. He along with teammate Robert Foster have been leading receivers through drills in fall practice. Stewart caught eight passes for 116 yards and

Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine and SB Nation. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @ ESPN_Future.

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two touchdowns in Alabama’s spring game.

He shared most valuable player honors offensively with Foster.

Stewart’s hands, speed and athleticism got him action last season in 13 games.

He recorded 149 yards on 12 receptions, seven of which resulted in first downs.

Stewart brought in three passes for 63 yards in Alabama’s meeting with Florida Atlantic in 2014. He played against No.1-ranked Mississippi State, accounting for 25 yards on two catches.

Stewart’s ability to adjust to the football and come down with contested receptions is what makes him a threat in Alabama’s passing game. Head coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin both want him to be “the man.” At 6-foot-1, 204 pounds, Stewart was a consensus four-star prospect upon his arrival to Tuscaloosa, Ala., in 2013.

He has the instincts to play in the slot, yet Stewart’s hands and acceleration would bode well as a vertical target. He tallied eight receptions in the Crimson Tide’s second fall scrimmage Saturday, bailing out quarterback Jake Coker on a few passes.

Wide receivers Chris Black and Robert Foster will play this season. Kiffin will find ways to navigate Calvin Ridley and Richard Mullaney into some roles, but Stewart is the ideal guy.

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