PLANET WEEKLY 527

// IN THIS ISSUE THE "M" WORD THE GOOD KINDA FAT ROGUE ONE ROAD TRIP

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS

SHOUTED, WRITTEN DOWN & QUOTED

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JAN 25 + FEB 8

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>>> planetweeklyissue527

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ENTERTAINMENT 5 CHAMBER NEWS 6 BOOK REVIEW

PUBLISHER

L I N DA W. J OHN S ON

MANAGING EDITOR

W I L L I AM BA R S HOP

GRAPHIC DESIGNER EVE TEMONIA

EVENTS

C H A S E DY E R

ROAD TRIP

T R E Y B R OOK S

RESTAURANT GUIDE DOC FRANKENSTEIN

PRODUCTION EVE TEMONIA

IMAGES

Images: Creative Common License unless otherwise credited.

ADVERTISING MA R T Y R OBERSON 205.523.4 668

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

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

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.

22 STORIES 4 GREENSKY BLUEGRASS // ALLEN SCULLEY

“It was nice to have a little bit of time to just like digest it and then go back and start to dig into some stuff a little bit more big picture,” he said. “Sometimes when the project was a little bit more rushed, later you hear those things and think I wish we would have done this (different thing).”

6 HEALTHY FATS-BELIEVE IT OR NOT// RACHEL STEINER

“In other parts of the world, fat has always been welcome at the dinner table and its no coincidence that they are not struggling like the United States with an obesity and health crisis. It is time we realize the truth, not all fats are created equal and our body needs fat to survive and function at an optimal level.”

7 TRAVIS TRITT // BIG SPRING ENTERTAINMENT

“A Marietta, Ga. native, Travis Tritt launched his music career 27 years ago. The Grammy award-winning artist continues to sell-out shows, top sales charts and stay true and relevant to Country music fans across the globe. Among his eleven studio albums and numerous charted singles are nineteen Top 10 hits, including “Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde,” “Love Of A Woman” and “T-R-O-U-B-L-E.”

22 COMMUNITY ARTS // KEVIN LEDGEWOOD Film Series, Exhibits and more.

9 BEER/WINE REVIEWS 10 IN THE KITCHEN

RESTAURANT GUIDE

14 PET PLANET 15 MOVIE REVIEWS 16 EVENTS 19 DECEMEBER ART NIGHT 20 PUZZLEMANIA / EDITORIAL CARTOON 21 HOROSCOPE

HIGH TIDE SPORTS 23

SABAN WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE GARY HARRIS

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

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS // THE "M" WORD

M

aturity is a term some musicians prefer not to see associated with themselves or their bands. After all, music is considered a young person’s game and youthful rebellion is what’s usually considered hip. But with the release of the sixth Greensky Bluegrass studio album, “Shouted, Written Down & Quoted,” mandolin player/singer Paul Hoffman is embracing the “M word” as a sign of the continued musical development of his group.

“It’s sort of the nature of our ensemble that we play a lot – and overplay even,” Hoffman said in a recent phone interview.

“In bluegrass bands, like everybody is playing and playing so many damn notes. And at some point, I think with all music and all musicians, you get a little bit older and you realize, OK, I can play a lot of notes. But how do I play less?

It’s the nature of all things, with flavor, words, color, music, the restraint is a more mature art form in learning how to use it.

“So that for me on this record I thought was really cool,” he said. “There are a lot of delicate moments. I think maybe it translates to, it’s not like in your face rocking the whole time. There are these like tender, beautiful moments, I think we actually created beautiful moments. I don’t know that we’ve done that in the past. Like there are some parts on there that are really pretty. And we’re a dark rock bluegrass band. I’m not sure people are expecting pretty all of the time, but it’s like pretty in a Pink Floyd way, though. It’s kind of psychedelic pretty.

Those are all of my favorite moments on the record because they’re just so different from what we do all the time.”

Greensky Bluegrass fans, though, don’t have to worry that the group has lost its edge on “Shouted, Written Down & Quoted.” The group is known for its progressive approach to bluegrass and for bringing rock and roll energy to its music, and that isn’t lost on the latest album.

Songs like “Run Or Die,” “Fixin’ To Ruin,” “Living Over” and “Take Cover” have plenty of energy in their brisk tempos and the quick-finger picking that the band members bring to their parts and solos.

But Hoffman is right about the moments of restraint and beauty that are peppered throughout “Shouted, Written Down & Quoted.”

The group doesn’t worry about breaking any land speed records on mid-tempo songs like “Miss September” and “Past My Prime,” choosing instead to make the notes count and focusing on the vocal melodies that carry the songs. And ballads like “Room Without a Roof,” “While Waiting” and “More Of Me” are all about putting melody and mood first, with

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instrumental virtuosity taking a back seat.

It makes sense that the five members of Greensky Bluegrass are showing more maturity in their music and playing, considering that they now qualify as seasoned artists and performers.

a larger goal – to help make a Greensky Bluegrass concert an event that fosters a sense of community within the audience.

It’s an ethic Hoffman said grew out of seeing his share of rock concerts, with Phish being a particularly big influence “That’s a big influence for us, just the presentation of the music and the

Swim” marking the most time Greensky Bluegrass had ever spent making an album.

The new album, though, was recorded in two separate sessions four months apart with producer Steve Berlin (of the band Los Lobos). Hoffman said the group pretty much finished the basic tracks

The group’s beginnings go back 15 years, to 2000 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, when Hoffman, guitarist/singer Dave Bruzza and banjo player/singer Michael Arlen Bont formed the core of the original Greensky Bluegrass.

The group went through a couple of lineup changes shortly after releasing its debut album, “Less than Supper,” in May 2004, eventually settling into the current lineup that also includes Michael Devol on upright bass and vocals and Anders Beck on steel guitar.

And by 2006, when the group released its second album, “Tuesday Letter,” Greensky Bluegrass was showing it was ready to make noise on the national bluegrass scene. That year, the group won the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Competition.

The Telluride victory earned Greensky Bluegrass a main stage slot at the 2007 Telluride Bluegrass Festival, a performance that elevated the group’s profile and set the stage for the release in November 2007 of the concert album, “Live at Bells.”

The group’s career has continued to gain momentum since, as Greensky Bluegrass has released three more studio albums (2008’s “Five Interstates,” 2011’s “Handguns” and 2014’s “If Sorrows Swim”), and focused much of its touring efforts on playing rock clubs, rock festivals and jam band events and festivals, while continuing to keep its foot in the bluegrass circuit.

Along the way, the venues have gotten bigger, to the point where Greensky Bluegrass now routinely plays major theaters and main stages of major festivals.

The group’s shows have grown bigger on a visual level along the way, and that will be the case as Greensky Bluegrass returns to the road in January, playing two sets of music each evening and changing up the set list from show to show.

“We keep getting more and more lights and more and more production stuff for the stage, so the stage look is a little big and a lot of the rooms have gotten bigger,” Hoffman said.

The visual emphasis is meant to serve

concept of the show being an event and catering to people who see a whole run of shows,” Hoffman said. “That whole relationship with the fan base, the band and the fan, and what it can be, I learned from them (Phish) and I think from the Grateful Dead. And that kind of community-based music is something that was important to all of us growing up. Musically it’s hard to say that Phish was a big influence other than just going for it. But I think that relationship with the fans and sort of the responsibility of the music as a bigger thing I learned from them very much.”

The new songs fans will hear in the Greensky Bluegrass shows this winter are the product of a fairly different approach the group took in recording “Shouted, Written Down & Quoted.”

The band has been accustomed to recording quickly and finishing albums in a single session, with the 10 days of recording that produced “If Sorrows

during the first session, leaving vocals, harmonies, overdubs and other embellishments as the main remaining tasks for the second recording session. Hoffman said with more time to experiment on the songs and four months to live with the basic tracks and think about how to finish the tracks before the second recording session, he doesn’t find much to second guess within the music on “Shouted, Written Down & Quoted.”

“It was nice to have a little bit of time to just like digest it and then go back and start to dig into some stuff a little bit more big picture,” he said.

“Sometimes when the project was a little bit more rushed, later you hear those things and think I wish we would have done this (different thing).

With this record, when I listen to it, not much new stuff pops out to me that I think of because we sort of exhausted the ‘We can do this and we can do this.’”

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>>> N E W S | T H E C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

NEWS CHAMBER TO OFFER OSHA 30 GENERAL INDUSTRY TRAINING

ADOPT-A-SCHOOL NEWS Milo's Brings Breakfast Feast to Hillcrest Middle Hillcrest Middle School students recently participated in a canned food drive and created a CANstruction project. The winning class created a Christmas tree, complete with decorations and gifts. The school's wonderful new adopter, Milo's Tuscaloosa, treated that class to breakfast to celebrate! Thanks, Milo's, for your generosity and support! The students were thrilled with their breakfast feast.

The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama will offer an OSHA 30 General Industry Training Course, open to both members and non-members, January 30 through February 2, at the Chamber office on Jack Warner Parkway.

Through this training course, students will receive their training delivered by an OSHA-authorized trainer. The 30-hour class is intended to provide students with awareness of common job-related safety and health hazards, along with more skilled sessions on supervisor safety engagement, public speaking and advanced safety responsibilities.

Students will receive advanced training in OSHA Recordkeeping and navigation of the OSHA Standards-policies and procedures, along with accident investigation. Upon course completion students will have the ability to define general industry terms found in the OSHA General Industry Standards.

Students will receive an OSHA card of training and certificate.

Students will need the following: -Purchase a 29 CFR 1910 OSHA GENERAL INDUSTRY BOOK. The cost of the course is $445 for Chamber members and $465 for nonmembers. For more information or to register for the course, call Carolyn Tubbs at (205) 391-0556 or email Carolyn@tuscaloosachamber.com.

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JAN 25 + FEB 8

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

HEALTHY FATS-BELIEVE IT OR NOT

A

re you afraid of fats? Most people are due to the recent hype of low fat advertising on food labels and packaging that has people looking for other things when getting food. “Low fat” and “fat free” have become standard on many food packages and most think by consuming these foods will help with weight loss.

Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest nutritional lies the public believes and probably will continue to believe unless otherwise told. Even then, many people will continue to buy low fat or fat free items because they are just that scared of fat. Did you know our body needs fat to survive? The problem is, most are consuming fats that are not the healthy ones so our bodies are still lacking fat although body weight is steadily rising.

Obesity rates actually increased when low fat diets and food labeling became the new norm.

The American Heart Association even says dietary fat is essential to give your body energy and support cell growth. The good fats help your body absorb nutrients and produce hormones. Healthy dietary fats are also the fuel your brain needs to function and it can actually assist in memory retention. They actually increase your body’s metabolism, which will help you in return to burn unwawnted body fat and in return actually help you lose weight. Below are the top foods that contain healthy fats that should be a staple in your diet.

Avocados The benefits of avocados are endless and they are one of the healthiest fruits you can consume. They are high in monounsaturated fats, which increase the good cholesterol (aka HDL’s) your body needs and lowers the bad cholesterol (aka LDL’s). They are packed with vitamin E that can help prevent various dieses and cancer, boosts the immune system, and acts as an ant-aging nutrient for your skin. For pregnant women, avocado is a great source of folic acid, a vitamin that can help reduce the risk of birth defects.

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Coconut Oil Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide and research has found it is caused by the brains reduced ability to use glucose for energy in certain parts of the brain. Coconut oil is high in medium chain fatty acid and has proven to show immediate improvements in brain function when consumed by providing an alternative source of energy.

Coconut oil is loaded with saturated fats that again raise the food cholesterol and lower the bad cholesterol. Long-term use showed a reduced risk of heart disease and cardiovascular improvement.

Fish & Omega 3 Fatty Acids Fatty fish contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for the body and must be consume through food or supplementation because our body does not make them on its own. Just make sure when you are buying your fish look for “wild caught” on the package instead of “farm raised”. This is going to be your freshest, most natural form of the fish that doesn’t have the added hormones that can be harmful to the body. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in fish such as mackerel, tuna, salmon, and halibut. If you do not like fish, you should consider supplementing with high-grade fish oil.

Nuts Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, and pistachios are high in the healthy fat we need. They can improve blood cholesterol and keep blood vessels healthy. Eating about a handful a day of these has been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease.

I always tell my patients to make sure they are raw nuts not roasted or sugar coated. When flavor is added, most likely preservatives are used and that can take away from the nutritional value. These are to be eaten in moderation because they are high in calories.

In other parts of the world, fat has always been welcome at the dinner table and its no coincidence that they are not struggling like the United States with an obesity and health crisis. It is time we realize the truth, not all fats are created equal and our body needs fat to survive and function at an optimal level.

>>> B O O K R E V I E W

ALL THE LOST GIRLS// CONFESSIONS OF A SOUTHERN DAUGHTER

ABOUT THE BOOK

P

atricia Foster's lyrical yet often painful memoir explores the life of a white middle-class girl who rew up in rural south Alabama in the 1950s and 1960s, a time and place that did not tolerate deviation from traditional gender roles. Her mother raised Foster and her sister as "honorary boys," girls with the ambition of men but the temperament of women.

An unhappy, intelligent woman who kept a heartbreaking secret from everyone close to her, Foster's mother was driven by a repressed rage that fed her obsession for middle-class respectability.

By the time Foster reached age fifteen, her efforts to reconcile the contradictory expectations that she be at once ambitious and restrained had left her nervous and needy inside even while she tried to cultivate the appearance of the model student, sister, and daughter.

It was only a psychological and physical breakdown that helped her to realize that she couldn't save her driven, complicated mother and must struggle instead for both understanding and autonomy.

AUTHORS/EDITORS

Patricia Foster is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Iowa. She is editor of Minding the Body: Women Writers on Body and Soul and Sister to Sister: Women Write About the Unbreakable Bond and co-editor of The Healing Circle.

REVIEWS

"All the Lost Girls dramatizes the subtle influences of family and culture,and especially of southern culture, on a young woman's psyche. At the sametime, the book carries on the southern literary tradition of creating astrong, direct voice that isn't afraid to see the humor of a situation,to artistically sketch a lush landscape, and to depict fascinating ruralcharacters."

—Mary Swander, author of Out of This World: A Woman's Life Among the Amish "The trouble with southern daughters and mothers is thatthere is precious little confession going on. Ours is a terrain of secretsand deceptions. I love the way Patricia Foster just wades into that darkand murky love-hate that keeps mothers and daughters forever mysteriousto each other."

—Nanci Kincaid, author of Crossing Blood

The University of Alabama Press is a proud member of the Association of American University Presses. The Press currently publishes 70-75 new titles a year and has over 1,800 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.

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>>> F E AT U R E | B I G S P R I N G E N T E R T A I N M E N T

TRAVIS TRITT TO PERFORM RARE SOLO-ACOUSTIC SHOW AT THE BAMA THEATRE Tickets on sale NOW through the Bama Theatre website and Etix.com.

Tuscaloosa, AL (December 9, 2016) – Enjoy a special evening with CMA and Grammy awardwinning country artist, Travis Tritt. Experience this rare opportunity featuring the multi-platinum artist in an intimate solo-acoustic setting where his powerful voice and his guitar are the subject of the spotlight.

An up-close and personal event punctuated by personal stories and anecdotes about his life and musical influences. Performing some of his biggest hits, including “T-R-O-U-B-L-E,” “It’s A Great Day to Be Alive” and “Best of Intentions;” the Grand Ole Opry member will bring his award-winning songs to life and leave the audience with a truly memorable experience.

About Travis Tritt: A Marietta, Ga. native, Travis Tritt launched his music career 27 years ago. The Grammy award-winning artist continues to sell-out shows, top sales charts and stay true and relevant to Country music fans across the globe. Among his eleven studio albums and numerous charted singles are nineteen Top 10 hits, including “Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde,” “Love Of A Woman” and “T-R-O-U-B-L-E.” Travis Tritt’s twenty-five year career has produced millions in album sales, two Grammy award wins and multiple No. 1 singles on the Country radio charts. For more

information on Travis Tritt, visit his website TravisTritt.com and follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

When: Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 7:30pm Where: Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Additional Information: Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The show is presented

by Big Spring Entertainment. Ticket prices are $59.75 and $49.75.

Additional fees may apply.

About Big Spring Entertainment: The Southeast's fastest growing independent promoter, Big Spring Entertainment is a full service concert and entertainment promotion company based in Huntsville, AL with offices in Nashville, TN. BSE has over 14 years of experience producing, booking, and promoting shows, across the Southeast. We specialize in theaters, performing art centers, arenas, and amphitheaters.

For more information on BSE visit BigSpringEntertainment.com and follow them on Facebook.

CHAMBER NEWS, continued from page 5

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>>> R E S TAU R A N T R E V I E W | S H E E N A G R E G G

Photos Courtesy of Sheena Gregg

CYPRESS INN// A TUSCALOOSA FAVORITE N

ovember is hands down my favorite time of the year. Sure I could attribute this to Thanksgiving, perhaps even football, but more likely the fact that my birthday falls within this month. Now well into my thirties, I’ve transitioned away from big birthday bashes to intimate dinners with close friends. I told my husband this year that I wanted to find a place that would comfortably accommodate a group of twelve, while providing great food and an atmosphere that was conducive to good conversation with everyone at the table.

The first restaurant that came to my mind was Cypress Inn. First learning of Cypress Inn as a college freshman, I remember having dinners at Cypress for honor society officer inductions and other prestigious student organizations.

Fast forwarding to later in my adult life, memories have been added of celebrating friends’ engagements at Cypress, as well as taking interview candidates from campus to dinner.

Cypress Inn seemed like the perfect place to enjoy a little nostalgia while celebrating turning another year wiser.

We arrived at Cypress on a Thursday evening welcomed by an extremely friendly staff. Anticipating our arrival, the hostess took us to our own private area. Not soon after we sat down, our server quickly took our drinks orders and brought out the signature spice muffins and yeast rolls. Still soft and warm like memories past, I pleased knowing that their bread quality had not changed over the years.

Looking through the menu, I had difficulty deciding what to get. I’ve traditionally been a smoked chicken with white barbecue sauce kind of diner, but thought I’d go for something a little different. Perusing the menu one last time, I decided to go with the fried jumbo Gulf shrimp with country club squash and smoked Gouda grits.

Others at our table opted for the prime rib split rolls, catfish, and Cypress Inn Special.

It wasn’t long after we ordered

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that the food started piling on the table. It had been awhile since my last trip to Cypress, so the ample portions of my grits and squash were surprising. My jumbo shrimp lived up to their name and were colored in golden perfection.

Soon after finishing my meal, dessert started to creep on the radar.

Our group couldn’t decide between the peanut butter pie, bread pudding, and cheese pie, so we decided on the Cypress Inn dessert sampler to give us a little bit of everything.

Each bite of dessert was consistent perfection. I’d never had the Mississippi mud cake or the key lime pie; neither left me disappointed.

All in all, it was great to be back in a place where my first memory started 13 years ago. Despite the management and ownership changes over the years, Cypress Inn continues to be a place that Tuscaloosa loves. It’s hard to ignore the fact that Cypress Inn will always be a signature place in Tuscaloosa. Riverfront views seem to be a highlight and complement to the tried-and-true menu that Tuscaloosa folks keep coming back for. I will be back again soon, Cypress Inn.

Cypress Inn is located at 501 Rice Mine Road North in Tuscaloosa.

Tweet us @ThePlanetWeekly and let us know where you are eating!

Sheena Gregg, MS, RDN,LD is a registered dietitian and local “Thrifty Dietitian.” Follow her on Twitter @ TheThriftyRD

Concerned about climate risk energy freedom?

SOUTHERN ENERGY FREEDOM TOUR Come learn how you can engage your member of Congress and community on a market-friendly solution to climate change that can also increase your family energy freedom of choice WHEN Tuesday, October 18, 2016 @ 6:30 to 7:30 pm WHERE Forest Lake Methodist Church Tuscaloosa SPEAKERS Peter Bryn, Ricky Bradley, and Bishop Dansby RSVP CCLtuscaloosa@gmail.com

"I support what Citizens' Climate Lobby is doing and I support your Carbon Fee and Dividend solution.”

George Schultz: Former Secretary of State under Ronald Reagan

"Most impressive is the work of Citizens' Climate Lobby...”

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

Dr. James Hansen: Former head of NASA Goddard Institute

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

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

FUNKY BUDDHA BREWERY// SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE STRONG ALE

FLORA SPRINGS TRILOGY// RED WINE

F

lavored beers can be fun and a change of pace for someone who is constantly drinking the same thing.

There’s nothing wrong with a beer that has some sort of fruit flavoring added to it, but some people will argue that it’s too “feminine” or just not good, but I couldn’t disagree more. It’s extremely difficult to get a good flavor into a beer. So when I see one that’s a bit more interesting, I usually have to try it even if it misses the mark most of the time.

Fortunately, Funky Buddha from Oakland Park, FL is well-versed in the extreme flavors department.

They have beers that range from lemon icebox pie to maple bacon and coffee, so clearly they know what they’re doing. I recently saw that they had a Blueberry Cobbler Ale, a base wheat beer but then has blueberries, vanilla, and cinnamon added, and I knew I had to get my hands on it. It just so happened that I was in Florida a couple of weeks ago and stopped into a local bottle shop/gas station to buy some beer. I looked in the cooler and there was a single bottle of the Blueberry Cobbler Ale and I knew it would be mine.

I took it home and opened it and was blown away by the flavors and more so the idea of crafting something so mind boggling. Here are my thoughts: I didn’t pour this one into a bottle, but from what I’ve read and seen online the beer pours a nice purple to blue-ish hue, due to the use of real blueberries, with about a half inch of off-white head that sticks around for a while. The smell was amazing and more like cobbler than I was expecting, to be honest. I got hints of the cinnamon and vanilla, but not much of the blueberries until the beer warmed a bit. It’s pretty interesting and not something I had ever experienced before. The use of vanilla and cinnamon combine to make something that really does remind you of the crust or the crumble depending on if you always had pie or cobbler. Really quite nice and very much a sensory overload.

Taste is where it lost me a little bit, but not something that really pushed me away. The flavor was mostly vanilla with hints of milky sweetness. You do pick up a little bit of the blueberries on the back end, but nothing too strong. I do wish there would have been a good bit more blueberry in the taste because, well, it’s in the name and I expected it to be almost like a mouthful of blueberries.

With that being said, the beer is really easy to drink and nothing is too harsh so that you can’t enjoy it. I very much enjoyed the flavor, I just wish some things were a little different in a few places.

Mouthfeel was smooth and creamy, which really drove home the flavor of the

cobbler, but again the blueberries would have added a lot here. The carbonation level was light to medium, which did help the small amount of blueberry flavor. One thing I have noticed with any of Funky Buddha's wheat beers is that they're usually pretty heavy and I can only drink one or two before feeling like I have concrete in my stomach. Floridian, a German hefeweizen, is the same way and I really wish I could drink so much more of that beer at a time, because it's so refreshing.

Overall, this is a decently done beer, but it just lacks in a few places where I wished it would shine. The blueberry flavor was light, but I've come to expect it from beers that use natural ingredients rather than artificial flavorings. I definitely applaud Funky Buddha on their continued use of real fruits and real spices in their beers, so I can always overlook a lighter fruit flavor in their products because I know it's coming from real fruit. I'm not sure of the price point on a 4 pack of this beer, but I'm not sure I would seek it out. Although, I would definitely drink one or two if I saw it on draft somewhere. Either way, if you see it drink it and continue to support breweries who try adventurous things and that are always experimenting.

Cheers!

Effective

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T

ommasi Prosecco Tenuta Filodora is a non-vintage sparkling wine that comes from San Pietro in Cariano, Italy, per the bottle label.

The Tommasi estate was founded in 1902 by Giacomo Tommasi in Pedemonte.

Made from 100% Glera, this Prosecco is the “result of careful selection and vinification of grapes grown on one small estate.”

The vineyard where this wine comes from is located in the town of Miane and is only 37 acres in size.

Check out Tenuta Filodora Prosecco from Vintus Wines for more information about this sparkling wine.

Sample received for review purposes.

Tommasi Prosecco Review From the tasting notes: The prosecco is fermented for 10 days in stainless steel tanks, then re-fermented in large tanks to give a fragrant, light and persistent sparkling wine.

Appearance In the glass, this wine is pale white gold in color.

It is quite transparent and seems to take on the shade of the color closest to the nearest light source.

Very bubbly as expected!

and under-ripe peach.

It was surprising how the aroma “sweetened up” after a few minutes and became quite enjoyable.

Not surprising was the lack of alcohol burn in the aroma, which I appreciated!

Tommasi Prosecco alcohol content 11.0% by volume, per the bottle.

Taste The wine’s taste was not sweet. What came through was what the tasting notes described as “lime blossom and lemon peel.”

Being a Brut, it also had the dryness you might expect.

What I really enjoyed was the lack of bitterness that I’ve experienced in other Brut wines.

All in all, the flavor was crisp, clean and light. Quite enjoyable!

Finish The wine had a medium finish that lingered all over the palate.

And, it was carried by the aforementioned lime and lemon.

Overall Opinion

Aroma At first, the wine’s aroma was minimal and hard to pick out.

But, after the bubbles settled for a few minutes, I was able to discern aromas of pear

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Overall, I found this sparkling wine to be enjoyable and refreshing.

A toast worthy companion to a New Year’s (or any other) celebration.

Tommasi Prosecco price $12.99, making it a nice “Under $20” pick for a sparkling wine.

Suggested Food Pairing This one’s easy… pair it with strawberries!

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>>> I N T H E K I T C H E N | R AC H E L PA X T O N

>>> RESTAURANTS |

FOUR RECIPES USING REFRIGERATED CRESCENT ROLLS

BREAKFAST / LUNCH Brown Bag

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.

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.

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

If you have refrigerated crescent rolls on hand, and are tired of having them as a side dish at dinner, try one of these recipes to prepare something different for dinner tonight.

Crescent rolls are very versatile and can be used in casseroles, as crusts, and even in desserts.

ONE DISH BREAKFAST 1 can crescent rolls 1/2 lb. ground sausage 1 1/2 cups hash browns, thawed 3 eggs 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

Cook Out 100 15th St E, Tuscaloosa Fast-food chain known for its drive-thru BBQ, burgers & more than 40 milkshake flavors.

Thur-Fri 11:00am-4:00am Sat-Wed 11:00am-3:00am www.cookout.com

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 Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant 2715 McFarland Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 333.9312

CHEESY CASSEROLE 1 lb. hamburger 1/4 c. chopped onion 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce 1 pkg. spaghetti sauce mix 1/4 c. chopped green pepper, optional 1 small can mushrooms, optional 3/4 c. sour cream 3 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated 2 oz. cheddar cheese, grated salt and pepper 1 can crescent rolls

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.

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.

T-Town Café 500 14th Street, Tuscaloosa | 759-5559 |www.ttowncafe.com Mon - Fri 6am - 3pm; Sat - Closed; Sun 10:30am - 3pm

Brown meat and onion. Add tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce mix and optional green pepper, and mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste. In a 9 x 9" baking dish, layer meat mixture, then sour cream, then cheese. Place unrolled crescent rolls on top to make crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

VEGGIE PIZZA 2 cans crescent rolls, not separated 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 3/4 c. mayonnaise or miracle whip 1/2 c. sour cream 1 tbsp. dill weed 1/2 tbsp. garlic salt 2 c. cauliflower, finely chopped 2 c. broccoli, finely chopped 3 carrots, shredded 3/4 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

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

MEXICAN

Chipotle Mexican Grill 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 391.0140 www.chipotle.com Chuy's 1320 McFarland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa// 349-4947 Sun-Thur 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-11pm www.chuys.com

CREAM CHEESE STRUDEL 4 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese 1/2 c. sugar 3 egg yolks 1/2 c. light raisins 2 tsp. grated lemon peel 1/2 c. melted butter 1/3 c. dry bread crumbs 2 cans crescent rolls

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

JAPANESE

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 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.

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.

ITALIAN

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

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

Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343

El Rincon (2 locations) 1225 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 366.0855 1726 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 330.1274

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 Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill 2001 New Watermelon Rd | Northport // 342.3378 LaGran Fiesta 9770 Hwy 69 S // 345.8871 Los Calientes Mexican Grill 3429 McFarland Blvd E // 553.1558

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

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom of five. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

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/

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

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

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cream cheese, sugar, egg yolks. Beat at medium speed until well blended and smooth. Stir in raisins and lemon peel. Set aside.

Open package of rolls and roll out to 1/4 inch thickness. Spread with 1/2 bread crumbs and cream cheese mixture. Roll and seal end. Repeat with other package of rolls.

Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees until brown and golden. Brush with milk before baking.

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.

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

Fernando's Mexican Grill 824 McFarland Blvd E | Northport // 205.331.4587

Line bottom and sides of ungreased jelly roll pan with crescent rolls. Bake as directed on package until golden brown. Cool. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill weed and garlic salt until creamy. Spread over crust. Press cauliflower and broccoli into dip mixture. Sprinkle with carrots and cheese. Chill completely before serving. Serves 24 or more.

JAN 25 + FEB 8

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.

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

Spread crescent rolls on cookie sheet. Seal all seams and curl up edges slightly. Pour over rolls the drained and cooked sausage, then uncooked hash browns, beaten eggs, and cheese. Season to taste. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

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

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.

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 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 Dave’s Dogs 1701 McFarland Blvd E | University Mall // 722.2800 Five Guys Burgers & Fries 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 391.0575 www.fiveguys.com Glory Bound Gyro Company 2325 University Blvd // 349-0505 Glory Bound Gyro Company is a unique restaurant that focuses on great food and service in a funky, fun-filled atmosphere.

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

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>>> RESTAURANTS |

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

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

2209 4th St | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 366.0913

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

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

Logan's Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd E // 349.3554

WingZone 1241 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 342.2473

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

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

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

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

Nothing But Noodles 1320 McFarland Blvd E #530// 349-2900 www.nothingbutnoodles.com Pastas, Salads, Soups, Desserts Fri-Sat 10:30am–10:30pm Sun-Thur 10:30am-9:30pm

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.

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

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

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers//764-9097 315 15th St, Tuscaloosa Fri-Sat 10:30am–11:00pm Sun-Thur 10:30am–10:00pm www.freddysusa.com

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

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

Tacogi 500 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 342.3647

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

Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe 1800 McFarland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa// 344-6444 Mon-Sat 11am-9pm Sun 11am-8pm

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

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

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

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

Outback Steakhouse 5001 Oscar Baxter Dr // 759.9000 R. Davidson Chophouse 2330 4th St. /Downtown Tuscaloosa/ 2056148782 We specialize in traditional American steakhouse fare including filets, New York strips, ribeyes, porterhouses, and more.The wine list and cocktail menus are exceptional and rotate with the seasons. Reservations are available online at rdchophouse.com or by phone.

Hours - Tuesday – Friday Lunch – 11:00am – 2:00pm; Cocktail Hour – 4:00pm; Dinner – 5:00pm - untill. Saturday: Lunch – 11:00am – 4:00pm; Cocktail Hour – 4:00pm; Dinner – 5:00pm - until. Sunday Brunch: 10:00am - until

BurgerFi 1320 McFarland Blvd E #510, Tuscaloosa//759-2510 Stylish, eco-minded chain serving grass-fed beef burgers, plus hot dogs, craft beer & wine.

Fri-Sat 10:30am-10:00pm Sun-Thur 10:30am-11:00pm order.burgerfi.com/menu/tuscaloosa

Texas Roadhouse 1363 McFarland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa// 759-2596 Fri-Sat 11am–11pm Sun-11am-10pm Mon-Thur 3pm-10pm www.texasroadhouse.com

Billy's Sports Grill Historic Downtown Northport // 879.2238 Good food, beverages and family friendly Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. till 9 p.m. (Sunday Brunch 10:30am-3pm).

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.

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

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

SEAFOOD

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) Shrimp Basket 3249 McFarland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa//469-9786 Mon-Fri 10:30am–9pm www.shrimpbasket.com The Levee Bar and Grill 1 Bridge Ave | Northport // 632.3136 Casual riverfront dining Hours: Mon-Thurs 11 AM-9 PM, Fri-Sat 11 AM-10 PM, Sun 10:30 AM-3 PM (Happy Hour Mon-Thurs 2 PM-6 PM) leveebarandgrill.com

CHINESE

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

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>>> RESTAURANTS |

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

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

Manna Grocery & Deli 2300 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 752.9955

Chongwah Express 1425 McFarland Boulevard, Northport. 333-1088

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

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

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

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

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

Panda Express 636 15th St E// 343-6888 Fri-Sat 10:30am-10:00pm Sun-11:00am-9:00pm Mon-Thur 10:30am-9:30pm www.pandaexpress.com Pearl Garden 2719 Lurleen Wallace Blvd | Northport // 339.0880 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.

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

PIZZA AND SUBS

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

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

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

California Underground 13552 Highway 43, Northport | 339.8660 Chuck E. Cheese's Midtown Village, 500, Tuscaloosa St//979-3420 Mon-Thur 11am-9pm Fri-11am-10pm Sat-9am-10pm Firehouse Subs 1130 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 248.0680 Hungry Howie’s (2 locations) 1105 Southview Ln | South Tuscaloosa // 345.6000 1844 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 333.2633 1211 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa | The Strip // 366.1500 4851 Rice Mine Rd | Northriver/Holt // 345.3737 Lenny’s Sub Shop 220 15th St // 752.7450 // Fax: 752.7481 // www.lennys.com Little Caesars Pizza 1414 10th Ave // 366.2220 | 1www.littlecaesars.com Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. // 345.4354 Mellow Mushroom 2230 University Blvd | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 758.0112 Subs n' You 2427 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.758.0088 Roly Poly Sandwiches 2300 4th Street | Tuscaloosa // 366.1222 The Pita Pit 1207 University Blvd | The Strip // 345.9606 Hours: Mon–Sat 10:30 a.m. - 3 a.m. | Sun 11:30 a.m. - midnight

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 // Fresh ingredients, great sandwiches. 764.1673

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

COFFEE SHOP

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

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

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

DESSERTS

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

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

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

Pizza 120 50115th St. East | 561.6853

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

Pyros Fire Fresh Pizza 1320 McFarland Blvd E #270, Tuscaloosa//248-7343 Mon-Fri 10:30am-10pm www.pyrospizza.com

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

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

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

DELICATESSEN

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

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

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

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>>> PET PLANET

CARLOS // STREET CAT

PENNINGTON // FRISKY & FUN

T

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his handsome boy is Carlos, a flame point Siamese mix. He is two years old and super sweet. He loves people and is very gentle.

He has the most amazing blue eyes too! Carlos needs to be the king of the castle as he is not fond of other cats. He was once a "street cat," so he is territorial with other cats. He is up-to-date on vaccinations, neutered and litter box trained. Carlos is a big boy and is really a big love to everyone he meets.

risky and fun describes Pennington, a 1-year-old male Beagle/Labrador mix. Pennington has a smooth yellow/tan coat and is fully grown at 32 pounds. He has adorable ears that remind us of a beagle. Pennington is a very friendly, curious, and playful dog.

He has a good bit of energy and would love to have other dogs or kids to run around and play with.

But once his energy is expended, he loves to be with you and get attention. Like a kid: all or nothing!

Pennington may be too active for an apartment and will require a fenced-in yard if left outside unattended. He has hound in him, so he will take off after a scent if allowed. He should be fine with children 8 and older and with other dogs.

We have started his crate training. Pennington is up-to-date on his vet care, neutered, heartworm negative and microchipped. He is on heartworm and flea/ tick prevention. Come see how cute he is in person -- you'll be so glad you did!

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

The Humane Society of West Alabama is in need of volunteers for both the cat and dog facilities.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please contact our volunteer coordinator at volunteerhswa@gmail.com or go ahead and download a volunteer application from www.humanesocietyofwa.org/formsinfo.html and send to the same email.

VOLUNTEER

JAN 27 ALL AGES

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

ROGUE ONE // A STAR WARS STORY

★★★★

OU T OF 4

N

othing worthwhile comes without sacrifice, and the superlative science fiction saga “Rogue One, A Star Wars Story” exemplifies this notion. Basically, “Godzilla” director Gareth Edwards, “Golden Compass” scenarist Chris Weitz, and “Bourne” trilogy scribe Tony Gilroy have eliminated all those buffoonish, kid-friendly aliens and given adults a chance to experience an unusually Spartan “Star Wars” spectacle. No, the PG-13 rated “Rogue One” is neither “Saving Private Ryan” nor “Hacksaw Ridge,” but the straightforward action may give you a reason to shed a tear since a palatable sense of doom looms over this skullduggery. Everything I’ve read about this entry in the “Star Wars” universe emphasizes the word ‘stand-alone’ so you won’t catch the gifted cast, featuring Felicity Jones, Forest Whitaker, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, and Diego Luna, reprising their roles unless Disney conjures up prequels. Of course, this doesn’t apply to Darth Vader who behaves like the ruthless ruffian that he has always been. Mind you, in some respects, “Rogue One” may seem hopelessly predictable for some aficionados. If you’ve seen George Lucas’ “Star Wars: Episode VI: A New Hope,” then you know the Death Star didn’t survive that adventurous classic. “Rogue One” qualifies as a prequel. Chronologically, this outing takes place somewhere between “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” (2005) and “Star Wars: Episode VI: A New Hope.” Although we know the Death Star is ill-fated, what we didn’t know is who sowed the seeds for its destruction. Some of the finest moments in “Rogue One” occur when the Grand Moff Tarkin appears. This is the infamous character the late British actor Peter Cushing of “Frankenstein” fame portrayed with such ascetic villainy. Cushing’s estate approved the physical recreation of the late actor’s personage, and actor Guy Henry’s impersonation is flawless.

Quibbles aside, if Peter Cushing could see what they have accomplished, he would be impressed. Similarly, what Edwards and his scenarists have achieved with Disney’s audacious attempt to expand the “Star Wars” time-line is sensational. Indeed, the House of Mouse has succeeded where few studios have ever gone with a legitimate spin-off from a million-dollar franchise without the original heroes.

Since “Star Wars: Episode VI: A New Hope” came out back in the summer of 1977, fans have complained about the sweet spot in the Death Star that enabled the Alliance to destroy it.

“Rogue One” relates the story about that sweet spot, and “Star Wars” aficionados can argue now about other things—primarily the time-line between the three films—because Luke and Leia were born at the end of “Episode III.” Nevertheless, who really cares about such things, when a dazzling movie like “Rogue One” fills the gap? Apart from Darth Vader, C3PO, R2D2, and Princess Leia, the primary characters in “Rogue One” are entirely new to the franchise. A brilliant Empire scientist, Galen Erso (Mads Mikkelsen of “Dr. Strange”), has been coerced against his will to collaborate with the Empire to forge the ultimate weapon of devastation. The wicked Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn of “Killing Them Softly”) commandeered Galen for this infamous project, and he intends to use Galen’s wife Kyra (Valene Kane of “Victor Frankenstein”) and his adolescent daughter Jyn (Beau Gadsdon) as bargaining chips to bring him back into the fold. Galen sends his daughter into hiding, and Kyra perishes trying to thwart Orson.

Jyn grows up under the tutelage of an extreme radical, Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker of “Platoon”), and she becomes a notorious criminal herself who has been imprisoned when the Rebel Alliance rescues her.

It seems that an Empire pilot, Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed of “Nightcrawler”) has defected and given himself up to Saw. Bodhi claims he has an urgent message from Galen Erso about the Empire’s Death Star. Initially, nobody believes that the Empire could have created such a doomsday weapon.

The Rebel Alliance launches a mission to learn more about it. Captain Cassian Andor (Diego Luna of “Blood Father”) and his reprogrammed Empire Droid K-2s0 (voice of Alan Tudyk of “Serenity”) break Jyn (Felicity Jones of “Brideshead Revisited”) out of captivity when the Empire is transferring her to a labor camp. Later, as Jyn explains to her surrogate father Saw, the Rebel Alliance has used her to obtain safe passage into Saw’s camp on the planetary moon Jedha where Bodhi is being held captive. Saw surprises Jyn with a holographic message from Galen intended for her. Galen explains that the Death Star features the equivalent of an Achilles’ Heel that will render it vulnerable to the Rebels.

No sooner has Jyn seen this message than the Grand Moff Tarkin brings the Death Star into orbit around Jedha and unleashes its formidable destructive power on the city. During their hurried exit from Jedha, Cassian and Jyn acquire a pair of hitchhikers, Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie Yen of “Iron Monkey”) and his sidekick Base Malbus (Wen Jiang of “Let the Bullets Fly”), who follow them without question. Chirrut is a blind monk in the tradition of the legendary Japanese martial arts warrior Zatoichi who wields a deadly staff.

“Rogue One, A Star Wars Story” depicts the valiant efforts of the underdog Rebel Alliance to triumph over the Empire. Basically, this exhilarating escapade works on the level of a vintage Republic Serial from the 1940s, with one thrilling cliffhanger scene after another ensuing until a grand finale on a scenic Caribbeanlike planet named Scarif where the star fleets of both the Rebel Alliance and the Empire wage the battle to end all battles. Although it doesn’t rely on the familiar troika of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Princess Leia, “Rogue One” imitates “Star Wars” in virtually every other respect except the ending with its Pyrrhic Victory. Felicity Jones makes a sympathetic heroine that you won’t forget. Alan Tudyk as the wisecracking K-2s0 droid competes with Donnie Yen for top honors as the ultimate scene stealers. The special efforts are spectacular. Altogether, “Rogue One” ranks as the best “Star Wars” epic since “The Empire Strikes Back.”

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JAN 25 + FEB 8

15

>>> E V E N T S THURSDAY, JAN 12

Touring roots music duo, The Lark and the Loon, to play at Egan's Bar WHEN: 11:00pm-12:00am COST: Free WHERE: Egan's Bar 1229 University Blvd Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 PHONE: (224) 234-6132 LINK: http://www.thelarkandtheloon. com/#homepage DESCRIPTION: The Lark and the Loon is a roots music duo from Arkansas. They'll be performing at Egan's Bar in Tuscaloosa on January 12. Music begins at 11pm. www. thelarkandtheloon.com

THURSDAY, JAN 12

UA Alumni to Speak on Activism in Art WHEN: 11:00am and 5:00pm COST: WHERE: Gorgas Library 205 on UA campus PHONE: 205-348-1893 LINK: hhttp://art.ua.edu/ DESCRIPTION: During the summer of 2014, Neel lived for a month on the Turkish/ Syrian border. In his lecture, Echoes Along the Syrian Border: Family Archeology and the Sound of Distant Gunfire, he will discuss his experiences and his commitment as an artist to addressing the plight of children in the Syrian crisis and those children victimized by violence in other areas of conflict. The lecture accompanies the opening of the exhibition by the same title in the SMGA. The objects in that exhibition span a four-year period and include works begun in a 2016 fourmonth John Michael Kohler Arts Center Arts/Industry Residency.

FRIDAY, Jan 13 28th Realizing the Dream Concert January 15, Legacy Awards Banquet WHEN: 6:30pm-12:00am COST: $14-$25 WHERE: Moody Concert Hall 810 2nd Ave Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 PHONE: (205) 348-7111 LINK: http://realizingthedream.ua.edu/ DESCRIPTION: The 28th annual Realizing

the Dream Concert, celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, will be held at 7:30 p.m., January 15, in the Moody Music Hall on the UA campus. Gospel Musician Kirk Franklin will headline the event. Broadcaster John Quinones will deliver the keynote address at The Legacy Award Banquet, Friday, January 13, 6:30 p.m. at the Bryant Conference Center Sellers Auditorium. Other activities will include: 7 a.m. - Unity Breakfast at Beulah Baptist Church with speaker Judge Rickey McKinney Noon - March from Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School and Beulah Baptist Church 6 p.m. - Annual Mass Rally at the First African Baptist Church with speaker Rev. David Gay

FRIDAY, JAN 13

Bama Theatre to present Black Jacket Symphony's A Night at the Opera by Queen WHEN: 8:00am-12:00pm COST: $25-$30 WHERE:Bama Theatre 600 Greensboro Ave Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 PHONE: (205) 758-5195 LINK: http://bamatheatre.org/ DESCRIPTION: The Black Jacket Symphony presents Queen’s A Night at the Opera, Fri,day January 13, 8pm – 10pm, at the Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa. Presales: Venue/Promoter: Wednesday, November 16 at 10:00 AM; HOWDY On Sale: Friday, November 18 at 10:00 AM EST Tickets Info: Price: $25 & $30 Purchase: - Phone: 877-987-6487 (for handicapped needs, please call 303-835-6951) - Online at Ticketfly

SATURDAY, JAN 14

UA Arboretum+TreeStuff Climbing Event WHEN: 9:00am-3:00pm COST: Free WHERE: University of Alabama Arboretum ,Arboretum Way Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 PHONE: (205) 553-3278 LINK: http://arboretum.ua.edu/ DESCRIPTION: In participation with

A

local kickboxing gym franchise, 9Round, will be hosting its Kick Event for BreastCancer. Fitness enthusiasts will have a unique opportunity to help raise money forThe DCH Foundation, with one penny being donated for every kick recorded throughout the day.

Since the event’s inception five years ago, participating 9Round locations throughout the United States and Canada have recorded over 18.8 million kicks and raised nearly $189,000 to advance breast cancer treatment and laboratory research.

WHEN: Thursday, October 13, 2016, During Regular Hours WHERE: Northport at 80 McFarland Blvd #9 and Tuscaloosa at 2730 Jack Warner Pkwy, A104 Founded in 2008 by professional kickboxer Shannon Hudson, 9Round is a specialized fitness center that brings boxing and kickboxing fitness training to the average person in a convenient, affordable, 30-minute, full body circuit format. The program is developed around a proprietary and copyrighted system of nine challenging workout stations developed by Shannon himself. Today, there are nearly 400 9Round clubs open and operating throughout 39 states and 10 countries.

16

JAN 25 + FEB 8

FRIDAY, JAN 20

Bobby Bones Comedy Tour at Bama Theatre WHEN: 7:00pm-9:30pm COST: WHERE:Bama Theatre 600 Greensboro Ave Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 PHONE: (205) 758-5195 LINK: http://bamatheatre.org/ DESCRIPTION: Bobby Bones of the Bobby Bones Show is bringing his "Funny & Alone Stand Up Comedy Tour" to the Bama Theatre on Friday, January 20, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m, with special guest Walker Hayes & Nikita Karmen The VIP Meet and Greet will take place pre-show at the venue for VIP ticket holders.

SATURDAY, JAN 14

Dino Day at CHOM! WHEN: 10:00am-4:00pm COST: WHERE: Children's Hands on Museum (CHOM) 2213 University Blvd. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 PHONE: (205) 349-4276 LINK: http://www.chomonline.org/ DESCRIPTION: Dino Day, Saturday, January 14, 2017 10am - 4pm Make a Dino Craft! Touch a T-Rex Tooth! Compare your footprint to a dinosaur! See Dino poop! All activities included in admission!

SATURDAY, JAN 14

THURSAY, JAN 26

THEATRE TUSCALOOSA TO HOLD STAGE MOVEMENT WORKSHOP WHEN: 1:30pm-4:30pm COST: $40 WHERE: Bean-Brown Theatre PHONE: (205) 391-2277 LINK: www.theatretusc.com DESCRIPTION: Conducted by Executive Producer Tina Turley, participants will learn the basics of stage movement and how to be comfortable standing, gesturing, and moving on stage.The cost to participate is $40.00, and a limit of 16 participants will be accepted. The workshop is intended for adult participants, and the minimum age for enrollment is 16 years

TUESDAY, JAN 17

to Host Kick Event for Breast Cancer

will be presented Tuesday, January 17, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm. Denial is a Bio/ Drama/History production, starring Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson, and Timothy Spall. Synopsis: Acclaimed writer and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt must battle for historical truth to prove the Holocaust actually occurred when David Irving, a renowned denier, sues her for libel.

Sponsored by Bloom Hillel and Temple Emanu-el.

Treestuff.com, the UA Arboretum will be demonstrating some methods for tree climbing. There will be a restricted area where tree climbing professionals, like arborists, will be trying out various professional tree climbing equipment.

There will also be an area where children and adults can try out a few pieces of recreational climbing equipment and can safely use ropes to ascend off of the ground and into a tree. The location will be in the back field area near the Children's Garden area. Usual parking in the Children's Garden area will be blocked off for the professionals so please park in our normal parking lot near the greenhouses and walk over to the climbing area. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend to watch the professionals or to participate in the recreational climbing area.

Bama Art House Series Presents Denial WHEN: 7:00pm-9:30pm COST: WHERE:Bama Theatre 600 Greensboro Ave Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 PHONE: (205) 758-5195 LINK: http://bamatheatre.org/ DESCRIPTION: The Bama Theatre Art House Winter Film Series 2017: "Denial"

Travis Tritt Acoustic Concert at The Bama WHEN: 6:30pm-12:00am COST: $49.75-$59.75 WHERE:Bama Theatre 600 Greensboro Ave Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 PHONE: (205) 758-5195 LINK: http://bamatheatre.org/ DESCRIPTION: The Bama Theatre invites you to enjoy a special evening with CMA and Grammy award-winning country artist, Travis Tritt. Experience this rare opportunity featuring the multi-platinum artist in an intimate solo-acoustic setting where his powerful voice and his guitar are the subject of the spotlight. An upclose and personal event punctuated by personal stories and anecdotes about his life and musical influences. Performing some of his biggest hits, including “T-RO-U-B-L-E,” “It’s A Great Day to Be Alive” and “Best of Intentions;” the Grand Ole Opry member will bring his award-winning songs to life and leave the audience with a truly memorable experience. When: Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 7:30pm Where: Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 Additional Information: Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The show is presented by Big Spring Entertainment. Ticket prices are $59.75 and $49.75. Additional fees may apply.

Accepting New Patients!

Chiropractic Care Nutritional & Weight Management Programs Sports Physicals 9770 Highway 69 South Unit A | Tuscaloosa Englewood Plaza next to Winn Dixie

205-409-6333

Check us out online at www.freemanchiropracticandwellness.com Now Accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield!

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CRAFT BEER | WINE | BARCADE | GROWLERS

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JAN 25 + FEB 8

17

Monday – $5 Bud Light Pitchers Tuesday – Free Poker Tournament Wednesday – $3 Pint Night @7 p.m.

Thursday – Live Team Trivia and beer specials @8 p.m.

Sunday – Free Poker Tournament @2:30 p.m.

DOWNTOWN TUSCALOOSA 205.366.0913

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JAN 25 + FEB 8

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

willhagans.com

willhagans

>>> ROAD TRIP | S O U T H E A S T E R N CO N C E R T S A N D E V E N T S

BIRMINGHAM n Friday, Jan 13 Legacy Arena at the BJCC//Dirty Dancing

n Tuesday, Jan 17 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill// Jason Aldean Marathon Music Works//Run the Jewels

n Sunday, Jan 15 BJCC//Southern Bridal Show Lyric Theatre//Ballet Theatre presents Cinderella Saturn//Alegandro Escovedo

n Thursday, Jan 19 Exit In//Lydia Loveless Mercy Lounge//Whiskey Myers City Winery//Steve Earle

n Saturday, Jan 14 Legacy Arena at the BJCC//WWE

n Thursday, Jan 19 Iron City//Aaron Lewis Legacy Arena at the BJCC//Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus n Friday, Jan 20 Iron City//Greensky Bluegrass

n Friday, Jan 27 Workplay theatre//Cowboy Mouth n Saturaday, Jan 28 The Alabama Theatre//Miranda Sings Workplay Theatre//Yacht Rock Revue

NASHVILLE

n Friday, Jan 13 Schermerhorn Symphony Center// The Planets and HD Odyssey n Monday, Jan 15 Bridgestone Arena//Harlem Globetrotters

n Wednesday, Jan 18 Marathon Music Works//Brothers Osborne

n Saturday, Jan 21 Bridgestone Arena//Dierks Bentley Marathon Music Works//Dweezill Zappa

n Sunday, Jan 22 Ryman Auditorium//Lukas Graham

n Wednesday, Jan 25 Ryman Auditorium//The Last Waltz City Winery//Ana Popovic n Thursday, Jan 26 Ryman Auditorium//Drive By Truckers

n Saturday, Jan 14 Georgia Dome//Monster Jam

n Saturday, Jan 14 Tabernacle//Umphreys McGee n Wednesday, Jan 18 The Masquerade//Blackbear

n Friday, Jan 20 The Buckhead Theatre//Aaron Lewis Tabernacle//Circa Survive City Winery//Steve Earle Atlanta Symphony Hall//Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

n Sunday, Jan 29 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill// Yonder Mountain String Band

ATLANTA

n Thursday, Jan 12 Cobb Energy Performing Arts// Shen Yun Atlanta

Drive By Truckers//Jan. 26

n Saturday, Jan 21 Tabernacle//Run the Jewels n Saturday, Jan 21 Center Stage//Tom Segura n Sunday, Jan 22 Tabernacle//Alter Bridge

n Sunday, Jan 22 Fabulous Fox Theatre//Don Henley

n Monday Jan 23 Tabernacle//Breaking Benjamin

n Saturday, Jan 28 City Winery//Wanda Jackson

Jason Aldean//Jan 17

Harlem Globetrotters/ Jan.15

n Tuesday, Jan 24 The Masquerade//Jacob Latimore n Tuesday, Jan 24 Atlanta Symphony Hall//The Last Waltz n Tuesday, Jan 31 Atlanta Symphony Hall//Pat Metheny Center Stage//Atmosphere

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

Acoustic Café 2758 County Hwy 9 205.647.3237

Fox Theatre 660 Peachtree St NE 404.881.2100

Montgomery Performing Arts Center 201 Tallapoosa St 334.481.5100

Von Braun Center 700 Monroe St SW 256.551.2345

Amphitheater at the Wharf 23101 Canal Rd 251.224.1020

The Hangout 251.948.3030 thehangout1.com

The Nick 2514 10th Ave S 205.252.3831

WorkPlay 500 23rd St S 205.380.4082

Bridgestone Arena 501 Broadway 615.770.2000

Marathon Music Works 1402 Clinton St 615.891.1781

Sloss Furnaces 20 32nd St N 205.324.1911

Zydeco 2001 15th Ave S 205.933.1032

Centennial Olympic Park 265 Park Ave W NW 404.223.4412

Minglewood Hall 1555 Madison Ave 901.312.6058

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 2200 Encore Pkwy 404.733.5010 >>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 25 + FEB 8

19

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

Across 1. Novel digits 5. Blue, in Bavaria 9. PC storage medium 14. "Get out of here!"

15. Pat baby on the back 16. Disney duckling 17. Popular topping 19. Between the sheets 20. P.L.O.'s Arafat 21. Actress Lindsay of "The Parent Trap" 23. Mouse catcher 25. Ideal 30. New 33. Date follower?

35. MBA focus 36. Rock bottom 37. Captivated 39. Metric weights, for short 42. IRS agent 43. Sectors 45. "ER" settings 47. "Eureka!"

48. Short-lived success 52. In an incorrect manner 53. Vicious of punk rock 54. Double Dutch needs 57. Ringmaster 61. Sculptor Epstein 65. Reasons to dress up, maybe 67. Worship 68. Cartoonist Drake 69. Basis of a suit 70. Emaciated 71. "West Side Story" fellow 72. Eye woe

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMANIA CROSSWORD ON PAGE 21

20

JAN 25 + FEB 8

Down 1. "This ____ Time" (Raven-Symoné album) 2. Citi Field predecessor 3. Neck wraps 4. Observe 5. Advanced degree 6. Storm preceder 7. A Guthrie 8. Outcome 9. Musical ex-president 10. Oxford tutor 11. Give a massage 12. French goose 13. Type of school for docs 18. Fearless 22. Beekeeper's prefix 24. Tick follower 26. ____ the finish (competitive) 27. Don Draper, for one?

28. Dickens villain Heep 29. Loy of "The Thin Man" 30. Rescind 31. French statute 32. Not burning 33. "Garden State" actor 34. Nurse Espinosa on "Scrubs" 38. Former Soviet news agency 40. Scot's exclamation 41. Brings legal action against 44. Frozen fruit treat 46. Secret agents 49. UN workers' assn.

50. Big Apple paper, briefly 51. Confesses 55. Opposite of endo 56. Read a UPC 58. Codger 59. Shaw's Prof. 'iggins 60. Cousin of norte 61. Exhilarated state 62. ___ Louise Huxtable 63. Parisian's neck 64. 1971 Piers Anthony book 66. Even a little

>>> PUZZLEMANIA| S U D O K U

It's easy to play Sudoku! Simply fill every column, row and 3x3 box so they contain every number between 1 and 9. The game is easy to play but difficult to master! Solution Page 21

WRITERS WANTED

For Information, please email PlanetEditor@ yahoo.com

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

>>> HOROSCOPES | W E E K L Y O V E R V I E W The cosmos suggests that there's nothing to fear from striking out into the unknown. However, as someone who likes security and enjoys the pleasures of a comfortable home and steady routine, you might find the present picture a little disconcerting. At the same time, you could be excited about the possibilities it holds for you. With a focus on expanding your horizons, events may conspire to take you in a new direction. You don't have to rush, though. A leisurely pace is just fine.

Although you might enjoy the freedom to flit around wherever you want, the cosmos may have other plans for you. With the present picture revealing a powerful emphasis on a more intense sector of your chart, you might need to face issues that involve some powerful emotions. And while it would be easier to do anything but confront them, once you do, you might find that layers of anxiety and buried tension begin to peel away. Easy does it, though!

With a Full Moon developing in your sign this week, emotions may have a bigger influence than logic over your decisions. In addition, you may feel someone else is pulling the strings and controlling aspects of your life that you'd prefer to manage yourself. However, the Full Moon phase can be a time when you overreact. When you do approach this person, you'll want to do so in a measured and thoughtful way. Wait until the more intense feelings subside.

Although you might like to drop your responsibilities and take some time off, it may not be possible just yet. However, this won't stop you from dreaming. With a very lovely link between expansive Jupiter and restless Uranus, you may enjoy dwelling on thoughts of a vacation that can offers you a change of scene. You may insist that you don't have time, but if you delegate some of your tasks, you could find that you can do it after all.

If a creative project has been subject to delays lately, then Mercury's forward motion can begin to make a difference. And if you have responsibilities at home that demand a lot of your time and energy, a positive alignment hints that you may already have found a way around this. This is good news for you, especially if you have your heart set on making one idea a complete success. Indeed, it may feel like a burden is gradually lifting from your shoulders.

You and another may clash over very different ideas on how to tackle a family situation early this week. But with Mercury now resuming its forward motion, it should be easier to discuss this in a more rational and productive way. However, the Full Moon could whip up emotion and drama, so there's a chance that one or both of you could overreact. Allow time for your feelings to settle. It will be easier to find common ground if you do.

Plans you thought were set in stone could be disrupted, yet you might be pleased about this. If you must attend to responsibilities, you could feel like rebelling and doing your own thing instead. And with the Full Moon encouraging you to leave your comfort zone, sticking with the status quo may seem like the more boring option.

However, you might need to knuckle down and get those things done. You'll be free to enjoy yourself once they're out of the way.

A focus on your home and family zone can be a time to stand back from life and enjoy spending time with those you love most.

While you may have big plans in the offing, you should still take the opportunity for some nurturing and self-care. It seems this is your time to unwind, enjoy a massage or spa treatment, and generally be good to yourself. Those projects you must finish will still be there after you've had a chance to recharge.

What you want and what your family wants may be two different things. This week, others could expect to be involved in key discussions regarding important decisions. And with a Full Moon complicating events and possibly creating some drama, emotions may be running high. However, this could allow for a release of tension. Once everyone has had their say and things have calmed down, you may find that you can find a harmonious solution that works for all.

Your instincts can play a part in helping you make the right decisions. With head and heart potentially clashing at the start of the week, you may feel pulled in two directions. Factor into this a rush of emotion caused by the Full Moon and you may find it almost impossible to know what your next steps should be. If you wait until you feel calmer and more centered, you may be able to hear the voice of your intuition loud and clear.

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PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

You should feel in your element with both Venus and Mars in your sign enhancing your vitality and perhaps your confidence. And with your social life still very active now, you could be the star attraction at any event as your charisma sparkles more than usual. Go easy with the cash if you're out and about in the coming days, as the feel-good factor could encourage you to spend more than you can comfortably afford, especially after an expensive holiday season.

Although you may be eager to fully engage with your responsibilities, another part of you could feel like running away. This might be a time when you'd prefer to do your own thing rather than attend to business matters or ongoing chores. The key is to pace yourself and arrange for times to get out and have some fun. The January 12 Full Moon might be better handled if you take some time out for a massage or other health treatment.

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JAN 25 + FEB 8

21

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

JANUARY 27TH ACOUSTIC NIGHT WILL FEATURE // GUITARIST HIROYA TSUKAMOTO Guitarist Hiroya Tsukamoto will be the featured artist in a performance on Acoustic Night on January 27, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bama Theatre.

Presented by The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa, Acoustic Night features both solo and ensemble performances of a wide range of music throughout the calendar year in the intimate setting of the theatre’s Greensboro Room. Cover charge is $10 general/$8 students with a full service bar available.

Hiroya Tsukamoto is a guitarist and composer originally from Kyoto, Japan.

In 2000, he came to the U.S. after he received a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music. Since that time, he has been performing internationally including several appearances with his ensemble at the Blue Note in New York City and has released six albums as a leader. His appearances on major international television networks include those such as NHK (Japanese National Television) and EBS in Korea.

Tsukamoto’s music is described as an innovative, impressionistic journey filled with earthy, organic soundscapes that impart a mood of peace and tranquility. "...chops, passion and warmth. Zealously recommended!"

-Jazz Review.com “HiroyaTsukamoto plays with fluid mastery, pristine tone, and great warmth."

-Celine Keating (author / Acoustic Guitar Magazine / minor7th) "HiroyaTsukamoto takes us to an impressionistic journey."

-Boston Herald For more information about the artist, visit www.hiroyatsukamoto.com.

The Bama Theatre is located at 600 Greensboro Ave. in downtown Tuscaloosa.

For more information about The Arts Council, CAC or Bama Theatre, patrons should LIKE the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” and follow tuscarts on Twitter. Call 205-758-5195 or visit tuscarts. org for further information.

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JAN 25 + FEB 8

BAMA ART HOUSE FILM SERIES WINTER 2017 Screenings in the Bama Art House Film Series Winter 2017 will begin on January 10 and will feature six films. A program of The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa, this series will feature dramas, comedies and documentaries.

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.

The series will feature drama, music, history, comedy and biography related movies. The final feature in the series, “An Evening of Oscar-Nominated Short Films”, is a compilation of the 2017 short film nominations featuring three categories: Animated, Live Action and Documentary.

Discount Punchcard Tickets ($60) will be available at the door prior to screenings and will be good for any 10 Bama Art House films. Single Tickets will be 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.

January 10: London Town

January 17: Denial January 24: A Man Called Ove January 31: Gimme Danger February 7: The Eagle Huntress

February 14: An Evening of Oscar-Nominated Short Films Left Hand Soap Co. will sponsor “London Town” and “Gimme Danger”. UA’s Bloom Hillel & the Sisterhood of Temple Emanu-el will sponsor “Denial”.

The 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.

The Bama Theatre is located at 600 Greensboro Avenue in Downtown Tuscaloosa. For more information about The Arts Council or Bama Theatre, patrons should LIKE the Facebook page “The Arts Council – Bama Theatre – Cultural Arts Center” and follow tuscarts on Twitter. Call 205-758-5195 or visit bamatheatre.org for further information.

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

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

ALABAMA FALLS, 35-31, TO CLEMSON IN CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

COURTESY: ALABAMA ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS In a national championship game that seesawed back-and-forth throughout the second half, The University of Alabama football team came up just short in the final seconds against Clemson Monday night, falling to the Tigers, 35-31, in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The two teams played in front of a Raymond James Stadium-record 74,512 fans.

The Crimson Tide, playing in its second consecutive national championship game and third College Football Playoff in as many years, battled to the last second in a contest where the lead changed hands three times in the last four minutes and 38 seconds of the game.

For Alabama, senior linebacker Reuben Foster led the defense with 12 tackles, including six solo stops and a sack. Senior linebacker Ryan Anderson caused a fumble and recovered two fumbles on the night while also accounting for seven tackles.

Alabama freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts was 13-of-31 for 131 yards and a touchdown throwing the ball. He also added 63 rushing yards, including a 30-yard rushing touchdown with 2:07 left in the game. Sophomore running back Bo Scarbrough rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries before leaving the game midway through the third period with an injury. Senior tight end O.J. Howard led all receivers with 106 yards and a touchdown on four receptions.

For Clemson, quarterback Deshaun Watson was 36-of-56 passing for 420 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Wayne Gallman led the Tigers in rushing with 46 yards and a touchdown on 18 attempts while tight end Jordan Leggett led Clemson’s receiving corps with seven catches for 95 yards. Three other Tiger players tallied more than 90 receiving yards on the night.

Clemson won the opening coin toss, but elected to defer its choice to the second half. Alabama took the football while Clemson kicked off defending the north goal. The Crimson Tide opened the game on offense but, after a 12-yard kickoff return by Ar’Darius Stewart, Alabama managed two yards on three plays before punter JK Scott boomed a 55-yard punt that Gallman returned 12 yards to the Tigers' 22-yard line.

The Tigers started their first offensive possession with a 12-yard run by Gallman to the Tiger 34. After a four-yard sack of Watson by Tide nose guard Da'Ron Payne and defensive end Jonathan Allen at the 30, Clemson got that yardage back and more when Watson found Leggett for a five-yard pass to the Tigers' 35. An unnecessary roughness penalty on the Tide gave Clemson 15 more yards and a first down at the 50. On the next play, Watson tossed the ball to wide receiver Artavis Scott for one yard followed by a five-yard run by Gallman. A Watson to wide receiver Mike Williams pass gained three yards and set up a fourth and one at the Alabama 41. The Tigers went for it and came up short when Tide safety Tony Brown stopped Gallman for no gain, turning the ball over on downs.

Getting the ball on its own 41, Alabama marched down the field on a series of runs to score the first points of the game. On the first play, Hurts broke loose on a scramble and streaked 20 yards to the Clemson 39-yard line. After Scarbrough rumbled for four more yards and the Clemson 35, a roughing the passer penalty on the next play moved the ball to the Clemson 20. An illegal shift penalty

by Alabama moved the ball back five yards to the CU 25. After an incomplete pass, Scarbrough got to the outside, as he raced through a hole created by a big block by tight end O.J. Howard and used some shifty running inside the 10 to carry would-be tacklers into the end zone on a 25-yard touchdown run. Place kicker Adam Griffith kicked the extra point to put the score 7-0 in Alabama’s favor.

Scott returned the ensuing kickoff 34 yards to the Clemson 44 before a 15-yard personal foul on the return backed the Tigers up to their 29. Passes from Watson to Leggett for eight yards and Williams for six yards gave the Tigers a first down at their 43. Gallman and Watson ran for three yards each on consecutive rushes, reaching the 49 before an incomplete pass brought up fourth down and the Clemson punting unit.

Starting at its own 16 after the punt, Alabama went to Scarborough on three straight plays, picking up 12 yards on two rushes and a pass reception, earning a first down. After two incomplete passes, Alabama earned another first down when running back Josh Jacobs raced for 13 yards up the middle to the Alabama 41. A holding penalty, followed by an incomplete pass, brought out Scott and the punt team.

Scott's punt was partially blocked by Clemson's Tanner Muse, but the kick traveled forward for 25 yards to the Tiger 37. Three plays later, on a third-and-five at the Clemson 42, an errant center snap

by Clemson bounced off Watson's knee to create a fumble. Tide linebacker Ryan Anderson picked it up and advanced it two yards to the Clemson 35. The Tide failed to capitalize on the turn over, going three-and-out. Scott’s punt was downed by Alabama's Levi Wallace

at the one-yard line, pinning the Tigers deep.

After a three-yard rush by Scarbrough reached the Clemson 46, Hurts passed to wide receiver Calvin Ridley for eight yards and a first down at the 38. After another completion to Ridley picked up a yard to the 37, Scarbrough again picked up key blocks downfield, running through a great clearing block by tackle Cam Robinson, racing 37 yards into the end zone. Griffith's extra point was true to give Alabama a 14-0 lead with 10:42 left in the half.

A nine-yard pass by Watson to receiver Hunter Renfrow on its first play of the drive was the only yardage Clemson would gain on its next possession, going three-and-out.

Taking over on its own 35-yard line after the punt, Alabama picked up a first down with a nine-yard Hurts to Ridley completion before a one-yard gain by running back Damien Harris was followed by back-to-back incompletions. That brought out Scott for a 40-yard punt that went out of bounds at the Clemson 13.

Clemson opened the drive with a five-yard rush by Gallman before Watson hit Deon Cain for 43 yards on a short pass that broke open. A pair of incompletions followed before Watson found Leggett for 26 more yards to the Alabama 13-yard line. Watson passed to Williams for five more yards to the eight. Watson then bounced to the outside on the next play and raced to the pylon, getting the touchdown on an eight-yard run and putting the Tigers on the board.

Greg Huegel made the extra point to cut Alabama’s lead to 14-7 with 6:09 left in the first half.

Alabama earned a first down on its next possession when Hurts found Ridley for a 15-yard reception before stalling at the Clemson 44. Clemson answered by picking up one first down on its next possession, a 20-yard Watson to Williams reception. Three plays later, Clemson punted the ball back to Alabama after a 33-yard punt to the Alabama 38.

After a three-and-out by Alabama, a 57-yard punt by Scott was downed at the Tiger 5. A four-yard Gallman rush followed by a 19yard Watson to Renfrow throw and catch got Clemson to its 28-yard line. Clemson’s drive came to halt at that point, forcing a punt with 19 seconds left in the half. A Hurts to Stewart pass lost three yards and brought the half to an end.

Hurts completed seven passes on 16 attempts for 40 yards in the first half. Scarbrough tallied 76 yards and two touchdowns on 12 rushing attempts. Ridley had five receptions for 36 yards. Watson was 13-of-23 in the first half for 153 yards. Gallman had gained 49 yards on 12 rushing attempts. Cain led the Tigers in receiving with one catch for 43 yards.

Clemson opened the second half with the ball, and picked up a quick first down on a three-yard run by Gallman followed by an eightyard Watson to Renfrow pass. An incomplete pass was followed by Alabama's Ryan Anderson stripping Watson of the ball, forcing and recovering the fumble, before returning it 12 yards to the Clemson 16.

After the turnover, Alabama was moved back five yards to the Clemson 21 on a false start penalty. Scarbrough gained three of those yards back on the ground before Howard caught a nine-yard pass from Hurts, getting the ball to the Clemson nine-yard line and bring up fourth down. Griffith came out at that point and knocked it through the uprights on a 27-yard field goal attempt, extending Alabama’s lead to 17-7 with 12:25 left in the third quarter.

After running for five yards to open Clemson’s next drive, putting the Tigers on their own 21, Watson completed a 14-yard pass to Cain and a nine-yard pass to Renfrow to get the ball to the Clemson 44.

After Watson scrambled for four more yards and a first down to the Clemson 49. Running back C.J. Fuller then ran for three more yards before Watson hit Williams for a six-yard pickup. An incomplete pass brought up fourth down. The Tigers’ offense came to the line with

Watson in the backfield. Clemson’s quarterback took the snap and pooch kicked the ball 38-yards to the Alabama five-yard line.

That flip of field position turned out to be a critical point in the game.

Alabama went three-and-out on its next possession, giving Clemson the ball back on the Tide 42. The Tigers took advantage of the good field position, scoring in four plays, traveling 42 yards, closing with a 24-yard Watson to Renfrow touchdown pass with 7:10 left in the third quarter. Huegel’s extra point attempt was good, putting the score at 17-14, with Alabama in the lead.

The Tide went three-and-out followed by a five-play drive by Clemson before the Tigers were forced to punt. On the following Alabama drive, Scarbrough picked up a first down to the Tide 27.

After an incomplete pass and a timeout, Hurts found a wide-open Howard for a 68-yard touchdown pass in an echo of last year’s championship game. Griffith made the extra point and Alabama’s lead went to 24-14.

Starting on its 28 for its next drive, Clemson moved the ball quickly as the quarter came to a close. A pass interference call on first down, moved the ball 15 yards to the Clemson 43. Watson then connected with Cain for pickups of 11 and 12 yards. Watson followed that by hitting Leggett for a 17 yard catch before throwing to Scott for nine yards to the Alabama eight-yard line to bring the third quarter to a close.

Watson opened the fourth quarter with a four-yard rush before finding Williams for a four-yard touchdown pass. Huegel made the point after attempt, to pull Clemson with three, with Alabama leading 24-21.

Alabama started its first drive of the fourth quarter with a 13-yard run by Damien Harris before Scott came out three plays later and punted the ball 51 yards for a touchback. Clemson and Alabama traded three-and-outs on the next two drives. Clemson managed a first down on its next drive before having to punt, which was followed

by Alabama going three-and-out again.

On the next drive, Watson mixed three complete passes for 52 yards with 20 yards rushing before handing the ball off to Gallman, who plunged in from one-yard out for a touchdown and a 28-24 Clemson lead following Huegel’s extra point.

Alabama responded quickly, with Stewart catching a 15-yard pass from Hurts on a crucial third-and-16 play. The fourth-and-one play that followed was converted to a first down on a run by Harris.

Stewart took a lateral pass from Hurts on the next play and threw it 24 yards to Howard at the Clemson 30-yard line. On the next play, Hurts raced up the middle for 30 yards and a touchdown. Following Griffith’s extra point, Alabama was back on top, 31-28, with 2:01 on clock.

With the tension at its highest, Clemson opened the next drive with three-straight completions that gained a combined 25 yards to the Alabama 43. After rushing for a yard, Watson threw to Renfrow for a six-yard pickup and Leggett for a 17-yard completion to the Alabama nine-yard line. A pass interference penalty on the Tide put Clemson first-and-goal on the two-yard line with nine seconds on the clock. Watson then hit Renfrow for a two-yard touchdown pass with one second remaining. Huegel’s point after attempt was good and Clemson led, 35-31.

The Tigers onside kicked on the ensuing kickoff and recovered the ball, sealing the game and earning Clemson's second national championship in its history and its first since 1981.

Alabama's 26-game winning streak ended with the Tide an excruciating one second away from becoming the first team in college football since 1897 (Penn) to win 15 games in a season.

ALABAMA ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS

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