PLANET WEEKLY 552

// IN THIS ISSUE >> UP-TO-DATE RESTAURANT LISTINGS ›› ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES ›› JONES WINS ›› CINNAMON ROLLS ›› BEER & WINE REVIEW ›› BRIGHT ›› TOP CONCERTS OF 2017

St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Happy New Year 2018

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

1

2

JAN 27 + JAN 10

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

4 >>> www.theplanetweekly.com

inside

7

>>> planetweeklyissue552

BE SURE TO VISIT OUR NEW DYNAMIC WEBSITE

ENTERTAINMENT 5 CHAMBER NEWS 6 BOOK REVIEW

PUBLISHER

L I N DA W. J OHN SON publisher@theplanetweekly.com

MANAGING EDITOR

W I L L I AM B A R SHOP

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.

9 BEER/WINE REVIEWS

ADVERTISING 205.792.7 239

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 ELIZABETH MOSELEY 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 ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES // ALAN SCULLEY

“Paul Janeway, lead singer of St. Paul and the Broken Bones, suggests that his band could have followed up their acclaimed debut album, “Half The City,” in quicker succession. But he views the group’s recently released follow-up, “Sea of Noise,” as a case of better things coming to those who wait.”

6 HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS // RACHEL PAXTON

“I have been wanting to make homemade cinnamon rolls for a long time but it always seemed so hard. Making homemade bread is so intimidating. I decided to give it a try, however, and my family loved my homemade cinnamon rolls.

What's great about these is you can make a double batch and freeze one of them for later.

10 RESTAURANT GUIDE 14 PET PLANET 15 MOVIE REVIEWS 16 EVENTS 19 ROAD TRIP CONCERTS & EVENTS 20 PUZZLEMANIA / EDITORIAL CARTOON

7 FEMALE BLACK VOTERS SECURE JONES WIN // REGGIE ALLEN

21 HOROSCOPE

“Jones, who is most notable for prosecuting the Ku Klux Klan members involved in the

HIGH TIDE SPORTS

Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, made history as the first Alabama Democrat elected into the Senate in 25 years.”

22 LOCAL FEATURE // ELIZABETH MOSELEY

“Kentuck offers the invaluable resource of studio space that is rented to artists at an under market value, said Executive Director Amy Echols. “Really, what is important about this is that you really can see that a place like Kentuck who actually offers space for an artist to actually make a living at what he’s doing or what she’s doing, the improvement that these artists make from year to year is remarkable.”

23

SABAN WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE GARY HARRIS

under the cover >>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

3

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

Photo Courtesy of David McClister

ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES P

aul Janeway, lead singer of St. Paul and the Broken Bones, suggests that his band could have followed up their acclaimed debut album, “Half The City,” in quicker succession. But he views the group’s recently released follow-up, “Sea of Noise,” as a case of better things coming to those who wait.

“I think had we written that (second) record in October 2014, I think we would have made ‘Half The City Part 2.’ And I didn’t want that,” Janeway said in recent phone interview.

“Whether it was fair or not, we’d kind of been cast with the retro soul thing. And we were just kind of like, there’s nothing wrong with that, but for us, our musical tastes, especially now, ran much further than that.

So it was just like let’s open up the musical palate and really explore that.

Because we could do the soul thing, crank out those songs any day of the week. It comes very natural to us. And I’m not saying we won’t do that (a soul album) again, but for us it was like let’s really explore what’s influencing us, the world around us, those kinds of things. And we did.

“I think that was the goal,” he said.

“Whether that was accomplished or not, I don’t know, but it felt good.

I’m proud.”

Chances are listeners will agree that St. Paul and the Broken Bones took a significant step forward musically on “Sea of Noise.”

The classic soul roots of the group that were so prominent on “Half The City” are still plenty apparent on the new album, but the songs draw on a wider range of styles and the music overall is richer and more layered.

There are hints of Sly & the Family Stone in the percolating “Midnight on the Earth,” but there’s also gritty rock in this song, which builds to a powerful finish behind a sweet horn part. The stellar ballad “I’ll Be Your Woman” (a song that lyrically flips gender roles on their head) has pop elements that could work for Burt Bacharach within its otherwise darker-hued primary melody. The luscious ballad “Waves” feels a bit like the Black Keys meeting up with Memphis soul. “Sea of Noise” is also more assertive. Where “Half The City” was almost entirely made up of ballads and medium paced tunes, the

4

JAN 27 + JAN 10

tempos get notched up on “All I Ever Wonder” (an edgy tune that bursts out in epic crescendos), the dramatic, string-laden “Brain Matter” and the insistent “Tears in the Diamond,” which sounds like a prime Al Green tune.

It makes sense that “Sea of Noise” would show musical growth. St. Paul & the Broken Bones were about as new as a band can get when “Half The City” was written and recorded.

“I tell people this all the time, we were a band less than five months when we made that record,” Janeway said.

It all started when bassist Jesse Phillips, who had been in a band with Janeway, got some free studio time and invited Janeway to come over for the day. The idea was to try to finish writing and record a song they started writing during their time in the previous band, which specialized in Led Zeppelin covers.

At the time, neither Janeway nor Phillips was planning a future in a band together. In fact, Janeway was close to earning a college degree in accounting and expected to pursue that line of work.

But when they completed the stirring and soulful horn-laced song “Broken Bones & Pocket Change,” Janeway and Phillips knew they were onto something.

So they quickly assembled a band to make a debut EP, “Greetings From St. Paul and the Broken Bones.” Phillips knew guitarist Browan Lollar (a former member of Jason Isbell’s band, the 400 Unit) as well as drummer Andrew Lee. Janeway approached trombonist Ben Griner, who then recruited trumpet player Allen Branstetter to join the group. Keyboardist Al Gamble then completed the original lineup, which later expanded to include Jason Mingledorff (saxophone, clarinet, flute) and Chad Fisher (trombone), who has since replaced Griner.

The group members then turned their

attention to making “Half The City,” but had to rush the project – writing eight new songs to go with four from the EP in November and December 2012, and then going into the studio in January 2013 to record because producer Ben Tanner (keyboardist with the Alabama Shakes) had only a month available to work on the album.

Obviously, the band members were much more familiar with each other going into “Sea of Noise,” having spent two-plus years on tour to promote the first album. The group also made sure to take the necessary time writing and recording “Sea of Noise.”

“It was completely different because I’m incredibly familiar with those guys and know what they’re capable of,” Janeway said of the process of making “Sea of Noise. “With us being around each other so much, we (now) have a lot of chemistry.

“It was a better experience than the first time for me personally because I got to think about what I was doing,” he said. “I got to really ask like ‘Is something being said (in a song), and if it’s being said, what is it?’ -- that kind of thing. And I didn’t have that chance with ‘Half The City.’ And it gave that record a sense of urgency, which was good. I think that’s what stands out about it. But for me it was just nice to really let this stuff marinate.”

As with “Half The City,” Janeway and

bassist Phillips were the primary songwriters. And while the singer was open to considering songwriting contributions from other band members, he thinks the band is better served by having himself and Phillips continue to take the creative lead.

“One thing I’ve realized is that it’s hard to write songs with eight people because everybody has an opinion,” Janeway said. “So we did a little bit of that (on “Sea of Noise”), but there was a format. And I’m fine with a little bit of it (contributions from other band members), but when you’re starting from scratch, it’s typically a bad idea.

But everybody’s been really great.”

As touring has continued, the songs from “Sea of Noise” have made their presence felt in the live shows being played by St. Paul and the Broken Bones.

“I think it’s making it more robust. I think it’s kind of expanding where we can go, which is really nice,” Janeway said of the new album’s impact on the live show. “It’s different. It’s just not ‘Half The City II,’ which we wanted.

But it’s just you never know how people are going to (respond). There are always going to be a group of people that are like ‘Man, they had a good thing. They should have just kept doing that.’ And the show is going to be the same way...It’s still got the energy. It’s just, we’re getting to explore musically in the set because ‘Sea of Noise’ is more full bodied.”

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

>>> 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

KICK OFF 2018 NETWORKING WITH BREAKFAST AND BIZ, JANUARY 30 Start your 2018 networking on the right foot with Breakfast & Biz, the Chamber’s popular early morning event for early birds. Held at a different location on a quarterly basis, Breakfast & Biz is a great way to connect with Chamber members before the day even starts!

Designed for members and prospective members alike, the first Breakfast & Biz of the year will be held from 7 to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 30 at UPerk, located at 405 20th Avenue in downtown Tuscaloosa. Bring some business cards, invite a colleague and join the Chamber for the best networking around.

ADOPT-A-SCHOOL NEWS: TUSCALOOSA COCA-COLA SPONSORS AWESOME BOOK FAIR EVENT AT SIPSEY VALLEY MIDDLE SCHOOL An Arctic Adventure was sponsored recently by Sipsey Valley Middle School's adopter, Tuscaloosa Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola team members donated amazing prizes (including Bama Football tickets) for writing contests, estimation games and more. They also volunteered each day make it a success for both middle and high school students. It was a wonderful event made possible by the great guys at Coke!

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

5

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

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

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS

CULTURES OF DOING GOOD

I have been wanting to make homemade cinnamon rolls for a long time but it always seemed so hard. Making homemade bread is so intimidating. I decided to give it a try, however, and my family loved my homemade cinnamon rolls. What's great about these is you can make a double batch and freeze one of them for later.

Dough: 1/4-ounce package (2 1/4 tsp.) yeast 1/2 cup warm water 1/2 cup scalded milk 1/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour Dissolve the yeast in the warm water for about 5 minutes. This can be really warm tap water. You want it to be really warm, but not too warm that you can't touch it or the water will kill the yeast. cinnamon rolls In another bowl, mix together the scalded milk, sugar, melted butter, salt, and egg.

Add 2 cups of the flour and stir until smooth. Add yeast mixture and remaining flour until dough is not sticky and easy to knead. Knead by hand for 5 minutes. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this step. I have a KitchenAid stand mixer and I love it.

Place the kneaded dough in a large greased bowl and let it rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.

After the dough has risen, punch it down to get the air out of it and then roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Roll it into the shape of a 15 x 9 inch rectangle.

Brush 1/2 cup melted butter on the dough.

Mix together 3/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the dough.

Starting at one of the short ends of the dough, roll up the dough into a "log" and seal the ends with a little melted butter.

Slice the cinnamon rolls into 12 equal portions. I cut my log in half and then cut each half into 6. If you want to freeze these for later, you can place the cinnamon rolls on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer until they have hardened. Then transfer them to a ziploc freezer bag and store in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

If you are going to bake them right away, place them into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Let them rise again for about 30 minutes, until they have doubled in size.

Bake them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. While they are still hot, prepare the frosting.

Frosting: 4 tablespoons butter, softened 2 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons warm water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Mix frosting together and spread over hot cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!

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.

6

JAN 27 + JAN 10

ANTHROPOLOGISTS AND NGOS ABOUT THE BOOK Anthropological field studies of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in their unique cultural and political contexts.

Cultures of Doing Good: Anthropologists and NGOs serves as a foundational text to advance a growing subfield of social science inquiry: the anthropology of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Thorough introductory chapters provide a short history of NGO anthropology, address how the study of NGOs contributes to anthropology more broadly, and examine ways that anthropological studies of NGOs expand research agendas spawned by other disciplines.

In addition, the theoretical concepts and debates that have anchored the analysis of NGOs since they entered scholarly discourse after World War II are explained.

The wide-ranging volume is organized into thematic parts: “Changing Landscapes of Power,” “Doing Good Work,” and “Methodological Challenges of NGO Anthropology.” Each part is introduced by an original, reflective essay that contextualizes and links the themes of each chapter to broader bodies of research and to theoretical and methodological debates. A concluding chapter synthesizes how current lines of inquiry consolidate and advance the first generation of anthropological NGO studies, highlighting new and promising directions in this field.

In contrast to studies about surveys of NGOs that cover a single issue or region, this book offers a survey of NGO dynamics in varied cultural and political settings. The chapters herein cover NGO life in Tanzania, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Peru, the United States, and India. The diverse institutional worlds and networks include feminist activism, international aid donors, USAID democracy experts, Romani housing activism, academic gender studies, volunteer tourism, Jewish philanthropy, Islamic faith-based development, child welfare, women’s legal arbitration, and environmental conservation. The collection explores issues such as normative democratic civic engagement, elitism and

professionalization, the governance of feminist advocacy, disciplining religion, the politics of philanthropic neutrality, NGO tourism and consumption, blurred boundaries between anthropologists as researchers and activists, and barriers to producing critical NGO ethnographies.

AUTHORS/EDITORS Amanda Lashaw is a visiting assistant professor in the education department at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Christian Vannier is a lecturer in the departments of anthropology and Africana studies at the University of Michigan, Flint.

Steven Sampson is a professor emeritus of social anthropology at Lund University in Sweden.

REVIEWS “Cultures of Doing Good marks a new era of NGO scholarship, one that goes beyond shock at the NGO boom in the wake of neoliberal state retrenchments.

Using the contributors’ vast and diverse experiences, it tells complex stories of humanitarianism in the twenty-first century and the challenges facing scholars trying to navigate this important sector with engagement and rigor.” —Heather Hindman, author of Mediating the Global: Expatria’s Forms and Consequences in Kathmandu and coeditor of Inside the Everyday Lives of Development Workers: The Challenges and Futures of Aidland

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.

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

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

Photos Courtesy of Reggie Allen

FEMALE BLACK VOTERS SECURE JONES WIN

A

ccording to the polls, black votes matter.

Female black votes matter, that is. On Tuesday Dec. 12, Doug Jones won the special US senate election, defeating Republican candidate Roy Moore. Shortly after his victory, it was announced that a staggering 98 percent of Jones’ votes came from African American women, followed by 93 percent from African American men.

Jones, who is most notable for prosecuting the Ku Klux Klan members involved in the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bombing, made history as the first Alabama Democrat elected into the Senate in 25 years.

Prominent black voices such as Keegan Michael Key (Key& Peele), Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black), Angela Bassett (American Horror Story: Coven), New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, former pro baller Charles Barkley and newly-elected Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin were some of the myriad influencers that endorsed Jones.

Days leading to election day, the Democrat also enlisted the help of Alabama artists St. Paul & the Broken Bones and Jason Isbell for free concerts in Birmingham and Huntsville to get voters to the polls.

Shortly after his momentous win, celebrities across the world flooded social media, not only congratulating Jones on his victory, but paying homage to the voters that put him in office. Best-selling author J.K Rowling, who penned the Harry Potter novels, took to twitter, stating “Narrator’s Voice: Roy was right. God was in control. What he didn’t realize was, She’s Black.”

Despite losing the special election, Moore initially refused to concede, demanding a recount. Even with Jones as the declared victor, his win wouldn’t officially be confirmed until all absentee ballots are counted, however data showed it wouldn’t make a difference.

The Black Congressional Black Caucus, specifically 20 female members, are requesting Republican leaders to let the new Alabama Senate take office posthaste or delay votes on major legislation.

On Dec. 28, Jones was officially certified by the Alabama Canvasing board, declaring him as the victory in the special senatorial election.

"I am looking forward to going to work for the

people of Alabama in the new year," said Senatorelect Doug Jones in a official statement. "As I said on election night, our victory marks a new chapter for our state and the nation. I will be an independent voice and work to find common ground with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get Washington back on track and fight to make our country a better place for all."

The views of this article does not reflect the views of the publisher

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

7

>>> 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

THE BLUE PLATE RESTAURANT // HITS THE SPOT

I

t took a little while but Mother Nature has finally decided to make fall feel like fall. It wasn’t without its ups and downs, and unfortunately, the changing temperatures created havoc for many. I also became a victim suffering from “the crud” earlier this week. Sadly, when you’re sick, it’s often hard to identify what you’re in the mood to eat. With the cooler temperatures and a head cold from hell, I decided that soup was in my future for lunch. I wanted to go somewhere I hadn’t been in a while, concurrently on a mission to avoid soups that were made at some corporate facility and shipped to one of the many franchises in Tuscaloosa.

I aimlessly drove down McFarland Boulevard and barely noticed The Blue Plate Restaurant to my right.

It had been a few years since I’d been to Blue Plate, so I pulled in hopeful I’d find what I thought I was craving. Pulling in at 10:58 a.m. as a VERY early diner, I was concerned when I was only one of two cars in the parking lot, especially when I recall seeing the place packed any other time I drove by. Noting that the business and lunch service started at 10:30 a.m., I was relieved to see that the restaurant was indeed open.

The lack of early patrons gave me the option to sit almost anywhere. As a solo diner I was tempted to sit at the bar and stare at desserts, but I finally opted on getting a little booth all to myself. As I plopped down and took a peek at the menu, I was delighted to see the consistent trickling in of older folks into the restaurant.

One man’s glance my way gave me the impression that I had taken his normal booth…oops.

8

JAN 27 + JAN 10

It only took .35 seconds for me to look at the menu and see exactly what I wanted. A bowl of beef and vegetable soup with a grilled cheese sandwich sounded like the mostly heavenly thing on the planet.

Shoving my menu at the server with a big smile on my face, I told him I was ready to order. Thirty seconds later he came back with a basket of cornbread and biscuits for me to enjoy all by myself. I snacked on a fluffy biscuit with butter in order to save my cornbread for my soup.

Within 10 minutes, a generous bowl of beef and vegetable soup was laid before me along with a nicely sized grilled cheese sandwich. Monstrous pieces of potatoes, tomatoes, and green beans confirmed that this bowl of soup had no former existence in a can or frozen. My grilled cheese sandwich had a perfect balance of cheesiness without being overly greasy.

Viewing the dessert display upon my arrival, I knew I wanted to save room for something sweet. My server shared a few of the dessert options including cobbler, sweet potato pie, coconut cream pie, and various cakes. Though sweet potato pie is my favorite, I finally settled on having a slice of homemade chocolate cake with fudge and walnut toppings.

Warm, gooey, and nutty, the cake itself had the nostalgic flavors of homemade cakes that grandma used to make. It was a perfect ending to the earliest lunch I’ve had in a long time.

The Monday lunch experience I had at The Blue Plate Restaurant confirmed that this place would be on my rotation of regular

lunch locations. The pricing was unbeatable and the homemade touches to everything that came to my table were perfect. Thank you Blue Plate Restaurant for hitting the spot just right.

The Blue Plate Restaurant is located at 450 McFarland Boulevard in Northport. Tweet us @ ThePlanetWeekly and let us know where you are eating!

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

GET NOTICED ADVERTISE IN PLANET WEEKLY.

To learn more, please email PlanetEditor@yahoo.com

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

>>> 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

BENEVOLENCE BARREL AGED AMERICAN SOUR ALE WICKED WEED BREWING

MARTINI AND ROSSI ROSE

I

’ve been on a pretty serious sour beer kick lately. The whole style just fascinates me every time I try a new brew. There’s just something about a beer that’s left alone to do its own thing in a barrel for several months that blows me away. I guess it’s the aspect of not knowing exactly what it’s going to taste like once it’s done or how different things added to it will affect the flavor. Either way, the rise in popularity of sour beers has brought a plethora of brewers into the style to see what they can do and how well they can do it.

A few weeks ago I was in Atlanta and decided to stop at a bottle shop on my way back home. I have had Wicked Weed a few times, but never anything that was worth more than saying “yeah, I’d drink that again” and definitely never “I need to tell the world about this.” Hesitations aside, I decided to browse the Wicked Weed offerings (since it’s distributed there and not in Alabama) and I stumbled across Benevolence, a barrel-aged sour that’s brewed with aged hops. I’m in. Can’t get into this fast enough. In hindsight, I probably should have let it set a bit longer to age a bit more, but I couldn’t wait any longer. So, while Alabama was playing Tennessee, I decided to start my celebration a little early and broke this one out. Here are my thoughts: I poured the beer into a tulip glass and first noticed the deep, hazy copper color with about two finger widths of white head. The beer seemed a lot more effervescent than I normally care for, but it made the aroma really shine.

The head slowly descended and left a thin film around the top of the glass with some incredible lacing as I drank.

The aroma was quite interesting and unlike similar beers in the style. First you can tell that the beer is sour, like real sour, but in a good way. You get some slight fruity notes along with an earthy aroma that blends with a faint hint of oak. This is good, because if you’re barrel-aging something, I hope to smell that oak.

Taste only slightly mimicked the aroma, but it mimicked the high points for sure. I got mostly fruity flavors, like orange and raspberry; it’s a very sharp and assertive sour taste. You can almost taste a bit of apple cider vinegar flavor coming through about midway, but that quickly changes. At the end of each sip, the beer starts to

M develop this intense creamy, almost oaky flavor that mellows out all the sourness and makes it extremely easy to drink. The beer finishes very dry and leaves a subtle tartness on your tongue that almost resembles a sour candy or a tart fruit. The taste is much more interesting that I’m probably describing, but it’s one of those things like “you have to be there” or similarly “you have to taste this.” There are earthy notes mixed with fruity flavors that blend into a sour, barnyard-like taste (very musty and slightly grassy) but all come together to be very refreshing and very, very tasty.

Mouthfeel is, like I said, very carbonated; almost like a kombucha.

It’s tart, yet creamy, earthy, yet sweet.

This is definitely a very interesting taste profile as well as an interesting feeling beer to drink. I’m definitely ready to drink another one.

Overall, this is super weird, but in the best way possible. There’s so many things going on that it’s hard to pinpoint one thing to talk about, but if you’re familiar with sour beers, you may be able to pick apart different tastes and all of the interesting quirks that make this beer so good.

The barrel-aged component comes through, thankfully, really strong, and I’m sure a lot of that earthy flavor I was getting is coming from the aged hops, but it was welcomed. I could definitely see myself buying this one again, and at $12.99 per bottle, it’s a priced a little high but definitely worth it. So, if you see it, get it, drink it, and enjoy.

artini and Rossi Rose is an extra-dry sparkling wine from Italy. It has aromas of flowers and green apple. Its flavor is crisp and clean with notes of apple and red fruits. In the glass, Martini and Rossi Rose is quite rosy in color.

Overall, a gorgeous sparkling wine made from expertly sourced Chardonnay, Riesling Italico, Nebbiolo and Glera grapes. Perfect for an elegant affair.

Martini and Rossi Rose Sparkling Wine Review Martini and Rossi RoseFrom the bottle: Martini & Rossi Rose is made using only a selected blend of wines from northern Italy… Martini & Rossi Rose is the ideal partner for your aperitivo moment as well as for enhancing your meal with friends.

Non-vintage sample of Martini and Rossi Rose received for review purposes.

Appearance In the glass, this wine pours quite pink. I’d say it’s darker than many rose wines you might find.

And of course, there was plenty of bubbles!

Aroma This wine’s aroma is plenty subtle.

I had to get up real close, but once I did I noted soft hints of green apple and florals.

There was absolutely no burn of alcohol in the nose.

Martini and Rossi Rose alcohol content 11.5% by volume, per the bottle.

Taste My first reaction was “nice!”

Flavors are also subtle and mirrored the aroma. Noticeable were refreshing and crisp tastes of green apple along with just the slightest hint of red fruits.

I also noticed that a little sweetness emerged over time as the bubbles dissipated. A fresh pour brought back the crispness to the flavor.

Finish This sparkling wine is quite dry, as advertised. However, the flavors do linger on your palate for some time.

Overall Opinion Overall, I really enjoyed this sparkling Rose.

Martini & Rossi Rose is wellbalanced and, frankly, different then your typical holiday sparkling wine.

Martini & Rossi Rose is wellbalanced and, frankly, different then your typical holiday sparkling wine.

I think my favorite part of this wine was the way it looked. That’s not a usual point of interest for me in an overall opinion.

However, I could well imagine flutes of this wine being carried around by everyone at a sparkly holiday party.

Visually, it comes across as elegant and classy.

Martini and Rossi Rose price $12.99 SRP. Suggested Food Pairing Martini and Rossi suggests pairing this sparkling Rose with seafood and Mediterranean flavors.

I think that’s a great combination but I’d also suggest pairing this sparkler with chocolate covered cherries.

A perfect dessert!

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

9

>>> RESTAURANTS |

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

BREAKFAST / LUNCH

3380 McFarland Blvd - Northport//330-0919//www.lostarascos.com

Brown Bag 9425 Jones Road | Northport // 333.0970 Its speciality, fried green tomatoes, joins barbecue plates and fish filets on an extended list of meats and vegetables.//Tues 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Wed-Sat 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

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

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 11:00am3:00am//www.cookout.com CountryPride Restaurant 3501 Buttermilk Rd // 554.0215 | www.ta.travelcenters.com Breakfast 24 hours. Lunch and Dinner buffet.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 4800 Doris Pate Dr | Exit 76 // 562.8282//www.crackerbarrel.com Holler & Dash 1130 University Blvd A-1, Tuscaloosa//752-3310 Sun-Thur 7am–2pm Fri-Sat 7am–9pm Sun 7am-2pm//www.holleranddash.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

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 Pastor's Kitchen 2910 5th St, Northport//553-2320 Mon-Fri 10:30am-2pm, 4:30–9pm Sat 10:30am-8pm Closed Sun Pepito’s (2 locations) 1203 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9028 1301 McFarland Blvd NE // 391.4861 Taco Mama Tuscaloosa 2104 University Blvd A, Tuscaloosa Mon-Wed 11am–9pm Thur-Sat 11am–10pm Sun 11am–9pm www.tacomamaonline.com

FINE DINING

301 Bistro (Was L&N Train Station) 301 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa //764-1395 Casual Dining, Full Bar and Beer Garden Mon-Sat 4–11PM Sun 11am-9pm | www.301bistro.com Cypress Inn 501 Rice Mine Rd // 345.6963 Fax: 345.6997 | www.cypressinnrestaurant.com | 2003 Restaurant of Distinction. Beautiful riverfront location. Steaks, seafood and more with Southern flavor. Wine list, full bar. Specialities of the house include Shrimp Cypress Inn and Smoked Chicken with white barbecue sauce. Kid friendly. Closed Saturday lunch. 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.

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.

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. Mon-Sat 9am–9pm Sun- 10am-3pm Tropical Smoothie Cafe 1800 McFarland Blvd E, | Tuscaloosa// 331-4070 Casual, health-conscious cafe featuring custom smoothies, sandwiches & wraps. Mon-Thur 6:30am–9:30pm Fri-7am-9pm Sun10:30-8pm

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

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

River 1650 Jack Warner Pkwy NE, Tuscaloosa//632-3801 Tue,Wed,Thur-11am–2pm, 5:30–9PM Fri-11am–2pm, 5–10pm Sat-10am–1pm, 5–10 Sun-10am–1pm Closed Monday | www. rivertuscaloosa.com

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

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

MEXICAN

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.

Central Mesa 523-7738// 519 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa Mon-Thur 11am-10pm Friday-Sat 11am-11pm Sunday: 10am-3pm 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 Don Tono's 2312 4th Street | Temerson Square // 345.9191 El Mariachi 3520 McFarland Blvd E |Tuscaloosa // 409-8585

Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi 502 15th Street // 752.8844 Maki Fresh 759-2555//1530 Mcfarland Blvd N, Tuscaloosa//Mon-Sun 11am–9pm Asian chain serving maki, rice bowls, tempura, sliders & more.

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.

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

Pokirrito 68 (was Ezell's Southern Food Express) 220 15th St E, Tuscaloosa Sushi Bar

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

Rock 'n Roll Sushi 469-9060//2229 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa Mon-Thur 11am-9pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm Sun 12-9pm

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop 2321 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa//409-8344 Mon-Thur 10am–10pm Fri-Sat 10am–12am Sun 10am-10pm | www.fuzzystacoshop.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 La Fiesta Mexican Grill 6521 AL-69, Tuscaloosa// 345-8580 Mon-Thur 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm Sun 11am-9pm Los Calientes Mexican Grill 3429 McFarland Blvd E // 553.1558 La Fiesta Mexican Grill 345-8580//6521 AL-69, Tuscaloosa Mon-Thur 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm Sun 11am-9pm Los Tarascos (2 locations) 110 Skyland Blvd E - Tuscaloosa//553-8896 NEW LOCATION

10

JAN 27 + JAN 10

ITALIAN

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 www.chickensaladchick.com Dat's Good 333-4663// 4300 AL-13, Northport Specializes in Catfish, Hot Wings,and BBQ Tue-Sat 10am-9pm Closed Sun & Mon www.facebook.com/DatsGoodBBQ

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.

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

Hooter’s 5025 Oscar Baxter Dr | Next to Jameson Inn // 758.3035 www.hooters.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 MonThu: 11am - 10pm | Fri - Sat: 11am-10pm | Sun: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

CASUAL DINING

Avenue Pub 405 23rd Avenue // Tuscaloosa

Innisfree Irish Pub 1925 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 345.1199 Mugshots Grill & Bar 511 Greensboro Ave // 391.0572//Great burgers. Full service bar.

Open late. | www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

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

Walton's 915 Patriot Pkwy, Tuscaloosa//752-1693 Wings and much more Mon-Sat 9am-10pm Closed Sun | waltonstuscaloosa.com

The Kitchen 2322 4th St, Tuscaloosa//331-4731 Tue-Fri 8am–3pm Sat-Sun 9am-9pm Closed Sunday

Wilhagan’s 2209 4th St | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 366.0913

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

Mae's Southern Cafe 710-5488//4419 hwy 43 n suite 5, Northport Tue-Sat 11am–7pm Sun-10:30pm–12am Sun 11am-6pm Mon12AM–8PM

Wings U 1800 McFarland Blvd East Suite 218 | Pick-up Tuscaloosa // 561.3984 Features the first coal-fired pizza oven in Alabama. Owned by former UA/Miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. Completely open concept! www.wingsu.com WingZone 1241 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 342.2473

BARBEQUE

Metro Diner 464-9428//1800 McFarland Blvd E #404 Tuscaloosa Sun-Thur 7am–8pm Fri-Sat 7am–9pm | www.metrodiner.com

Archibald & Woodrow's BBQ 4215 Greensboro Ave | Tuscaloosa // 331.4858 Mon-Sat 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Sun lunch

Miss Dots 1715 University Blvd, Tuscaloos Mon-Sun 11am-9pm | www.lovemissdots.com

Bama BBQ & Grill 3380 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 333.9816

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 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 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

Southern Ale House 1530 McFarland Blvd N//Monday-Thursday 11a.m-9p.m., FridaySaturday 11a.m.-10p.m. Sunday Brunch 11a.m.-2p.m.

Animal Butter 710-5455// 2217 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa// Tue-Sat 11am–10pm Sun 11am–9pm Monday Closed | www.animalbutterinc.com

Billy's Sports Grill Historic Downtown Northport // 879.2238 Mon through Wed from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thurs through Sat from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sun from 10:30 a.m. till 9 p.m. (Sunday Brunch 10:30am-3pm).

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

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

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

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 10:30am11:00pm | order.burgerfi.com/menu/tuscaloosa

Buffalo Wild Wings 2710 McFarland Blvd. East | Tuscaloosa // 523.0273 Sports grille with TVs galore. Diverse beer and wine, full bar

Sitar Indian Cuisine 500 15th St // 345-1419

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

SPORTS GRILL Baumhower's Wings of Tuscaloosa (2 Locations) 500 Harper Lee Drive | catering-Pick-up Tuscaloosa //556.5858 4251 Courtney Dr, Tuscaloosa // 556-5658 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

Dave’s Dogs 1701 McFarland Blvd E | University Mall // 722.2800

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

Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343

A wonderful selection of Greek foods

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

Sweet Home Food Bar www.sweethomefoodbaral.com//764-9346 Mon-Sat 9am–9pm Sun- 10am-3pm Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe 1800 McFarland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa// 344-6444 Mon-Sat 11am-9pm Sun 11am-8pm Urban Cookhouse 1490 Northbank Parkway #110, Tuscaloosa// 561-6999//We use the freshest ingredients available with an emphasis on supporting the local farmer Mon-Sun 10am–9pm//www.urbancookhouse.com Zoe’s Kitchen 312 Merchants Walk // 344.4450

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

Sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Full Moon BBQ 1434 McFarland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa// 366-3555 (sports Grill) Mon-Thur 10am–9pm Fri-Sat 10am–10pm Sun 11am-9pm Hick’s BBQ 4400 Fayette Hwy // 339.3678 // Tues–Sat 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q 469-2060//305 21st Ave, Tuscaloosa Sun-Thur 11am-9pm Fri-Sat 9am-10pm | www.facebook.com/ JNNTuscaloosa Hoo's Q 345-6400 101 15th St E, Tuscaloosa//Mon-Sun 10am-9pm | www.hoosbbq.com Moe's Original BBQ 2101 University Blvd. // 752.3616 Mon–Sat 11am - 10pm | Bar service Mon-Sat 2am and Fri -3am | Kitchen closes at 10pm Pottery Grill (2 locations) Highway 11 | Cottondale // 554.1815 3420 Alabama 69 | Northport // 333.5848 Menu: thepotterygrill.com Tee’s Ribs and Thangs 1702 10th Avenue // 366.9974 |11 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily STEAKS Logan’s Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd | next to Sams // 349.3554 Steaks, ribs and spirits Longhorn Steakhouse 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 345-8244 #412 Nick's In the Sticks 4018 Culver Rd | Tuscaloosa // 758.9316 A long-time Tuscaloosa tradition. Good steaks at a reasonable price Try a Nicodemus if you have a designated driver.

Outback Steakhouse 5001 Oscar Baxter Dr // 759.9000

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

>>> RESTAURANTS |

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

R. Davidson Chophouse 2330 4th St. /Downtown Tuscaloosa/ 205.614.8782 Reservations are available online at rdchophouse.com or by phone.

Hours - Tues–Fri. 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

Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. // 345.4354

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

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

43 Prime Steakhouse 13620 Highway 43 N Northport// 331-5800 Monday-Thursday 4:30-9 Friday-Saturday 11-10 Closed Sunday

SEAFOOD

Marco’s Pizza 1021 McFarland Blvd, Northport// 330-4555 Mon-Thur 11am–10pm Fri-Sat 11am–11pm Sun 3–10PM | http://www.marcos.com

Roly Poly Sandwiches 2300 4th Street | Tuscaloosa // 366.1222 The Pita Pit 1207 University Blvd | The Strip // 345.9606 Hours: Mon–Sat 10:30 a.m. - 3 a.m. | Sun 11:30 a.m. - midnight

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.

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

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)

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

Shrimp Basket 3249 McFarland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa//469-9786 Mon-Fri 10:30am–9pm | www.shrimpbasket.com Catfish Heaven 2502 21st St, Tuscaloosa// 752-7222 Mon-Sat 11am-7:30pm Closed Sun Steamers on The Strip 1301 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa//750-0203 Mon-Sat 11am-8pm Sun 11am-5pm | www.steamersonthestrip.net 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.

Chang’s Chinese Restaurant 1825 McFarland Blvd N // 391.9131 China Fun 2600 University Blvd | Alberta City // 553.2435 Chongwah Express 1425 McFarland Boulevard, Northport. 333-1088 Hot Wok Express 6571 Alabama 69, Tuscaloosa// 758-0148 | Mon-Sat 10:30am–8pm Lee Palace 6521 Highway 69 S // 391.9990 / Open daily 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

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 New China Fun 4213 University Blvd E, Tuscaloosa//553-2435 Mon-Thur 11am–9:30pm Fri-Sat 11am–10:30pm Sun 12–9:30PM 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

DELICATESSEN

Jason’s Deli 2300 McFarland Blvd // 752.6192 www.jasonsdeli.com Located in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center Jimmy John’s (3 locations) 1400 University Blvd | The Strip // 366.3699 1875 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 752.7714 815 Lurleen B. Wallace S | Tuscaloosa // 722.2268 Delivery 7 days a week. www.jimmyjohns.com Manna Grocery & Deli 2300 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 752.9955 McAlister’s Deli (2 locations) 101 15th St | Tuscaloosa // 758.0039 3021 Tyler Dr | Northport // 330.7940 Sandwiches, salads and spuds www.mcalistersdeli.com Momma Goldberg’s Deli 409 23rd Ave // 345.5501 | www.mommagoldbergs.com Newk’s Express Cafe 205 University Blvd. East // 758.2455// www.newkscafe.com Sun–Wed 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Thurs–Sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

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 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 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. – 6 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Pearl Garden 2719 Lurleen Wallace Blvd | Northport // 339.0880

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

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.

Starbucks (2 locations) 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 343.2468 1901 13th Ave East | Inside Super Target // 462.1064 | starbucks.com

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

Celebrations Bakery, Inc. 1832 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339.3221

Trey Yuen 4200 McFarland Blvd E // 752.0088

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

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.

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 (4 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 Little Caesars Pizza 1414 10th Ave // 366.2220 | www.littlecaesars.com (Second location) 5980 Old Greensboro Rd, Tuscaloosa// 331-8150

CRAFT BEER | WINE | BARCADE | GROWLERS

DESSERTS

Frutta Bowls 752-3293//2531 University Blvd Suite 110 Mon-Sun 7am–9pm | www.fruttabowls.com Mary's Cakes & Pastries 412 22nd Avenue | behind Opus | Northport // 345.8610 www.maryscakesandpastries.com//Mon–Fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Sat 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Smoothie King (2 locations) 415 15th Street | Tuscaloosa // 349.1721 1403 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 462.3664 TCBY (2 Locations) 2304 Mcfarland Blbd | Meadowbrook Shopping Center // 349.4661 2 Mcfarland Blvd | Northport | Essex Shopping Center // 758.6855 Yogurt In Love Patriot Center 7402 Highway 69 South//764.9173 Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.-10 pm.

Yogurt Mountain 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 342.1484 Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - midnight

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

11

u o Y e Hav ? d r e H HAS S ’ Y L Y R BIL E V I L E D E E FR CALL TODAY

205-879-2238

*option 3

Billy’s Sports Grill

430 Main Avenue Northport, AL 35476 205-879-2238 *option 3 BillysSportsGrill.com/menu

FEED YOUR GOAT!

12

JAN 27 + JAN 10

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

e rnest hadley booksellers

EARN EXTRA INCOME

1928 7th street tuscaloosa, al 35401

Help Local Businesses Get More Customers!

Hours: 10 am–6 pm, Mon.–Fri. 10 am – 5 pm, Sat. Closed Sunday

Sell Advertising Space in the Planet Weekly Please Call or Email Linda Johnson 205.792.7239 • publisher@theplanetweekly.com

205.632.5331 www.ernestandhadleybooks.com

GET NOTICED

ADVERTISE IN PLANET WEEKLY.

15% off one regularly priced item* with this ad.

To learn more, please email PlanetEditor@yahoo.com

(*excludes gift certificates and memberships)

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

13

>>> PET PLANET

JULLIETTE // PLAYFUL & SWEET

T

TIFFANY // BLUE EYED BEAUTY

T

his beauty is Tiffany, a 1-year-old Siamese mix with crystal blue eyes.

She was rescued when her family moved away and left her along with her two kittens, Timothy and Titus (also available for adoption). She had a limp that turned out to be a broken and displaced hip. After surgery she is doing great, but she still has a pronounced limp. We are working with her at the shelter to help her fully recover. Tiffany loves to play and is very active, even with a limp!

his pretty girl is Juliette, a 9-year-old German Shepherd/corgi mix.

She is smaller than she looks, weighing around 27 pounds. She is like a mini German Shepherd so there is something in her that is keeping her small - maybe corgi or terrier. Juliette has a tan with traces of black really thick coat. She does have a thick undercoat and will need brushing to keep from shedding. Juliette was pulled from our local animal shelter where she had been turned in as a stray. We adopted her out over 8 1/2 years ago when she was about 6-8 months old. She was in a loving home and wellcared for. Unfortunately, she was returned to us because the financial situation for the family had drastically changed and they could not keep her anymore.

Juliette is a smart dog and is ready to be back in a home environment. She will require a privacy fence and but is not to be an outside dog only. She is used to being inside with her family. Mature dogs are great dogs to take on since they are over the puppy stages of chewing and don't have such a high energy level.

Juliette has a nice energy level and would enjoy walks and play time but then is ready to settle down and chill out with you. She has many more years ahead of her to enjoy with a lucky owner!

Vet records will be provided to adopters. If you are interested in giving JULLIETTE or TIFFANY a 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

// IN THIS ISSUE >> UP-TO-DATE RESTAURANT LISTINGS ›› TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2017 ›› BIRMINGHAM'S YOUNGEST MAYOR ›› NORTH POLE CUPCAKES ›› BEER & WINE REVIEW ›› DADDY'S HOME 2 ›› THE TANGLED HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Turning point domestic violence and sexual assault services center and the Board of Directors are excited to announce the new Executive Committee at its annual meeting. The annual meeting starts at 6:30pm at the First United Methodist Church and features awards, a chance to meet the new committee members and exciting guest speakers on February 27, 2017. A few words of welcome are planned by local

From Our Family To Yours

officials including, Chief Tommy Reese of Demopolis, Dr. Mallory of Shelton, board members and others. In recognition of Turning Point,

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

DEC 13 + DEC 27

1

Next Issue // Janary 10

Advertising Deadline: Friday, January 5 205-523-4668//205-792-7239

theplanetweekly.com 14

JAN 27 + JAN 10

issuu.com/planetweekly

the West Alabama areas domestic violence/sexual assault agency, is inviting all citizens, social groups and other non-profits to join with them in this annual event to thank them for their continued support.

Our goal is to create a conglomerate displaying the strength gained by joining together. We are asking individuals and various groups and members to join us and continue a commitment to ensure that all lives are lived free of violence and abuse,? said Amy Gundlach-Foster, Executive Director of Turning Point.

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

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

BRIGHT // A HUMAN AND AN ORC WALK INTO A BAR...

★★★

OU T OF 4

C

learly, Netflix wants to go toe-to-toe with Hollywood, and they are challenging it with their own provocative, slambang, $90-million, pulp-fantasythriller “Bright”, toplining Will Smith and Joel Edgerton as a rare pair of LAPD beat cops. Although Smith plays a human, Edgerton is cast as an Orc! Essentially, “Suicide Squad” director David Ayer has taken his superb police procedural “End of Watch” (2012) and retooled it as something like director Graham Baker’s “Alien Nation” (1988) with the fantastic beings from Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” franchise.

Clocking in close two hours, “Bright” conjures up non-stop action, nailgnawing suspense, unbearable tension, complete with surprises and revelations galore. Smith is as charismatic as ever, but he isn’t mimicking his “Bad Boys” character Mike Lowery, a role that he plans to reprise in two forthcoming sequels: “Bad Boys Forever” and “Bad Boys 4.” As veteran patrolman Daryl Ward, he is mired up to his neck in devastating debt, and his chief aim in life is to survive long enough to get his pension. Meantime, Ward finds himself in a predicament like nothing any policeman has confronted. The world of “Bright” is as gritty, violent, and racially charged as 21st century America, but this imaginative epic takes place in an alternate universe where far-fetched creatures, such as Orcs, Fairies, Elves, and others have been co-existing with humans since the dawn of time. Were it not for these extraordinary characters, “Bright” would amount to little more than another foray in urban crime.

Sadly, this inventive hokum suffers from two shortcomings. First, predictable plotting undermines the outcome because Ayer and “Victor Frankenstein” scenarist Max Landis paint themselves into a corner.

Second, the filmmakers provide only the most basic backstory about this bizarre new world. Meantime, the original “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” actress Noomi Rapace keeps things exciting as a demonic elf who tries to ice our heroes, while Edgar Ramirez is equally as tenacious as another kind of Elf with a badge.

Patrolman Daryl Ward (Will Smith) isn’t ecstatic about having an Orc as his partner. In the alternate universe of “Bright,” Orcs are savage, toothsome creatures who resemble a a synthesis of olive-skinned albinos

and ghoulish vampire of the 1922 silent horror classic “Nosferatu.”

Basically, Orcs are blue-collar, bottom-feeders who stick together inseparably and rank beneath the most woebegone ethnic groups ravaged by poverty and racism. Nick Jakoby (Joel Edgerton of “Smokin’ Aces”) is a typical Orc, and his fellow Orcs display nothing but contempt for him. Since they have no use for him, Nick has no use for them.

Indeed, Nick has always dreamed of wearing a badge. Imagine his surprise when his dream comes true, and the LAPD hires him on the grounds of diversity. Meantime, Daryl is desperately trying to hold onto his job. Unfortunately, riding with Nick is no bargain as Daryl discovers when out of nowhere a shotgun-wielding Orc blasts him with a shotgun.

Fortunately, Daryl survives, but he isn’t happy that he must resume riding with Nick. Ward’s irate fellow police officers heap endless criticism on him for tolerating Nick. They argue that he should charge Nick for incompetency, so the LAPD will fire the rookie. Daryl’s fellow officers fear that if Nick proves himself as a valuable contribution to the force, more Orcs will follow.

Word has spread like wildfire around Los Angeles about a virulent league of Elves known as the Inferni.

Moreover, these Elves have been toiling to resurrect a renowned ‘Dark Lord’ warrior to subjugate mankind. Legend has it the Inferni can with a magical wand deemed "a nuclear weapon that grants wishes."

The Inferni are ranked as ‘bright’ because they can wield this wand.

Furthermore, accounts claim there may even be some humans who

can brandish it. Meanwhile, anybody else who dares to touch it is doomed to incinerate themselves before they can realize their dreams. Daryl and Nick stumble onto a wand one evening in a hood when they respond to a shooting and find themselves in the middle of a supernatural showdown. They help a renegade young Elf, Tikka (Lucy Fry of “Mr. Church”), who has slain another Inferni with that deadly incandescent wand. Dumbfounded by these circumstances, Daryl summons his watch commander, Sergeant Ching (Margaret Cho of “One Missed Call”), and his fellow patrolmen, to make sense out of this uncanny situation.

No sooner have they arrived than the police see the wand as an answer to all their troubles. Furthermore, they conspire to kill Daryl and Nick, so nobody will know how they acquired the wand. Daryl turns the tables on

them, then Nick and he realize they are now being stalked by a more formidable Inferni, Leilah (Noomi Rapace), who wants the wand and is prepared to kill anybody who gets in her way. Indeed, Leilah is ten times more powerful than Tikka, and Leilah’s posse is pretty much indestructible, too. If Daryl and Nick don’t have their hands full enough, they must contend with a crippled gangsta, Poison (Enrique Murciano of “Collateral Beauty”), who needs the wand, so he can walk again. Poison rules an army of trigger-happy, machine-gun toting thugs. Adding to the complications is another Elf, Kandomere (Edgar Ramirez of “Point Break”), a government agent who supervises a Federal Magic Task Force that wants the mysterious wand, too.

Director David Ayer rarely lets our embattled buddy cops catch their collective breath as they run a gauntlet consisting of the ruthless Inferni, Poison’s homicidal hellions, and corrupt LAPD officers. Before everything works out for them, Daryl and Nick must dodge barrages of bullets and discover that the wand can resurrect the dead. Ayer intersperses the careening car chases, harrowing shootouts, and high-octane explosions with plenty of exposition, so we learn little by little the amazing powers of the wand and the various characteristics of the heroes and villains. “Bright” delivers more than enough wattage to keep audiences enthralled before its obligatory feelgood ending.

“Bright” is streaming at a Netflix near you.

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

15

>>> NEW YEAR'S FOOD TRADITIONS | A M A N DA K L U D T, S P E C I A L T O C N N

THEY EAT WHAT?! NEW YEAR'S FOOD TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD

A

mericans who celebrate on New Year's Eve with a bottle of champagne, party hats and a kiss at midnight have an important lesson to learn from the rest of the world and even certain regions of the USA: The arrival of the new year is meant for feasting.

As the new year arrives around the globe, special cakes and breads abound, as do long noodles (representing long life), field peas (representing coins), herring (representing abundance) and pigs (representing good luck).

The particulars vary, but the general theme is the same: Share a meal with family and friends to usher in a year of prosperity. Here are some of the common food traditions in destinations around the world and a few hints about where to partake in them: 1. Hoppin' John, American South A major New Year's food tradition in the American South, Hoppin' John is a dish of pork-flavored field peas or black-eyed peas (symbolizing coins) and rice, frequently served with collards or other cooked greens (as they're the color of money) and cornbread (the color of gold). The dish is said to bring good luck in the new year.

Different folklore traces the history and the name of this meal, but the current dish has its roots in African and West Indian traditions and was most likely brought over by slaves to North America. A recipe for Hoppin' John appears as early as 1847 in Sarah Rutledge's "The Carolina Housewife" and has been reinterpreted over the centuries by home and professional chefs.

The dish reportedly got its name in Charleston, South Carolina, and it is a veritable staple of Lowcountry cooking. So this is as good a place as any to eat it.

Husk, the acclaimed restaurant of chef Sean Brock, often serves Hoppin' John, as does Charleston institution Hominy Grill.

2. Twelve grapes, Spain While Americans watch the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve, the people of Spain watch the broadcast from Puerta del Sol in Madrid, where revelers gather in front of the square's clock tower to ring in the New Year. Those out in the square and those watching at home partake in an unusual annual tradition: At the stroke of midnight, they eat one grape for every toll of the clock bell. Some even prep their grapes -- peeling and seeding them -- to make sure they will be as efficient as possible when midnight comes.

The custom began at the turn of the 20th century and was purportedly thought up by grape producers in the southern part of the country with a bumper crop.

Since then, the tradition has spread to many Spanishspeaking nations.

Those spending New Year's Eve in Madrid should head over to the Puerta del Sol before midnight. It's a lively square, surrounded by bars, restaurants and shopping, so it's a good place to be when the new year comes.

3. Tamales, Mexico Tamales, corn dough stuffed with meat, cheese and other delicious additions and wrapped in a banana leaf or a corn husk, make appearances at pretty much

16

JAN 27 + JAN 10

every special occasion in Mexico. But the holiday season is an especially favored time for the food.

the French the gateau or galette des rois. Mexicans have the Rosca de Reyes and Bulgarians enjoy the banitsa.

In many families, groups of women gather together to make hundreds of the little packets -- with each person in charge of one aspect of the cooking process -- to hand out to friends, family and neighbors. On New Year's, it's often served with menudo, a tripe and hominy soup that is famously good for hangovers.

Most of the cakes are consumed at midnight on New Year's Eve -- though some cultures cut their cake on Christmas or the Epiphany, January 6 -- and include a hidden gold coin or figure, which symbolizes a prosperous year for whomever finds it in their slice.

Those who live in cities with large Mexican populations shouldn't have much trouble finding restaurants selling tamales to go for New Year's Eve and Day. But gourmands who want the real deal should head to Mexico City, where steamed tamales are sold from vendors on street corners day and night. They can also be found at established restaurants such as Pujol.

4. Oliebollen, Netherlands In the Netherlands, fried oil balls, or oliebollen, are sold by street carts and are traditionally consumed on New Year's Eve and at special celebratory fairs.

They are doughnut-like dumplings, made by dropping a scoop of dough spiked with currants or raisins into a deep fryer and then dusted with powdered sugar.

In Amsterdam, be on the lookout for Oliebollenkraams, little temporary shacks or trailers on the street selling packets of hot fried oliebollen.

5. Marzipanschwein or Glücksschwein, Austria and Germany Austria, and its neighbor to the north, Germany, call New Year's Eve Sylvesterabend, or the eve of Saint Sylvester. Austrian revelers drink a red wine punch with cinnamon and spices, eat suckling pig for dinner and decorate the table with little pigs made of marzipan, called marzipanschwein. Good luck pigs, or Glücksschwein, which are made of all sorts of things, are also common gifts throughout both Austria and Germany.

Vienna bakeries this time of year will be filled with a variety of pig-shaped sweets. Head to Julius Meinl to find the most impressive display of pig-shaped Champagne truffles, marzipan and chocolate in a variety of sizes.

6. Soba noodles, Japan In Japanese households, families eat buckwheat soba noodles, or toshikoshi soba, at midnight on New Year's Eve to bid farewell to the year gone by and welcome the year to come. The tradition dates back to the 17th century, and the long noodles symbolize longevity and prosperity.

In another custom called mochitsuki, friends and family spend the day before New Year's pounding mochi rice cakes. Sweet, glutinous rice is washed, soaked, steamed and pounded into a smooth mass.

Then guests take turns pinching off pieces to make into small buns that are later eaten for dessert.

If you're in Tokyo, consider soba specialist Honmura An in the Roppongi entertainment district.

7. King cake, around the globe The tradition of a New Year's cake is one that spans countless cultures. The Greeks have the Vasilopita,

8. Cotechino con lenticchie, Italy Italians celebrate New Year's Eve with La Festa di San Silvestro, often commencing with a traditional cotechino con lenticchie, a sausage and lentil stew that is said to bring good luck (the lentils represent money and good fortune) and, in certain households, zampone, a stuffed pig's trotter.

The meal ends with chiacchiere -- balls of fried dough that are rolled in honey and powdered sugar -- and prosecco. The dishes find their roots in Modena, but New Year's Eve feasts thrive across the country.

9. Pickled herring, Poland and Scandinavia Because herring is in abundance in Poland and parts of Scandinavia and because of their silver coloring, many in those nations eat pickled herring at the stroke of midnight to bring a year of prosperity and bounty. Some eat pickled herring in cream sauce while others have it with onions.

One special Polish New Year's Eve preparation of pickled herring, called Sledzie Marynowane, is made by soaking whole salt herrings in water for 24 hours and then layering them in a jar with onions, allspice, sugar and white vinegar.

Scandinavians will often include herring in a larger midnight smorgasbord with smoked and pickled fish, pate and meatballs.

10. Kransekage, Denmark and Norway Kransekage, literally wreath cake, is a cake tower composed of many concentric rings of cake layered atop one another, and they are made for New Year's Eve and other special occasions in Denmark and Norway.

The cake is made using marzipan, often with a bottle of wine or Aquavit in the center and can be decorated with ornaments, flags and crackers.

Those who can't make it to Copenhagen for Danish treats should check out Larsen's Danish Bakery in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. They have a long-running mail-order business to accommodate kransekage lovers across the country and carefully pack each ring on the tower individually for easy assembly right before your New Year's Eve feast.

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

Tickets Start at $15!

Restrictions, exclusions and additional charges may apply. Subject to availability. Tickets at market pricing.

LEGACY ARENA AT BJCC

JAN 6 & 7

1703150

Competitors shown are subject to change. © 2017 Feld Motor Sports, Inc.

MonsterJam.com

Tickets Start at $15!

Restrictions, exclusions and additional charges may apply.

Subject to availability. Tickets at market pricing.

LEGACY ARENA AT BJCC

JAN 24 – 28 DisneyOnIce.com >>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

17

Effective

ADS CONTACT

205.792.7239

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!

GET NOTICED

ADVERTISE IN PLANET WEEKLY. To learn more, please email PlanetEditor@yahoo.com 18

JAN 27 + JAN 10

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

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

Photos Courtesy of Reggie Allen

STAFF PICK// TOP CONCERTS OF 2017

T

he popular Broadway musical Rent posed a great question: how do you measure a year? As an entertainment writer and photojournalist, I’m a bit biased to music. I spend a majority of the year in a music hall or Amphitheatre, so that’s where most of my memories lay. As the year comes to in, I’m often asked what my favorites shows, so I decided to compile a list. Here are my top shows of 2017.

Big Freedia (Saturn Bar) The self-proclaimed Queen of Bounce, shook the walls of Avondale with his unique New Orleans sound, invoking patrons to free their inhibitions and vibe with hightempo and repetitious melodies. While not considered traditional music, Freedia and her accompanying bounce minions radiated a certain energy that commanded the audience to shake what their mother gave them.

Charles Bradley (Sloss Furnace) The 68-year-old crooner, known for his impressive range and soulful delivery, commanded the stage last Summer at the Sloss Music & Arts Festival. Bradley sung like it was last night on earth, but ,little did we know, it would be one of his final live performances. Unfortunately, the singer succumbed to cancer in September. A highlight of the show was his chilling performance of “Changes”, a song that he dedicated to his late mother. Many might recognize the emotionally clad ballad from the new Netflix animated series “Big Mouth”, but nothing could compare to hearing it flood the festival grounds.

Mali Music ( 1st & 23rd) The Georgia native filled the small downtown bar on a Thursday night. Despite a small set, the contemporary Christian artist gave a grandiose performance of singles “Beautiful”, “Ready, Aim, Fire” and “Fight For You” from his critically acclaimed album Mali Is. On a side note, before the show, former Mayor William A. Bell awarded Music with the key to the city.

XSCAPE ( BJCC) After their highly-anticipated reunion at Essence fest, members Kandi Buress, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, Latocha Scott, and Tamika Scott decided to keep the party rolling with their “The Great XSCAPE” reunion tour, which included a stop in the Magic City. Tamar Braxton, Monica , June’s Diary and Harris’ daughter Zonnique served as the supporting acts. James Wright Chanel, the star behind the viral Patty Pie video, made a special appearance alongside Braxton for her performance of “Love & War”.

In early interviews, Buress, who landed a brief residency on Broadway, announced that she wouldn’t joining the girls for future music.

Those that attended, the show may have the seen the last performance with all four original members.

Janet Jackson ( BJCC) After three years of waiting, Birmingham was blessed with a performance from Miss Jackson herself. After taking a sabbatical, due to health and family matters, the “All for You” singer brought her “State of the World” tour to Alabama, delivering a bevy of tracks from her extensive discography, which included songs from 2015’s Unbreakable.

Armed with impressive lights, vibrant dancers, and unyielding energy, Jackson didn’t fail to impress.

BabyFace ( Legion Field) Billed as the co-headliner for the Birmingham stop of Funkest, Kenneth Edmonds took the audience on nostalgia-laced journey of hits.

A legendary song-writer and producer, the 58-year-old not only sung songs from his charttopping resume but paid homage to the myriad artists he wrote for such as Bobby Brown, Tevin Campell and Whitney Houston. The R&B crooner closed out his set, running through Legion Field and ultimately back onstage, belting a rendition of Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road.

Bon Jovi ( BJCC) After nearly 3 decades, the veteran rockers made their triumphant return to the Magic City in support of their recent album, This House is Not For Sale. Unlike their previous visit to Birmingham, the recent show marked the debut of Phil X , who replaced original member Sambora as lead guitarist. Jon Bon Jovi and crew didn’t fail to take old fans down memory lane, while also entertaining the new heads. To my knowledge, there wasn’t a classical hit the Hall of Famers didn’t sing, and if there was, the extensive set list probably couldn’t fit in.

Foo Fighters (BJCC) Dave Grohl kicked off the show by warning fans that they planned on singing all their songs, so there wasn’t much for extra jibber jabber.

Jumpstarting the 90 minute act with notable hits “ Born to Fly” and “ The Pretender”, the Foo Fighters became a juggernaut until the show’s close. Highlights from the show, included Grohl bringing an eager fan onstage to play “ Big Me” on guitar and a surprise appearance from former Squirrel Bait singer Peter Searcy. >>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

19

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

Across 1. Counsels 8. Competed at Daytona 13. "___ the system" (arresting) 14. Trash receptacle 16. More pale 17. Celebration with a pinata, perhaps 18. Mime Marceau 19. Hit by strong winds 21. Goldman and Lazarus 22. French cap 23. Chums 24. Ending for Euclid or Ecuador 25. Hari the spy 26. Old port on the Tiber 27. Dictated 30. Acct. addition 31. More agreeable 33. Female relative 35. Partisan prefix 36. Serial segments 40. Oscar contender 42. Demands for payment 43. Dress up 46. Fen-____ (withdrawn diet treatment) 47. Jolly sound 48. Infante's drink 50. Geometric curve 52. Waver 53. Not hidden from sight 54. Rent splitter 56. Two-player card game 57. Teases 58. Somebody ___ problem 59. Chose, as an action

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMANIA CROSSWORD ON PAGE 21

20

JAN 27 + JAN 10

Down 1. "Ain't that ___" 2. TV's "___ and Greg" 3. Prone to violent explosion 4. Interior Secretary under FDR 5. Craftsman competitor 6. Summer in Quebec 7. Icy desserts 8. "Baby Beluga" singer 9. "You wish!"

10. Parakeet sounds 11. Carried away 12. NBC news show 13. Zenith 15. Argot devised by Anthony Burgess 20. ___ the crack of dawn 22. Ryssdal of NPR 25. New car sticker letters 26. "Garfield" canine 28. Do-well lead-in 29. Draws to a close 31. "Out of the question" 32. Musical difference 34. Highly regarded 35. British baby's diaper 37. Heartthrob 38. Indonesian president 39. Lennon's mate 41. Put ____ (act uppity) 44. Pie serving, ideally 45. Location in an Elvis tune 47. Julia, Gordie and Elias 48. "___ at 'em!"

49. Bit of beginning Spanish 51. ____ noire 52. Basis of a suit 55. Caveman of comics

>>> 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 It could be that you’re spending this week on vacation and thoroughly enjoying yourself. Whatever you’re doing, you’ll be relishing the chance to get away from your everyday routine.

December 25 could be a little more formal than usual, as lovely Venus aligns with sobering Saturn. If you’re having guests over, you might need to make a conscious effort to relax. The ability to chill will be far easier around December 27, which is something you should certainly take advantage of.

Even though this is a holiday week, there’s a rather intense focus showing up. This could be when you’re considering key decisions and perhaps the idea of letting go of anything that no longer serves your best interests. All of this can take up a lot of energy.

You might be more than ready to distract yourself with an inspiring movie, the latest novel, or a relaxing duvet day, especially around midweek. New Year’s Eve could be a lot of fun, though!

There are plenty of options this week for social events, getting out and about, and generally enjoying life. You might need to plan some alone time just to gather your thoughts. You could find December 27 to be a very enjoyable day, because an opportunity to indulge a heartfelt and soulful desire could show up. This could leave you feeling very positive and nurtured. New Year’s Eve could bring the best of both worlds – a quiet night at home in good company.

The coming week could seem like all work and no play. You might feel duty bound to get everything organized, especially with three planets newly in your sector of work and routine, including sobering Saturn. It might be just as well to delegate certain tasks and give yourself more time to enjoy whatever is going on during this holiday week. A relaxing link between feisty Mars and ethereal Neptune on December 27 could encourage you to indulge a desire for peace and quiet.

You could be busy, but a lively focus on your leisure sector suggests that you’ll enjoy every moment. This holiday week can bring a lot of good times your way, which you’ll be delighted to share with friends and family. Still, the presence of practical Saturn in this same zone could see you planning your next big project.

An encounter, particularly around December 27, could spark your imagination, and this could lead to the potential for a creative collaboration in 2018.

With a major focus on your home and family sector, this coming week could see you busy with family affairs and entertaining friends and loved ones. You may go out of your way to make sure that everyone has a fabulous time. However, with a potent aspect between stirring Mars and dreamy Neptune, you could take this too far and do more than is necessary. Don’t be afraid to delegate and ask others to help. You deserve to have an enjoyable time like everyone else.

Social events could be a major theme over the week ahead, and you may be entertaining family and friends and being entertained in return. All kinds of get-togethers and networking events could show up that you should thoroughly enjoy. You might also want to invest some time in quieter pursuits, especially if they’re creative.

A budding liaison may call out to you, and you might feel moved to explore it further, especially as dynamic Mars aligns with romantic Neptune midweek.

With sobering Saturn, lovely Venus, the sun, and potent Pluto in your sector of finances and resources, the coming week could see you thinking very carefully about such matters. If you have overspent in recent weeks, you might want to get your accounts in order and get spending back under control. The cosmos is also encouraging you to take time out for meditation and reflection, as doing so can help you take stock and prepare for 2018.

With a dynamic focus on your sign, you could be organizing and running the holiday show. However, with lovely Venus aligning with practical Saturn on December 25, there could be a bit of a formal atmosphere showing up at a family event unless you lighten it with your special brand of humor. Doing so could change the occasion into one that’s very memorable. The coming days could also encourage you to reach out to others in a more charitable and compassionate way.

Your spiritual sector is very much in focus, which could encourage you to reflect on life. After some enjoyable holiday events, you might be glad to get back home and find the time to deeply relax mind, body, and soul. You could also have opportunities to let go of any niggling issues, and this can be a real relief. New Year’s Eve looks pleasantly upbeat, with lively lunar ties to chatty Mercury and electrifying Uranus helping you ring in the new year in style.

GET NOTICED ADVERTISE IN PLANET WEEKLY. To learn more, please email publisher@theplanetweekly.com PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

The coming week can be very sociable, and you should thoroughly enjoy it. There might be times when you feel duty bound to attend an event even when you don’t want to. Take it in good humor, because someone may appreciate you spending time in their company. A lovely tie between dynamic Mars and dreamy Neptune in your sign on December 27 could encourage you to make your escape. A short break or trip to a local spa could leave you refreshed.

You might decide to use this holiday week to explore your plans and goals for 2018 even though others may be making the most of this chance to relax. You might even find that parties and social events provide a way to meet people who are on your wavelength and perhaps able to help you accomplish your most important plans. Meanwhile, a soothing alignment between dynamic Mars, your personal planet, and dreamy Neptune on December 27 can be a call to completely relax.

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

21

>>> L O C A L F E A T U R E | ELIZABETH MOSELEY

Photos Courtesy of Elizabeth Moseley

KENTUCK CELEBRATES WORK OF YEAR-ROUND STUDIO ARTISTS

A

t the end of the year, we often find ourselves looking back at the last twelve months. It is a fond time of reflection on the year’s memories, one’s achievements and one’s growth. For eight local artists, this reflection comes in the form of Kentuck Art Center’s annual Studio Artist Exhibition. The work of Kentuck’s year-round studio artists is showcased in Kentuck’s downtown Northport exhibition galleries for the public to enjoy from December 27 to January 15. Their work spans a wide range of artistic mediums including paintings, hand-loomed weaving, metalwork, pottery and more. The artists are able to compile their work from the past year, reflect on their growth as a person and as an artist, and show the community their talent and hard work.

Kentuck offers the invaluable resource of studio space that is rented to artists at an under market value, said Executive Director Amy Echols. “Really, what is important about this is that you really can see that a place like Kentuck who actually offers space for an artist to actually make a living at what he’s doing or what she’s doing, the improvement that these artists make from year to year is remarkable.”

The studio space gives artists not only a place to work but a place for them to sell their work as well. Kentuck Art Center is open to the public for visitors to shop and experience what the local art scene has to offer.

Kentuck focuses on connecting artists to the community, and the artists whose work is displayed in the exhibition have been able to make connections throughout the year with art-lovers all across the area. The annual studio artist exhibition serves to celebrate the work and achievements of these artists and strives to give the community a space to gain an appreciation for art and the thriving environment of Kentuck Art Center.

“I think it’s really important that we showcase this,” said Echols, “and help our community better understand that there are great benefits to supporting the arts.” Kentuck’s efforts are made possible by donors, members, and volunteers. The involvement of the community in the arts is incredibly influential in the success of these artists and the success of Kentuck’s various projects throughout the year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the arts industry accounts for 4.2 percent of the nation’s GDP. In Alabama, the

22

JAN 27 + JAN 10

arts created 47,458 jobs last year. Thus, the arts are more important to the community’s well being than one might think.

Kentuck was able to give eight of those jobs to local artists in its studio spaces. The artists are chosen through a juried process that includes submitting samples of their work, their resume, and other information to be reviewed by a committee. Then, once chosen, the artists are able to work in these studio spaces around other artists, fostering a community of collaboration and creativity.

“Just having that community of other artists to work around, and live around, and exchange ideas, is really so nurturing to an artist when they’re working in that creative

environment,” said Echols. Kentuck promotes the creative work of these artists and others by offering many other events and exhibitions throughout the year. Local artists, regional artists, folk artists and many more can be seen in the various exhibitions at Kentuck Art Center. More information can be found on their website, kentuck.org.

The exhibition typically runs from the months of November to December, but this year, Kentuck decided to carry it into 2018.

The exhibition is open whenever Kentuck is open, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on TuesdayFriday and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, until January 15.

>>> 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

Courtesy UA Media Relations

HIGHLIGHTS OF SABAN'S POST-PRACTICE COMMENTS BEFORE TEAM LEFT FOR NEW ORLEANS

H

ave had really good work so far in practice. Pleased with the energy and enthusiasm the players have had.

It's important that players have a vision of what they want to accomplish. A vision of what they want to do and then everybody in the organization has to take ownership to do their job. That includes all the coaches and players. Everybody has to have faith, trust and confidence in themselves and their ability to do it. They also have to have faith, trust and confidence in their teammates.

Inside linebacker Dylan Moses is out indefinitely with a foot injury. The injury required a pin in his foot, similar to what Mack Wilson and LaBryan Ray had. Wilson and Ray were out three to four weeks before they could do much.

Safety Deionte Thompson has a bruised lower leg. He practiced today. So the injury is not a problem.

From a recruiting standpoint, the early signing period is new, but it is an indication of the kind of recruiting being done. Very pleased with the 15 players signed. There is a lot left to do to finish this class. Can take 23 this year. Basically have eight spots left. The signings today represent a lot of hard work.

The coaches did a good job. The players and administration all did a good job. Staff identified the needs and hopes to be able to continue to finish with a lot good players out there who might sign in the next two days or those who might wait until February.

The staff has tried to recruit a quarterback for this class. Will continue to try to do that.

If there is a quarterback who would be a positive fit in the organization, the staff would like to have one. The goal is to have four on the roster. That may or may not be possible.

The decision will be made based on how recruiting continues to go.

There will be a plan for how to play the running backs in the game. There is only one ball. The guys that are playing well in the game usually get to play a little more and might get a few more touches. There are four running backs the staff has had a plan for.

Three of them have played pretty extensively

and have made a significant contribution this year. Want everyone to take ownership and be prepared to do their job in whatever the role is.

Still recruiting several defensive backs for this class. Probably going to lose five, maybe more. Would like to replace all of those guys if possible. Recruiting several other guys who the staff feels are really good players and might be able to contribute. Staff feels really good about the three defensive backs signed today. Feel that all are really, really good athletes. Very good players. Jalyn ArmourDavis is a really skilled guy. Saivion Smith is already practicing with the team and the staff can see that he's going to be a very good player. Josh Jobe was one of the target guys all year long. Still some other guys out there who could help as well.

Anytime you get a guy (like Saivion Smith) that has played in major college football games (when he was at LSU), he probably knows more of what it takes and has more maturity. That probably helps in terms of his

readiness to play. Excited that Saivion Smith is here practicing and that the staff can work with him. He's out there getting reps and getting him ready to be able to make a contribution (next season).

The intensity recruiting in December and the schedule was much more hectic and much more difficult in terms of trying to see more players that you were trying to sign at midyear or sign early. It's different. Now the staff will recruit the rest of the recruiting cycle like they have in the past -- just there will be a smaller pool of players.

Still working several different combinations in the secondary right now. Have to make some decisions. Staff has a lot of confidence in Deionte Thompson. He's really improved a lot throughout the year in terms of his knowledge and experience and understanding of what's expected of him. He has really good range.

Need him to play well and staff is confident that he can play well. Not happy that Hootie Jones is out and won't be able to play.

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

JAN 27 + JAN 10

23

FEED YOUR FLAVORBUDS

North River / Holt Hillcrest Northport 4851 Rice Mine Rd. NE 1105 Southview Lane 1844 McFarland Blvd.

(205) 345-3737 (205) 345-6000 (205) 333-2633 Publix Shopping Center

5

$

WITH ANY ONLINE ORDER OF $12 OR MORE WITH PROMO CODE

99CHEEZ

10

Offer only for online orders. Must register or be a registered user to claim offer. Offer not valid in Florida. Offer expires January 4, 2017. Delivery and tax extra. Bottle deposit may apply. Additional charges may apply for Deep Dish and gluten-free substitutions, or chicken and steak. Offer available only at participating locations. Stores are independently owned and operated. Limited-time offer. Offer not valid on catering orders. If you have online ordering issues, visit hungryhowies.com/help

LARGE 1-TOPPING PIZZA & REG. HOWIE BREAD® WITH DIPPING SAUCE

LARGE SPECIALTY PIZZA DEAL

12

$

15

$

99 CODE:

6405

Any Lg. Specialty Pizza

2 MEDIUM 2-TOPPING PIZZAS & A 2 LITER OF PEPSI®

Carry-out only HUNGRY HOWIE’S FLAVORED CRUST® PIZZA

All stores independently owned & operated. Prices & participation may vary. Delivery, tax & additional toppings extra.

Additional charges may apply. Coupon/code required at checkout. Expires 12/31/2017.

20

$

LARGE DOUBLE TOPPER

6

$

2 LARGE 2-TOPPING PIZZAS & REG. 3 CHEESER HOWIE BREAD® WITH DIPPING SAUCE

MEAL DEAL JAN 27 + JAN 10

99 CODE:

0405

Lg. 2-Topping Pizza

PICK YOUR

24

Kmart Shopping Center

99¢ 3 CHEESER HOWIE BREAD®

SMALL 1-TOPPING PIZZA

$

Publix Shopping Center

HUNGRY HOWIE’S FLAVORED CRUST® PIZZA

All stores independently owned & operated. Prices & participation may vary. Delivery, tax & additional toppings extra.

Additional charges may apply. Coupon/code required at checkout. Expires 12/31/2017.

JALAPENO RANCH

FEATURED FLAVORED CRUST®

ALABAMA MIX & MATCH

CODE:

6705

5

$ 99 CHOOSE ANY TWO Med. 1-Topping Pizza 5 Spicy Chicken Tenders Lg. Baked Pasta Lg. Oven-Baked Sub Lg. Garden Salad

HUNGRY HOWIE’S FLAVORED CRUST® PIZZA

All stores independently owned & operated. Prices & participation may vary. Delivery, tax & additional toppings extra.

Additional charges may apply. Coupon/code required at checkout. Expires 12/31/2017.

EXCLUSIVE WEDNESDAY CARRY OUT OFFER

WACKY WEDNESDAY®

5

$

EACH

Any Lg. Sub Lg. Garden Salad Any Large Baked Spaghetti with a side of Howie Bread® HUNGRY HOWIE’S FLAVORED CRUST® PIZZA

All stores independently owned & operated. Prices & participation may vary. Delivery, tax & additional toppings extra.

Additional charges may apply. Coupon/code required at checkout. Expires 12/31/2017.

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