Keith Urban talks about his new album with the Planet Weekly. by The Planet Weekly

KEITH URBAN

// IN THIS ISSUE >> UP-TO-DATE RESTAURANT LISTINGS ›› “GRAFFITI U” ›› PEACH CRUMB BARS ›› WONDERLAND WIVES ›› BEER & WINE REVIEW ›› SKYSCRAPER ›› LOCAL ARTS & EVENTS >>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

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ENTERTAINMENT 5 CHAMBER NEWS 6 BOOK REVIEW

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER EVE TEMONIA

EVENTS

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ROAD TRIP

T R E Y B R OOK S

RESTAURANT GUIDE DOC FRANKENSTEIN

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IMAGES

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

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.

9 BEER/WINE REVIEWS 10 RESTAURANT GUIDE 14 PET PLANET

STORIES 4 KEITH URBAN // ALAN SCULLEY

“Keith Urban has no hesitation in saying his new release, “Graffiti U,” is not a country album. Fact is, Urban says, it’s not any particular type of album.”

6 PEACH CRUMB BARS // RACHEL PAXTON

“It’s peach season again! A couple of years ago we planted a peach tree in our backyard, and we have been really enjoying having fresh peaches from our tree every summer. I’ve been trying out different dessert recipes using peaches. These peach crumb bars are delicious and easy to make."

7 WONDERLAND WIVES REVIEW // REGGIE ALLEN

“Let’s face it, to a certain degree, we’ve all been raised on Fairy Tales. To take it a step further, we’ve all been raised on Fairy Tales made popular by Disney. Despite being centuries old, the whimsical tales of curse-breaking kisses, glass slippers and magic beans are often shadowed by Walt and his mouse sidekick. ”

22 GOD OF CARNAGE // COMMUNITY ARTS

“Theatre Tuscaloosa will hold open auditions for God of Carnage Monday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Wilson Carr Rehearsal Hall,

15 MOVIE REVIEWS 16 FEATURE 19 ROAD TRIP CONCERTS & EVENTS 20 PUZZLEMANIA / EDITORIAL CARTOON 21 HOROSCOPE

HIGH TIDE SPORTS 23

TIDE SPORTS GARY HARRIS

located off the lobby of the Bean-Brown Theatre on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College (9500 Old Greensboro Rd.)”

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Photo Courtesy of Mark Seliger

KEITH URBAN // “GRAFFITI U”

eith Urban has no hesitation in saying his new release, “Graffiti U,” is not a country album. Fact is, Urban says, it’s not any particular type of album.

In the process, he came up with an album that’s diverse musically and feels quite effortless, breezy and yes, spontaneous.

“I didn’t want to present any particular genre,” Urban said in a late-June phone interview. “I wasn’t trying to make a pop album. I wasn’t trying to make a country album. I was just trying to make a me album in 2018.”

The opening track, “Coming Home” (currently top 5 on the “Billboard” magazine Country Airplay chart), Urban said, sets the tone for the rest of “Graffiti U.” The song mixes folk with banjo and other acoustic instruments, pop with its warm melody and a bit of hip-hop in the cadence of Julia Michael’s vocal and the song’s programmed percussion.

And a “me album” at this point in time meant reflecting the kind of music that Urban currently is drawn to and finding ways to take those influences and come out with songs that felt authentic to him. Pinning down exactly what types of music inspired “Graffiti U” proved to be hard to pin down, even for Urban. He allowed that he’s attracted to a lot of new music at this point, but he works more by instinct than any other factor in crafting tongs. “It’s always based on an energy. I get pulled toward a certain energy, whether it’s in people I meet, whether it’s in art in some form, movies, music, whatever it is, I get pulled toward certain energies,” Urban explained. “And I have personally found myself being very pulled toward a lot of new music that’s being made, not just in pop, but in country. There’s a lot of great music. And there’s non-genre music, like Post Malone is happening right now, that I find myself strongly pulled toward because it’s so original. I was watching a documentary last night about this band over in the U.K., this duo called the Sleaford Mods. That documentary is called ‘A Bunch of Kunst.’ I was riveted by that documentary because the music is so uncategorizable and so (original) and so raw. So it doesn’t matter what the genre is. I can be pulled toward anything that just has this riveting (quality) in it.” In fact, Urban said he titled the album “Graffiti U” because he sees graffiti as a pure form of expression, and he wanted to experience that sort of unfiltered freedom and creativity as he wrote and recorded the album.

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“I like the fusion of all the elements that came together on that song,” Urban said. “It felt like that was a good, broad entry into the rest of the album.” Other songs are just as stylistically blended, with “Top Down” inserting the kind of shout-along chorus heard in songs like Fitz and the Tantrums’ “Hand Clap” within a spunky pop-rock tune, or “Never Coming Down” bringing together Mumford & Sons-ish country-folk, hip-hop and a funky bass line. There’s a good bit of R&B in the sweet ballad “Parallel Line.” “My Wave” is a beachy song that’s equal parts pop, hip-hop and light folk. “Love The Way It Hurts (So Good)” brings some EDM touches into this decidedly modern sounding track. The amalgam of styles heard within “Graffiti U” puts the album right in step, not only with today’s pop trends, but the way many country artists are incorporating pop, hiphop and other genres into their music. As such, Urban seems to be navigating the latest trends in country just as easily as he has worked through the various shifts that have occurred in country during the previous two decades. A native of New Zealand, Urban, 50, had considerable success In Australia with an album he released in 1991 before he came to the United States in search of a American record deal. He released an album with the band he formed, the Ranch, before getting signed as

a solo artist by Capitol Records. Success came quickly, with Urban’s 1999 self-titled debut album giving him his first No. 1 single, “But For the Grace of God.” The hits have kept coming at a steady pace ever since. Urban is now nearing 40 hit singles in all, 18 of which have topped a country chart, including seven No. 1s from his previous two albums, “Fuse” (2013) and “Ripcord” (2016). Urban’s eight previous solo albums have all gone either platinum or gold, with his 2004 album, “Be Here,” his most popular release, with sales of more than four million copies. Urban’s personal life is going just as well as his career. also continues to be in a good place. The turnaround for Urban came when he married actress Nicole Kidman in 2006, kicked (with Kidman’s help) his addiction to alcohol and started a family that now includes two young girls. The couple recently celebrated their 12th anniversary, and Urban had little trouble explaining why their marriage is thriving. “Well, first of all she’s my favorite person to be around. I love, love, love her company. I love every part of her company,” he said. “That’s really the first thing. I want to be around her all the time, talk to her and listen to her. We’re just very, very simpatico as personalities, the two of us. I think that’s key. I loved being around her when I first met her, and doing every and anything with her when I first met her. And that hasn’t changed. That feels

exactly the same as it did the first week we started going out.” Another secret to the relationship is that Urban and Kidman put their relationship ahead of their careers and find ways to spend as much time together as possible. “Like if she’s shooting out in California, which is what she’s been doing recently for (the HBO series) ‘Big Little Lies,’ we just relocate out there, even if it’s in a rented place, or a hotel, wherever it is. We just go as a family, the four of us,” Urban said. “Obviously, I’m on tour. I go to where the show is and then I go back to wherever she and the girls are, so that we stay together.” There will be plenty of trips to tour stops and family locations over the next several months as Urban spends his weekends (and a few scattered weekdays) playing concerts in the states and Canada. He said his hit-filled show very much aims to reinforce the themes of the “Graffiti U” album. “I think if there’s a theme to this album and a want for this tour it’s to inspire a confidence in each person to just express who they are and how they feel and not feel like they have to apologize for it or make excuses for it or filter it in any way or change it to suit anybody’s expectations,” Urban said. “It’s just an absolutely natural, unapologetic form of expression. That’s what the album is. It’s very much what the tour is. And if people feel that way in listening to the music and seeing the show, then I think I’ve done my job.”

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NEWS TRANSPORTATION SUMMIT FEATURES UPDATES; FOCUS ON THE FUTURE Officials from the City of Northport, City of Tuscaloosa, University of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Transportation spoke to a sold out crowd at the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama's annual Transportation Summit July 26, focusing not only on current projects, but also on future technology. Northport City Administrator Bruce Higginbotham discussed road improvements impacting Union Chapel Road and Highway 69; projects that are expected to improve traffic flow through realignment and turn lanes. "These projects will not only improve traffic flow in the City of Northport, it will improve the quality of life for our citizens," Higginbotham said. "It's not just vehicular traffic, but pedestrians as well. Higginbotham credited the Tuscaloosa County Road Improvement Commission for providing funding for Northport projects. Higginbotham also addressed downtown Northport, saying the city has applied for grant funding for a Main Avenue Streetscape project to address needed riverfront development. "This should have been done a long time ago," he said. "It's the highest priority. This is the most underutilized part of the city." Jarrod Milligan, Deputy Executive Director for Infrastructure and Public Services for the City of Tuscaloosa, gave attendees an overview of the IPS department. The largest department in the city, Milligan said the department is committed to working together to do more with less. Milligan touched on the progress of several projects, including the James I. Harrison Jr. Parkway Phase II project, and 10th Avenue improvements, which are expected to begin July 31 with resurfacing, lighting, extended sidewalks and storm drainage improvements. Project lists can be found on the City's website.

Northport City Administrator Bruce Higginbotham speaks to a sold out crowd at the 2018 Transportation Summit July 26.

KELLER WILLIAMS HOSTS BUSY BREAKFAST & BIZ POPULAR EVENT SPONSORED BY ALABAMA ONE CREDIT UNION A large crowd turned out for the quarterly Breakfast & Biz event, held July 31 at Keller Williams and sponsored by Alabama One Credit Union. The only early morning networking event, Breakfast & Biz is a great way to meet and socialize with fellow Chamber members before the workday even starts. A giveaway during the event was held, and Charlye Brandon of the Allstate Coley Agency won a gift basket from Confetti Interiors. The next Breakfast & Biz will be held October 30 at Hotel Indigo.

The summit closed with Nick Crane from the Alabama Department of Transportation and Dr. Alex Hainen from the University of Alabama College of Engineering, who spoke on connected technology, and how the future of the region will be affected by public-private partnerships, information and data, and multi-discipline collaborations. The 2018 Transportation Summit was presented by Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc. Gold Sponsors were Hunt Refining Company, McGiffert and Associates, LLC; Southland International Trucks, Inc., TTL, Inc., and WTI Transport, Inc. Table Sponsors were JamisonMoneyFarmer PC, Rumsey Environmental and The University of Alabama.

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PEACH CRUMB BARS

ALABAMA FOUNDERS

t’s peach season again! A couple of years ago we planted a peach tree in our backyard, and we have been really enjoying having fresh peaches from our tree every summer. I’ve been trying out different dessert recipes using peaches. These peach crumb bars are delicious and easy to make. Ingredients:

4 medium, or 3 large peaches, sliced 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter. In a small bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, sugar, brown sugar, and salt.

In Gears and God: Technocratic Fiction, Faith, and Empire in Mark Twain’s America, Nathaniel Williams analyzes the genre of technologythemed exploration novels—dime novel adventure stories featuring steam-powered and electrified robots, airships, and submersibles. This genre proliferated during the same cultural moment when evolutionary science was dismantling Americans’ prevailing, biblically based understanding of human history. While their heyday occurred in the late 1800s, technocratic adventure novels like Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court inspired later fiction about science and technology. Similar to the science fiction plotlines of writers like Jules Verne and H. Rider Haggard, and anticipating the adventures of Tom Swift some decades later, these novels feature Americans using technology to visit and seize control of remote locales, a trait that has led many scholars to view them primarily as protoimperialist narratives. Their legacy, however, is more complicated. As they grew in popularity, such works became as concerned with the preservation of a fraught Anglo-Protestant American identity as they were with spreading that identity across the globe.

Stir the melted butter, vanilla extract, and egg, into flour mixture. The mixture will be coarse and crumbly. Place about 2/3 the flour mixture into a greased 8×8-inch baking pan. Use your hands to press the mixture down into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. In a medium sized bowl, combine sliced peaches, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Spread the peaches on top of the flour and oatmeal mixture. Sprinkle the remaining flour and oatmeal on top of the peaches.

Many of these novels frequently assert the Bible’s authority as a historical source. Collectively, such stories popularized the notion that technology and travel might essentially “prove” the Bible’s veracity—a message that continues to be deployed in contemporary debates over intelligent design, the teaching of evolution in public schools, and in reality TV shows that seek historical evidence for

Bake 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool, and cut into squares. Like this recipe? You might like my recipe for canning peach salsa or my recipes for peach jam or peach pie filling.

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. AUG 9 + AUG 23

ABOUT THE BOOK A revealing study of the connections between nineteenth-century technological fiction and American religious faith.

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter 1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar Pinch of salt 1 egg 1 tsp. vanilla extract Peach Filling:

FOURTEEN POLITICAL AND MILITARY LEADERS WHO SHAPED THE STATE HERBERT JAMES LEWIS

biblical events. Williams argues that these fictions performed significant cultural work, and he consolidates evidence from the novels themselves, as well as news articles, sermons, and other sources of the era, outlining and mapping the development of technocratic fiction. Nathaniel Williams is a lecturer for the University Writing Program at the University of California, Davis, and serves on the advisory board for the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction. He has published articles in American Literature, Utopian Studies, Nineteenth-Century Contexts, and elsewhere. "Gears and God is a clearly written, persuasive book which brings fresh insights to bear on the rich literature of dime novels, science fiction, and technocratic exploration narratives at the turn of the twentieth century." —Gregory M. Pfitzer, author of History Repeating Itself: The Republican Phenomenon in Children's Historical Literatureand the Christian Right and Popular History and the Literary Marketplace, 1840–1920

The University of Alabama Press is a proud member of the Association of American University Presses. The Press currently publishes 70-75 new titles a year and has over 1,800 titles in print. It is a founding member of the University Press Content Consortium and is at the cutting edge of digital publishing. The Press is the publishing arm of the University of Alabama.

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WONDERLAND WIVES REVIEW // THEATRE DOWNTOWN

et’s face it, to a certain degree, we’ve all been raised on Fairy Tales. To take it a step further, we’ve all been raised on Fairy Tales made popular by Disney. Despite being centuries old, the whimsical tales of curse-breaking kisses, glass slippers and magic beans are often shadowed by Walt and his mouse sidekick. The animated retellings exemplify that all conflicts can be cured with a kiss, castle and a knight in shining armor. But, what if happily ever wasn’t so peachy keen? Like most superhero films, what if there was an end credit scene that gives a small glimpse of life after the fairy tale? If Sondheim’s “Into the Woods” surmised that happy endings aren’t so picture perfect in Act 2, Buddy Thomas’ “Wonderland Wives” is the proverbial Act 3.

masterfully delivers farce with over-the-top performances. James’ Snow drew inspiration from her animated counterpart, while adding adult flair. Champion didn’t miss a beat with her breakneck line delivery, transforming the once timid bibliophile to a master shade thrower. Channeling the late Divine and Mob Wife Big Ang, Martin demanded laughs with his drag caricature of the servant-turned-princess. However, no one should get more recognition than Nick Crawford, who tackled multiple minor roles, including the satirical Magic Mirror, cockney-accented Alice of Wonderland and the crude-mouthed Fairy Godmother. What sells “Wonderland Wives” is its mixture of nostalgia and adult-branded humor. The two-

act production isn’t apologetic with its content, often utilizing crude jokes for shock value. Who would’ve thought the lives of miserable princesses could be so amusing and fun to watch? Location: Downtown Theatre Director Kelsey Crawford Cast: Sara James, Catherine Champion, Daniel Martin, Karen Black, Jared Funderburg and Nick Crawford. “Wonderland Wives” played at the Downtown Theatre in Birmingham, July 26-August 11th. For more information on Downtown Theatre’s future productions, please visit Theatredowntown.org or call 205 565-8TDT

Despite its ensemble of recognizable heroines, this isn’t your kid’s Disney. It’s more Disney after dark. An uncensored reel laced with sex jokes, profanity and double entendres, “Wonderland Wives” takes the lovable characters that you grew up with and gives them a “Real Housewives of New Jersey” revamp. These ladies might sing a catchy tune, but don’t think they won’t flip a table. The play kicks off with the Fairy Godmother conversing on the phone with an unseen Cinderella. She’s enjoying her vacation in Hawaii and doesn’t want to be bothered with the princess’ woes, which includes her husband’s infidelity with a mermaid and countless bouts with the law. The infamous wish-granter isn’t seen again, but her crude humor and sailor’s tongue sets the standard for the remainder of the production. Things aren’t so good in the magical kingdom. Snow White( Sarah James) is broke and in denial that her prince has abandoned her; Belle( Catherine Champion), a wise-cracking alcoholic, is fed up with her marriage to the Beast ( Jared Funderburg) ; Briar Rose( Karen Black), the infamous Sleeping Beauty, is fresh out of rehab and looking for a place to stay; and Cinderella( Daniel Martin) has found solace in her fridge, resulting in massive weight gain. The story unfolds as Prince Charming (also Funderburg) is released from prison. From there on, things take a comedic turn for the worst. Cinderella’s beau wants nothing to with his bride, shifting his attention to a recently separated Belle and a rehabilitated Briar Rose. Drawing references from their respective films, “Wonderland Wives” succeeds without taking itself seriously. The jokes, lewd and profound, did call for minimum background knowledge, but was overall enjoyable. However, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to comprehend the barrage of jabs directed at the animation giant. Directed by Kelsey Crawford, the production >>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

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Photos Courtesy of Sheena Gregg

NOTHING BUT NOODLES // OFFERS NOTHING BUT VARIETY

hether it’s in the classic downtown area or the newly popular shopping areas off of McFarland Boulevard, Tuscaloosa is in no position to complain about lack of restaurants. Part of the lunch and dinner competition is Nothing but Noodles with a Tuscaloosa location as the franchise’s fourth spot in Alabama and seventh overall in the country. Despite the name plastered on the front of the building and menu, the restaurant offers much more than noodles. Taking a solo outing for lunch, my eyes danced around the menu as a first time visitor deciding between actual noodles or a salad, or some of the more random things like Thai lettuce wraps and Mozzarella cheese bread. When I set my sights on definitely going for noodles, I was impressed with the ethnic variety of dishes from capellini primavera to pad Thai, to beef stroganoff.

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When I finally opted for something in the Asian realm, I went for the safe option of sesame lo mein with mushrooms, bell peppers, Napa cabbage, and scallions. It wasn’t until after making my order that I realized I could have easily added some type of protein and additional veggies for an extra charge. I quickly took my order number and found a small table to sit back and observe. I was impressed with the ample number and variety of seats inside, with additional open seating in the convenient patio area. Looking around the restaurant I noted plenty of televisions, loud conversation, and the sights and sounds of food preparation from the open kitchen area behind the order counter. The most interesting thing I noticed about the restaurant and menu overall was the advertised accommodation of various food allergies, including gluten and peanuts. In addition to offering an

allergy guide upon request, a large poster of a slice of gluten-free Reese’s peanut butter pie was just downright impressive. It wasn’t too long until I found myself welcoming a steamy bowl of lo mein noodles. Armed with both chopsticks and a fork, I decided to dress my dish with an extra spice of Sriracha. As a bit of a noodle snob at times, I was pleasantly surprised with the texture of the noodles…mainly the fact that they weren’t overcooked.

1320 McFarland Boulevard in the Shoppes at Legacy Park and opens daily at 10:30 a.m. 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

Overall, I’d consider Nothing but as a great new contender for lunch and dinner in Ttown. The strategic placing of the franchise in the new Legacy Park shopping area has diners close to forgetting that they’re in Tuscaloosa. The speed of the fast casual eatery makes it a perfect place to try out a new lunch spot. Nothing but Noodles is located at

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STARGAZER WHITE BY HIGHLAND BREWING CO

CONUNDRUM RED BLEND

Witbier | Seasonal | North Carolina United States Judges Rating: Judges Rating: 85 Aroma: 21 / 24 Appearance: 6/6 Flavor: 33 / 40 Mouthfeel: 8 / 10 Overall Impression: 17 / 20

eer into the secret garden, beyond the veiled gate. Among pale petals, lies a refreshing blend. This Rose blends layers of strawberry and watermelon with a hint of raspberry, for a refreshing wine that is light in color, yet dark in nature. How dramatic! I tasted the 2017 vintage of Apothic Rose. Appearance

Stargazer White by Highland Brewing Co. is being evaluated as a Witbier (Category 24A) from the 2015 BJCP guidelines. The beer poured hazy, straw yellow in color with a large, thick, moussy white head that persisted for a very long time. It also showed a big effervescent quality. A moderate amount of wheat malt aroma comes through with a malty sweet, nearly bready in nature, and spicy phenolic character coming from the yeast. The hops are spicy-floral, with a light vegetal note that seems out of place but not offensive; slight DMS like. The clove-like esters round off the aroma. The flavor hits all the right notes of the style. Moderate wheat malt, cloves and Belgian yeast esters that become spicy. The malt turns maltier and ends short and dry on subsequent sips. The aftertaste has a salty character, not sure where it could be coming from. The finish is very dry, perhaps too much, and there’s also an unwanted sulfur note detected. Very bitter, possibly from the added grapefruit peel. This beer is medium-bodied with a moderately high amount of carbonation and soft alcoholic note. The beer has a pleasant mouthfeel and a light creaminess. A Witbier that is tasty but has some off-putting qualities. For example, the bitterness and sulfur notes are too high for the style. The flavors seem compartmentalized and not in harmony. May benefit from using sweet orange peels (no pith) instead of grapefruit peel.

All revved up from the dramatic label reading, I opened the twist top and gave the wine a good pour! In the glass, I found this wine to be a blend of pink and rose gold in color. It was definitely light in appearance and I’ve seen Rose wines that were much darker. I also noticed a good amount of tiny bubbles affixed to the glass, almost up to the fill line. All in all, quite elegant looking in my Rose wine glass (and very leggy too). Aroma I tried to be aware as I was opening the wine to see if there was a burst of aroma. While there was just a bit, it wasn’t overly powerful. In order to get a good whiff, I had to really get my nose into the glass. Once I did, I noted very light hints of strawberry and raspberry. The aroma was typical of other Roses I’ve tried. I was a little worried there was going to be a sweet smell to the wine, but thankfully there was not. There was no alcohol burn in the nose, either. So far, so good! Apothic Rose alcohol content 12.5% by volume, per the bottle.

very minimal. The light raspberry is really what carried the flavor. Much like the aroma, I found the taste to be similar to other Rose wines I’ve had. Apothic has a reputation of going for unexpected flavors. However, in this case they towed the line on what a decent Rose should taste like. All in all, the taste was very good! Mouthfeel and Tannins Apothic Rose’s mouthfeel was lightly juicy. I did notice some minimal tannins all over my palate. Just about right for a Rose. Finish The wine finished medium to long with a good balance between the flavors and tannins. Maybe just the slightest bit of bitterness in there, but certainly not off-putting by any means. Overall Opinion Overall, I found this wine to be tasty, well-behaved and nicely balanced. Not overly dry, either. I was worried they were going to do something crazy like they did with Inferno, but fortunately this one hits the Rose mark quite nicely. I would feel quite comfortable bringing this wine to a dinner party. Apothic Rose price $9.99, making it a nice Under $10 casual sipper. If you’re wondering where to buy Apothic Rose, I found it in my local package store. I also saw it available in the bigger retailers. Suggested Food Pairing

Taste I found the label’s description to be pretty accurate. I tasted just a little watermelon and some light raspberry. Maybe the slightest hint of pink grapefruit too.

To start, don’t hesitate to drink this wine as a standalone sipper. But for a pairing, this wine calls out to be paired with cheese. A light cheese plate, greens with goat cheese, even some melty Brie over baguette slices.

To be clear, the watermelon flavor was

Picnic perfect!

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>>> RESTAURANTS |

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

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

752.5895

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.

La Fiesta Mexican Grill 6521 AL-69, Tuscaloosa// 345-8580 Mon-Thur 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm Sun 11am-9pm

Cook Out 100 15th St E, Tuscaloosa Fast-food chain known for its drive-thru BBQ, burgers & more than 40 milkshake flavors.//Thur-Fri 11:00am-4:00am Sat-Wed 11:00am-3:00am//www. cookout.com

Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill 2001 New Watermelon Rd | Northport // 342.3378 LaGran Fiesta 9770 Hwy 69 S // 345.8871

Los Calientes Mexican Grill 3429 McFarland Blvd E // 553.1558 La Fiesta Mexican Grill 345-8580//6521 AL-69, Tuscaloosa Mon-Thur 11am-10pm Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm Sun 11am-9pm

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

Los Tarascos (2 locations) 110 Skyland Blvd E - Tuscaloosa//553-8896 New LOCATION 3380 McFarland Blvd - Northport//330-0919//www.lostarascos.com

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

Margarita's Grill 1241 McFarland Blvd E // 343.0300

Holler & Dash 1130 University Blvd A-1, Tuscaloosa//752-3310 Sun-Thur 7am–2pm Fri-Sat 7am–9pm Sun 7am2pm//www.holleranddash.com International House of Pancakes 724 Skyland Blvd // 366.1130 Jack's 1200 Hackberry Lane | Tuscaloosa // 345.1199

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 10:30am8pm Closed Sun Pepito’s (2 locations) 1203 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9028 1301 McFarland Blvd NE // 391.4861

Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant 2715 McFarland Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 333.9312 Panera Bread 1800 McFarland Blvd *402 | Tuscaloosa // 366.8780 Quick Grill 1208 University Blvd | The Strip | Tuscaloosa // 342.0022 Rama Jama’s 1000 Bryant Dr // 750.0901//Closest restaurant to Bryant-Denny Stadium. 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 Sun-10:30-8pm T-Town Café 500 14th Street, Tuscaloosa | 759-5559 |www. ttowncafe.com Mon - Fri 6am - 3pm; Sat - Closed; Sun 10:30am 3pm The Waysider 1512 Greensboro Ave // 345.8239 Open for breakfast and lunch. Smoke free. MEXICAN Central Mesa 523-7738// 519 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa Mon-Thur 11am-10pm Friday-Sat 11am-11pm Sunday: 10am-3pm

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. 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

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 La Cocina Bar & Grill 561-6851 Mon-Thur 11am-9:30 Fri 11am-10pm Sat 9am-10pm Sun 9am-9pm lacocinatuscaloosa.com El Rincon (2 locations) 1225 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 366.0855 1726 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 330.1274

The Side by Side Restaurant 2410 University Blvd. | Embassy Suites | 561-2500 | thesidebysiderestaurant.com 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 JAPANESE Bento Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar 1306 University Blvd // 758.7426

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

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.

Iguana Grill 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village //

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

AUG 9 + AUG 23

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 // 7591400//Lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Sat & Sun 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. Pokirrito 68 (was Ezell's Southern Food Express) 220 15th St E, Tuscaloosa Sushi Bar Rock 'n Roll Sushi 469-9060//2229 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa Mon-Thur 11am-9pm Fri-Sat 11am-10pm Sun 12-9pm ITALIAN Broadway Pizzeria 2880 Rice Mine Road Northeast Tuscaloosa, // 391.6969 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 Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343 Mr. G’s 908 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339-8505 Olive Garden 2100 McFarland Blvd E // 750-0321 Open daily from 11 a.m. | www.olivegarden.com CASUAL DINING Animal Butter 710-5455// 2217 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa// TueSat 11am–10pm Sun 11am–9pm Monday Closed | www.animalbutterinc.com

1915 University Blvd // 759.2424 From hamburgers to hummus. Open daily 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. The Kitchen 2322 4th St, Tuscaloosa//331-4731 Tue-Fri 8am–3pm Sat-Sun 9am-9pm Closed Sunday 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 11am6pm Mon-12AM–8PM Metro Diner 464-9428//1800 McFarland Blvd E #404 Tuscaloosa Sun-Thur 7am–8pm Fri-Sat 7am–9pm www.metrodiner.com 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 Mr Bill's Family Dining 333-9312 2715 McFarland Blvd, Northport Mon-Fri 10am-8pm Closed Sat-Sun Nothing But Noodles 1320 McFarland Blvd E #530// 349-2900// www.nothingbutnoodles.com Pastas, Salads, Soups, Desserts Fri-Sat 10:30am–10:30pm SunThur 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

Avenue Pub 405 23rd Avenue // Tuscaloosa Brunch, lunch, and dinner. Specialty cocktails, local pints, bottled beer, and wine. Mon - Fri. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sat. Noon – 11 p.m., Sun.Noon p.m. – 9 p.m.

PHO TOWN 248-7663 Vietnamese Noodle Soup & Grill 1800 McFarland Blvd E #420, Tuscaloosa Mon-Sat 11am-9pm Sun-11am-8pm

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

Quick Grill 1208 University Blvd | The Strip // 342.0022 www.bamaquickgrill.com

The Blue Plate Restaurant (Was Northport Diner) 450 McFarland Blvd, Northport // 462-3626

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

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 Dave’s Dogs 1701 McFarland Blvd E | University Mall // 722.2800 Five Guys Burgers & Fries 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 391.0575 www.fiveguys.com 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 Glory Bound Gyro Company 2325 University Blvd // 349-0505 Glory Bound Gyro Company is a unique restaurant that focuses on great food and service in a funky, fun-filled atmosphere. Open Mon-Thu: 11am 10pm | Fri - Sat: 11am-10pm | Sun: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Sitar Indian Cuisine 500 15th St // 345-1419 Southern Ale House 1530 McFarland Blvd N//Monday-Thursday 11a.m9p.m., Friday-Saturday 11a.m.-10p.m. Sunday Brunch 11a.m.-2p.m. 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// 5616999//We use the freshest ingredients available with an emphasis on supporting the local farmer Mon-Sun 10am–9pm//www.urbancookhouse.com Whataburger - 349-4506 820 Skyland Blvd, Tuscaloosa Open 24 hours - Inside & Drive-thru www.whataburger.com Zoe’s Kitchen 312 Merchants Walk // 344.4450 A wonderful selection of Greek foods

Hooligan’s

>>> 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

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 BurgerFi 1320 McFarland Blvd E #510, Tuscaloosa//759-2510 Stylish, eco-minded chain serving grass-fed beef burgers, plus hot dogs, craft beer & wine. Fri-Sat 10:30am-10:00pm Sun-Thur 10:30am-11:00pm | order.burgerfi.com/menu/tuscaloosa 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). Buffalo Wild Wings 2710 McFarland Blvd. East | Tuscaloosa // 523.0273 Sports grille with TVs galore. Diverse beer and wine, full bar Champs Sports Grille 320 Paul Bryant Drive | inside Four Points Sheraton Hotel // 752.3200 Breakfast and lunch buffets. Sunday brunch 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wilhagan’s 2209 4th St | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 366.0913 Wings U 1800 McFarland Blvd East Suite 218 | Pick-up Tuscaloosa // 561.3984 Features the first coal-fired pizza oven in Alabama. Owned by former UA/Miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. Completely open concept! www.wingsu.com WingZone 1241 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 342.2473 BARBEQUE Archibald & Woodrow's BBQ 4215 Greensboro Ave | Tuscaloosa // 331.4858 Mon-Sat 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Sun lunch Bama BBQ & Grill 3380 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 333.9816 Dickey's BBQ (3 locations) 9770 Alabama 69; Midtown; and 13544 Hwy 43 North at Rose Blvd. in Northport. Texas Barbecue. | 344.6500 1800 McFarland Blvd, Midtown Village, Tuscaloosa. | 758-1133 | 13544 Hwy 43 North, Winn Dixie Shopping Center, Northport. | 330-1147 Dreamland (2 locations) 5535 15th Ave | Tuscaloosa // 758.8135 101 Bridge Ave | Northport // 343.6677 The legend. On game day, get there early if you want to make kickoff. Seating is limited. Hours: Mon–Sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. 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

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

SEAFOOD Chuck’s Fish 508 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 248.9370 Monday - Thursday 5-10 p.m. and Friday - Saturday 5-11 p.m. Steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials. Red Lobster 2620 McFarland Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.553.8810 Sun-Thurs 11AM-10PM//Fri & Sat 11AM-11PM Reservations Accepted | Take-Out Available Private Dining Area Available for Advanced Booking (Lunch Specials Available Mon-Fri 11AM-3PM) Shrimp Basket 3249 McFarland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa//469-9786 Mon-Fri 10:30am–9pm | www.shrimpbasket.com 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

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

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

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.

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

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

Pearl Garden 2719 Lurleen Wallace Blvd | Northport // 339.0880

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

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

Hooter’s 5025 Oscar Baxter Dr | Next to Jameson Inn // 758.3035 www.hooters.com

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

Peking Chinese Restaurant 1816 McFarland | Northport // 333.0361 Open 7 days a week. Super lunch and dinner buffet. Hours: Sun–Thurs 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Swen Chinese Restaurant 1130 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9887 Trey Yuen 4200 McFarland Blvd E // 752.0088 PIZZA AND SUBS A Taste Of Chicago 1700 Greensboro Avenue 205-342-DOGS Mon. - Thurs. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Fri. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. 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-9am10pm 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 Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. // 345.4354 Marco’s Pizza 1021 McFarland Blvd, Northport// 330-4555 Mon-Thur 11am–10pm Fri-Sat 11am–11pm Sun 3–10PM | http://www.marcos.com Subs n' You 2427 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.758.0088 Roly Poly Sandwiches 2300 4th Street | Tuscaloosa // 366.1222

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 SHOPS OHenry's Coffee 650-4044 //2531 University Blvd #100 Mon-Thur 6am-9pm Fri 6-10pm Sat 7-10pm Sun 7-9pm Uperk 553-8505 // 405 20th Ave, Tuscaloosa Mon-Fri 6:30am-9pm Sat 8am-2pm Sun 2-9pmBarnes & 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. Krispy Kreme Doughnut 1400 McFarland Blvd // 758.6913 //www.krispykreme.com Starbucks (2 locations) 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 343.2468 1901 13th Ave East | Inside Super Target // 462.1064 | starbucks.com DESSERTS Celebrations Bakery, Inc. 1832 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339.3221 Dunkin' Donuts 2520 Stillman Blvd. |Tuscaloosa// 349.3400 McCorvey Dr. | Tuscaloosa // 348.4041 | www. dunkindonuts.com Frutta Bowls 752-3293//2531 University Blvd Suite 110 Mon-Sun 7am–9pm | www.fruttabowls.com

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

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.

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

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

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

TCBY (2 Locations) 2304 Mcfarland Blbd | Meadowbrook Shopping Center // 349.4661 2 Mcfarland Blvd | Northport | Essex Shopping Center // 758.6855

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

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

AUG 9 + AUG 23

u o Y Have ? d r e H

Y R E V E DELI

HAS S ’ Y L BIL

FRE

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!

AUG 9 + AUG 23

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

ernest hadley booksellers

1928 7th street tuscaloosa, al 35401

Announcing our Rare and Used Book Division

Opening August 13 205.632.5331 www.ernestandhadleybooks.com

Hours: 10 am – 6 pm, Mon.–Fri. 10 am – 5 pm, Sat. • Closed Sunday Summer Hours (July 9 – August 3): Noon – 7 pm, Mon.–Fri. 10 am – 5 pm, Sat. • Closed Sunday

For tickets to all Spring 2018 shows

call 205.348.3400 or visit theatre.ua.edu.

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AUG 9 + AUG 23

>>> PET PLANET

BELLA // GOLDEN LAB

MOLLY // SWEET AS CAN BE

alk about someone who doesn’t act their age! Miss Bella is a super dog in great shape for her age. This female 9-year-old golden retriever/ Labrador loves to run and play. She is a big dog, weighing 48 pounds, and has a smooth golden and cream coat. Bella was an owner-surrendered dog who liked to escape from her backyard. Bella is such a sweet, loving dog. She loves people and children and will tolerate anything. She has nice energy and loves to go trail walking and running. She would make a great workout partner. Bella would NOT do well in an apartment. Alas, she has always been an outside dog and likes that. She was in some type of accident as a very young puppy and her bladder has given her problems since. She will “leak” some urine every now and then (that is why the previous owners kept her outside). She would make a great family dog for someone who wants a yard buddy. Bella is used to having a companion dog and gets along well with other dogs. Bella is doing great in her crate at night. She is getting much better about going into it and does not have any accidents in the crate, so she is good for bringing inside at night. She would probably welcome being inside with you during the day and at night as well! Please call 205-554-0011 or visit humanesocietyofwa.org to request an appointment to meet our available animals.

eet Molly! She is a female black and white cat with the sweetest face! Molly is very fond of getting your attention. She wants to nudge you with her head! Molly loves hugs and enjoys being held. She’ll give your chin kisses! She is a mild mannered cat who knows how to take her relaxation time seriously. She does well with other cats and humans. Molly is negative for FIV and FeLK, current on vaccinations and spayed. Visit Molly and the other cats and kittens at the HSWA Cat Adoption Center on Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Otherwise, please call 205-554-0011 or visit humanesocietyofwa.org to request an appointment to meet our available animals.

Let's R

ome!

VENICE, FLORENCE & ROME MARCH 17-24, 2019 Starts at $3,349 / $500 deposit Round-trip air/accommodations

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SKYSCRAPER // THE SKY IS THE LIMIT

OU T OF 4

he villains in the predictable but entertaining cliffhanger “Skyscraper” find themselves literally caught between a rock--Dwayne Johnson--and a hard place--the world’s tallest building. “Central Intelligence” writer & director Rawson Marshall Thurber must have been thinking about the Bruce Willis thriller “Die Hard” (1988) and Irwin Allen’s classic disaster epic “The Towering Inferno” (1974) when he cobbled together this derivative, white-knuckled hokum. While the CGI passes muster, Dwayne Johnson amounts to “Skyscraper’s” the biggest special effect. The Rock’s charismatic presence redeems this far-fetched, but formulaic caper with clichés galore. Nevertheless, Johnson challenges himself because his character has suffered the consequences for adversity. A former FBI Agent who almost bought the farm in a bomb blast when he cornered a suicide bomber, our hero lost his left leg below the knee and now sports a prosthetic leg. Thurber exploits this handicap for maximum suspense during a daredevil, window-walking act outside the tower reminiscent of Tom Cruise’s shenanigans on a similar skyscraper in “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol.” Ostensibly, the message is you need not be all-in-one-piece to pull off the impossible. No, this isn’t the first time a hero with a handicap has triumphed over cinematic malefactors. As a photographer with a broken leg in a plaster cast, James Stewart tangled with a depraved spouse-slayer in Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece “Rear Window” (1954), while Spencer Tracy contended with the bad guys as a onearmed troubleshooter in John Sturges’ “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955). Asian actor Jimmy Wong Yu portrayed a resilient warrior in “The One-Armed Swordsman” (1967), “Return of the One-Armed Swordsman” (1969), and “The One-Armed Swordsman Against Nine Killers” (1976). Unmistakably, “The Crippled Masters” (1979) ranks as the ultimate action movie with two handicapped heroes played by genuinely lame guys in real-life. In this outlandish Hong Kong actioneer, a man without legs teamed up with a guy without arms to fight as one against an army of thugs. Many more movies too numerous to name have featured heroes with disabilities, but this is the Rock’s debut as a physically encumbered combatant. This is probably the most inventive element in “Skyscraper” because the protagonist must not only defeat his adversaries, but he must also conquer his own limitations!

“Skyscraper” starts with FBI Agent Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson of “Rampage”) and his Hostage Rescue Team surrounding a suicide bomber in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. This ill-fated rendezvous with mortality happened a decade before the events that take place in Hong Kong. Since he lost his leg, Sawyer had to leave the FBI. Now, he works out of his garage at home as a security consultant. As fate would have it, the top-flight Navy surgeon who saved his life later became his wife. “Scream” queen Neve Campbell plays Sawyer’s wife Sarah. They have two children: an older daughter, Georgia (newcomer McKenna Roberts), and a younger son Henry (newcomer Noah Cottrell) with asthma problems. They accompany Will to China to meet his prospective new employer, Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han of “The Dark Knight”), a visionary billionaire who erected the Pearl, a 3000-foot pinnacle looming majestically over the heart of Hong Kong. Mind you, Zhao might never have known about Will had Sawyer’s former FBI colleague Ben Gillespie (Pablo Schreiber of “Den of Thieves”) not recommended him. Sawyer lavishes praise on the safety features of the Pearl. Nobody but Zhao resides in the building. At the last minute, Sarah and Will’s kids take up temporary residence on the 96th floor. After Will delivers his briefing, Zhao gives him a biometrically-encoded tablet which enables him to control the Pearl's sophisticated high-tech security systems, including its fire suppression procedures. Suddenly, events take a dramatic turn for the worse. Shortly after he departs from this conference with Zhao, Sawyer grapples with a thug who steals the bag he was carrying.

Afterward, Ben is appalled to learn the bag didn’t contain the tablet, so he pulls a gun on his old friend. A knockdown, drag-out fight ensues. Before Will can escape with the tablet, one of Botha’s minions, Xia (Hannah Quinlivan of “The Shanghai Job”), intercepts him, confiscates the tablet, and cancels the Pearl’s fire response systems. Everybody gets the mistaken idea that Will had double-crossed Zhao. Specifically, the Hong Kong Police launch a manhunt for our hero as smoke and flame erupt from the skyscraper. Inspector Wu (Byron Mann of “Street Fighter”) dispatches uniformed police to arrest Will, but he is puzzled when Will scales the heights of the Pearl via a high-rise crane to enter the flaming edifice and rescue his family. Indeed, the Rock’s heroic leap defies gravity,

otherwise the movie would have ended abruptly had he plunged to his death. Despite its gravity-defying feats, “Skyscraper” constitutes just another tall tale. First, although the villains are appropriately cold-blooded, Thurber has neglected to flesh them out beyond one-dimensional stereotypes. “Die Hard” remains memorable as much for Bruce Willis’ intrepid feats as the hero as Alan Rickman’s audacious antics as his adversary. As the chief villain, Danish actor Roland Møller not only looks fierce as treacherous Scandinavian terrorist Kores Botha, but he also has an ingenious plan. Unfortunately, the Rock dwarfs Botha in both intelligence and size. Thurber should have enhanced Møller’s malice. Ironically, one of Botha’s subordinates, Xia, qualifies as a more noteworthy villain, since she frames our hero efficiently for the inferno. Naturally, Johnson emerges as a thoroughly sympathetic protagonist, driven without a thought for his own safety to save his family from a fiery death while contending with heavilyarmed homicidal antagonists in the tallest skyscraper on record. Second, the object of all this skullduggery is a tiny computer chip. This chip contains incredibly damaging information about Botha’s terrorist colleagues that Zhao endeavors to use against them. One of Johnson’s best lines sums up “Skyscraper”: “If you can't fix it with duct tape... you ain't using enough duct tape.” Comparatively, “Skyscraper” could have benefitted with more duct tape in the form of cunning villains.

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WHAT'S NEXT? Marian Gallaway Theatre Separate and Equal Suddenly Last Summer Merry Wives of Windsor The Drowsy Chaperone Sense and Sensibility

August 28-31 October 2-7 Nov 13-16, 18 February 18-23 April 16-21

Morgan Auditorium Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre Fall October 9-12 Spring February 26-March 2 Dance Alabama! Fall November 6-9 Spring March 26-30

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Sept. 24-28, 30 Nov. 5-11 Feb 11-17 Apr. 8-14

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>>> HOROSCOPES | W E E K L Y O V E R V I E W Have you been looking for a new job, Taurus? If so, you might hear of an opportunity from an unexpected source, perhaps at a social gathering. This could mean that someone unexpected brings it to your attention, or it could be a job in a new and unusual field. One way or another, as weird as it seems, it's worth consideration. Look into it and get all the facts before acting. If you're single, Gemini, love may come to you completely out of the blue today. The person could be standing behind you in line at the store or sitting at the next cafĂŠ table. Wherever you connect, don't be too cautious. Move ahead carefully, but at least get to know something about this person before giving in to insecurity and running the other way. Some unexpected but very welcome visitors could arrive today, Cancer. They might bring some people you don't know but should connect with right away. Expect interesting news, fascinating information, and a lot of laughs. Even though you don't know for sure that these people are coming, have a supply of drinks and snacks on hand. You'll want them to settle in and stay a while. Leo, who's that intriguing new person in your neighborhood? What is it about this new neighbor that makes it impossible for you to stop wondering about them? Quit obsessing. Get your courage up and go over and introduce yourself. Welcome him or her to the neighborhood. Maybe you'll find this person likable, maybe not, but give it a shot anyway. Enjoy. An unexpected letter could arrive today, Virgo, with a check enclosed, perhaps a gift, bonus, or offer to make more money. This might be a welcome break, possibly coming at a time when you really need it. If it's work, don't worry about the time involved. You'll be able to finish it quickly and efficiently. It might lead to more offers in the future. If you're in the arts or sciences, Libra, sudden inspiration could cause you to start or continue a project that means a lot to you. Some friends or group members could help out with useful information. Your mind may generate new ideas throughout the day. Once you've finished your work, take a walk and clear your head. Watch a video. If you don't, it could be hard to sleep tonight. Meditation, dreams, or visions could bring amazing insights your way, Scorpio. You might find them too bizarre to believe, at least at first, but follow-up research could reveal that what you've come up with is quite credible. Keep a journal of these revelations, because you might remember the gist but forget the details. They could be useful later when you pass your ideas on to others. You're an adventurous soul, Sagittarius. Are you thinking about a little mischief today? Are you going to propose that you and a friend or perhaps your partner skip town for a day and forget about work, chores, and other routine matters? You've been bored lately, so who could blame you? If you decide to do this, make sure everyone knows what's up. You don't want to burn any bridges. An unexpected communication may come today from someone connected with your career, Capricorn. This is good news, but it may be so off the wall that you could walk around in a daze for a while trying to make sense of it all. Don't agonize too much. You've worked hard for and deserve whatever it is that's suddenly coming to you. Think of it as a karmic reward. Go celebrate! Don't second-guess yourself today, Aquarius. It could be that you're wavering so much about a decision that even after you make it, you hesitate to follow through with it. Once you make up your mind about something, stick with it. Have confidence in your own mental process. Once you begin to waver, it may be difficult to find the assurance that you need since you'll inevitably slide down the slippery slope of self-doubt.

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Some bizarre and rather silly dreams might come to you tonight, Pisces. They may be the sort that is so crazy that you actually wake up laughing. Don't dismiss them. Silly or not, these dreams are trying to tell you something. Write them down the way you would any other vivid dream, and analyze the symbols in the same way - even if they cause a few giggles. If you're single, you could feel a very powerful attraction to someone unusual and perhaps a little wacky. If you're already in a relationship, you could glimpse a silly and rather insane side of your beloved you've never seen before. This could be a bit disconcerting but also make you laugh. That's part of the appeal of love - continuously learning about that special one.

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AUG 9 + AUG 23

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

THEATRE TUSCALOOSA TO HOLD AUDITIONS SEPTEMBER 10 & 11

heatre Tuscaloosa will hold open auditions for God of Carnage Monday, September 10 at 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m. in the Wilson Carr Rehearsal Hall, located off the lobby of the Bean-Brown Theatre on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College (9500 Old Greensboro Rd.). In this 2009 Tony-award winner, a playground altercation between eleven-yearold boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed. However, tensions emerge as the meeting progresses, and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with little more than just their dedicated principles in tatters. God of Carnage has two male and two female roles (ages thirty-five to fifty-five) available. Those who audition should be prepared to participate in cold readings from the script and some improvisational games. All who audition must bring their calendars and list all conflicts regarding the rehearsal schedule on their audition sheets. Scripts of God of Carnage are available to read in the Theatre Tuscaloosa Ticket Office in advance (recommended); however, scripts may not leave the premises. The Ticket Office is open Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Friday 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. Audition cuttings will be available at the audition site at 6:00 p.m. on the day of the audition.

BETH CONKLIN EXEBITION FEBRUARY 1 – FEBRUARY 24

eth Conklin works in digital art and photography to produce what she describes as “general adventures in the wonderfully weird.” Much like the memory of a strange dream, Conklin’s work lingers in one’s brain with air of fairy-tale grotesque. Conklin is from Birmingham, Alabama. While earning her degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama, Conklin also studied photography. However, her techniques of combining digital art with collage were primarily self-taught. She draws inspiration from old photographs—a child with a sad face, a hauntingly empty room, a lady with a mischievous—look and gives them new life. Conklin uses these recycled memories, faces, nd places that she brings together with textures and “modern” photographs to create dark and beautiful dreamscapes. Conklin’s art was recently featured in the magazine Somerset Digital Studio. Her blog, Here on Earth, which showcases her work and explains the literary inspiration for each piece, was featured in the winter 2013 edition of Artful Blogging Magazine. She frequently exhibits at the Kentuck Festival of the Arts, Magic City Arts Connection, and the Moss Rock Festival. Art Night and opening reception February 1, 2018, 5-8 pm, Museum Gallery January 23-February 22, Hotel Indigo Gallery

Rehearsals will begin Monday, September 17, 2018. Rehearsals will be held Sunday through Thursday evenings 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. There will not be rehearsals on Fridays and Saturdays. The final rehearsal schedule will be published after casting. God of Carnage will be presented October 19-28, 2018, in the BeanBrown Theatre on the Martin Campus of Shelton State Community College. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday, October 20. Matinee performances will be at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays; Wednesday, October 24; and Saturday, October 27. A pay-what-you-can final dress rehearsal will be presented on Thursday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m., a portion of proceeds of which will benefit the Charlie Dennis Memorial Scholarship Fund. Also, God of Carnage will be Theatre Tuscaloosa’s entry for the Alabama Conference of Theatre festival to be held November 2-4. If the show wins the competition, it will advance to the Southeastern Theatre Conference regional festival held February 27 through March 2 in Knoxville, Tennessee. If the show advances at the regional level, it will compete at the national festival in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, June 18-23. Travel costs will be covered by the theatre, but actors must be available to attend all the festivals. More details are available at www.theatretusc.com or at 205.391.2277.

AUG 9 + AUG 23

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

Courtesy UA Media Relations

NICK SABAN AT ALABAMA MEDIA DAY contribute why would we not utilize their abilities to be able to contribute on our team in some form or fashion." ON THE QUARTERBACKS RESPONDING TO PRESSURE "That's part of the evaluation for every player at every position. I think that goes a long way to know how they'll play and compete in the game and how they'll respond and persevere when things don't go well because they'll be able to stay focused on the next thing. They won't get affected by what happened on the last play. So I think that's important at every position."

labama Head Coach Nick Saban spoke with reporters prior to Alabama's fan day practice last Saturday. He was asked about a number of different topics. Here are some of his comments. ON DISCIPLINE AND TOUGHNESS "Discipline and toughness are two things that go a long way in helping players develop that, because it certainly helps them sustain in difficult circumstances. I think fall camp is a difficult circumstance that a lot of players have to learn how to work through. How do you stay focused when you're tired? Are you going to make mental errors? Are you going to loaf? Are you going to do the wrong things? That's really kind of enduring and not really showing the mental toughness to sustain. You have to have a strong breaking point if you're going to be a good player and a great competitor. We're trying to create a unique excellence with every player on our team. That's the only way we'll have a good team. Everybody has choices to make. Are you going to endure, are you going to try to survive this camp or are you actually going to make a commitment to striving to be the best player that you can be? If you're going to impose your will on somebody else, the first thing you have to do is impose your will on yourself, so that you can do the things like you need to do them.” ON THE CHALLENGE OF REPLACING KEY GUYS ON DEFENSE "Well that's a really easy answer. Do you all know how many players we lost last year on defense? And how many of those guys got drafted? And how many of those guys we have to replace? So it's a pretty easy answer to figure out that because of the experience that we lost, the number of players that we lost, the opportunity that creates for inexperienced players, especially in the secondary where we lost six players who did most of the playing. We have not one starter back, a guy that

started two games, I think maybe. At linebacker, both guys started a few games, both guys were hurt a little bit. We've got three guys in the front that have ever really played in the game before. That's probably the least amount of returning experienced players that we've ever had. So as much as you guys look at statistics and as much as you guys look at stuff on paper, that should be pretty easy for you guys to figure out." ON FIRST YEAR DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR TOSH LUPOI "He has done a great job of recruiting for us. I think he's really developed as a coach. I think he's taken it upon himself to not want to be a guy that was viewed just as a recruiter or just as a guy that could coach the front. He's really, really committed himself to learning the big picture, the coverages, the secondary. I spent a significant amount of time with him doing that. I think he's made a tremendous amount of improvement. ON SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM THE TEAM IN REGARDS TO THE QUARTERBACKS "I think we assess it from…We don't have a straw vote on the team as to who they think the quarterback ought to be. I don't know that it would be like any election, most people don't get elected unanimously. Therefore it would be a divisive vote that probably would not be healthy for the togetherness of the team. You know, I think these things have to be made at a little higher level based on a set of circumstances relative to consistency in performance, other players believing in, leadership, a lot of factors that come into that. As a coaching staff, not just me, we have to make a determination as to how we should play the quarterback. Now you guys are totally fixed on is somebody has to be has first team and somebody has to be second team. Tell me why. I'm asking you why. You can't answer that. Then why. I'm asking why. Why do you think that way? If there's people on our team that can

ON HIS EXPECTATIONS FOR WIDE RECEIVER HENRY RUGGS "You know, I 'm not in the creating expectation business. That's pretty much what people like you all do. You know make a guy a five star, he made six touchdowns so we're going to make him be whatever this year, that's what you do. We fight against that. We don't want players to have expectations. We want them to have goals. And how many touchdown passes they catch is not part of the goal, it's an outcome. My expectation for Ruggs is become a complete player at your position. Run every route, every blocking assignment, give great effort on every play, go across field and get a block that helps some other guy go 70 yards for a touchdown. We want him to be a complete player at his position. How many passes he catches and how many touchdowns he scores is going to be an outcome of that. That's different than an expectation or a goal to me. I don't have that expectation for you." ON DAMIEN HARRIS RETURNING FOR HIS SENIOR YEAR "I think it was a business decision. I think that we take the information that we get from the evaluations that we get from the NFL and we say, OK, here's your situation and here's your circumstance. And I'm not going to tell you what that information was. But if you're a first-round draft pick, to me it's a no-brainer that you go out for the draft and we've had 29 guys go out. We've probably had four guys that made not so good decisions, and I don't think any of those four guys played much longer than a year. So they should have stayed in college.” ON THE PROGRESS ON NAJEE HARRIS "I think Najee, obviously at the end of the season, played very well for us and made progress last year, got more confident in what he was supposed to do, how to do it, how to run the plays, how to read the plays, understanding the pass protections better and being a more effective guy in the passing game. And I think that progress has continued over the spring. And we've only had one practice so far, but he hasn't done anything to disappoint. I just think that he has more maturity, more confidence and a better understanding. And I think that should help him be more productive."

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