A TASTE OF ITALY IN OUR HOMETOWN • START WHILE THEY’RE YOUNG • THE PERFECT GETAWAY
DISCOVERING PASSIONS A VESTAVIA ARTIST’S JOURNEY
VESTAVIA’S BEST
YOU VOTED. WE TALLIED. SEE THE 2022 BEST OF THE BEST WINNERS INSIDE
SUMMER 2022 VestaviaHillsMagazine.com Volume Six | Issue Two $4.95
IN HER corner
SUPPORTING THE WORKING MOM VestaviaHillsMagazine.com A
[Newbor n + Child + Family Por traiture] info@apeppermintphoto.com + 205.807.6431 w w w . a p e p p e r m i n t p h o t o . c o m VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 1
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FEATURES 56
EMPOWERING MOMS Changing the way working moms think about being full-time, both at work and at home.
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VESTAVIA HILLS’ BEST WINNERS You voted. We tallied. Now see who you said Vestavia Hills’ best retailers, restaurants, community events and more are.
78 SPONSORED CONTENT
WHEN TRAGEDY BRINGS TRIUMPH Local financial advisor helps others plan for success.
80 HIT THE ROAD
Less than six hours away from Vestavia Hills, Alabama, is Louisville, Kentucky; the perfect family getaway within driving range.
4 Summer 2022
PHOTO BY LAUREN USTAD
LOVELY LOUISVILLE
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37
PHOTO BY LAUREN USTAD
arts & culture
17 Spark of an Idea: Instilling Hope, Encouraging Talent 26 Five Questions For: Vestavia Hills Library Director Taneisha Tucker
food
& drink
27 Hometown Flavors: A Taste of Italy in Vestavia 34 Five Questions For: Bistro V Owner Emily Shell 35 Area Dining Guide: A Special Advertising Section
schools & sports
in every issue 6 Contributors 9 From the Editor 11 The Question 12 @vestaviahillsmag 13 The Guide 86 Out & About 90 Marketplace 92 My Vestavia Hills
37 It Takes a Village: Investing in our Children’s Future
home
& style
45 Midcentury Refresh: An Old House with a New Look
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 5
contributors EDITORIAL
Alec Etheredge Meg Herndon Michelle Love Keith McCoy Anna Grace Moore Emily Sparacino
CONTRIBUTORS
Lauren H. Dowdle Madoline Markham Caroline Newman Elizabeth Sturgeon Blair Ramsey Emily Reed Christiana Roussel Mary Tweedy Lauren Ustad
DESIGN
Jamie Dawkins Connor Martin-Lively Kimberly Myers Briana Sansom
MARKETING
Octavia Campbell Evann Campbell Jessica Caudill Kari George Michaela Hancock Casey Haney Rachel Henderson Rhett McCreight Tori Montjoy Viridiana Romero
ADMINISTRATION Hailey Dolbare Mary Jo Eskridge Daniel Holmes Stacey Meadows Tim Prince Brittany Schofield Savana Tarwater Anna Willis
Blair Ramsey, Photographer
Blair is a Vestavia Hills based photographer whose company, Southern Intrigue Photography, specializes in sports action, portrait and commercial images. Blair and her husband, John, have two sons, Cooper and Cameron, who have both had the privilege of being Auburn cheerleaders. Blair’s work can be found at southernintriguephotography. com, on Instagram @southernintriguephotography and Facebook @southernintrigue.
Christiana Roussel, Writer
Where should we have dinner? Where should we go on our next family vacation or couple’s getaway? What kind of shotgun should I buy? These are all queries writer Christiana Roussel has answered in recent months. While food writing is her original passion, she has really enjoyed expanding her repertoire to include travel and sporting activities that upland adventure. And no, it is not just because there might be a need for new clothes for the expedition.
Elizabeth Sturgeon, Writer
Elizabeth was born and raised in Birmingham and has stayed close to home ever since. You might find her searching for a thrift store gem or ordering a meal she’s never tried before. A recent Samford University graduate, Elizabeth works in Birmingham-Southern College’s communications department, writing about students, alumni and campus culture.
Mary Tweedy, Photographer
Mary started her photography journey with a film camera in high school. Today, she runs Mary Tweedy Photography, a full-service photography studio, located in the heart of the beautiful town of Helena. The studio specializes in all things portrait: maternity, newborn, baby’s first year plan, family and high school senior portraits, and professional headshots. When she is not taking portraits, Mary helps startups, small businesses and non-profits build beautiful, responsive websites, stress free and fast. She lives in Pelham with her amazing husband and two boys.
Vestavia Hills Magazine is published quarterly by Shelby County Newspapers Inc., P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Vestavia Hills Magazine is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Shelby County Newspapers Inc. [the Publisher]. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the Publisher. Please address all correspondence (including but not limited to letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to: Editor, Vestavia Hills Magazine, P.O. Box 947, Columbiana, AL 35051. Vestavia Hills Magazine is mailed to select households throughout Vestavia Hills, and a limited number of free copies are available at local businesses. Please visit VestaviaHillsMagazine.com for a list of those locations. Subscriptions are available at a rate of $14.95 plus tax for one year by visiting VestaviaHillsMagazine.com or calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 532. Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing advertise@vestaviahillsmagazine.com, or by calling (205) 669-3131, ext. 536.
6 Summer 2022
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 7
8 Summer 2022
from the editor
H
ON THE COVER
Hello! My name is Anna Grace Moore, and I am the new Chief Magazine Editor for Shelby County Newspapers Inc. which includes Shelby Living, Mountain Brook Magazine, Vestavia Hills Magazine, Hoover’s Magazine and Homewood Life. It is my privilege to work in such an inspiring industry whose focus is engaging our community, building better relationships and highlighting pivotal figures who shape our way of life. Before coming to work at Shelby County Newspapers Inc., I attended Samford University, where I graduated in May of 2021 with a degree in journalism and mass communications with a concentration in public relations. After graduating, I welcomed my now 10-month-old, Jacob, in July of 2021 with my fiancé, Justin Breedlove. We live in Hoover where I was raised, and we plan to reside here as we get married and grow our family in the future. Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to write. I would always write short stories, poems, prose and even essays for fun on my summer reading books. Writing has long been a passion of mine. When I was 8 years old in the third grade, I won second place in a poetry contest honoring Hoover City Firefighters. I recited my poem in front of 200 city officials at a brunch, and my picture was published in the paper the next week! Not even the first-place winner’s picture made the papers. I was told I was featured because of how dramatically I read about water hoses and house fires. Fast forward more than a decade, and you’ll find me at my corner desk, scribbling down the latest scoops in my brown leather notebook or typing away on my MacBook into the wee hours of the morning. Not much has changed. My passion for the written word has fueled my desire to serve my community because of how people in my community have poured into me. It was not until I became a mother that I realized just how many people it took investing in my future to help me achieve the position I have today. It is such an honor to serve all of you. So, while you can’t always count on Alabama weather, I assure you that you can count on the magazine you’re reading to be entertaining and eye-opening. Happy reading, folks! Best,
In Her Corner
Vestavia company Boulo helps working moms stay in the workforce and be available for their families, too. Photo by Mary Tweedy Design by Kimberly Myers
annagrace.moore@vestavialhillsmagazine.com
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 9
Your Neighbor, Your REALTOR
®
NICOLE THOMASON HARDEKOPF TOP PRODUCER
Proudly serving my hometown! 205.835.4667 | nicole@arcrealtyco.com 10 Summer 2022
“ ” THE QUESTION
Where are you vacationing this summer?
Italy! Our first trip to Europe as a family! My boys are 16 and 13! We are so excited … Going May 27-June 7 -Caroline Ritchie Neely
Summer 2022 Vacation Plans: Yellowstone and Jackson Hole in May-June, France in August! -Allison Herr
Whitefish Montana! That’s our big trip. We will also do Asheville NC and the beach. -Amber Leigh Terakedis
Bahamas
-Kathryn Dorlon
Italy
-Ashley Moultrie Robertson
Orange Beach Alabama -Amira Walton
@sunnysideairbnb -Holland & Birch
We are going to Montana to visit friends who built a house for missionaries on a ranch for at risk kids. We can’t wait to see it! -Martha Dazzio
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 11
@VestaviaHillsMag
Tag us in your Vestavia Hills photos on Instagram, and we’ll pick our favorites to regram and publish on this page in each issue.
@guttergoatsbirmingham The GOAT does siding too! Check out this job we are on site at over in Vestavia Hills! We pride ourselves on being a multifaceted business. Give us a call today, we would love to provide our services for your home or business! Reach us at 205.352.7117 or send us a DM! @guttergoatsbirmingham
@insure_with_king It was a BLAST getting to be on @gustygulas & @josh_cornutt’s Radio Show, Bought, Borrowed, & Sold this past week on @1055werc ! We talked all things on the current housing market, mortgages, and insurance! Thanks for having us on! @insure_with_king
@burnsbrashierjohnson
@cajun_steamer
Live your truth. Own your story. This is your life. Your journey. You only get one. @burnsbrashierjohnson
CAHABA HEIGHTS! What a weekend at the #HeightsHangout! Y’all got to sneak peek our food & we thought it was time for a lil sneak peek of the progress we are making inside the restaurant! Only a few more days until we announce our opening date…STAY TUNED!
12 Summer 2022
THE GUIDE
VESTAVIA HILLS FARMER’S MARKET EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM MAY 4-AUGUST 31 10 A.M.-1 P.M. 741 Montgomery Hwy As part of Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church’s ministry, this annual event fosters food, fun and fellowship for all who attend. Art vendors, farmer’s stands serving fresh produce and live music will be available. VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 13
THE GUIDE AROUND TOWN MAY 20 Ashten Akins Concert Wald Park MAY 21 Cahaba Heights Anniversary Celebration The Heights Village MAY 23 Ribbon Cutting: John Henley Agency 2064 Columbiana Rd MAY 24-29 SEC Baseball Tournament Hoover Metropolitan Complex MAY 27 Mario Kart 8 Tournament Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest
JUNE 14
Vestavia Hills Chamber of Commerce Monthly Luncheon 11:30 A.M.-1 P.M. Vestavia Country Club Join the Vestavia Hills Chamber for its monthly luncheon. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m., and lunch will be served
at noon. These events are great for bridging the gap of communication between businesses and local Vestavia residents. Reservations are $25. For more information or to register, visit vestaviahills.org.
JUNE 18
The Dinner Detective 6-9 P.M. Double Tree by Hilton – Birmingham Perimeter Park
The Dinner Detective is America’s largest interactive murder mystery dinner theatre show, and it’s coming to town! Attendees will enjoy eating good food while working together to solve the infamous murder mystery that plagues the show’s plot. The culprit will be hiding in plain sight, and who knows, one might find himself as the prime suspect! Dinner includes chips, queso and salsa; a chicken, fish or vegetarian entrée; salad, dessert and iced tea. Tickets are $59.99. Register online at Thedinnerdetective.com. 14 Summer 2022
MAY 27 Memorial Day Cookout 20th Celebration Town Village Vestavia Hills MONDAYS IN JUNE Step in Line: Line Dancing for Beginners Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest THURSDAYS IN JUNE Beginner Yoga with Kathy Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest JUNE 1 Handmade with Holly: Sensational Suncatchers Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest JUNE 2 Ribbon Cutting: Smoothie King Vestavia Hills 621 Montgomery Hwy JUNE 3-26 Kinky Boots Red Mountain Theatre JUNE 4 The Market at Pepper Place Pepper Place
THE GUIDE JUNE 5 Vulcan’s 118th Birthday Bash Vulcan Park & Museum JUNE 6-10 Vacation Bible School: The Hope Awakens Shades Mountain Baptist Church JUNE 7 Maverick City Music Legacy Arena JUNE 15 Afternoon at the Movies: Ages 18+ Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest JUNE 17 Euphonious 2 Birmingham Zoo JUNE 19 Father’s Day JUNE 23 Shades Mountain Baptist Orchestra Wald Park JUNE 27-JULY 1 Teen Movie Camp: Let’s Make a Movie Acting Out Academy JULY 4 Independence Day JULY 11 Bookmaking Camp with Darla Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest JULY 11 The World Games: Bowling BJCC North Exhibition Hall JULY 15-AUGUST 7 Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella Red Mountain Theatre
JUNE 3
2022 VBS Food Truck Kickoff Party 5:30-7:30 P.M. St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
Children ages 4-12 years old are invited to attend the “2022 VBS Food Truck Kickof Party” with their families.
Dinner will be served from 5:30-6 p.m., but parents, note that this is not a drop-off party. The VBS lessons and fellowship games will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. All children are invited to bring a friend!
JUNE 17
Walker Burroughs Concert 8 P.M. Wald Park Vestavia Hills High School alumnus Walker Burroughs is returning to his grass roots to perform his new music including his hit single, “The Moon Song,” which has over 3 million streams! Burroughs is a recent graduate of Belmont University and an American Idol top 8 contestant. VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 15
THE GUIDE
JUNE 23
I Love America Night 6 P.M. Wald Park
Hosted by the Vestavia Hills Chamber
of Commerce, “I Love America Night” is a free, family-friendly event celebrating the United States’ independence. Activities include
swimming, live music, inflatables, arts and crafts, local vendors and the annual fireworks show to end the night on a high note.
JUNE 8
Family Fun Night 6 P.M. Wald Park The Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills is hosting “Family Fun Night,” which features a family scavenger hunt, dinner and fun activities for all. Get more information and purchase your tickets at Vestavialutheran.org. Tickets range between $5 and $30, and proceeds benefit Children’s of Alabama and Vestavia Lutheran’s Mother’s Day Out program. 16 Summer 2022
&CULTURE
ARTS
SPARK OF AN IDEA Natural scents and designs attract people to Elizabeth Carver’s candles. BY LAUREN H. DOWDLE PHOTOS BY BLAIR RAMSEY VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 17
18 Summer 2022
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Whether creating an inviting space for guests or a relaxing oasis for meditation, lighting a candle can transform any home. But for Elizabeth Carver, she not only enjoys candles—she also helps others do the same with her beautifully unique and fragrant pieces. “Candles are associated with celebration,” Elizabeth says. “I feel so special when I walk into a home with a burning candle. There’s something extra welcoming about it—and the scent is an added bonus.” It wasn’t until COVID hit that she truly realized her passion for these scented gifts.
Elizabeth has lived in Vestavia for a decade and has a fifth grader at Vestavia Hills Elementary East and a freshman and junior at Vestavia Hills High School. Like many parents, Elizabeth tried to find fun activities for her children while they were stuck at home during the pandemic—including candle making. “After a few weeks, I noticed my kids had moved on to other activities, and I had become fascinated with making candles and all that goes with it,” she says. “I’ve always loved doing anything crafty, and I love candles.” Learning how to make the candles took some trial VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 19
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and error—a lot of error, she says. In the beginning, she stayed up most of the night making candles in their kitchen. But one of those sessions turned disastrously messy. “I literally poured candles for 14 straight hours due to the demand I had received. I was like a mad scientist,” she recalls. “Wax was on pots, pans, granite, the trashcan, everything. I can’t believe we didn’t get a picture of it.” After her husband, JG, helped her clean up, he immediately made room for her to have a workshop in their garage. “Her business literally left its mark on everything in our kitchen,” JG says. Elizabeth says she has gotten better about making them and now only pours her candles on a surface protected with an oil cloth—or something she can throw away. She also focuses on making each candle special and unique, which has helped her enjoy them even more. “The continuing of bulk production would have led to burnout quickly,” she adds. When she first got started, she gave the candles as gifts. But by November 2020, she began
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 21
FINDING HER HAPPY PLACE While Elizabeth Carver loves making candles, her true passion is working with individuals with developmental disabilities. She previously worked at United Ability, a nonprofit that provided services to those with disabilities, before deciding to be a stayat-home mom with her three children. However, she still finds ways to follow this passion. Currently, Elizabeth substitutes in the Vestavia School System, mostly at Louis Pizitz Middle School with the special needs program. “They have a great life skills department,” she says of the school. “It’s filled with amazing students and people, and I love substituting there. I call it my happy place.” One day, she has a dream to open a storefront that offers job opportunities for individuals with disabilities who would benefit from supported employment. 22 Summer 2022
receiving purchase requests for her creations. Her life really changed, she said, when she posted about her candles and got more requests than she could have imagined. “It’s been pretty awesome seeing her passion for this on a daily basis,” JG says. With the fear of failure still in the back of her mind, Elizabeth originally planned to not give her candle-making a business name. As her customer base grew and she began selling on Etsy, she decided it was time to make it official. So, when someone asked about her middle name, Claire, it sparked an idea. “My grandmother was Elsie Claire, my mom is Rhoda Claire, I am Elizabeth Claire, my first cousin is Jean Claire, and JG and I named our first-born Catherine Claire,” she says. “I was like, that is it, Five Claires Candles.” There are a few staple scents in her candle
lineup, along with seasonal fragrances that rotate throughout the year. Her favorite scent is the lime mandarin (citrus) basil— and her top sellers are rosemary sea salt and lavender sage. Other scents include beach calming coconut, basil and berries, and wild basil and bergamot. She says she knew she wanted to use a natural wax to make her candles, and soy was her favorite. But with so many soy wax options available, she had to find the most efficient option, which took some time. After testing several wicks to monitor the burn time, she says she found the perfect eco wicks that work great with her containers. “I tested a lot of wax,” Elizabeth says. “I want my customers to have a candle that lasts as long as it possibly can.” All of her candles are hand-poured and decorated with dried flowers, coming ready VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 23
24 Summer 2022
to gift or enjoy. The essential oil fragrances and soy wax provide the perfect balance of comfort and natural fragrances. “People who are prone to getting headaches from candle scents have been my biggest fans and repeat customers,” she says. “A lot of my customers also order specific scents for time in prayer or meditation.” When deciding on a vessel for the candle, she turned to one she loved: dough bowls. Now, she has begun expanding to other container options, like heart- and bean-shaped bowls. “The ambiance created by a candle can change a setting,” she says. THE PANDEMIC CLASSROOM “A great container can add to home décor.” As her business grows, she relies on marketing A BRIGHTER DAY and sales from Etsy and will arrange pickup for local customers through the site, as well. Five SSION IN MI on H GEAR Claires’ candles are as relaxing as they are visually VariatiHIG appealing, and it’s clear love has been poured into RESS AY IN EXPDW TOOA DANCERSBR RK EMPOWERING 202THE COLOR IN 1 IR SKIN THE DA each one. THEMSELVES W ED D IN G S “I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve been fortunate enough to go S COOKIEse at my own pace,” Elizabeth says. “It has not been a plea FIX MEET COOKIE stressful thing, but if anything, a stress reliever.” JASON FOUNDER AMY To view or purchase Elizabeth Carver’s candles, visit Fiveclaires.com.
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ARTS & CULTURE
5
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR
Taneisha Tucker
Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest Director PHOTO BY MELISSA W. NEWTON
Founded in 1969, the Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest (VHLF) has grown to be one of Alabama’s most revered libraries. Now our state’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold-certified library, the VHLF has been proudly serving the community in an eco-friendly way. The architectural design incorporates trees which were harvested from the original land on which the library was built. More than 80 percent of those trees were used to create rooms within the library such as the ceilings, which are made of pine; the entry hall, made of poplar; the desks and the chairs, which are made of oak. Not only is the library one of Vestavia Hills’ wonders of the city, it is also a place of learning and fellowship. What makes the Vestavia Hills Library (VHLF) in the Forest so special? The VHLF is the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified library in Alabama. The library is designated LEED gold due to its environmentally friendly features which include the sustainable site, use of natural and recycled materials, on-site water collection, raised access flooring, controlled air quality and more. The library thoughtfully reminds everyone that respecting the environment is important, and it is a gathering place where patrons of all ages are welcomed, empowered, entertained, enriched and educated.
offers a breathtaking view of the forest. It is the perfect place to experience nature, relax, study, take a picture, meet friends and more. Just underneath is the amphitheater which leads to the walking trails and a memorial garden.
What unique things do you offer at the Library? From the fireplace to the makerspace complete with 3D printing, vinyl cutting, a photography studio and more, VHLF is a happening place. Stop by and get a passport, study while exercising on one of our bikes, check out a hotspot or attend exciting programs from concerts to spooky tales on the library trail. Use a PC or MAC, complete with the Adobe What’s your favorite spot in the Creative Suite for in-house use. Check out items unique to VHLF such as walking Library? There are many, but my favorite is the sticks, hammocks, selfie-sticks, cognitive overlook patio, or rooftop terrace, which care kits and more. 26 Summer 2022
What’s one of your favorite Library memories? With this ring (pictured above) The first marriage proposal was at the fireplace in January 2011, and the first wedding was in the amphitheater in October the same year. Since then, we have hosted numerous proposals and weddings, and the library has proven to be a place of lasting love and romance. What’s next for the VHLF? Remaining vibrant and relevant to our community are our top priorities. This year, we are engaging residents, city officials and departments and local businesses by inviting everyone to use the hashtag, #PictureyourselfieVH as they share their experiences on social media. Using the hashtag creates a collective space where residents can post and see what’s happening in their city. Post and tag us.
&DRINK
FOOD
HOMETOWN FLAVORS How a Vestavia Hills couple turned their love of pizza into a thriving business. BY ELIZABETH STURGEON PHOTOS BY KEITH MCCOY VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 27
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Terrill Brazelton made his first pizza dough in a day, thanks to his culinary expertise and a little under-pressure inspiration. Back in 2008 he was the chef and owner of Mountain Brook’s Open Door Café, and his dad had always asked him to make a pizza dough. It wasn’t until his dad was driving to Birmingham to taste it that Terrill began developing the recipe. “I went into the kitchen that day and started making pizza dough,” Terrill says, “and I took it down to the guys at Daniel George. They told me, ‘Terrill, this is really good pizza. You could do something with this.’ That’s always stuck in the back of my head. I’ve perfected it over the years with little tweaks here and there, but it’s almost the exact same thing I made back in 2008.” Now, in 2022 – two years since Terrill and his wife, Ashley, opened Troup’s Pizza as chef and manager, respectively – they have seen that on-awhim dough transform their space in Heights Village into the family-run, Vestavia-rooted pizza joint so many residents have been waiting for. As they both take a minute to sit down and talk about the restaurant, they talk about pizza and that recipe, but Terrill and Ashley agree that Troup’s is so much more than pizza. “The neighborhood wanted a pizza place to call their own, and we are that pizza place,” Terrill says. “That’s what we wanted to be, local as you can get, and born and raised – and we are so much more than pizza.” Troup’s is about family and community, and it’s about the evolution of the food and the customer, and the discovery of new flavors along the way. That was the goal from the
28 Summer 2022
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 29
THE ROAD TO SUCCESS Terrill and Ashley bring a rich background in Birmingham’s food scene to Troup’s and Cahaba Heights. They first met through the food industry – Terrill was working at Open Door Café (which they later ran and owned for about five years) and Ashley was working at Ocean. Terrill later went from Kathy G. & Co. to OT’s on Acton to Slice Pizza, all important parts in developing his own ideas in starting a new restaurant with his own vision. Terrill and Ashley also wanted to be present in their restaurant. Being in Cahaba Heights made that easy. “A lot of times, you can’t find the owners of a restaurant,” Terrill says, “but we’re always here. We are from Vestavia, we live in Vestavia, our kids are in the school system.” 30 Summer 2022
start and became a full-fledged reality as Terrill and Ashely opened during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time all they could do was evolve with the surrounding circumstances. The restaurant’s opening date on April 24, 2020, was months earlier than their projected summer 2020 opening, but Terrill and Ashley saw the to-go nature of pizza being crucial as pandemic life took its hold. As busy as the opening was – pizza being a small joy during social distancing and quarantines – they still found a moment to breathe, knowing they could take some time to finish up their dining space and full menu later in the year. The Brazeltons opened Troup’s with a family affair, both in their staff and in spirit; the name “Troup” is the shared Brazelton middle name since Terrill’s great-grandfather. Terrill, Ashley and their two children, 17-year-old daughter Carter and 13-year-old son Asher, were the original staff and have all played an active role in the restaurant since opening. Carter spent three hours on the phone to set up the cash register, where she’s often still working behind the counter. Asher can be found wherever he was needed, mostly bussing tables, washing dishes or helping his dad in the kitchen. It’s not hard to spot at least one Brazelton in the restaurant at all times; all dedicated to the space and excited to get to know their customers. Since opening, Troup’s has received an overwhelmingly warm welcome from the Cahaba Heights community, who made up the majority of the cars lined up for pizza during curbside service and the foundation of their regular customers. Terrill and Ashley attribute multiple we-can-do-this realizations to the community support. “This community is very supportive, inside and outside of Cahaba Heights, too,” Ashley says. Along with local ingredients – plus partnerships with local schools and other organizations as often as they can – the restaurant is inseparable from Cahaba Heights and the greater Birmingham area. The original Troup, Terrill’s greatgrandfather, stands tall on First Avenue North in a large photo on the wall, representing the legacy of Brazeltons who lived and worked around Alabama and Birmingham. The food follows the legacy, too, inspired by the family and the area. The Old Cahawba – their pizza with pepperoni, house-made sausage, caramelized onions, mushrooms, pepper rings VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 31
32 Summer 2022
THE PERFECT TROUP’S ORDER Start with appetizers and salads. Troup’s homemade mozzarella
cheese bites and the wings are crowd favorites and some of the best starters in town. The Arugula Salad – with almonds, sour cherries, blueberries, Thomasville tomme cheese and homemade lemon Dijon dressing – or the wedge are also must-orders, showcasing Terrill’s commitment to detail and invention in classic dishes. Share pizza, of course. Terrill picks the Supreme or the Bradshaw, and
Ashley picks the Woodstock or the Happy Hippie. Really, you can’t go wrong with your pizza choice and the opportunity to break away from your normal cheese and pepperoni go-tos. Don’t skip dessert. Every two
weeks, Terrill bakes a new flavor of homemade cheesecake, with only a few repeated flavors over their two years in business. Fall brought favorites like pomegranate, sweet and marinara – is named after Alabama’s first capital, where Terrill’s dad spent his summers. Other stories behind pizzas and dishes are sure to be told as Terrill and Ashley meet customers throughout the lunch and dinner rushes. Over time, Terrill has gotten closer to his original concept, introducing new appetizers and dishes regularly to their expanding menu. Every new dish – a salad, starter, sandwich or cheesecake – harmonizes Troup’s thoughtfulness with its innovative and seasonal take on flavors. “It’s not just pizza – that’s the one thing that really does set us apart,” Terrill says. Terrill and Ashley bounce back and forth between favorite additions they’ve added to the menu across their two years in business. “We have seven sandwiches, half a dozen salads, fried Stromboli and soups made from scratch during the fall and winter,” Terrill says. “And,” Ashley adds, “a lot of heart and soul.” Follow Troup’s Pizza on Facebook or Instagram @troupspizza to keep up with Terrill and Ashley and see what’s on the menu each week.
potato and pumpkin cheesecakes. Spring and summer flavors included blackberry almond, strawberry basil and white chocolate raspberry. Try something new for the
season. From watermelon salad
to smoked brisket chili to on-draft root beer floats, Troup’s seasonal specials are some of Terrill and Ashley’s favorite editions to the menu when the right time of year comes and goes. Add whatever is newest on the menu to your meal for an even closer look at (and taste of) what Troup’s is all about. VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 33
FOOD & DRINK
5
FIVE QUESTIONS FOR
Emily Shell
Owner of Bistro V Food & Spirits PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Located off of Montgomery Highway in the heart of Vestavia Hills is Bistro V Food & Spirits. Dubbed the city’s “gastronomic jewel,” the restaurant offers upscale dining, including a wide variety of wines, desserts and elegant cuisine. It’s open from Tuesday through Saturday each day from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and from 5-9 p.m. What types of food does Bistro V serve? Are there menu options that the owners recommend for certain occasions? Which are Bistro V’s “fan favorites?” Bistro V offers a seafood heavy menu which includes a daily fish special, shrimp and grits, fried oysters in several dishes and crab cakes. We also offer steaks, pastas and salads. Our most popular fan favorite is Jeremy’s Seafood Gumbo.
owners of Bistro V, would like to convey to your readers how very grateful we are for our lovely customers. We are really just so in awe of the support that Vestavia Hills has given us.
What makes Bistro V unique from other restaurants? Bistro V is unique because we offer an upscale southern menu in a casual atmosphere. The most interesting spot to eat in the restaurant might be the chef’s counter. There you can dine-in What would the owners like for our while striking up a conversation with the magazine’s readers and your entire staff. customers to know either about Tell our readers more about themselves or their business? yourselves. What got you into the Jeremy Downey and Emily Shell, the 34 Summer 2022
food industry? We have both been in the restaurant business for around 25 years. We just love making great moments that good meals provide for the people who walk through our doors. We love our customers. What is the best thing about being in business in Vestavia Hills? The best thing about being in business in Vestavia Hills is the fantastic customers who have supported us for 12 years! We have been through many ups and downs, but Vestavia has encouraged us, supported us and cheered us on! We are so thankful for our wonderful patrons!
Hoover+Vestavia Hills | Special Advertising Section
DINING GUIDE Hoover+Vestavia Hills
4330 CREEKSIDE AVE • HOOVER, AL 35244 TWINPEAKSRESTAURANT.COM • 205-203-9461
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks never stops short when it comes to the menu. Whether it’s for lunch, happy hour or dinner, our guests can expect made-from-scratch menu items, capable of satisfying every appetite. When someone steps inside a Twin Peaks, they’re immediately transported to an environment reminiscent of a comfortable cabin in the mountains. Whether you are in the mood for comfort food or something on the lighter side, we offer meals that satisfy everyone.
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Troup’s Pizza
Family-owned Troup’s Pizza is proud to offer fresh, delicious and unpretentious pizza, sandwiches and salads the whole family will enjoy right in your backyard. Since he was a kid, Chef Terrill Brazelton’s family’s love of great food and wine instilled the importance of letting fresh food speak for itself. Now, he and his wife, Ashley, have brought that passion and commitment to locally-sourced foods and supporting local farmers to Cahaba Heights. Open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday, and open for dinner every night. Catering available.
Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea
With more than 54 years in the seafood industry, the Scott family takes great pride in providing the community with only the freshest and highest quality seafood, meat and wine. We are a unique, local, family-owned market where customers will find a seafood market, butcher shop, wine store and lunch café all under one roof. We hope you’ll notice the Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea difference when making food selections for you and your family.
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 35
DINING GUIDE
Hoover+Vestavia Hills | Special Advertising Section
4441 CREEKSIDE AVE #133 • HOOVER, AL 35244
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Rock N Roll Sushi
At Rock N Roll Sushi we guarantee an amplified dining experience that will have you coming back again and again for more! Whether you stop in for lunch for a quick opening act, or bring your family to dinner for the back stage hibachi, Rock N Roll sushi’s diverse menu has a little something for everyone. Online catering is available. We welcome you to join us at Patton Creek Shopping Center and dine out loud this summer!
Perfect Note
The perfect place for your live music and dining experience is our jazz supper club. Come on out and try our perfect wings or shrimp and grits, and enjoy the live music with a cocktail in hand. Our diverse menu paired with our soulful performances will have you coming back again and again this summer! Join us on the first Sunday of every month at the Plaza at Riverchase for our $3 Mimosas and delicious Chicken and Waffles!
Photo by Jenny Nicholson of Eating Alabama (IG: @eatingalabama)
5220 PERIDOT PL SUITE 100 • HOOVER, AL 35244
5190 MEDFORD DRIVE, SUITE 124 • HOOVER, AL 35244
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Taco Mama
Stay hungry and be thirsty. At Taco Mama we believe in supporting our local businesses and serving our guests the freshest ingredients possible. We believe any time is a good time for a margarita. We believe in ice cold cerveza. We believe in people helping people.
36 Summer 2022
Taproot
We are a community-focused eatery that embraces locally sourced ingredients from farmers and food makers, offering wholesome, seasonal food in a bright and welcoming environment. We serve up freshly made sandwiches and paninis, salads, open-faced toasts, soups, smoothies and more—all prepared to maintain natural benefits. Through good food and our endeavors to love and connect people, we play a part in the sustainability of community, the environment and the local economy. Instagram: @taproot_cafe_hoover • Facebook:@taprootcafehoover
SCHOOL
&SPORTS
IT TAKES A VILLAGE Vestavia Hills preschool offers creative, enriching program for children ages 3 to 5. BY EMILY REED PHOTOS BY LAUREN USTAD VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 37
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When Whitney Wells enrolled her 3-year-old son at Vestavia East Elementary preschool, he was welcomed into a stimulating, enriching and engaging environment that allowed him to thrive. “After 18 months of speech therapy, our 3-yearold son was barely speaking,” Wells says. “At Vestavia East Elementary preschool, he was welcomed with loving teachers and educators. He has thrived and developed on a level I could never have imagined. Today at age 5, he has surpassed all goals with speech, reads sight words, solves problems and engages socially with his peers. He is very ready for kindergarten.”
The preschool program with Vestavia Hills schools is designed to be an inclusive preschool program for 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds with special needs and 3- to 5-year-olds typically developing peers. All students are taught by highly qualified, certified teachers following state standards in order to prepare students for their kindergarten year. The goal of the program is to enhance instruction for students with special needs, which includes ageappropriate models in the classroom, while preparing all students for kindergarten. The program initially began in 2009, and the VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 39
The path to
MENDING HER
HEART
was actually through her leg. Olivia was born with a congenital heart defect requiring open heart surgery at 3 months old. She also required a second surgery as a teen to replace her pulmonary valve – but this time they went through a vein in her leg to insert the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve in her heart. This less-invasive path to replacement shortened her recovery time, and she went home the next day. Olivia was the first pediatric patient in the southeast to receive the Harmony valve, and it was here at Children’s of Alabama.
Olivia Tetralogy of Fallot Patient
40 Summer 2022
To learn more visit ChildrensAL.org/heart
locations of the program include Vestavia Hills Elementary East with one class, Vestavia Hills Elementary Liberty Park with one class and Vestavia Hills Elementary Cahaba Heights with three classes. Mary Laslie Balogh, the program specialist and coordinator for the preschool program, says the goal is to have 10 to 14 students per class with a split ratio of students with special needs and typically developing peers. “Each class has a lead teacher and two paraprofessional assistants,” Balogh says. “The preschool program is open five days a week from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., and parents may choose the
number of days a child attends.” The Vestavia Hills Preschool is based on the philosophy of developmentally appropriate practice, which means that the emphasis is on learning through a language rich, play-based, childinitiated approach. Instruction for each child is age-appropriate as well as individualized for the child’s developmental level. The curriculum is organized to facilitate children’s development in six major areas including cognition, communication, self-help, motor skills, socialemotional and play skills. VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 41
Each class is staffed by certified teachers, trained paraprofessionals, a speech-language pathologist, an occupational therapist and physical therapist (if needed). Emily Colon sent both her son and her daughter to the preschool, describing the impact on her two children as “enormous.” “I am constantly amazed at not only the high standard of teaching and learning and the variety of lessons, but also the consistency of their routines, and the warmth and love the teachers foster in the classroom every single day,” Colon says. “The preschool teachers have truly changed our kids’ lives and prepared them so well for kindergarten. We are grateful beyond words for this program.” Parent Maggie Klyce says the program takes a “whole child” approach to teaching, including general education along with social and emotional development. All of the school’s teachers are certified and highly qualified, and current teachers at the school all hold a master’s degree. Balogh, along with preschool teachers and case 42 Summer 2022
managers Alisha Collins and Laura Ann DeWaard, says having the preschool programs in the elementary schools helps lend to a smooth transition to kindergarten and helps foster a sense of community and relationships being built in the school environment. Relating to special needs, the program provides an individualized program based on needs specific to each child. If needed, students are provided with related services of a speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, behavior specialist and nurse. Parent Mandy Bailey says her daughter blossomed at the program both academically and in her self-confidence. “She adores her teachers and classmates and can’t wait to tell us everything she has learned after school,” Bailey says. “It is evident every day that the children feel at home and loved as they enter the school.” A typical day for the preschool children consists of a fun learning environment with hands-on
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VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 43
learning and engagement and music and movement. Students also enjoy circle time, whole group learning, small group instruction and individualized one-to-one instruction. There is also a snack time, and students eat lunch at school. Balogh hopes the program will continue to be an
Untold Imagery | Helena, AL Weddings, Elopements, and Motherhood www.untoldimagery.com untold_imagery
44 Summer 2022
established program in the Vestavia Hills community, and she continues to raise awareness to parents of what is offered for children ages 3 to 5. Information about the program can be found on vestavia.k12.al.us under the “Teaching and Learning” tab.
&STYLE
HOME
MIDCENTURY REFRESH This 1950s Shades Crest home is seeing black and white in its new life. BY MADOLINE MARKHAM PHOTOS BY LAUREN USTAD VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 45
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When Alan Walker was in middle school, he’d peek behind the magnolia branches of the midcentury home on Shades Crest Road to get a glimpse of what lay behind it. Almost two decades later, he was still fascinated every time he drove by, always hoping the 1956 Darcy Tatum design might be his one day. This time, though, the original owners, Ben and Anette Smith, had moved out. So, he cast his vision to renovate it but maintain its original style to their children. Alan’s wife, Lindsay, didn’t quite see its potential at the time, but with time she came to embrace it as well. Once the house was theirs, the Walkers closed in a carport to add an additional bedroom and bathroom to the original three-bedroom, two bathroom floor plan and built a spacious back deck on the back. Other than that, though, the original structure remains much as it has since the 1950s. Only a fresh coat of Sherwin Williams Iron Ore paint - a black that they found “not too black” - over the house’s original baby blue color and a new kitchen, renovated bathrooms and other modern touches are new. Alan had previously renovated a smaller midcentury house on Old Creek Trail in Vestavia and brought a similar vision for restoration of a style so endemic to Vestavia Hills to this larger canvas of a home. He also has been collecting midcentury furnishings—which he considers works of art in themselves— for years through Magic City Modern group on Facebook and @magiccityfinds. When it came to designing the interiors of this home, he meshed his classic midcentury preferences with Lindsay’s for a modern vibe that is more comfortable and inviting—a good exercise in compromise for their first year of marriage. Alan acted as contractor for the project with his artistic vision for the home as his guide—one that is no doubt inherited from his father, local oil painter Dirk Walker, whose paintings are now in the nursery and guest bathroom. To finish out the project, Alan ordered a vintage Modbox mailbox from a designer in California that no doubt stands out to passersby just as it did to Alan for so many years. Only now there’s no magnolia blocking the view of the architecture behind it.
46 Summer 2022
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 47
Dining Room To update this spacious room overlooking the front yard, the Walkers added a built-in bar and painted the ceiling beams the same dark hue. Their oval table is made by Restoration Hardware. Not pictured are original midcentury cube chairs by designer Milo Baughman that are newly recovered in a wool fabric.
Butler’s Pantry This hardworking space behind the kitchen features white cabinets in contrast to the kitchen’s dark ones that offer more storage space. The Walkers had Mendez Woodworks in Avondale make all of their cabinets in the home. 48 Summer 2022
Kitchen Quartz is the star of the show with a waterfall ledge on the island and backsplash that crawls up the walls from the countertops.
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 49
Living Room The Walkers opened up the original ceiling to find original beams underneath. While they painted those beams dark, they put sheetrock over the brown wood paneling on the room’s walls to brighten up the space. 50 Summer 2022
Entryway The Walkers commissioned local artist Wesley Charles, an old neighbor of Lindsay’s, to paint abstract pieces for the entryway. Ben Bloodworth created plaster console tables that guests see when they walk in the home.
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 51
Master Bathroom The Walkers reconfigured this space to maximize it. The bathroom vanity base is a natural wood dresser, and the walls mix black tiles with white—and a black tub with the white tile underneath it.
52 Summer 2022
Master Bedroom This light-filled space on the back of the house shows off Alan’s style in the dresser and Lindsay’s in the other furnishings. Not pictured are built-ins they resurfaced on the other side of the room.
Nursery A Crate and Barrel Kids crib and rounded dresser give the Walkers’ daughter’s room a midcentury vibe.
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 53
Guest Room This room showcases midcentury pieces Alan has collected over the years, including a West Coast-style dresser and credenza, as well as side tables by Milo Baughman.
BEHIND THE SCENES Select Lighting: Inline Lighting Cabinets: Mendez Woodworks
Fireplace Gas Fireballs: Alabama Gas Light and Grill
Stone: Southern Stone, Pelham Countertops: Triton Stone Hardware: Avondale Specialty Hardware
Subway Tile: Floor & Décor
Stone Work: OE Kitchen & Bath Landscaping: Acre Group & Ulch Mulch
Back Deck: Decks & More 54 Summer 2022
All of the doors in the house have five panels to add to the custom feel of the interior.
Back Deck This new 1,300-square-foot deck offers lots of additional living space on the wooded back of the home, and Alan took special care to make sure the beams, roofline, soffits and eaves were replicated from the original structure to keep the exterior design consistent.
One of Alan’s favorite midcentury finds is this white pre-lit fireplace that sits in the corner of the screened-in section of the deck.
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 55
MOMS Vestavia-Based Company Helps Make the Working World Work for Moms BY CAROLINE NEWMAN PHOTOS BY MARY TWEEDY
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 57
Looking around Vestavia Hills, Delphine Carter saw herself in the women bustling through carpool lines and grocery stores – busy mothers who wanted to be present for their kids but who also had formidable skills that could be very useful in the workplace. Maybe, Carter thought, they wanted to find a way to start or keep working outside the home just like she did. Perhaps they wanted to pursue projects they enjoyed and add to their family’s income while also having the flexibility to be at home when their kids were, too. She decided to help. That’s how Carter’s Vestavia-based company, Boulo, started in 2018. Now, four years and one global pandemic later, Boulo is a national recruiting and staffing firm with more than 9,000 potential employees – largely women but also men – in its database, ready to be paired with companies who offer flexible, structured part-time and full-time jobs in everything from finance to software
58 Summer 2022
development. “I just kept meeting women who would talk about how they wanted to reenter the workforce but felt like they couldn’t for different reasons,” says Carter, who worked with Birmingham-based companies Daxko and Shipt before starting Boulo. Carter has two children, now aged 14 and 11. “I knew there had to be companies who would really value their skills. I had a number of professional contacts already, so I just started to think about pairing those things and helping these women translate what they have been doing at home – moms are a force, they are not just sitting on the couch – to the workplace.” Now, women like those Carter says can join Boulo, completing a 360-degree profile that helps them to showcase their skills in ways a resume might not. “We help them talk about how they have exhibited leadership, initiative and innovation in their daily
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 59
60 Summer 2022
For all your backyard playground needs!! lives, whether that is at home or in volunteer work or other projects,” Carter says. Members can download that profile to distribute however they want, and Boulo also uses it to reach out to their nationwide portfolio of employers. Many of them are small-to-medium-sized companies who embrace offering flexibility in exchange for accessing an incredibly talented and often hidden workforce, as Carter puts it. “We work with decision makers who are feeling the direct pain of not being staffed enough and watching their teams hit a burnout state,” Carter says. “Many of our clients are concentrated in technology and services industries. Tech startups are typically very innovative in how they create their company culture. They tend to embrace generalist skillsets, allowing employees to come in and wear multiple hats. They are open to allowing them to work non-traditional hours or remotely.” Boulo’s employer partners span the country but some, such as Debra Hays, are right around the corner. Hays is the CEO of ConcertIDC, a Vestaviabased software company focused on custom application development. “I am very passionate about Boulo’s mission and helping women who have had a gap in their careers come back into the workforce,” Hays says. “I had heard of Delphine because we both live in Vestavia, and our kids play lacrosse. When I needed to start recruiting, I really wanted to use Boulo and work with another local female CEO.” So far, ConcertIDC has hired two employees through Boulo, one woman and one man, both of whom have been “fantastic,” Hays says. The company has an office that employees can use, but most of their work is done from home and from various locations, including about 1,000 employees in India. In fact, ConcertIDC recently kicked off a campaign in India, Relaunch Yourself, that focuses on helping women get back in the workforce. “After the pandemic, remote work has become more of a norm in India and around the world,” Hays says. “We are really focused on flexibility and I would very much recommend that approach to
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other employers as well.” Flexibility in location, hours and culture is the most important trait of Boulo’s partner employers, Carter says. “They don’t measure a person’s success by the amount of time someone is sitting in a seat,” she says. Boulo itself walks the walk. Boulo employees
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62 Summer 2022
such as business development associate Stacy Ball work remote and keep flexible schedules while still growing the company. “I have teenage kids who don’t need me every minute of every day, but with Boulo I can still drive carpool and be there when they need me,” says Ball, who previously worked in pharmaceutical sales. “I
“
We want to provide flexible job opportunities, of course, and also access to the educational content and coaches who can help our members meet their goals. -Delphine Carter
don’t need to hide it because Boulo really encourages that flexibility. I love being able to connect other moms to those kind of jobs and to help growing businesses find top talent that meets their needs.” Both Carter and Ball say the pandemic fueled a spike in remote work. “Businesses were finally ready to offer flexibility, but on the flip side, we had a membership base of over 3,000 women at that time who were somewhat frozen because they were afraid to leave secure jobs during a crisis or could not find adequate childcare,” Carter says. “Clients wanted our people, and our people needed help.” Boulo kept working to help both groups get what
64 Summer 2022
they needed. As the pandemic became more manageable, the company’s membership list grew to more than 9,000. As a next step, Carter is planning to expand Boulo’s online offerings to its members to include access to educational content, helping women build their skills and matching them to coaches that fit the member’s specific needs. “Women leave the workforce for three reasons: lack of flexibility, lack of career progression and lack of professional support,” she says. “We want to provide flexible job opportunities, of course, and also access to the educational content and coaches who can help our members meet their goals.”
”
VESTAVIA HILLS’
BEST VE
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2022
IAH
ILLSMAGA ZINE
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VESTAVIA HILLS’ BEST WINNERS 2022
You voted. We tallied. See who Vestavia Hills’ favorites are. Photos by Keith McCoy & Contributed VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 65
BEST FRIENDLY SERVICE Troup’s Pizza Troupspizza.com (205) 536-6860 Heights Village, 3144, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea, The Ridge Eat & Drink BEST KID FRIENDLY DINING Taco Mama – Vestavia Tacomamaonline.com (205) 941-8226 700 Montgomery Hwy #194A, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Troup’s Pizza, The Ridge Eat & Drink BEST ETHNIC DINING/REGIONAL CUISINE Pappas’ Grill Thepappasgrill.com (205) 823-4458 1066 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: The Olive Branch Mediterranean Cuisine, Pita Stop BEST DATE NIGHT RESTAURANT Bistro V Bistro-v.com (205) 823-1505 521 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Satterfield’s Restaurant, Foodbar BEST SWEET TREATS Unless U Scoops Unlessu.org (205) 460-1550 737 Chestnut St, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Cookie Fix, Bendy’s Cookies & Cream BEST BARBEQUE Miss Myra’s Pit Bar-B-Q Missmyras.com (205) 967-6004 3278 Cahaba Heights Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, Moe’s Original BBQ - Vestavia Hills
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BEST BARBEQUE MISS MYRA’S PIT BAR-B-Q BEST LUNCH SPOT Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea Snappergrabbers.com (205) 824-9799 521 Montgomery Hwy # 101, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Diplomat Deli, Mudtown Eat & Drink BEST CASUAL DINING Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea Snappergrabbers.com (205) 824-9799 521 Montgomery Hwy # 101, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Taco Mama – Vestavia, The Ridge Eat & Drink BEST COFFEE OHenry’s Coffees Ohenryscoffees.com (205) 582-8577 3066 Healthy Way STE 100, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Higher Ground Coffee, Starbucks BEST BRUNCH First Watch Firstwatch.com (205) 979-6827 700 Montgomery Hwy #188, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: The Fig Tree, Flying Biscuit Café - The Shops of the Colonnade VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 67
BEST PIZZA Troup’s Pizza Troupspizza.com (205) 536-6860 Heights Village, 3144, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Slice Pizza & Brewhouse, Donatos Pizza BEST DRINKS/COCKTAILS Bistro V Bistro-v.com (205) 823-1505 521 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Taco Mama – Vestavia, The Ridge Eat & Drink BEST BURGER Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea Snappergrabbers.com (205) 824-9799 521 Montgomery Hwy # 101, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
BEST CHEF Patrick McCown Snapper Grabber’s Land & Sea Snappergrabbers.com (205) 824-9799 521 Montgomery Hwy # 101, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Jeremy Downey Bistro V, Terrill Brazelton - Troup’s Pizza BEST MARGARITA Taco Mama – Vestavia Tacomamaonline.com (205) 941-8226 700 Montgomery Hwy #194A, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: El ZunZún, Sol Azteca Méxican Restaurant BEST COMMUNITY EVENT Deck the Heights Runner Up: Wing Ding, Witches Ride Liberty Park
Runner Up: The Ridge Eat & Drink, Mudtown Eat & Drink
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BEST NEIGHBORHOOD Cahaba Heights Runner Up: Countrywood Highlands, Liberty Park BEST LOCAL CAUSE Unless U Unlessu.org (205) 460-1550 737 Chestnut St, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Rise, VH Library BEST OUTDOORS SPOT Wald Park Vhparksandrec.com/location/wald-park 1973 Merryvale Rd, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: McCallum Park and Little Shades Creek, Vestavia Hills City Center
BEST CHURCH Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church Vhumc.org (205) 822-9631 2061 Kentucky Ave, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Shades Mountain Baptist Church, Vestavia Hills Baptist Church BEST LOCAL PERSONALITY Clare Huddleston Fox 6 Wrbc.com 1760 Valley View Drive Birmingham, AL 35209 Runner Up: Mayor Ashley Curry, Karen Odle Vestavia Chamber BEST FAMILY MEDICINE PRACTICE Cahaba Concierge Medicine Cahabaconcierge.com (205) 255-4024 8011 Liberty Pkwy STE 101, Vestavia Hills, AL 35242 Runner Up: Douglas Lipperd, MD, Colleen E. Tobe-Donohue, DO
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BEST EYE CARE PRACTICE Vestavia Eye Care Vestaviaeyecare.com (205) 978-4088 2531 Rocky Ridge Rd STE 116, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Eye Care Associates: Casey M Brown OD, Magic City Eyecare - Dr. Kacey C. Cilimberg
BEST JEWELRY STORE CUMMINGS JEWELRY DESIGN BEST PEDIATRIC PRACTICE Summit Smiles Pediatric Dentistry Summitsmiles.com (205) 490-6850 4213 Dolly Ridge Rd, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Vestavia Pediatrics: Elizabeth M Crum MD, Acton Road Pediatrics BEST DENTAL PRACTICE Fulton Dental Vestaviadentist.com (205) 822-3838 1000 Chestnut St #100, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Summit Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, Stuart Curry Dentistry Birmingham BEST ORTHODONTICS PRACTICE Mark Yanosky, DMD, MS Dryanosky.com (205) 870-1444 1651 Independence Ct #141, Birmingham, AL 35209 Runner Up: Sarver Orthodontics, Norris Orthodontics BEST CHIROPRACTIC CARE PRACTICE Balance Chiropractic- Dr. Nicole Ussery Awellnessstudio.com (205) 823-7890 1070 Montgomery Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35216 Runner Up: Hug Chiropractic Clinic, Core Chiropractic 70 Summer 2022
BEST PHARMACY Rocky Ridge Drug Co. Rockyridgedrugco.com (205) 259-7100 3346 Morgan Dr, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Cahaba Pharmacy, Publix Pharmacy at Vestavia Hills City Center BEST HAIR SALON Muse Salon Birminghammuse.com (205) 977-9889 4851 Cahaba River Rd STE 111, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: LR Extension Salon-Birmingham, Tangles Vestavia BEST NAIL SALON Nx Nail & Spa Nxnailspa.com (205) 824-1335 2409 Acton Rd #121, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Vestavia Nails, Uptown Nail Spa BEST SPA The Retreat Day Spa Theretreatbham.com (205) 834-8349 3920 Crosshaven Dr STE 100, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: La Bella Skin & Wellness, LifeSpa BEST BARBER SHOP Vestavia Barber Shop Vestaviabarbershop.com (205) 823-1974 1400 Montgomery Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35216 Runner Up: Plaza Barber, Great Clips
BEST DOCTOR Dr. Fulton - Fulton Dental Vestaviadentist.com (205) 822-3838 1000 Chestnut St #100, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Katie Moore M.D., Sean Gunnels Summit Smiles BEST ESTHETICIAN Abbey Crump – Simply Abbey Esthetics Facebook.com/SimplyAbbeyEsthetician Runner Up: Maegan Eason La Bella Skin, Tiffany Stripling Life Spa BEST FITNESS CENTER Lifetime Fitness Lifetime.life (205) 547-3100 3051 Healthy Way, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Pure Fitness LLC, F45 Training Vestavia at Liberty Park BEST PERSONAL TRAINER Jaiquan Crook - Lifetime Fitness Lifetime.life (205) 547-3100 3051 Healthy Way, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Erin Holtz - Pure Fitness, Abby Barnett - Vestavia Country Club BEST NEW BUSINESS Crumbl Cookies - Vestavia Hills crumblcookies.com (205) 379-0293 708 Montgomery Hwy STE 116, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Chopt Creative Salad Co. and Birmingham Martial Arts - Liberty Park BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE Cummings Jewelry Design Cummingsjewelrydesign.com (205) 298-9144 Heights Village, 3166, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: Andy’s Creekside Nursery, Flip Flops & What Nots VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 71
BEST GIFT SHOP FUN STUFF
BEST STORE FOR KIDS/ TEENS Learning Express Toys Learningexpress.com/bham (205) 970-9710 3132 Heights Village, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: GiGi’s Tween, The Lili Pad
BEST BOUTIQUE/CLOTHING Mia Moda Boutique Miamodaboutique.com (205) 824-9441 1425 Montgomery Hwy # 105, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Cradle + Bee, Flip Flops & What Nots BEST GIFT SHOP Fun Stuff Funstuffgifts.com (205) 823-3688 3370 Morgan Dr, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
BEST SPECIALTY STORE Andy’s Creekside Nursery Andysgardencenter.com (205) 824-0233 3351 Morgan Dr, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Learning Express Toys, Flip Flops & What Nots BEST STORE FOR HOME FURNISHINGS/DÉCOR/ KITCHENS Issis and Sons Furniture & Rug Gallery Issisandsons.com (205) 874-9586 1493 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Monograms Plus
Runner Up: La Bella Skin & Wellness, Blue Willow
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BEST FLORIST Flower Betty Flowerbettybham.com (205) 694-9229 2531 Rocky Ridge Rd Ste 101, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: FlowerBuds, Irene Pate Flowers BEST ANIMAL CLINIC Cahaba Mountain Brook Animal Clinic Cahabamountainbrookac.com (205) 967-6759 3190 Cahaba Heights Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: Advanced Veterinary Care of Vestavia, Vestavia Animal Clinic BEST DRY CLEANER Champion Cleaners Championcleaners.com (205) 824-7737 2548 Rocky Ridge Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: Dry Clean City, Watkins Cleaners BEST CHILDCARE Ardent Preschool & Daycare -Patchwork Farms Ardentpreschool.com (205) 834-9190 3030 Healthy Way, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Vestavia Hills Baptist Day Care, Primrose School at Liberty Park BEST REMODLER Noto Home Builders LLC Notohomebuilders.com (205) 704-7097 300 Vestavia Pkwy # 1000, Birmingham, AL 35216 Runner Up: Harris Coggin, Cabinetry Refinishing Enterprise BEST JEWELRY STORE Cummings Jewelry Design Cummingsjewelrydesign.com (205) 298-9144 Heights Village, 3166, Birmingham, AL 35243
BEST SPECIALTY STORE ANDY’S CREEKSIDE NURSERY BEST SENIOR LIVING Town Village Vestavia Hills Townvillagevestaviahills.com (205) 979-2702 2385 Dolly Ridge Rd, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: Longleaf Liberty Park, Cahaba Ridge Retirement Community BEST PHOTOGRAPHER Karen Askins, Vestavia karenaskinsphotography.com Runner Up: Stacy Allen - Cahaba Heights, Frank Carnaggio BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER Laura Merrill Interiors lauramerrillinteriors.net Runner Up: Interiors By Kathy Harris, Michelle Kampwerth BEST PET SUPPLY/TRAINING STORE Dog U Birmingham Dogubham.com (205) 967-3648 3190 Cahaba Heights Rd, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Creative Dog Training – Summit, Pet Supermarket BEST GARDEN SHOP Andy’s Creekside Nursery Andysgardencenter.com (205) 824-0233 3351 Morgan Dr, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
Runner Up: Steed’s Jewelers, Alan & Co. Fine Jewelers VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 73
BEST MARGARITA TACO MAMA – VESTAVIA
BEST LOCAL CAUSE UNLESS U
BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT Josh Ehmke - RE/MAX Southern Homes – Realtor Remax.com (205) 999-4281 903 Montgomery Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35216 Runner Up: Nicole Thomason Hardekopf - Arc Realty, George Lawton RE/MAX Advantage South BEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY ARC Realty – Vestavia Arcrealtyco.com (205) 969-8910 4274 Cahaba Heights Ct #200, Birmingham, AL 35243 Runner Up: RE/MAX Advantage Lawton Real Estate Group, RE/MAX Southern Homes | Alabama Real Estate Partners
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BEST INSURANCE AGENT John Henley - State Farm Insurance Agent Statefarm.com (205) 823-1343 2118 Columbiana Rd, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Keeley Moore All Choice Insurance Group, Jack Traffanstedt - State Farm Insurance Agent BEST INSURANCE AGENCY Michael O’Neal - State Farm Insurance Agent Statefarm.com (205) 870-1827 512 Montgomery Hwy #100, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: John Henley - State Farm Insurance Agent, Jack Traffanstedt - State Farm Insurance Agent
BEST BANK Regions Bank Regions.com (205) 766-8510 529 Montgomery Hwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Progress Bank, America’s First Federal Credit Union BEST AUTO SERVICE Express Oil & Tire Engineers Expressoil.com (205) 823-8175 2556 Rocky Ridge Rd, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: United Car Care Center, S+S Automotive Specialists LLC
BEST FITNESS CENTER LIFETIME FITNESS BEST ATTORNEY Carmen MacKay - Harrison MacKay Law LLC Harrisonmackaylaw.com (205) 506-0705 3325 Rocky Ridge Plaza STE 221, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243 Runner Up: Peter Burke - Crumley Roberts, Joe Strickland - Gloor Strickland & Haggerty
BEST CAR WASH Anthony’s Full Service & Express Car Wash Anthonyscarwash.com (205) 822-9274 1009 Vestavia Pkwy, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216
BEST HVAC SERVICE Sentry Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing, & Electrical Sentryheating.com (205) 979-9864 2490 Rocky Ridge Rd, Vestavia Hills, AL 35243
Runner Up: Mister Car Wash, Cahaba Heights Chevron
Runner Up: Standard Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, Iron City Heating and Air, Inc
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BEST LAW FIRM Bradley Bradley.com (205) 521-8000 1819 5th Ave N #200, Birmingham, AL 35203 Runner Up: Friedman Dazzio & Zulanas, PC, Campisi Law
TH A NK YO U A R DEN T PA R EN TS ! MAGAZINE
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BEST NEW/USED CAR DEALER Royal Buick GMC Royalbuickgmc.net (205) 208-7379 3010 Columbiana Rd, Birmingham, AL 35216 Runner Up: Royal Volvo
SCHEDULE A TOUR AND SEE WHY OUR DELIGHTED PARENTS CHOOSE ARDENT.
W W W. A R D EN TP R ES CHO O L .COM GREYSTO N E • PATC H WO R K FA R MS • T R AC E C R O SSIN G S • VA L L EY DA L E
BEST FINANCIAL ADVISOR Vaughn Sparks - Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Ameripriseadvisors.com (205) 313-9150 31 Inverness Center Pkwy STE 550, Birmingham, AL 35242 Runner Up: Rob Perry Northwestern Mutual BEST ACCOUNTING COMPANY Huner & Cyr PC Huner-cyr.com (205) 823-7723 100 Williamsburg Office Park STE 200, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: Powell Accountancy Group, Levio James J CPA BEST MORTGAGE COMPANY Method Mortgage, LLC Methodmortgage.com (205) 705-1650 601 Vestavia Pkwy STE 300, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216 Runner Up: South Oak Title & Closing, Caliber Home Loans
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SPONSORED CONTENT
WHEN TRAGEDY BRINGS TRIUMPH Local financial advisor helps others plan for success BY EMILY REED
Helping families set and achieve goals and putting together financial plans has become the mission of At 2 years old, it was a family tragedy that helped set Sparks’s professional life since college. the course for Vaughn Sparks’s professional life. “When I first got into the business, it was tough. I After working in a family business for several years, didn’t come from money, I didn’t know many people his father began driving an 18-wheeler as his brother with money and the ones I did know were hesitant to and many cousins did. give me a shot. Over time, I was able to build a practice “My father was a truck driver when I was younger,” through hard work, continuing to better myself Sparks says. “When I was 2, he was killed on the road, through continued studies and becoming the central so I was raised by a single mom with my sister. trusted advisor to my clients and their friends,” Sparks Growing up we had very limited means as my mother said. “When you are advising someone on their future worked part-time to raise my sister and me. I saw the or their investments, you really have a unique real-world impact that an unforeseen tragedy can relationship with them, and it is so important to build have on a family, especially without having a solid and maintain that trust.” financial plan. As a kid, my situation was just normal Sparks currently serves on a financial advisory team to me. Bad things, good people and all of that. But as for MavenCross Wealth Advisors. I advanced through college, I realized that my story The vision of the practice is to be “the obvious choice (and that of my mother and sister) could have been for guiding clients to joyfully steward their resources.” dramatically different if they had had some sort of Now, Sparks focuses his work in helping others with financial plan in place.” more complex situations such as retirement planning 78 Summer 2022
SPONSORED CONTENT strategies, wealth management strategies, estate planning, retirement planning, tax planning or charitable giving. “A new client for me is likely to have had some sort of triggering event in their lives,” Sparks says. “Most commonly, these triggering events are the sale of a business, a job change, an inheritance situation, taking care of an elderly parent, a premature death of a friend or family member, being named as a trustee or executor of an estate or a divorce situation. Often times these events occur and people realize that it is probably a good time to call in a professional to help them with these situations.” Sparks has spent his entire career of 20 years with Ameriprise Financial, 15 of which have been with MavenCross Wealth Advisors, which is a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Sparks works to help his clients with whatever life may bring their way. He holds six different specific industry certifications but is most proud of his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. Vaughn and his wife Stacey along with their two boys reside in Vestavia Hills. Vaughn is active in
Leadership Vestavia Hills and strives to continue to make the community better for all those who live, work and play in the area. “We all have a future, and it is important that we prepare for those futures as much as we can,” Sparks says.
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Lovely LOUISVILLE By Christiana Roussel | Photos Contributed 80 Summer 2022
When you first think about the city of Louisville, Kentucky, baseball, bourbon and horses might be the first thoughts that come to mind. To be sure, this city is well-known for all three things but venture a bit farther and you will discover so much more.
WHAT TO DO Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Sluggermuseum.com Whether or not you’re a fan of the baseball diamond, you need to visit this downtown landmark. After capturing an Instagram-worthy photo with the giant bat out front, head inside for a tour of the factory where this legendary company has been churning out Louisville Slugger bats for peewees to pros since 1884. Book your tour time in advance and plan to fall in love with the art of woodworking.
WHEN TO GO Honestly, any time of year is a great time to head north on I-65 where this city, founded in 1778 by George Rogers Clark as a way to honor King Louis XVI, lies just five hours away. Families love all there is to do outside – baseball games, historical exploration, biking along the Ohio River – while couples or maybe a passel of guys might want to dive headlong into the bourbon scene. With the Zombie Walk in August, Porktoberfest in October, Derby Day in May, summer concert series and art shows year round, there is great food and culture here for days so, pack a bag and hit the road.
Where to stay Hotel Distil hoteldistil.com 21C 21cmuseumhotels.com/louisville The Grady Hotel thegradyhotel.com The Brown brownhotel.com/ Home of the original Hot Brown sandwich
Bernheim Forest Bernheim.org Before you even get into the city of Louisville, plan to stop at Bernheim Forest, just 20 minutes south of town. Situated on 16,000 acres in Bullitt County, this arboretum and research forest feels like you’ve stepped sideways into another world, one with a slower pace, that is lush and begging to be explored. Not to be missed: Forest Giants in the Giant Forest. Frazier History Museum Fraziermuseum.org Located just across the street from the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory is the Frazier History Museum, an airy renovated factory space with a well-curated and well-edited collection of historically significant artifacts and art, aimed at introducing visitors to all things Kentucky. It also marks the official start of the Urban Bourbon Trail.
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HIT THE ROAD Churchill Downs Churchilldowns.com At the top of most visitors’ lists is a trip to horse-racing mecca Churchill Downs. Sure, tout le monde wishes to be here in early May, donning a fancy hat and sipping a signature Mint Julep, but there is great history and culture here year ‘round, that merits exploration. Tours include a stunning video in the round, as well as glimpses into the paddocks and the vaunted Winner’s Circle. But don’t even think about stepping foot onto the famed track, unless you want to go to jail. Seriously. Stitzel-Weller Distillery Stitzelwellerdistillery.com If you have to pick just one distillery to tour in your time in Louisville, let it be Stitzel-Weller. Period. The grounds are gorgeous, the tour is inspirational and informative, and this is where bourbon’s past meets its future. Be sure to save time to pop in to the Garden & Gun Club upstairs, where the skilled bartenders will help you while away the afternoon in a beautiful amber-hue.
Neighborhood Tours Like most Southern cities, Louisville is divided into neighborhoods (more than 200!), each with a culture and a vibe all their own. Cave Hill Cemetery Cavehillcemetery.com Outside of New Orleans, when was the last time a cemetery visit was on your itinerary? Possibly never, but this one is very much worth seeing. Lush rolling hills, dotted with marble landmarks, Cave Hill is as serene as you might imagine, and an integral part of Louisville history. What makes it notable are two famous residents: Colonel Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, and Muhammad Ali. Olmsted Parks Olmstedparks.org Famous for his vision in creating New York City’s Central Park and Asheville’s Biltmore Estate landscape, Frederick Law Olmsted was commissioned to design an entire park system for the city of Louisville in 1891. There are more than a dozen parks here that carry the Olmsted vision of providing engaging community spaces for all to enjoy. We’ll leave it to you to determine which one has the better space for picnics or frisbee golf.
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NULU The East Market District of downtown is affectionately referred to as New Louisville or NULU for short. Fantastic food, eclectic shopping and gallery-hopping are the big draws here. A specific highlight would be the leather-goods purveyor Clayton & Crume flagship store, in Muhammad Ali’s former gym. Butchertown One of Louisville’s oldest neighborhoods and a former meatpacking district, Butchertown is home to Bourbon Barrel Foods where owner Matt Jamie retails culinary wares including his epic Kentucky soy sauce aged in reclaimed bourbon barrels. Definitely do not miss. Locust Grove Locustgrove.org This site is the former home of William Clark’s sister, Lucy, and her husband William Croghan. The famed explorers Lewis and Clark stopped here on their return to Washington City in 1806.
WHERE TO EAT Prepare to be wowed by the food here. Yes, we are spoiled in Birmingham, with our James Beard Award-winning chefs aplenty, but Louisville has its fair share of culinary hot spots, to be sure.
Bourbon Barrel Foods Marketplace Eatyourbourbonmarketplace.com Every Friday night, Chef-in-Residence Michael Hargrove of River City Supper Club crafts a unique menu while bartender Lauren Dupre creates cocktails or beer pairings for each dish.
Taco Luchador el-taco-luchador.com A little kitchy but a lot of yummy at this casual eatery with four area locations. Redhog Artisan Market redhogartisanmeat.com Lunch, dinner, custom charcuterie boards – rooted in the simplest of ingredients but elevated with deft chef hands. La Bodeguita de Mima Cuban Restaurant & Bar Labodeguitademima.com Come hungry and adventurous, and if you arrive in a bad mood, you’re guaranteed to leave happier. It is just impossible not to, such is the vibe.
Logan Street Market loganstmarket.com Literally something for everyone here in this bright and airy space that is onepart food hall, one-part community hub, one-part maker space. A total locals-only kind of spot where you feel cool just being there.
River House Restaurant riverhouselouisville.com Just outside of town, on the banks of the Ohio River. Only the food rivals the view. Pizza Lupo pizzalupo.com A favorite with locals, with the awards to prove it, their wood-fired pizza is fantastic.
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HIT THE ROAD
Justin’s House of Bourbon thehouseofbourbon.com More than a mere liquor store, Justin’s House of Bourbon is an EXPERIENCE. This tasting shop that doubles as retailer of vintage and rare bourbons and whiskeys even boasts a Whiskey Historian. After graduating college in 2014, Caroline Paulus moved to Kentucky to pursue a career in archeology. While her days were spent with prehistoric artifacts her nights and weekends involved a complete and total exploration into the beverage of choice in her new hometown. Now, as senior editor of The Bourbon Review, Caroline also shares her knowledge with customers at Justin’s House of Bourbon, ensuring everyone leaves feeling more confident in their preferences and with a bottle or two of something they’ll love.
84 Summer 2022
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Integrity is our standard. Excellence is our result.
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OUT & ABOUT
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VESTAVIA HILLS HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER PLAYOFFS
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PHOTOS BY KELSEA SCHAFER
The Vestavia Hills High School varsity girls soccer team defeated Hoover High School 5-0 in the first round of playoffs on May 3. 1.
Suzy Woodruff
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Catherine Myrick
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Teagan McGrew
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Lainey Whitson
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Amanda McFarlin
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Julia Gill
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Teagan McGrew
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Anna Towry
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Suzy Woodruff
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OUT & ABOUT
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! r te en C y it C e th t a er m m su r ou y Spend @VESTAVIACITYCENTER CHOPT | TACO MAMA | CRUMBL | AMC | MORE! VestaviaHillsMagazine.com 87
OUT & ABOUT
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HEIGHTS HANGOUT
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PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED
Cajun Steamer in Vestavia Hills hosted the Heights Hangout Crawfish Boil, at which guests could enjoy good Cajun seafood and fellowship. Guests even got to see the progress being made in preparation for opening day of Cajun Steamer’s newest location in Cahaba Heights. 1.
Parker Griffin, Nolan Griffin
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Culinary Manager Patrick Hollingsworth, President & C.O.O. Gaston Lanaux
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Catering Manager Haley Pepper, President & C.O.O. Gaston Lanaux
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Posing for the camera!
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Stevie Shirley, Vice President of Cajun Steamer Shay Shirley
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Marketing and Brand Manager Jenna Hassett, Master Tang from Birmingham Academy of Martial Arts
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Everyone came out to Heights Hangout in support of the new Cajun Steamer location, which is coming soon to Cahaba Heights!
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Geaux Saints!
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Culinary Manager Patrick Hollingsworth, Catering Manager Haley Pepper
10. Delicious Eats!
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MARKETPLACE
Marketplace Vestavia Hills Magazine • 205.669.3131
NOW HIRING TRUCK DRIVERS. Home most every night! Earn $50,000-$85,000 delivering palletized loads to grocery stores within 300 mile radius of Birmingham. Minimum 2 years tractor- trailer experience required. Steady work & great benefits! Blue Cross health & dental insurance only $60/wk family coverage. Matching 401k plan. Apply online at WWW.AGSOUTH.COM
Automation Personnel Services Hiring IMMEDIATELY For: Automotive Assembly, General Labor, Production, Clerical, Machine Operator, Quality, Carpentry, Welder, Foundry. Positions In: Calera, Clanton, Pelham, Bessemer, McCalla. Walk-in applications accepted. Clanton (205)2800002. Pelham (205)444-9774. Bama Concrete Now Hiring: Diesel Mechanic 4 Years Minimum Experience. CDL Preferred. Competitive Pay. Great Benefits. Apply in person: 2180 Hwy 87 Alabaster, 35007 Now Hiring For Utility Positions Starting pay $14.42/ hour Must be able to pass background screen. Please apply at: www.bc.com $80,000+ Yearly Potential Sales positions available at Burton Campers. Please call Mickey Price for phone interview: 205-668-0075 Chilton and Shelby County Treatment Center Now Hiring Masters in counseling/social work and related fields. Email resume to: donnajoiner53@gmail.com Or call 205-755-4300 for more information. Kelly Education • Shelby County Schools • Hiring Substitute Teachers. Limitless opportunities for passionate people! •Free pre-hire training •Paid orientation •Ongoing professional development •Steady, yet flexible, work •Weekly pay •Your preference of schools. Contact Anne Gamble: O: 205.682.7062 M: 205.532.1122 anne.gamble@ kellyservices.com Lancaster Place Apartments. Location, community & quality living in Calera, AL. 1, 2, & 3 bedroom apartments available. Call today for specials!! 205-668-6871. Or visit hpilancasterplace.com
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Marble Valley Manor. Affordable 1 and 2 Bedroom Apartments for Elderly & Disabled. Many on-site services! 2115 Motes Rd, Sylacauga. 256-245-6500 •TDD#s: 800-548-2547(V) • 800-548-2546(T/A). Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm. Equal Opportunity Provider/ Employer Oxford Healthcare in Montgomery currently hiring certified CNA’s and/or Home Health aides in the Clanton, Marbury and Maplesville areas. Must be able to pass complete background check, have reliable transportation and have a strong work ethic. Serious inquiries only. Call 334-409-0035 or apply on-line at www.Oxfordhealthcare.com LAND FOR SALE 180 acres, located on Walnut Creek. Will not divide property. Call for more information: 205-369-5641
Come visit us at Riverside Baptist Church this Sunday for Bible Study at 9:15 or worship at 10:30! 1919 Highway 52, Helena. More info at rbchelena.org South Haven Health & Rehab NOW HIRING!!! •LPN’s & RN’s -$5,000 Sign-on Bonus for Full-Time shift •CNA’s Apply in person: 3141 Old Columbiana Rd Birmingham,AL -35266 Electrician - FT Supreme Electric, local-based company in Pelham. Must be willing to learn & work hard. Go to: supremeelectric-al.com Print employment application under Contact Us. Mail to: Supreme Electric 231 Commerce Pkwy Pelham, AL 35124 or call 205-453-9327. Become a Dental Assistant in ONLY 8 WEEKS! Please visit our website capstonedental assisting.com or call (205)5618118 and get your career started! Now Hiring! Termite Treaters and Inspectors. Work with a great local company, in business for over 50 years. BC/BS insurance, 401k, opportunities available. No experience required. Must have a good driving record and be able to pass drug screen. Email to facsmith@charter.net or call 205-369-6250. Vulcan Termite and Pest Control
VestaviaHillsMagazine.com
Now hiring RN’s and LPN’s throughout Alabama! $250 community referral bonus for RN’s and LPN’s. Sign-on Bonuses available at select locations! For more information please contact: Paige Gandolfi Call/text: 724-691-7474 pgandolfi@wexfordhealth.com HIRING EXPERIENCED PIPE LAYERS & CDL DRIVERS REV Construction seeking Experienced Pipe Layers CDL Drivers Class A or B 2yrs dump truck exp. preferred Benefits include: BCBS Medical Insurance, 401k Paid holidays & vacation time. Email resume: mtucker@ revconstructioninc.com Fax: 205-349-1862 Call: 205-349-1860
H&H Enterprises, Inc Alabaster, AL has an immediate opening for a Portable Building Delivery Driver. Delivery Driver will be primarily be responsible for loading, delivering, blocking and leveling portable storage buildings. The delivery driver will also be responsible for completing other tasks associated with our business. All delivery driver applicants must be customer service driven and represent our company in the upmost way. We are an established 33 year old company with 19 retail locations. We look forward to adding to our team to continue working toward future success. Portable Building Delivery Drivers job duties: • drives a company vehicle in a safe, courteous and responsible manner • load portable buildings at the store and verifies the condition of the truck, the manifest and other paperwork associated with the deliveries to be made • drives to the delivery destination, confirms order with customer, unloads, blocks, levels and obtains confirmation signature Delivery Driver job requirements: • Applicants will need a valid Class D driver license. No CDL is required • Pass DOT driving physical Delivery Driver Salary starting at $600.00 + per week based on experience. To Apply: Send Resumes to tracy.thomas@hhenterprises. com or Call 205.664.9191 ext 125.
NOW HIRING FT/PT Farm Equipment Operator, Lawn Maintenance and Fork Lift Driver Needed. Drug and Background Check Required. COMPETITIVE PAY. Call 205-688-0258 to set up an interview.
H&H Enterprises, Inc. Alabaster, AL has an immediate opening for a Delivery Driver. Delivery Drivers will be primarily responsible for the delivery and set up of portable buildings. All applicants must be customer service driven and represent our company in the upmost way. We are an established 35 year old company with 18 retail locations. We look forward to adding to our team to continue working toward future success. Delivery Drivers: • must have a good driving record • must have a Class A CDL license • must be able to deliver wide load buildings Salary is $900.00 plus per week depending on experience Direct Deposit is available Health/Dental and Vision Insurance To Apply: Send Resumes to tracy.thomas@hhenterprises. com or Call 205.664.9191 ext 125. We’re Hiring -All Positions www.altogethergreat.com OR www.compassgroupcareers.com Morrison’s Healthcare Food Service 1000 1st Street N. Alabaster, Alabama 35007 205.620.8107 Experienced Termite Technician or someone experienced in route-service work and wants to learn new profession. Work-vehicle/ equipment provided. Must drive straight-shift, have clean driving record/be 21/pass background/ drug test. Training provided. Insurance/401K offered. M-F 7:00-4:30 + 1 Saturday/month. Pay $13hr. Send resume to facsmith@charter.net LOOK TO THE STARS & FIND YOUR DESTINY! Improve your love life! Find success & happiness! • Spiritual Meditation • Chakra Therapy • Energy Restoration • Psychic Readings • Advice. Find out what the new year holds! One visit will convince you. $5 OFF YOUR FIRST READING! Personal readings from your trusted local psychic, available in-person or by phone. Call Mrs. StarL 205-560-0490 www.AlabamaPsychic.com
For All Your Masonry Repair Needs Brick & Block Repair •Columns •Steps •Retaining Walls Call 205-643-0729 or email srichardson642@gmail. com to get your free estimate! For All Your Handyman Needs Total Remodeling! •Framing •Painting •Sheet Rock Call 205-643-0729 or email srichardson642@gmail.com to get your free estimate! Boothe’s Siding & Remodeling •Vinyl Siding •Doors •Windows •Remodeling 55 Maylene Drive (205)948-5649 BIRMINGHAM AREA INSULATORS LOCAL 78 Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee Accepting applications for 4-year Apprenticeship Program. Applications will be accepted July 1, 2022- July 31, 2022 in person at 2653 Ruffner Road Birmingham, Al 35210 205-956-2866, 205-956-8101 etx.3 craig@insulators78.org Check us out at www.insulators. org. Applicants must be 18+, drug free, have dependable transportation, ID & proof of age, high school diploma/ GED. Applicants will be required to take math test & English comprehension test. The Asbestos Workers Local 78 Apprenticeship Training Trust will not discriminate against apprenticeship applicants or apprentices based on, RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, NATIONAL ORIGIN, SEX (INCLUDING PREGNANCY AND GENDER IDENTITY), SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENETIC INFORMATION, OR BECAUSE THEY ARE AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY OR A PERSON 40 YEARS OLD OR OLDER. The Asbestos Workers Local 78 Apprenticeship Training Trust will take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in apprenticeship and will operate the apprenticeship program as required under Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, part 30.
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MY VESTAVIA KYM PREWITT
Leadership Teacher at Vestavia Hills High School
A Place to Pray
The Prayer Chapel The small Prayer Chapel at Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church is open 24/7 for anyone who needs a quiet moment alone with the Lord in His house.
VHHS’s Fine Arts Program
Fellowship in Numbers Luminary Ceremony on RISE Day The Luminary Ceremony on RISE Day is one of the most powerful and uniting experiences in the city. It is a night when the community gathers to honor those who have battled cancer. Come join us next April for this wonderful event benefitting the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB.
A Majestic View
My Parents’ Home Between my mother’s beautiful gardens and the breathtaking view, there is no place on earth more beautiful than my parents’ backyard on Panorama Drive. Since 1980, they have hosted Easter egg hunts, wedding proposals, two actual weddings, baby showers, Thanksgiving games, Santa Claus appearances and countless other celebrations in this beautiful space.
Impacting Lives
Vestavia Hills High School, Room A241 For the past five years, I have spent most of my time in this room with Emily Erwood, teaching and sponsoring Youth Leadership Vestavia Hills. It is a place I love in a school I love. I graduated from here in 1982 with my future husband, and all three of my adult children are also graduates. It is a very special place to me and many others.
92 Summer 2022
The Vestavia Hills High School Drumline Growing up, I always knew fall was coming when I started hearing the drums beating from our backyard. It was the VHHS drumline preparing for another football season. Many years later, my youngest son played on that drumline for four years, and today they continue to be the heartbeat of school spirit for pep rallies and football games.
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