Sunday Fun Day

Note: Erin is much less blurry in real life.

A note to our fan base: We promise that the Anti-Lame Campaign has been doing a whole lot of anti-lame things. Unfortunately, when you're so busy being anti-lame, it becomes difficult to find the time to write about your anti-lame adventures. We do, however, promise to do better in the coming months to let you all know about upcoming area events and anti-lame ideas.

____________________________________________________________

After several weeks of after hours meetings, out of town trips, and very little down time, I deemed yesterday “Sunday Fun Day.” And what does such a day look like to this Anti-Lame blogger? Well, I’m glad you asked.

1. Worship with my community of faith (that has become a whole lot like family)

2. Brunch at Bottletree Café

3. Exploring the city

4. Perusing discounted books

5. Frozen yogurt

6. Matinee movie

Sunday began as any Sunday should, in my opinion, with worship.

A group of Anti-Lamers then traveled to the Avondale area of Birmingham for brunch at Bottletree Café. Bottletree is a fun, quirky restaurant and music venue with kind employees, delicious food, and an atmosphere unlike any other.

I had the BLTree, a sandwich on focaccia bread with avocado, egg, bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It came with a side of fruit and I ordered a cup of coffee. The next time I visit Bottletree I will have to ask what kind of coffee they brew, because it was fantastic. The sandwich was pretty tasty, as well.

The BLTree

The Sombrero

Other friends tried The Standard and the The Sombrero. With good friends, good food, and a unique ambiance, Sunday Brunch at Bottletree is something every Birmingham-er/ian must experience.

Next, we explored some areas of Birmingham that we don’t frequent often – Crestwood and East Lake. There are so many different Birmingham neighborhoods, each with distinct personalities, and it’s so much fun to get to know the interesting shops, parks, and restaurants in the different areas.

Enjoying the finer things in life

The weather yesterday was amazing, so no Fun Day would be complete without a nice stroll outdoors and some frozen yogurt. Thankfully, there are outdoor shopping centers to accommodate those whose walking wishes are less…aerobic in nature. Patton Creek has a Yogurt Mountain, so after some walking and bookstore perusing, we popped in for a sweet treat.

Most of my movie-watching these days is made possible by Red Box rentals or Dollar movies, but every now and then I like to treat my self to plush stadium seats and new releases. A ticket to a matinee cost $7.50, and since I snuck in my Dr. Pepper 10 soda, I wasn’t tempted to spend my life-savings on popcorn and a fountain drink.

All in all, this Sunday Fun Day was a smashing success. What are your favorite Sunday activities?

Summer Days (and Nights) - Part 1

Well friends, summer is in full swing in Birmingham.  We know that because….we have been to numerous weddings, been bitten by multiple mosquitoes, and have experienced mild heat strokes while walking to and from our vehicles.

While adults don’t get the luxury of summers off, we have found some ways to enjoy the summertime.

Last year, we created a fun tradition involving two of our favorite things: food and movies.  The Alabama Theatre offers several movie options each week during the summer.  Some are geared towards the kiddos, while others are perfect for dates and friends.

At only $7 a ticket, why would you watch a movie at a typical cinema?  These movies are classics (some cult classics, some award-winning), and always bring out a diverse crowd.  For the Ghostbusters movie, featured last year, there were many movie-goers who came decked out in costume, we discovered the Alabama Ghostbusters Community, and even saw an Ecto-1.

Refreshments are also very affordable.  Candy bars are $1, and popcorn is not much more.

Before each movie begins, you have the opportunity to listen to the Mighty Wurlitzer and participate in a sing-along.  Don’t be shy friends.  Really let it loose.  Why?  Because you’re at the dang Alabama Theatre.  A historical institution.  And because not singing is totally lame.

Before catching a flick, which normally begin at 7pm, we’ve found that enjoying a good Newk’s Q sandwich (see previous post) really helps set the mood.  Pick any other fun restaurant, and you’ve got a dinner and a movie experience perfect for a summer evening in Birmingham.

The Anti-Lame Campaign will be enjoying this Alabama landmark on July 16^th for a Hitchcock double feature, July 23^rd for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and July 31^st for Roman Holiday.  We hope to see you there!

Your Summer Fun Police

Picks by Webbie

So, I am sure that all of you were blown away by Bethany’s articulate, informative post about her favorite foods found around the city. She did a great job describing some of the life-changing eats around town, but there are just a ton more to talk about. Plus, let’s not forget that it isn’t ALL about the food…well, for some people, maybe, but it’s also about the atmosphere and experience! Indulge me for a bit as I give you MY favorites list!

Best Italian: Duh, Joe’s Italian! This casual, affordable Italian  restaurant is totally authentic and absolutely delicious when you’re in the mood for some artery-clogging, real-deal Italian! Catch them on a busy night and add to the authenticity by listening to their in-house accordion player! Tip: the stuffed shells are to die for, and watch out if you order a piece of cake--it’s about 1/4 of a dang cake!

Best Outdoor dining: Tie for Chuy’s and Flip Burger Boutique. Both are right next door to each other at the top of The Summit, and offer outdoor seating with an incredible view of the city!

Best Service: Margarita Grill in Pelham. The service is top-notch, with the owner stopping by often to mingle with guests. Caution: Their service is borderline annoying if you’re an independent gal like me…but chivalry is definitely not dead at Margarita Grill!


Best Appetizer: Sweet Potato Fries at Village Tavern. Uhmm, YES!! Crunchy, not too thin, sprinkled with cinnamon/sugary goodness and dipped in their amazing honey mustard sauce. Perfection!

Best Adult Beverage: Sol Y Luna: This tapas place has some wonderful margaritas and house drinks! Don’t expect “typical Mexican”, but get ready for some interesting dishes and quality cocktails!

Best Sandwich: Hands-down the Newk’s Q from Newk’s (downtown location, preferably). Pair this grilled-chicken with bacon, swiss, and white-BBQ sauce sandwich with their sweet pickles and Tippah County Caviar (a black-eyed pea salsa-type side) and get ready for your world to be rocked.

With a close runner-up, the Club sandwich from Ragtime Cafe. PINEAPPLE on a club? Don't knock it 'til you've tried it!

Hungry Yet? Lay off me, I'm starving!!

Peace,

Erin

Hiatus

Your friends at the Anti-Lame Campaign have not turned their back on the mission at hand, rather we've been taking a brief hiatus to take care of some very important things...i.e. weddings of friends and sisters.

We do have a couple of posts in the works that we think you (our ten loyal followers) will find very interesting: Summer Fun in the Ham and Bethany's Best - a list of Bethany's "favorites" in the city, from cupcakes and milkshakes to coffee beverages and burgers.

Please stay tuned and we promise - it will be worth the wait.  We hope.  Maybe.

Sincerely,

Your Anti-Lame Coalition for Fun

Let the Good Times Roll

Dearest friends and followers (all 10 of you!),

We've started compiling our list of places to go/things to do in Birmingham...help us add to it!

1. The Fish Market Restaurant
2. Salsa Dancing
3. Ocean
4. Miss Rosemarie's Tea Room
5. Community Football Game at Railroad Park
6. Brunch at Another Broken Egg
7. The Original Pancake House
8. Morgan Creek Winery
9. Innisfree Pub
10. Silver Coin
11. Sol Y Luna
12. Dessert at the Melting Pot
13. Brunch at Chez Lulu

We're all pretty pumped about refining this list and experiencing some good times in this city.  You may notice that this list mostly consists of places to eat.  To that we respond, "you are correct."

Sincerely,

Your Anti-Lame Advocates

Dance Par-tay!

In response to one of our loyal followers, we are investigating the dancing scene in Birmingham.


While we take the time to research, we leave you with a little dance routine, choreographed by some Anti-Lame Campaign members.  Enjoy.

Join the fight to end lameness

Dear friends and fellow fighters of lameness:

We welcome you to this new effort to bring fun back to Birmingham.  Although we are aware of pockets of "fun-ness," there is a need for more.  Yes, there are coffee shops, restaurants and bars, entertainment venues, and parks.  But where are all the participants in Birmingham fun-ness?  Our research indicates that well-meaning folks are content sitting on their couch watching episodes of CSI instead of making a slight effort to: make new friends, be active, have new experiences, and enjoy all the city has to offer.  No, Birmingham is not New York, Los Angeles, or Miami, but dag-nabbit, we aren't a ghost town either.  Birmingham has the potential for greatness: talented local musicians, fun people (like us bloggers...and we know more awesome people are out there...right?), great universities, opportunities for cultural growth, diversity (if you venture to the other side of the mountain every once in a while), and amazing eateries.

We recognize that sometimes it is far too easy and comfortable to do the same ol' thing every weekend, so we are committing ourselves, first and foremost, to explore all that Birmingham has to offer!  We'll be posting our adventures in hopes that you, too, will do a little exploration.  Five girls may make a dent in the nightlife of the city, but it certainly can't change it, so your participation is vital.  Five girls are quite powerful, but together we can pack out places, which adds to the fun.  And let's face it, we all need more friends...right?  Let's create a community of fun-seekers.  We think it's possible.

Your very own Birmingham fun-seekers,

Melanie, Erin, Bethany, Melissa, and Laura