A construction worker in Ireland found a 1,200 year old vellum copy of the Book of Psalms. A neat find indeed. But my favorite find is this quote from a museum in Ireland “[This book is] …the greatest find ever from a European bog.” Let’s hear it for those European bogs!
Tomorrow night, there is another Brew-Ha-Ha being held to support Artwalk 2006. If you’re wondering why you need to be there, Charles Buchanan has the highlights. Free wine? Cool art… who can say no?
Wish we could make it but we’ll be over in Leeds supporting the best ‘extra’ ever cast in a TSU musical. It’s true, Erb is best known for his performance as Man #3 (the one behind the column). But this go around he has REAL lines and even opens a scene in No, No Nanette. Which is billed as a 1920’s musical.
If No, No Nanette seems like your cup of tea, call the Leeds Arts Council before 3 p.m. Friday. You reserve your tickets over the phone and pay cash or check when you pick them up for the 7:30 p.m. show.
Wade on Birmingham has a link to an article mapping out some wishful thinking. In the article developers and realty folks outline their vision for Century Plaza and its surrounding area. Let’s just say there’s a lot to be done before big anchor stores look to come back to this side of town. But I guess it’s good to have goals. Here’s a link to Wade’s mention and the article itself.
Wade also shines his light on the plight of Scott’s Koneys, just as we did earlier this week. Also, Andre over at Dre’s Ramblings kicked up the discussion another notch. Those are two big guys with big megaphones. Maybe folks will take note now.
B snapped this smile last night as C and T were making faces at each other.
In 1873, AC Oxford (who is buried at Oak Hill) set his camera up in a window of the courthouse and took the first known photo of downtown Birmingham.
On August 2nd, you can head over to the Central branch of the Birmingham Public Library and listen as photo expert Frances Robb discusses Birmingham’s first well-known photographer. This talk starts at noon and lasts only an hour. It’s part of the library’s ongoing “Brown Bag Series“.
In that last post, I mentioned Russell Wells’ work in collecting info on Eastwood Mall. Well, after following some links I discovered his site Birmingham Rewound.
It’s really cool. One of my favorite features is in the retail area. He shows the Pizitz store in Five Points West mall as it used to be and then links to pics from today. Is there anything as depressing as a rundown shopping center? If you read Wells’ comments there’s no question how he feels about things, either.
Wells is also starting to chronicle various logos around town and how they have (or haven’t) changed.
Kudos to Wells for putting together such a valuable resource!
While trolling The Magic City Flickr Group last night, I saw someone had beaten me to posting pics of the demolition of Eastwood Mall, which is out here by my house.
Russell Wells collects all things Eastwood on his site here. It’s really cool. Tons of old articles and even more photos. Some are from the 1960’s touting Eastwood’s “air conditioned sidewalks”. There’s even a photo of the Sputnik thingy that twirled over the bowling alley and is immortalized, in print, by local artist Charles Buchanan.
Those of you who used to live over here will dig it.
We used to enjoy it for its Books-A-Million and Parisian. Soon it will be a Wal-Mart. And thank goodness… cause we all know how there’s a shortage of Wal-Mart’s around here.
The City’s latest plan for renewal…
Step 1: Pay $2.1 million for a small city block on 1st Ave. South. Step 2: Kick out the locally owned businesses that have been serving downtown for 30 years. Step 3: Lease that property to corporate developers for $10 a year so they can demolish the buildings and build new condos and offices. Also, leave the option open so the developers can buy the property in a few years and not have to pay to exorbitant lease amount of $10/ year. It just sounds ‘off’, doesn’t it?
I know this kind of stuff happens. And I know it happens in the name of “urban renewal”, but this time it’s personal.
They’re messing with Scott’s Koneys.
This Saturday, Frank Stitt, of Highlands Bar & Grill, Chez Fon Fon and cookbook fame, will be giving the 9 a.m. cooking demonstration at the Pepper Place Saturday Market.
A new gallery of Cullen’s first trip south, to meet some of B’s family, has been posted. You can check it out here.