Retail damage in Birmingham
I spent the past weekend in Birmingham, doing major retail damage in honor of my 30th birthday. To clarify - I turned 30 in January, and one of my closest friends will turn 30 in May. We decided to split the difference and choose March as the month for our 30th Birthday Throwdown.
First of all, we got a room at the Birmingham Mariott. Why, you ask? Frankly, it's one of the closest hotels to The Summit, and huge shopping complex with oodles of stores that we don't have in Jackson - Saks, Swoozie's, Private Gallery, Anthropologie, the list goes on (and on and on). We spent about a day and a half combing the place, snapping up deals and splurging on to-die-for clothing and acessories. I shopped until my feet ached, until I began wandering the parking lot in a credit card-induced coma, wondering where I'd parked my car or even if I'd driven myself there at all. It was pure bliss.
And how did we fuel such shopping frenzy? We ate at The Highlands, of course. A fabulous restaurant owned by award-winning chef Frank Stitts, The Highlands can sometimes be a difficult place to get into. On previous trips to Brimingham, I'd been unable to secure a reservation. However, by calling about a month in advance, I scored us a cozy table for Friday night. We started with the frito misto, a gorgeous plate of fried assorted seafood and vegetables. Most of the items were fried in a light tempura batter, which kept the dish from being too heavy. In addition, several inventive items, such as fennel, red bell pepper and even sliced lemon, were fried as part of the mix, providing interesting little surprises throughout the dish. (The fennel was divine.) The remoulade sauce served with this dish is almost worth killing for.
I followed the appetizer with a perfectly cooked lamb loin, served on a bed of amazing and original asparagus, sugar snap, and sweet pea farro "risotto." What was even better was that there was almost EXACTLY enough of the "risotto" to have a bit accompany each bite of lamb. Attention to detail, I'm tellin' ya'!
To finish, I ordered the almond dacquoise, a creamy concoction of buttercream, almonds, and cake. What a wonderful end to a wonderful meal.
Service was unsurpassed, with our friendly server providing guidance and recommendations from the menu as well as prompt attention to all of our needs. The restaurant itself is cozy and warm-feeling, although I don't advise a trip to the bathroom (located at the top of some rather steep stairs) after a few drinks.
Other pursuits in Birmingham included a visit to Whole Foods, a FABULOUS organic grocery chain. The Birmingham store had just opened (Feb. 28), and I was duly impressed with its design, product line and amazing execution of concept. There was a gorgeous cheese counter with varieties I'd never seen, an extensive wine shop, a sit-down eatery, a mouth-watering bakery (with beautiful and delicious artisanal breads, pastries, and chocolates - yes, I sampled), and a fairly comprehensive vitamins collection for customers to peruse. And the place was PACKED; people were buzzing around everywhere, buying everything they could get their hands on. I think there is an enormous pent-up demand for organic products in the South. I hear that the chain may be looking to open a store in the Jackson area. I can only hope and pray the powers that be decide it's good business sense. I would certainly become a loyal shopper. There's a vacant grocery building not far from my house . . . .
Lest you think we did nothing more redeeming than shopping and eating, we also hiked in Oak Mountain State Park, which is very well maintained and just plain gorgeous. We tried out the Treetops Trail, where you can see all manner of birds, then took the trail the rest of the way to the Wildlife Center. One of the functions of the center is to serve as a "hospital" for injured and baby animals that have been abandoned or had their habitats destroyed. We loved looking at the baby squirrels, the teeny baby chipmunk, the little bunnies, and all of the other temporary residents. The next time I'm in Birmingham, I will definitely return. The park offers horseback riding and paddleboating as well, and we didn't even scratch the surface of the trails available.
All in all, it was a very pleasurable trip.
Well, that's an understatement.
I can hardly wait to go back!
First of all, we got a room at the Birmingham Mariott. Why, you ask? Frankly, it's one of the closest hotels to The Summit, and huge shopping complex with oodles of stores that we don't have in Jackson - Saks, Swoozie's, Private Gallery, Anthropologie, the list goes on (and on and on). We spent about a day and a half combing the place, snapping up deals and splurging on to-die-for clothing and acessories. I shopped until my feet ached, until I began wandering the parking lot in a credit card-induced coma, wondering where I'd parked my car or even if I'd driven myself there at all. It was pure bliss.
And how did we fuel such shopping frenzy? We ate at The Highlands, of course. A fabulous restaurant owned by award-winning chef Frank Stitts, The Highlands can sometimes be a difficult place to get into. On previous trips to Brimingham, I'd been unable to secure a reservation. However, by calling about a month in advance, I scored us a cozy table for Friday night. We started with the frito misto, a gorgeous plate of fried assorted seafood and vegetables. Most of the items were fried in a light tempura batter, which kept the dish from being too heavy. In addition, several inventive items, such as fennel, red bell pepper and even sliced lemon, were fried as part of the mix, providing interesting little surprises throughout the dish. (The fennel was divine.) The remoulade sauce served with this dish is almost worth killing for.
I followed the appetizer with a perfectly cooked lamb loin, served on a bed of amazing and original asparagus, sugar snap, and sweet pea farro "risotto." What was even better was that there was almost EXACTLY enough of the "risotto" to have a bit accompany each bite of lamb. Attention to detail, I'm tellin' ya'!
To finish, I ordered the almond dacquoise, a creamy concoction of buttercream, almonds, and cake. What a wonderful end to a wonderful meal.
Service was unsurpassed, with our friendly server providing guidance and recommendations from the menu as well as prompt attention to all of our needs. The restaurant itself is cozy and warm-feeling, although I don't advise a trip to the bathroom (located at the top of some rather steep stairs) after a few drinks.
Other pursuits in Birmingham included a visit to Whole Foods, a FABULOUS organic grocery chain. The Birmingham store had just opened (Feb. 28), and I was duly impressed with its design, product line and amazing execution of concept. There was a gorgeous cheese counter with varieties I'd never seen, an extensive wine shop, a sit-down eatery, a mouth-watering bakery (with beautiful and delicious artisanal breads, pastries, and chocolates - yes, I sampled), and a fairly comprehensive vitamins collection for customers to peruse. And the place was PACKED; people were buzzing around everywhere, buying everything they could get their hands on. I think there is an enormous pent-up demand for organic products in the South. I hear that the chain may be looking to open a store in the Jackson area. I can only hope and pray the powers that be decide it's good business sense. I would certainly become a loyal shopper. There's a vacant grocery building not far from my house . . . .
Lest you think we did nothing more redeeming than shopping and eating, we also hiked in Oak Mountain State Park, which is very well maintained and just plain gorgeous. We tried out the Treetops Trail, where you can see all manner of birds, then took the trail the rest of the way to the Wildlife Center. One of the functions of the center is to serve as a "hospital" for injured and baby animals that have been abandoned or had their habitats destroyed. We loved looking at the baby squirrels, the teeny baby chipmunk, the little bunnies, and all of the other temporary residents. The next time I'm in Birmingham, I will definitely return. The park offers horseback riding and paddleboating as well, and we didn't even scratch the surface of the trails available.
All in all, it was a very pleasurable trip.
Well, that's an understatement.
I can hardly wait to go back!
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