Thebama

Chris November 2nd, 2008

Homestead Hollow
Springville, Alabama
By: Christie Bohorfoush, Senior Staff Writer

Homestead Hollow 2008 festivals feature fine arts, unique - one of a kind hand-made crafts, pioneer demonstrations of the old time days… see wood carving, iron work, blacksmithing, smoke house cooking, gardening, quilting, whiskey making at their own original working still. Tour the original cabins as they were built by the early settlers. Relax by one of the many streams and listen to LIVE local entertainment all day. Enjoy GREAT food that makes your mouth scream for more (including hand churned ice cream and home-made fudge.)

There is plenty of children’s activities, to include: pony rides and wagon rides. Jump in the moon walk or climb the rock wall. Kids and adults all enjoy the petting zoo. Visit and talk with the Herbalist and find out more about grandma’s remedies or those nature produces naturally.

Homestead Hollow’s General Store is open for you to visit as well… shop for those home-made fried pies and other great items all day during the show dates.

This year is the first year that I have attended what was Homestead Hollow’s Fall Festival… In fact, my family and I enjoyed it so much that we went on two separate occasions. For those of you who missed their Fall Festival, you missed a great time; but do not despair… Homestead Hollow will be doing their CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY on November 7th, 8th, and 9th. Here is your chance to partake in a wonderful day of activities/ food/ fun/ and shopping for those unique one of a kind Christmas items and gifts.

What makes Homestead Hollow such a wonderful experience is that they provide a wide arrange of activities to delight every member of the family. For the children, there is pony rides and a chance to pet zoo animals, as well as partake in many crafts. Everyone will enjoy the many food vendors on hand who provide everything from home-made soups to corn on the cob to bakery delights. Besides the numerous crafters who will thrill the shopper with their one of a kind - unique goods, you cannot over-look the original cabins and demonstrations from days gone by. It is difficult to take it all in, in one day (which is why my family and I returned a second time.) We purchased many fantastic items from a hand-made iron lizard to Native American jewelry to fudge (a pumpkin pie fudge that we had never experienced before; and boy is it GOOD!)

I would encourage anyone to come out for Homestead Hollow’s CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY… I guarantee that you will have a wonderful experience and walk away with a full belly of delicious food and a handful of unique shopping items for Christmas. And I cannot wait to discover what unique items will be presented for the Christmas season… who does not like to give that one unique gift to a loved one or a friend? You will find it here.

See you there!

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Mike October 21st, 2008

BAMAJAM MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL STACKING UP WITH STARS

Ronnie Gilley Entertainment has set the date for the second annual BamaJam Music & Arts Festival. The mega outdoor entertainment extravaganza will take place, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 4 - 6, 2009, in Enterprise, AL. Sprawling across 450 acres of breathtaking, rolling countryside (along Boy Scout Road and Highway #167), the fields of green will transform once again into a community entertainment and recreation center dedicated to offer the festivalgoer a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience.

More than 30 acts will round out the entertainment line-up at BamaJam 2009. Currently confirmed to perform at the 3-day/3-night musical affair are Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift, Montgomery Gentry, Charlie Daniels, 38 Special, Jason Aldean, Heidi Newfield, Jamey Johnson and Houston County.

“This year’’s event will supercede last year, and I”d venture to say any other music festival in 2009,” said Ronnie Gilley, Ronnie Gilley Entertainment. “We have a spectacular, jam-packed artist line-up to attract music lovers of all ages, FAN-tastic food, more tents to provide shade from the heat, expanded campsites and larger-than-life video screens.”

The gates open to the outdoor entertainment & performance arena on Thursday, June 4 @ 12:00PM.

For the true outdoorsman (and women), BamaJam is a place you won”t need to leave. More RV campsites and tent areas will be created this year where festival-goers (after seeing the stars) can sleep under the stars. BamaJam will accommodate more than 1,500 RV’’s. (Rates: RV Camping - $150.00/Tent Camping - $75.00/Additional Vehicle Charge - $50.00) Day parking is $15.00.

Ticket Information
Ronnie Gilley Entertainment is offering three easy ways to purchase tickets for BamaJam 2009. BamaJamers can take advantage of the “Early Bird Special” and purchase the 3-day general admission ticket TODAY at the price of $139.50. (The early bird tickets are limited; only 5,000 tickets will be sold at the “special” early-bird rate.)

As an added incentive, ticket buyers can purchase their BamaJam tickets on the Easy-Pay Plan. The event promoters are making it easier and more affordable for any and all music enthusiasts to join the party in June 2009. Ronnie Gilley Entertainment is offering for the first time an extended payment plan wherein the 3-day Easy-Pay General Admission Ticket can be purchased online and paid for in four equal installments. Ticket fees will be charged to the ticket purchaser’’s credit card in four equal amounts (plus handling fees and tax) and tickets will be emailed to the purchaser at the time of the fourth and final installment.

In addition, the festivalgoer can go online to download a weekly payment booklet whereby they will be able to make payments each week until the 3-day general admission ticket is paid in full. A $5 down payment is required for each ticket purchased in order to take advantage of this special installment offer.

All payments should be hand-delivered or mailed to Ronnie Gilley Entertainment/BamaJam Offices, One Maverick Way, Enterprise, AL 36330. (Please do not send cash.) All tickets must be paid in full by May 31, 2009. Once tickets are paid in full, they may be picked up at the same location or they can be mailed. Please call (877) 4BAMAJAM or visit www.bamajammusicfestival.com and click on tickets for additional information.

“We are all feeling the pain of the economic crunch; we feel it every time we buy groceries or pump gas,” Gilley, added. “So, we”re hoping to make it more affordable for those who want to come on out and join us. If someone buys a 3-day ticket today, it’’s only $5.00 a week and it’’s well worth the money!”

All information surrounding artist performances, tickets, the BamaJam Payment Plan and camping can be found online at www.BamaJammusicfestival.com or by calling BamaJam headquarters at (877) 4BAMAJAM.

BamaJam is a Ronnie Gilley Entertainment Production. A portion of the proceeds from BamaJam will be donated to The Harlon Gilley Small Man Foundation, Inc. and The Bo Harrell Foundation, Inc.-501 (c) 3 public benefit corporations created by Ronnie Gilley to assist in enhancing and improving the lives of the people and community of Coffee County and the surrounding area.

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Mike October 18th, 2008

TBS, Very Funny?

First off, I don”t think the ALCS or any of the championship sports games should be on cable in the first place - it should be on free network TV where all can see it. But setting that aside…. Turner and his cronies can”t even manage to get the game on in a timely maner? Epic Fail TBS, Epic Fail.

And running instead an old episode of the Steve Harvey Show? Seriously? You clowns aren”t smart enough to plug in the radio feed for fans to at least listen to the play-by-play? You can stick a camera in front of someone in Atlanta and have them call the game, or at least explain the problem? Really? Think next time, will ya?

Thirty minutes in you get the game on, good job. Shame you had to go and piss off your biggest audience of the year though. Hope that works out well for you and your sponsors.

And yes, I heard it was caused by a power outage. I don”t care. If you can get Steve Harvey on the air, you can get something related to baseball on.

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Lori October 16th, 2008

Black Belt Treasures and Gee’s Bend
By: Lori, TheBama.com Staff Writer

For many years there was really no reason for most of us to travel to rural Wilcox County, but three years ago, in September of 2005 that started to change with the opening of Black Belt Treasures in Camden.

Black Belt Treasures is a non-profit organization created to showcase and promote arts and crafts created in the Black Belt region of Alabama, which has long been economically depressed. The goal is to help stimulate economic growth by providing regional artists a way to sell their products to a larger market.

When it opened, there were only about 75 artists represented, but today there are more than 250 talented people selling pottery, textiles, baskets, paintings, quilts, sculpture, books and other works at Black Belt Treasures. Artists sell these items on consignment and receive a commission of the retail price.

The building in Camden is a modest structure, but once you step inside quality arts and crafts pack the space. Birdhouses in different sizes and colors rest all over the store, acrylic paintings hang on the walls and ceramic pottery sits on multiple tables.

There are also several quilts for sale at Black Belt Treasures, many of which are made by the now famous Gee’s Bend quilters, who create colorful, bold patterns with distinctive geometric simplicity reminiscent of modern art.

If you’d rather see where the quilts are made and maybe even catch the ladies in action, Gee’s Bend is just across the river from Camden. The Gee’s Bend Ferry is one easy way to get to the small, isolated bend in the Alabama River in about 20 minutes. The quilters work at the Boykin Nutritional Center where quilts and a few other items are for sale. There is also a DVD visitors can watch to learn more.

Black Belt Treasures in open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.blackbelttreasures.org.

For more information about Gee’s Bend, visit www.quiltsofgeesbend.com. Ferry cruises to Gee’s Bend start at 6:15 a.m. and run until 4:45 p.m. Check the website for specific times and directions. www.geesbendferry.com.

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Mike October 16th, 2008

Rascal Flatts Lends A Hand In Birmingham

Rascal Flatts came to Birmingham Wednesday, October 15th to help build an amazing new playground in an area that had been just an empty field. Rascal Flatts were selected For Home Depot’’s Humanitarian award. As the winners they chose Birmingham as the location for a brand new playground provided by Kaboom! which was constructed at the Princeton Alternative Elementary School. Other volunteers included representatives from ACM, The Home Depot and Kaboom! as well as many members of the local community. Thanks guys! See below and click on the links on the left hand side to see all the pics and video from this great community project!

Story courtesy of 102.5 The Bull who offers full coverage and photos on their website:
http://www.1025thebull.com/pages/rascal.html

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Chris October 14th, 2008

Ave Maria Grotto/ Saint Bernard Abbey
Cullman, Alabama
By: Christie Bohorfoush, Senior Staff Writer

The Ave Maria Grotto, know throughout the world as “Jerusalem in Miniature,” is a beautifully landscaped, four-acre park designed to provide a natural setting for the 125 miniature reproductions of some of the most famous historic buildings and shines known to man.

The builder of the miniatures at the Ave Maria Grotto was a Benedictine Monk, Brother Joseph Zoetti, O.S.B. Born in Landshut, Bavaria in 1878, he came to Saint Bernard Abbey at the age of fourteen to attend school with the intention of becoming a monk. After being admitted as a Brother in the Abbey he was appointed to the power plant, and while there developed his hobby of building miniatures.

The first replicas were erected on the monastery recreation grounds; but due to the numerous visitors who came to view “Little Jerusalem,” it was decided to move the miniatures to the present site which originally served as a rock quarry for the Abbey. On May 17, 1934 the Ave Maria Grotto was dedicated. Brother Joseph continued his labor of love for over forty years, using materials sent from all over the world. In 1958, at the age of eighty he built his last model, the Basilica at Lourdes.

Beginning on a gently sloped paved path, you will be greeted by several miniature building clusters and junk-bejeweled shines. Standing like sentries of time are Castle Trausnitz, where the local baron broke his promise of protection to the local people of Landshut, Bavaria; Saint Martin’s Church, which has the tallest brick tower in the world; and the Montserrat Abbey, Spain’s pilgrimage site of the famous “Black Madonna.”

Round a bend and you will see it… an entire hillside packed in urban splendor with cathedrals and famous buildings. One half of the flowered hillside depicts the buildings and scenes of Jerusalem and the Holy Land, familiar to all from the Holy Bible; classic Roman landmarks, such as Saint Peter’s, the Colosseum, and catacombs; European wayside shines; the famous Spanish Missions of Florida and the American Southwest, and replicas of the famous Shines of Our Lady at Fatima and Lourdes. The focal point is a central “cave” covered with artificial stalagmites and stalactites - the Ave Maria Grotto.

While I was most impressed with the miniatures that Brother Joseph created on the quarry land, what most took my breath away is the Abbey itself - Saint Bernard Abbey. Begun in the 1950s, monks and other workers spent almost ten years on construction of the Abbey church using four kinds of stone and pine boards cut by the monks from the Abbey forests. The focal point of the church is the 10-foot long GREAT CROSS which hangs over a massive granite alter. Interior features include ten hand-carved, 12-foot tall stone figures of saints, stone parabolic arches and a 44-rank organ of approximately 2,400 pipes. Using a traditional Latin cross floor plan, the church can seat more than 500.
For a Catholic like myself, I have been in some beautiful churches of the Boston and New England area; but none were as impressive as Saint Bernard Abbey. From the moment that I stepped through the Abbey’s front doors, I felt a complete peace come over me. I stopped, in fact, at the front entrance to light a candle in memory of my father, something I had not yet gotten to do, since my father’s passing. Here again, however, I simply could not get past the sense of love and well being that I felt within the walls of the Abbey. It is something that visitors to the Abbey must experience for themselves.

NOTE: The Ave Maria Grotto and Saint Bernard’s Abbey are open daily from April to September 8am to 6pm and from October to March from 8am to 5pm.

View our Gallery from the Grotto

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Mike October 7th, 2008

RONNIE GILLEY PROPERTIES ANNOUNCES COUNTRY CROSSINGS LAND CLOSING

Ronnie Gilley, President of Ronnie Gilley Properties and Ronnie Gilley Entertainment, Enterprise, AL has announced the land closing to secure the development location of Country Crossings-an entertainment resort and facility to be built in Dothan, AL.

Ronnie Gilley Properties, in affiliation with Resorts Development Group II, purchased nearly 400 acres from Southern Farm Inc. this afternoon. The parcel of land is located off of U.S. Hwy. 231 South in Dothan and is expected to become the home of an unprecedented resort/entertainment facility featuring a hotel, amphitheatre, family entertainment center, festival grounds, RV Park and a bingo pavilion. Country Crossings, a mega tourist destination for the entire Southeast region of the U.S., is scheduled to open in Fall 2009.

A number of celebrity-themed venues will be featured at Country Crossings. Country music artists who have already committed are George Jones (Ronnie Gilley Properties” national spokesperson), Tracy Lawrence, Darryl Worley, Lorrie Morgan and John Anderson, with more country acts and celebrity-endorsed venues being added.

An official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to be held Monday, October 27. All artists are anticipated to attend.

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Lori September 22nd, 2008

Carto-Craft Maps
By Lori – TheBama.com Staff Writer

A map store might not sound that exciting, and I guess it’s really not, but Carto-Craft Maps, Inc. in Bluff Park is a cool little store with lots of cool maps that some will consider art.

Most of what Carto-Craft sells at the store they mak. They utilize Global Positioning Technology to ensure accuracy and quality. The store is filled with laminated wall maps, folded maps, atlases and more. Their maps can also be found at some large chain bookstores, such as Books-a-Million.

You can find a map for just about anything – the Birmingham metro area, the State of Alabama, Shelby County, Huntsville, world maps, the Appalachian Trail, or a waterproof map of Lay Lake for fisherman and boaters. My favorite map from Carto-Craft is one they didn’t actually make, but it shows world cities at night with a dark blue background and land represented in turquoise. The cities are dots of white that almost glow against the darker colors.

There’s nothing fancy or upscale about Carto-Craft. The small building sits at the end of the Shades Mountain Plaza parking lot. Inside, there are shelves with the merchandise on them and lots of maps hanging on the walls and in display cases that you can search through. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, they might have it in the back. If what you want isn’t laminated, they can do that too. The laminated maps are sturdy enough that they can be hung on the wall without the need for a frame.

Carto-Craft is only open during the week, so don’t try to go on a Saturday, which I did multiple times before understanding that it’s never open on Saturday. When I finally had the opportunity to go on a weekday, I found numerous maps I wanted and came out with two.

The store can be a little tricky to find, so you might want to MapQuest it or call for directions.
Carto-Craft Maps, Inc.
738 Shades Mountain Plaza
Birmingham, AL 35226
205-822-2103

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Lori September 7th, 2008

Bernie’s on Main
By: Lori – TheBama.com Staff Writer

You’ll find Bernie’s on Main at the end of Columbiana’s, Main Street, as the name implies. Columbiana is the Shelby County seat and located about 25 miles southeast of Birmingham.

Housed in a charming rustic building on the corner, Bernie’s brick motif continues on the interior walls, where the atmosphere is upscale and elegant, but you’ll feel right at home in jeans and a t-shirt if you so choose.

The menu is extremely varied with steaks, seafood, pasta, salads and lots of desserts. After watching others order the Shrimp Alfredo, having a bite and being left wanting more, I finally broke down and ordered it myself, except with grilled chicken. I usually don’t order such rich dishes like this, and after having the opportunity to eat a whole plate myself, I was reminded of why that is. The dish is creamy and tangy with lots of sauce, Asiago cheese, tender grilled chicken and sliced scallions. It is really good but impossible to eat much of at one time. For me at least – others had no problem finishing off the entire plate in one sitting and helping themselves to my leftovers the next day.

From now on, I’ll probably go for the Spaghetti Bologne, which is loaded with red sauce, vegetables and sausage. The owners of Bernie’s are Italian, so the pasta dishes are the real deal and a good bet when ordering. The fried catfish is also outstanding.

Although I’ve never been to Bernie’s for lunch, they are famous for the “Meat & 3” buffet that’s stocked with all the favorites. I know people who work half an hour or more away from Bernie’s, who find excuses to go to Columbiana so they can have lunch there.

For menus and more information, visit www.birminghammenus.com/bernies

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Chris September 5th, 2008

The Birmingham Zoo
By: Christie Bohorfoush, Senior Staff Writer

The Birmingham Zoo is Alabama’s most popular attraction, drawing more than 500,000 visitors annually. Approximately 750 animals of 250 species call the 122-acre Birmingham Zoo home, including sea lions, kangaroos, and endangered species from six continents.

In 1999, the Birmingham Zoo became an independent not-for-profit 501 organization. In the short time following this privatization, the Birmingham Zoo has hosted traveling exhibits of bats, Koalas, and Black-Footed Penguins, added permanent exhibits of a Komodo Dragon and interactive lorikeet aviary and regained accreditation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA.) Most notably, the Zoo completed the Junior League of Birmingham - Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo, a $15 million anchor exhibit dedicated to children and devoted to urban, rural and wild animals and environs of Alabama, in April 2005 to coincide with the Zoo’s 50th birthday celebration.

On a personal note, I think that every human alive is brought to one zoo or another in their childhood; and I have been a huge fan of the zoo, since my first field outing as an elementary school student. There is nothing more exciting for both a child and an adult than to be able to become up close and personal with live wild animals that most of us never get the opportunity to see in their native wilds. The Birmingham Zoo is an exceptional example of one of the finest Zoos that I have visited; it has a wide range of animals for everyone’s viewing enjoyment; as well as simply beautiful well placed walking paths that provide a scenic surprise around every corner.

2008 Events At The Birmingham Zoo include:

Kangaroo Kountry Now Open!
G’day mate! The Birmingham Zoo has new animals from the Land Down Under. Join them for the Zoo’s newest exhibit, Kangaroo Kountry. Located near the Lorikeet Aviary, this immersive exhibit is home to several red and grey kangaroos, wallabies, and a variety of reptiles, birds, and amphibians native to Australia.

Are you ready to go hiking in the outback? In this new exhibit, you can walk right through the outback with the kangaroos! A public walk-way will wind through the bush, and allow you an-close look at these amazing animals. Kangaroos will bask in the sun and hop to their feeding station right next to you.

Sea Lion Splash Show
Join the Birmingham Zoo for their new Sea Lion Splash Show! Meet the Zoo’s two new lions, Bart and Cicely. Visitors can see the Sea Lion Splash Show daily at 10:30am and 3pm.
Butterfly Encounter
The 3,000-sqaure-foot botanical exhibit sponsored by First American Bank features butterflies of more than 20 species, all native to Alabama. This exhibit is open daily from 10am to 4pm.

Harvest Day - September 13th
You do not have to travel far and wide to learn about animals… just head down to the farm! The 6th annual Harvest Day in the Children’s Zoo will be your chance to enjoy a harvest celebration complete with music, square dancers, line dancers, quilters, wood cutters, story time on Grandma’s Back Porch, demonstrations, games, face painting, and much more!

Boo At The Zoo - October 10-12, 17-19, and 24-26.
Join the Birmingham Zoo for nine nights of spooktacular fun! Wear your favorite costume for the 17th Annual Boo At the Zoo. Make your way through safe trick-or-treat and game zones, organized by local non-profits and child-centered businesses. Ride the train and Ghastly Carousel. Enjoy live entertainment each night, see an animal up close at the Everything Creepy and Crawly barn and be sure to check out the new Halloween Light Show.

View our Photo Gallery of images from the Zoo.

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