Best of 2012



As I ring in 2013 and wrap-up my first year in the Gump, I am inspired by fellow blogger, Isabel, over at Pretty Tasty Things, to create a best-of-2012 post. For me, personally, 2012 was a year of transition. I got my dream job, with a catch: I had to leave behind my big-city life and beloved friends in Washington, DC and relocate to the Heart of Dixie. Talk about culture shock! Before moving, my only connections to Alabama were my Alabama-bred boyfriend (who I had met and eventually lived with in DC), and a small work-related connection (that turned into a full-blown job opportunity). 
 



(Photos: Entrance to Montgomery's Riverfront Park, Dinner and Cocktail Menus at Central.)

A year later, I am incredibly grateful for new Alabama friends that have delivered fun times, laughter, and much-needed support. Lucky for me, my job is still my dream job. And, after ten months of racking up frequent flier miles between Montgomery and Washington, DC, my boyfriend found his own exciting work opportunity here in Montgomery and moved into our little 1920s-era craftsman bungalow.

When my out-of-town friends ask me what I think about Montgomery, they always seem to reject my first, positive response, asking again, "Now, what do you REALLY think?"  Well, what I REALLY think is that Montgomery is a city bursting with young professionals, young families, and meaningful jobs tied to the state capitol.  Over my past year in the Gump, to my great surprise, I often found myself choosing between multiple and conflicting cultural, foodie and outdoors events and activities (restaurant openings, festivals, shopping and antiquing, fundraisers, wine tastings, football parties, hikes, invitations to the lake and even an invitation to go hunting).  We are a capital city on the rise, and I'm excited to see the city grow and refine itself each day.  As I write this, there are countless new Montgomery developments in the mix (new eateries, a plan to bring back curbside recycling, and a new series of events for young professionals at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts). 

 

So, without further adieu, let me get to the meat of this post: BEST OF 2012 IN THE GUMP.

BEST NEWCOMER: TRUE: Farm-Inspired Seasonal Cuisine from Chef Wesley True. Try the spiced lamb meatloaf, which I hear is only on the menu for another few weeks.  Also of interest: rotating wine-by-the-glass specials, Tuesday night half-priced wine bottles, Chef's Tasting Menu (available upon 24-hour notice).  But, for me, it's about the little things:  black cloth napkins that don't make a mess of your black skirt or pants; Chef True's exuberance and desire to constantly push the envelope; and the hospitality and wine recommendations of trained sommelier Bobbi Heithoff, chef True's wife and trusted partner.

Spiced lamb meatloaf, fresh local greens
and sommelier-selected wine at TRUE.

BEST POST-WORK HAPPY HOUR: Railyard Brewing Company. Delish and wallet-friendly food, beer and wine specials, including amazing pimento cheese fries and house-made microbrews.  Great for large groups.

BEST FOODIE EVENT: A tie between the Front Porch Revival's stop in Montgomery and the Lions Club-sponsored Chili Cookoff, which boasted a great location at Riverwalk Stadium and chili from downtown's hottest chefs.

BEST PIZZA:  Hands-down, the "Sicilian" pizza at Tomatinos.  I dream about this drool-worthy pizza, with its zesty goat cheese, carmelized onions and homemade meatballs.

BEST CULTURE: The ever-changing and inspiring exhibits at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art.  Our hometown art museum has a vast and growing collection, top-notch staff and volunteers, and an ability to attract prestigious exhibits that most larger cities would envy. And, MMFA hosts a bevvy of fun events to attract young professionals: look out for its new Mixed Media membership and corresponding quarterly events in 2013.

Smiling with filmmaker Andrew Grace
at the Capri Theater in Old Cloverdale.

BEST MOVIE THEATER: Our beloved arthouse theater, the Capri, is an obvious choice for this category, but it didn't get here by resting on its laurels.  The Capri earns its spot in the Best of 2012 for its special events and offerings throughout the year, including the local premiere of "Eating Alabama" featuring a discussion with filmmaker Andrew Grace and a crowded theater filled with local farmers and suppliers who made appearances in the film.

BEST HOT-WEATHER ALTERNATIVE TO "THE LAKE" OR "THE BEACH":  The Renaissance Montgomery's rooftop pool.  Can you say, "aaaahhhhhh?"  To gain access to the pool, buy a spa-pass for the day or sign up for the annual fitness club/spa membership, which grants you access to the gym, pool, and spa areas, including the indoor hot tub, sauna and relaxation rooms.

BEST WORKOUT:  Zumba at the Dance Fitness Center with Heather and Lily. 
See my previous post about the DFC's offerings, known to cause a "Zumba High." 

It would be impossible to list every fantastic thing about Montgomery in this post, but I hope it gives you a flavor of the fun, foodie and friendly activities and businesses Montgomery has to offer.  There are so many other great experiences I wish I could mention here, such as the famed "Cowboy Christmas" party, great wine recommendations from Ted and Scotty at Ted the Wine Guy, etc., but I will have to save those for future posts in 2013 and beyond. 
 
Happy new year, y'all, from Girl Meets Gump!

Zumba High

It's been a week since I discovered the high-energy Zumba classes at the Dance Fitness Center at 6643 Atlanta Highway, and I'm still on a Zumba high!  

Photo courtesy http://www.facebook.com/thedancefitnesscenter

It's hard to describe that Zumba high, but it goes something like this: After a long Monday at the office, you finally have a chance to stretch your joints, shake your booty, and twist your body to a jam-packed hour of cumbia beats and salsa combinations.  After class is when the high really kicks in: you get into your car, roll the sunroof and windows down, and immediately turn the radio to the pop station and start singing the new Rihanna jam at the top of your lungs.  It's like that.  Yes, I'm that crazy person singing in my car post-Zumba.  And I love it!

 

Heather and Lily are fantastic, energetic Zumba instructors who grin from ear to ear and make you shout, sweat and smile through the workout with them. I think Heather says it best on DFC's facebook page:  "This is so not exercise!! It's an hour of freedom! It's an hour at the club without all those yahoos bumping up on you! This is an hour that can make you feel like the woman you know you want to be!!! This isn't just about the calories (although, believe me, you stick with me and you will burn them off!!!), this is about making you feel better about yourself. This isn't just working on you physically, its works on you emotionally and socially. This will change your life! Spread the word and join the party!"

Click here for a list of days & times offered at the Dance Fitness Center. All classes $5.

The RiverWalk 'Line' Festival

When I found out that Montgomery had its very own wine festival, on the beautiful riverfront, I was thrilled!  A few friends and I dutifully shelled out $25 each for tickets and walked down to Riverfront Park this Saturday to join the fun.  But, when we got there, we quickly realized that the RiverWalk Wine Festival is more of a Riverfront 'Line' Festival, with a long, snaking line connecting the dozen or so wine tasting booths.  All in all, we tasted less than ten wines at just a few of the booths. The tasting to waiting ratio was about 1:5.  Definitely not worth $25.  Ted the Wine Guy on Zelda Rd. hosts more enjoyable and educational tastings every friday evening... for free.   

Unfortunately, most of our conversation during the event centered around the line situation.  It was just uncomfortable to watch.  Instead of walking around leisurely, then stopping at booths and forming crowds in front of each tasting booth, guests had organized themselves in lines that stretched in between the booths and approached each booth from the side.  As you can imagine, only a few people were being served at a time at each booth, so the lines were barely moving.  Standing in the hot sun in totally unnecessary lines just wasn't our thing, so we left early. 

While I was dissapointed with the line situation, I do think that the RiverWalk Wine Festival can easily live up to its potential and become Montgomery's signature wine event, with a few minor tweaks.  I'm thrilled that Montgomery is starting to emerge as a top food and wine destination in Alabama, and I want to make things better rather than complaining from the sidelines.

As you can probably tell, I am a huge wine aficionado.  I have lived in California, Oregon and Washington, DC, where I enjoyed easy access to wine country and more than my share of wine events.  Crowd control is absolutely paramount, but it can be done right!  If event staff is on hand to tell guests, "there is no need to form lines between booths, just choose your booth and walk right up to it," then the wine pourers can serve guests more efficiently. 

The idea is to form clusters, not lines (in front of, rather than at the sides of each booth), about 3-5 people deep and at least five people wide, so that at least ten people can be tasting at the same time (just hold out your glass, get your pour, stand back to taste while other people get their pours, and repeat until you've tasted all the wines at that booth).  At Saturday's event, some of the booths were serving only one or two people at a time, which is about the most inefficient way to handle wine tasting at an event with hundreds of people. 

I hope I can be involved in improving the guest experience at the RiverWalk Wine Festival next year, because I do think it can be great.  Just think clusters, not lines... and, from the guests to the sponsors to the wine companies and distributors... everyone wins.

The Front Porch Revival: "Art and industry are alive and well in the cultural kitchen of Alabama."

My latest Montgomery find is so awesome that I'm struggling to capture it in words.  As a native of Southern California, I tend to revert to the word "awesome" when words fail me.  So, please bear with me as I try to describe an emerging movement in Alabama food and culture that is probably the most "awesome" thing I've discovered since moving to the South:  The Front Porch Revival. 

After coming across a somewhat obscure facebook post the other day about a festival featuring local chefs and craft brews, held at one of my favorite locations in the Gump, the A&P Lofts, I emailed a few friends in a flurry and managed to rope my new friend Laura into joining me for the Front Porch Revival's friday evening locavore showcase.

As I walked behind Pine Bar into the A&P courtyard, which was shaded with trees and pleasantly adorned with four or five canopied booths featuring local chefs and an artist, I was first welcomed by an ebullient young woman named Caroline who enthusiastically took my $25 and pointed me toward the beer cooler.  Next, I was handed a bottle of tasty Brown Ale from Back Forty Beer Co. (based in Gadsden; also the brewmasters behind Montgomery's forthcoming Railyard Brewing Co.).  After running into some work buddies and meeting up with Laura (as well as my amazingly well-connected friend Hannah, who is always introducing me to new people), we proceeded to enjoy some of the best "Southern" fare I've tasted:  Pimento cheese mini burgers from Railyard Brewing Co., a few different dishes featuring Gulf-caught shrimp (I should have taken notes), and mouthwatering jambalaya from Roux's new chef Wesley True, washed down with "Naked Pig" Pale Ale.

This photo doesn't do it justice.  I hope a professional was snapping pics.

The organziers gave a few remarks about the chefs and the philosophy behind Front Porch, which you must read for yourself on their facebook page (authentic, organic, fun and inspiring).  Then, they introduced the head of the Carver High School culinary program, which the event benefitted.  All in all, I felt like I had encountered a bit of Portland, Oregon here in Montgomery, Alabama (or what Portland used to be before it began to take itself too seriously).  When I use the word "organic" to describe Front Porch, I mean it in its truest form: unpretentious, from the earth, and from the heart.  That was the vibe that the crowd, each of the friendly chefs, the brewmasters, the organizers (indeed, everyone!) gave off at the event. 

As I walked home, I couldn't help but smile (and wave to my neighbors, who were - YES! - sitting on their front porches).  The Front Porch Revival's low-key, high-quality event was probably the best $25 I've spent all year: and it supported a good cause!  I was pleasantly full and still drooling over the food and craft beers that I had the pleasure of tasting.  I can't wait to get more involved and help bring more heartfelt, enjoyable evenings of great local fare and good conversation to the Gump. 

I'll leave you with a few words from the Front Porch Revival's manifesto:  "Forged in the fires of progress in the Deep South, we are a collective of cultural voices committed to our crafts and unified in our purpose to spread the word that art and industry are alive and well in the cultural kitchen of Alabama."  But don't let their grandiose statements fool ya: the folks behind the Front Porch Revival also embody a sense of humor and lightness that I have found indigenous to the South.  The final line of their mission statement: "also, we like to party."

Small pleasures in the Gump: Sushi Cafe

As the saying goes, "Enjoy the little things in life; for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things."

I often don't have the energy for a full-fledged blog post, but I still have things to share about Montgomery, Alabama that make me smile.   My life is not perfectly in order right now, nor am I in a particularly happy place personally (long distance relationships are no fun, work sometimes hands me more pressure than I think I can handle, etc...).  However, I still want to take time to appreciate the little things.  If I am ever to climb my way out of this rut and reach a more positive outlook, I MUST take the time to savor life's little happy moments. 

Small pleasure #1:  Sushi Cafe on Zelda Road.  Nom, nom, nomnomnom..... delish!  Do yourself a favor and try the Black Pepper Tuna Roll (Avocado, Cucumber, Crab meat, Black Tobiko, Seared Blackened pepper, Tuna on top w/ Wasabi Peanut Sauce).  It's pure heaven. 
 

Music in Montgomery: Dead Fingers House Concert

Last weekend, we were lucky enough to host a house concert for the up-and-coming Dead Fingers, a folk-rock duo from Birmingham.  House concerts are a growing trend for touring musicians across the country.  As Taylor and Kate from the Dead Fingers each shared with me after the show, it means a lot to musicians to play in intimate venues where people are actually listening to the words and meaning behind their songs.  From a musician's perspective, undivided attention is the ultimate form of respect - something you don't usually get from playing at a crowded bar.  Case in point:  nearly every single person that attended the Dead Fingers house concert purchased their CD.  Aside from the heavenly tunes, the best part of the night was seeing the guests line up to buy Dead Fingers CDs at the makeshift "merch table" we set up in the hallway.  Listening to live music and introducing people to new music are some of my absolute favorite things.  If you haven't heard the Dead Fingers, you must check them out at www.deadfingers.com.  I look forward to seeing them at the Bottletree in Birmingham on Friday, June 29. 

Picturesque riverfront drinking at the SandBAR

Yesterday evening, a few girlfriends and I checked out the SandBAR, an (incredibly) welcome addition to Montgomery's Riverfront Park.  I can't think of a better way to spend a beautiful Friday evening in May. 

SandBAR is located on High Red Bluff, overlooking the ampitheater and the Alabama River. To get there, just go through the "Riverfront Park" gate and head into the park via the tunnel underneath the railroad tracks.  Then hang a right and hike up the steps to the bluff (look for cylindrical white silos; you can't miss 'em). 

If Riverfront Park is an oasis in the middle of Montgomery, SandBAR is an oasis within an oasis.  SandBAR offers cold beverages, live music, corn hole, plenty of seating, and even a real-life sand bar for the kids to play in. 

There's also plenty of history to take in.  From the SandBAR Facebook page: "Also called Hostile Bluff or Thirteen Mile Bluff, this spot located in a deep bend of the Alabama River was once the key to the Southeast and a strategic point in Colonial days. The first steamboat, the Harriet, arrived at this point in 1821, and the first railroad came in 1880, making Montgomery a transportation hub for people and commerce. When cotton was king, millions of bales were shipped from the wharf here by steam boat to Mobile and thence to the mills of England. The tunnel under the railroad tracks was built in 1879 so that horse-drawn wagons of cotton could be brought to wharf without crossing the tracks."

This time of year, the breeze is already warm and fragrant and the days are getting longer and longer.  As my friends and I celebrated the end of a very long week with generous pours of crisp, white wine, the sun sank lazily over the river into a bed of scattered clouds. 

Enjoy the photos, and do yourself a favor - visit the SandBAR ASAP!  I'll be back today, for Jubilee CityFest!