THURSDAY, November 4
WHEN DRINKING GAMES GET OLD: You like games? You like drinks? You like free? You like…night time? (Okay, I couldn’t think of anything else.) Game Show Night is just for you if you enjoy the company of other people looking just for what you’re looking for – drinks and games. With that combination what more do you need. This event is the first Thursday of every month; and the next one just so happens to be tonight at Crestwood Tavern at 7 p.m. The selection of games come straight from the classic television games shows you grew up watching, including The Price is Right, To Tell the Truth, Street Smarts, and more. So “Come on down!” (Hopefully you applied your Bob Barker voice to that last sentence.) For more info, visit www.comeoutandplaygameshows.com. Oh yeah – did I mention that it’s free? You can’t beat that with a stick!
FRIDAY, November 5
PREPARE TO BE SLAMMED: Starting last month, the Birmingham Public Library began hosting a poetry slam series, entitled “Bards & Brews.” The series is to continue with an event the first Friday of each month, the next being this week. Here’s how it works: Every contestant who enters must contribute $5 to recite some of their poetry. That money is all pooled together, and once the judges determine a winner, they’ll receive all the cash in the pool. Last week’s event was sponsored by Good People Brewing Company; this week’s is handled by Supreme Beverage Company, who will donate some of their beer for sampling. The events are emceed by poetry slam events director Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins. The performances abide by the rules established in the Knoxville, Tennessee “Southern Fried Poetry Slam” series, which are very extensive and have separate sections for judges and contestants. Some live music will start at 6 p.m.; registration is 6:30 p.m.; call time is 7 p.m., and the night should go until about 9 p.m. For more information, call (205) 226-3742 or visit www.bplonline.org.
SATURDAY, November 6
FALL’S NOT OVER YET: We’ve talked about
Jones Valley Urban Farm in the Picks before. We’ve talked about their non-profit structure, their three acres of property, and their work to inform and educate our community about organic produce, growing, farming, and eating healthy. If you appreciate any of those things I just mentioned, then you’ll consider swinging by “Farm Field Day” this Saturday. It won’t be at Jones Valley—it’ll be at the
Mt. Laurel Organic Farm—but it will benefit our backyard farm along with general farm education. The event is a freeform kind of festival, an extension of the fall season with hay-rides, farm tours, and live music. The whole family is invited to attend, as there will be a plethora of children’s activities—scarecrow stuffing, a make-your-own-trail-mix bar, hula hoop making, a small petting zoo, and more. Catering will be provided by Jim n’ Nick’s Bar-B- Q and Food Studio B, and some choice beverages, on hand from
Good People Brewing Company and
Reverend Mudbone’s Homegrown Hopshine. The
suggested donation for adults is $10 for the day, which will extend
from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit Jones Valley’s website
at
www.jvuf.org.
SUNDAY, November 7
MOSS ROCKS! The
Moss Rock Festival is
in its fifth year come this Saturday and Sunday. The festival brings
together artists, designers, and environmentalists for one incredible
showcase. The activities are practically endless, especially when you look at everything individually. You’ll get the chance to see
art in any format you can think of, from
drawing, painting, sculpture, and photography to clay, 2D mixed media,
computer generated art, furniture, glass, jewelry and printmaking. There
will be exhibitions from some of the leading organizations in
Birmingham and surrounding areas, including Alabama Partners for Clean
Air, Alabama Environmental Council, Freshwater Land Trust, McWane
Science Center, Ruffner Mountain, and Southeastern Outings. There’ll be
beer tastings, wine tastings, hikes, bike rides, a raffle, VIP privileges, live music, and
tons more environmental activities, including some revolving around
fuel-efficient cars and recycling. Oh yeah, the whole thing’s free.
Presented by Princeton Baptist Medical Center. For more information,
call (205) 595-6306 or visit
www.mossrockfestival.com.
MONDAY, November 8
I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE: What first comes to mind when you hear the words
Pretty Things Peep Show? You’re wrong, you filthy animal. How about Pretty Things Peep Show, theentertainers? That didn’t make things any better, did it? Well, Pretty Things Peep Show, the daredevilish burlesque entertainers, are bringing their fire-eating, sword swallowing, and whip cracking stunts to
The Nick on Monday at 10 p.m. If you’re looking to be entertained by women performing hair-raising acts of daring-do, you definitely should attend this chill-catching performance. For more info, visit
www.thenickrocks.com. And remember, this is a performance that consists of stunts that shouldn’t be tried at home, not stunts that guys would strongly encourage you to try at home.
TUESDAY, November 9
WINE ALL MINE: Of all the food and drink specialists in Birmingham and all its suburbs,
Pleasure Is All Wine might have the most events out of anyone. If they’re not having a wine and costs $30 (cost includes wine tasting and cheese platter). For more information, call (205) 985-4760 or visit
www.pleasureisallwine.com. tasting one night,
then they’re probably having a special on something, or throwing a
party, or organizing a reception with catering from an area restaurant.
Every Wednesday is Hops Wednesday, every other Friday is a special
event, and every Saturday is a complimentary tasting. Still, the only
thing they’ve usually got going on Tuesday is something called
Wine Club. The “club” is a small group of wine
enthusiasts who meet the second Tuesday of each month, where they speak
on new and favorite wines while tasting them. This Tuesday will be no
different. There are still spaces namely warm apple cider and cold
beers, will be available. The night goes from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, November 10
HOURS OF FUN: If you’re a history junkie, we have an event that should float your boat like no other. On Wednesday, November 10, a showing of the award-winning film
Desperate Hours will be shown at Emmett O’Neal Library from 7- 10 p.m. The film highlights the efforts of Turkish Diplomats in France during the World War II era. This event will also have a reception period with the director/producer,
Victoria Barrett, shortly after the viewing of her very informative documentary. Yes—the event is free; however, a reservation will be required. For more details, call 205-252-7652 or e-mail
igross@bicval.org.
THURSDAY, November 11
REAL SOUTHERN LIVING: At this time, Pat Conroy has written about eight novels. If you were to go through and summarize each of these texts, you’d come away with a lot of similar themes—family, marriage, tragedy, illness, suicide—Conroy has always written with a little of his own life in mind. And when he does, he tends to focus on his most unfortunate circumstances, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But it makes for one depressed reader after so many years. Perhaps sensing this, Conroy released The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life in 1999, and even with that he still managed to include non-stop recollections of his southern childhood, and the book shows how that history informs his cooking and recipes today. In the decade since, he wrote two more novels before moving on to his latest, My Reading Life. Much like his cookbook, Conroy uses his passion for reading to delve further into his past, and his relationships with his family and southern community. If you’re a Conroy fan, and you enjoy a little levity every once in a while, you’re probably going to want to come see him at the Sheraton Civic Center next Thursday. He’ll be promoting the new book with proceeds benefiting the Children’s Hospital. For a cool $150, you can meet Conroy beforehand while enjoying some hors d’oeuvres from the Pat Conroy Cookbook. Reception, 6:30 p.m.; reading, 7:30 p.m. (Seating begins at 5:30 p.m.) Tickets are $39. For more information, call (205) 870-4242 or visit www.alabamabooksmith.com.
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