See the full-size PDF here

12todo
[ M a ry C o l u r s o o f f e r s a d o z e n way s t o s p e n d yo u r t i m e T H IS WEE K ]
[ food ]
[ gardening ]
[ concerts ]
TAKE THAT, FIG NEWTONS!
FROM ‘SLING BLADE’ to
GUITAR SLINGER
Bite into a ripe fig. If you’ve never tasted
one before, get ready for a succulent
sensation. Dried figs simply cannot
compare to fruit from the tree, so take
samples on Saturday at Petals From the
Past in Jemison. Arlie Powell will lead an
orchard tour at 10:30 a.m., offering tips
on varieties and growing requirements.
Admission: Free. Info: 205-646-0069 or
www.petalsfromthepast.com.
Forget his movie career — for one
evening, at least. Billy Bob Thornton
morphs into “electric hillbilly” mode for
a Tuesday show at Zydeco. The Oscar
winner will play country-rock music
with his band, the Boxmasters, starting
at 9 p.m. If you missed Thornton’s
appearance at this year’s George
Lindsey UNA Film Festival in Florence,
here’s your chance to get up close and
personal. Tix: $20. Info: 933-1032 or
www.zydecobirmingham.com.
[ visual arts ]
SUMMER SPECIAL
EVERYTHING BUT
THE SCENT
Try the tomato, basil and
mozzarella panini ($5.75)
at Lucy’s Coffee and Tea.
Contemplate the flower. It’s
Fresh basil from Jones
Valley Urban Farm — and
TLC from the restaurant’s
owner Lucy Bonds — made
this sandwich especially
yummy during a recent visit.
Order it in a combo with
a cup of soup ($7.75), and
you’ll have even more to
smile about. Info: 328-2007
or www.myspace.com/
lucyscoffeeandtea.
easy to do at Amanda Schedler
Fine Art in Homewood. The
latest exhibit, “Contemporary
Botanicals,” focuses on delicate
floral abstractions by Sally
Bennett Baxley. In these works,
the Connecticut painter subtly
manipulates patterns, hues and
textures. Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-4
p.m. Saturdays, through Sept.
13. Info: 591-9093 or www.
fineartbirmingham.com.
[ pets ]
HOW SUITE IT IS
Put fancy roofs over their heads. If molded plastic
igloos seem utterly mundane, you’ll appreciate
the one-of-a-kind dog houses at “Gimme Shelter:
Barkitecture Tour & Charity Auction.” Area
architects and artists have designed structures for
our furry friends as part of a benefit for the Greater
Birmingham Humane Society. The results will be
auctioned at 7 p.m. today at the B&A Warehouse,
along with hand-painted bowls and fire hydrants.
Tix: $75, $125 for two. Info: 397-8539 or www.
gimmeshelterbirmingham.com.
[ Reality series ]
[ shopping ]
BECAUSE CATS ARE TOO DIGNIFIED
PRETTY EXOTIC
Give your pooch a command: Sit! Now you’re
[ drinks ]
WHEN THE WINE LIST ARRIVES
18G
Champagne with strawberries? Perhaps
you’ve heard all the stereotypes about
matching wine with food. Get a fresh
perspective on Tuesday at the Village Wine
Market, 2020 Cahaba Road. A 6:30 p.m. class
will cover the basics — and discuss the value
of contrasts. Fee: $25. Reservations and info:
879-5240.
[ good deeds ]
BECAUSE ‘TEXT’ IS NOT A VERB
Pack a few boxes for Greencup Books. The
nonprofit organization, community arts
center and publisher has shelf space to fill
and seeks books on all subjects. (If you have
lots o’ volumes, volunteers will pick them up.)
Proceeds from sales are used for classes and
events at Greencup, 105 Richard Arrington
Jr. Blvd South. Info: 994-0960 or www.
greencupbooks.com.
[ kid stuff ]
[ movies ]
IT’S A WIGGLY, WIGGLY WORLD
CINEMA IN
A HURRY
Squeal. Shriek. Squirm. Excitement needn’t be contained this weekend,
if you’re a fan of The Wiggles. The popular Aussie entertainers come to
the BJCC Arena at 1:30 and 5 p.m. Saturday with “Pop Go the Wiggles
Live!” Expect lively versions of nursery rhymes from silly singers Sam
Moran, Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt and Anthony Field. Tix: $18-$38 through
Ticketmaster.
Head straight for the
Sidewalk Scramble X.
Several short films were
produced during a 10day rush on the streets of
Birmingham. They’ll be
screened at 7 p.m.
Wednesday in the
WorkPlay theater, vying
for awards and prizes.
The Scramble, in its 10th
year, is linked to our city’s
Sidewalk Moving Picture
Festival (set for Sept. 2628). Tix: $10. Info: 380-4082
or www.workplay.com.
Pour water — or juice, or
sports drinks, or soda —
into Moroccan tea glasses
from World Market.
[ CDs ]
JOHNNY COME LATELY
Sound the “A Larum” ($9.99,
Lost Highway, in stores
Tuesday). The title looks rather
odd, unless you’re familiar
with Elizabethan prose, but
don’t let it stop you from
listening to Johnny Flynn. He’s
a British folk-rocker (and a
Shakespearean actor) with a
sharp wit and a quirky sense
of history. He writes minstrel
ballads for the 21st century
— “The Box,” “Brown Trout
Blues,” “Eyeless in Holloway”
— and they sound like nothing
else we’ve heard recently. That’s
a very good thing.
Each holds 11.25 ounces
of liquid in a colorful
cylinder with traditional,
henna-like designs. $30
for a set of four. Info:
www.worldmarket.com.
&1don’t
[ a surefire miss ]
[ Books ]
KEEP’EM IN THE COFFIN
Shun the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. Apologies to the author, but reading
them is sure to spoil the surprises of “True Blood,” an HBO series that airs in September. We’ve
had a peek at the first couple of episodes, based on Harris’ books and adapted by Alan Ball of
“Six Feet Under.” (Verdict: dark and delicious.) Far better to let the plot twists unfold without
prior knowledge, watching a telepathic waitress (Anna Paquin) encounter vampires in smalltown Louisiana.
Friday, july 26, 2008 • The Birmingham News • City Scene
Friday, july 26, 2008 • The Birmingham News • City Scene
Choose red with beef? White with fish?
ready to watch “Greatest American Dog,” 7 p.m.
Thursdays on CBS. This new show, a guilty pleasure
for pet owners, pits human-canine teams against
each other in obedience, intelligence and agility
competitions. The goal: bragging
rights and a $250,000 cash prize.
Info: www.cbs.com/primetime/
greatest_american_dog.
19G