Home is where this ode is.

A lot of people ask me about Birmingham. As a result, I suppose I’ve unconsciously created my own little elevator pitch for the Magic City, after answering dozens and dozens of questions from persons looking to relocate here for work, family, or school. And, let me be clear – I have no grand illusions about actually *selling* them on Birmingham, on its unique community and immense charm, but I also can’t help but try with all my might to persuade them to at least *consider* this place I call home.

Research shows that people notoriously make their home-buying/rental decisions based on the opinions/advice of friends, family, and co-workers. And, when it comes to Birmingham, many promptly disregard living in the City; they buy in to the misperception that it is not safe, that it is not family-friendly, that it is lacking the types of amenities that offer quality of life. (At least, these are all things we heard when we began to plan our own move to Birmingham.)

And here’s what I think: Dead wrong, people.

You’ve heard me say it over and over again – the reason I’m so stinkin’ passionate about finding and shamelessly promoting the best of Birmingham is because I want to see it become the city my two sons will be proud to call home. And already, in just under three years, our family has enjoyed so, so many incredible experiences.

Inspired by a recent conversation where I was asked to think of the things I believe to be big wins for Birmingham, I thought I’d share a few “pitches” here, to prove there are abundant bright n’ shiny parts of the City. So, here you go…

The skyline:  Now that the leaves have fallen from their treetop perch, Sweet Pea and Butterbean’s room has a clear view of the City Federal building. (We actually call it “the red-letter building” in our house.) Birmingham’s downtown, with its Heaviest Corner and its massive UAB complex and its historic towers, has become a comforting sight for our family. We know we’re home when we see the Magic City skyline. It’s that familiar. It’s a comfort.

Good ole’ Vulcan himself: Who doesn’t love our skirted iron mascot? If you’re in Jones Valley, you can pretty much spot him atop Red Mountain from any vantage point. And if you’re standing in his shadow, looking out above the Valley, past the city center and out to the steel towers of Fairfield and at Sloss, you see an entire city’s history all in one glance. You can see its past, its present, and its future, with Vulcan holding his watchful guard, always.

The railroad: We like to say that we have “riverfront” property over here in Crestwood, because our house backs up to the tracks that feed in to the main artery of the city. Birmingham began at a crossroads, literally, and to try to ignore the railroad and its significance, its beauty, well, you’re missing out on everything this city is made of. And who would disagree – Railroad Park is the bee’s knees! It’s not only the ultimate (*award-winning*) urban oasis, it’s also the perfect homage to the DNA of our city.

The green, green, green: I can’t even count the green spaces all around (Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, Red Mountain Park, Railroad Park, Avondale Park, Linn Park, Kelly Ingram Park, Birmingham Green). Just go walk a few blocks and see how many parks and wooded enclaves you run in to. Take a stroll through our city neighborhoods and allow yourself to be in awe of the rolling hills studded with beautiful trees…especially at this time of year, when the landscape is a palate of gold and ruby and crimson and brown. Birmingham does not lack in green space. No, not one bit.

Children’s Hospital: (Knock on wood), We’ve only had to visit this place once, and we were there for a brief hour or two. But the new Children’s Hospital is not only a phenomenal (beautiful!) destination for little patients, it has also changed the city’s skyline (see above). It is a symbol of the future, of progress and development. It’s a beautiful structure that lights up the Birmingham night sky. Sometimes I go out of my way to drive in to the city via I-65, just so I can get the full view. She’s a beauty, y’all.

That glorious music, and all the places where we can hear it: Bottletree. WorkPlay. Alys Stephens Center. Spring Street Fire House. The Great Book of John. Secret Stages. The Green Seed. St. Paul and the Broken Bones. The Delicate Cutters. Duquette Johnston. War Jacket. Gip’s Place. Blue Galaxy String Project. I mean…do I need to keep going? The music is rich, it’s alive, it’s seeping out from every street corner. And it only grows and grows, a perpetual crescendo. And everyday I hear something new, and I think I would be okay to live the rest of my life just listening to that which is played within Jones Valley. No, really. Turn it up.

The finger-lickin’ food: I’m not even going to bother going in to detail here, because I won’t be able to stop. If you request a separate post, though, I will happily oblige. From farmers to farmers’ markets, bbq to white-tablecloth, soul food, neighborhood chickens, even the most avant-garde and the most down-home flavor – Birmingham’s got it. And they’ve got plenty to go around. Pass that plate, would ya’?!

The art: What immediately comes to mind is the recent Dia de los Muertos event, it’s tenth year celebrated just last weekend. And then I think of Vero over at Naked Art Gallery. And then I think about Bart’s ArtVenture (the *best* interactive children’s gallery, like, ever) at Birmingham Museum of Art. And then I think about City Arts Boutique, located in the heart of historic Woodlawn and boasting an array of local handmade varieties. And I think about Tena Payne doing her thing over in Leeds, creating beautiful pottery that lands on the tables of Hot & Hot Fish Club (a {culinary} art experience in and of itself). And then I remember ROAM Projects and their recent collaboration with Operation New Birmingham to bring artist Jonathan Brilliant in to a vacant storefront on Birmingham Green that resulted in a Pop-Up Gallery experience the city’s never seen before, constructed with coffee stirrers and offering downtown passers-by a moment of escape and wonderment. That’s what Birmingham’s art scene is – it’s a big ole’ colorful bag full of escape and wonderment, and it’s literally at our finger tips. We have access, all the time.

The people: You. Them. Us. We are pretty amazing. And unique. And all capable. And all interesting, with our own stories and our own backgrounds and abilities. We create this vibrant quilt that covers the city. That’s always the number one answer to my question: “What’s your favorite part about Birmingham?” “The people,” they say. “It’s community,” you tell me. It is. It truly is.

The past: She has scars, yes, but Birmingham’s past is the foundation on which we must build and grow. And what makes our city so great is all that it has been and overcome. And yet, the best is only just beginning…

The potential: The new Barons baseball stadium. The new Comprehensive Plan. Our public schools, achieving and improving. All these ridiculously wonderful breweries popping up all over Jones Valley. The young entrepreneurs doing amazing things, in all corners of downtown. Culinary swagger. Our kids. Their future. It’s all beginning, now.

I could keep going. And going. And going…

Thanks for allowing me this little unorganized ode to the Magic City. I hope it inspires you to seek out all that you love and even that which you never knew was there. Cheers to all of you, and cheers to the city we call Home!