Category Archives: What’s great about Birmingham

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Why do we apologize for Birmingham?

6 Comments
David Dionne
David Dionne, Executive Director of Red Mountain Park

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is David Dionne.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

I moved to Birmingham in 2008, coming from a great job in Maryland where I was building and operating parks and trails.  I was lured to Birmingham after receiving a phone call about an opportunity at Red Mountain Park in Birmingham.  My knowledge of Birmingham was pitiful so I began to confirm the information provided by the recruiter.  First, I was astounded to learn that Birmingham was in the mountains.  Then I was delighted to find a city filled with outstanding restaurants, world-class hospitals, six universities, art museums, an excellent orchestra and an overall great quality of life. Continue reading Why do we apologize for Birmingham? →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Single father sees Birmingham through rose colored glasses

1 Comment
Shariff Simmons
Sharrif Simmons

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Sharrif Simmons.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

I’m not originally from Birmingham. I was born on Long Island, New York, raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, studied at Ealing College in West London, had a  brief stay in Atlanta, even lived in Tampa Bay for a while, but when I moved to Birmingham in 2004, I decided to stay. Making Birmingham my new home was motivated by several factors, the most important of which, being a single father to a preternaturally gifted child, was to pursue a course of action that would nurture his talents and provide him, at the very least, a competitive education in a developing community. I use the word developing here, because when I arrived 10 years ago, Birmingham was not the city it is today. Continue reading Single father sees Birmingham through rose colored glasses →

David Sher posts, Government structure, What's great about Birmingham

Atlanta embarrassed–Birmingham soars

2 Comments

“There was no coordination around school closings, because there are more than two-dozen city and county school systems in “__________.” There was little coordination between highway clearance and service to city streets because “_________” is comprised of dozens of municipalities connected by state and federal highway systems.”

Was this written about Birmingham?  Nope, this was written about “Atlanta.”  Continue reading Atlanta embarrassed–Birmingham soars →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham represents family, love, strength, diversity

3 Comments
Avani Patel
Avani Patel

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Avani Patel .  We love to hear from young professionals.   If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Who am I?

People ask themselves this vital question from childhood until old age.  What does this question really mean, and why do we continue to ask ourselves this question?

Let us start with our childhood.  As a child I was a little Indian girl with an American accent with a twinge of southern slang.  I moved to Birmingham, AL at the young age of one and been in love with Birmingham ever since.  I attended school with other children who were very similar to me in personality and age group but not so much in appearance.  When I asked myself – who am I? Continue reading Birmingham represents family, love, strength, diversity →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Insanity: Couples getting married in downtown underpass

5 Comments
Wedding 18th Street underpass downtown Birmingham
Jemia & Adrian (Photo by Timothy L. Jones

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Atticus Rominger. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Birmingham has many fine wedding venues:  Couples and their guests can take in grand views at Vulcan Park or The Club, have a fancy affair at the Historic Tutwiler Hotel – or snap a bridal photo under a downtown underpass. That’s right – an underpass.

If I’d told you a year ago the brides would drag their white dresses through a railroad underpass Continue reading Insanity: Couples getting married in downtown underpass →

Alabama Constitution, David Sher posts, Government structure, UAB, What's great about Birmingham

Can Birmingham get over its low self-esteem?

4 Comments

David Sher

One hundred years from now, when historians write the history of Birmingham, 2013 will be the year they say changed everything.

Birmingham’s been called the “City of Perpetual Promise.”  We’ve been described as the “Magic City” at our zenith and as the “Most segregated city in America” at our low point.

We’ve always been a great place to live, but not a great city.  2013 will be the year Birmingham begins its long-hard journey to become that great city. Continue reading Can Birmingham get over its low self-esteem? →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Before I die I want to…

2 Comments
Matthew Hamilton
Matthew Hamilton

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Matthew Hamilton.  We love to hear from young professionals.   If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

Last month was bittersweet for me.  First, the bitter: I had to destroy something I created.

For the last three months, I had supervised an interactive, community art project downtown.  It was a 60 foot blackboard wall on the side of a building across the street from Regions Field, with 135 spaces stenciled in white with the prompt “Before I die I want to…”  Any passerby was invited to pick up a piece of chalk and share their hopes and aspirations with the community. Continue reading Before I die I want to… →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Jack Schaeffer has a clear “vision” for Birmingham

5 Comments
Jack Schaeffer
Jack Schaeffer

ComebackTown is published by David Sher & Phyllis Neill to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Jack Schaeffer who has some great ideas for Birmingham.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please  click here. 

I would like to discuss some of the great things that are happening in Birmingham right now, and also propose a few of my own ideas that I feel will help Birmingham progress as an amazing and special place to live.

First and foremost, the current governing administration Continue reading Jack Schaeffer has a clear “vision” for Birmingham →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

We moved to downtown Birmingham and LOVE it

4 Comments
Sue Johnson
Sue Johnson

ComebackTown is published by David Sher & Phyllis Neill to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Sue Johnson.  Sue has some great experiences to share.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please  click here. 

I took a walk this afternoon with my dog.  It’s been three years since my husband, Jimmy, and I moved downtown to live and to start a new venture by opening Dog Days of Birmingham.  As I walked, I reflected on our journey.

In 2009 we purchased the Hunter Furniture Store building Continue reading We moved to downtown Birmingham and LOVE it →

Guest blogger, What's great about Birmingham

Birmingham: Young professional stopped in his tracks

4 Comments

Jonathan Pinnick
Jonathan Pinnick

Comebacktown published by David Sher & Phyllis Neill to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Jonathan Pinnick . (We love when young professionals are guest bloggers)

I saw something during a recent trip to Regions Field that made me stop in my tracks. It was so exciting that I had to tell almost everyone I saw for the next week.

It wasn’t anything about the ballpark itself, though it is beautiful. It wasn’t anything about the game, which was great and ended with one of the many wins earned by the Birmingham Barons this season.

No, what I saw were Continue reading Birmingham: Young professional stopped in his tracks →