Japanese Festival in Birmingham

JASA 1st Annual Natsu Matsuri!
Japanese-style Summer Evening Festival
日帰りでたのしい夏祭りへ行こう！
When: Saturday, July 18th from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Where: Morgan Creek Winery, www.morgancreekwinery.com
What: for indoor and outdoor entertainment, wine/sake tasting
Featuring: - Miki Band from Lincoln, AL みきバンド
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Okinawa Taiko Drummers from Huntsville, AL 太鼓
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Shounoryu stylized dance from NW Florida 翔乃流
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Japanese-style H.S. dance-Tuscaloosa こギャル・パラパラ
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Yukata robe display and wearing for pictures 浴衣
酒Japanese sake tasting by
Sake Story, of Atlanta, GA! 酒
Free Alabama wine tasting by Morgan Creek Winery.
かき氷、綿あめ、焼き鳥、ポップコーン、ソーダ
Shaved Ice! Cotton Candy! Yakitori! Popcorn! Drinks! . . .
With RSVP, Family concession package, $35 for 15 tickets.
Food items, sake tasting – 1 ticket each (tickets also sold at the event- $2.50 each)
一つ食べ物とお酒の試飲にはそれぞれ１チケットが必要です。割引のファミリー・パッケージが予約制で
１５枚、$３５で購入できます。ご希望の方は、このメールで返信して下さい。
RSVP to Tamara Moriya, JASA, 205-943-4730 or to jasa@mindspring.com

Riverfest

As we moved down the boardwalk, we were met by contrasting images. A vendor was selling confederate flag paraphernalia while Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies" was blasting from a tent a few feet away. We eventually made it to the VIP tent where we ate BBQ to the sounds of the Marshall Tucker Band.

I have written on several occasions that a music festival--City Stages--drew me back to Alabama. Well, Riverfest in Gadsden, AL also made me feel proud to be southern and to live in Alabama.

If you check out the official Alabama Tourism site, Gadsden is located in the river region. I have made several trips to Gadsden over the years. When I was driving back home from Charlottesville, it marked the last hour of my trip. It is home to Top of the River--only THE best catfish in the country.

A friend mentioned the band lineup didn't seem to fit my musical taste. There was a local band at the beginning that we missed that played RnB. The Marshall Tucker Band was amazing to listen to live. Anyone who includes woodwinds in their lineup is alright with me. The guitar and bass solos were outstanding. I am not sure who was on electric guitar, but I might put him in the same league as Carlos Santana.

We took a walk along the Coosa River. Many Alabama landmarks retained Native American names. It was beautiful. Despite intermittent rainfall, the river was decorated with pontoons, speed boats and other water vehicles. There was even a one year old in his Pac n Play on one of the boats.

We made our way back to the tent that was blasting Beyonce earlier that night. You know the one near the confederate flag vendor? Walk It Out...A Two Step...Do the Stanky Leg...These young teens were workin' it out to the latest hip hop music. BTW-Most of the dancers were white.

Charlottesville music scene captured in Live from the Hook

Did you know the Charlottesville music scene was an intersection of cultures and musical genres? It was a blend of rock, blues,and Reggae at a time when it was taboo for kids to listen to black music. Read about Live from the Hook from the perspective of an 80's alumna.

Fiesta de la Aventura

Join Alabama Adventure and HOLA Latino
for Fiesta de la Aventura. Sunday, June 21 at 11:00am - 8:00pm at Alabama Adventure Park, 4599 Visionland Pkwy, Birmingham, AL. Call 951-0255 for more information.

Pho Que Huong Vietnamese Restaurant in Birmingham, AL

I had a great meal at Pho Que Huong today on Green Springs Highway. According to PhoQueHong.com, "PHO, a uniquely Vietnamese creation, dates back to the 10th century and means "Noodle Soup". QUE HUONG means 'Native Village'".

Pho is located in a section of Birmingham that has really changed over the years. Green Springs showed early signs of globalization. You can get Korean, Mexican, and Vietnamese food all within a few steps. Mediterranean, Italian, authentic Chinese and traditional southern food are within a few miles. There is even a Peruvian restaurant posing as a Mexican restaurant three traffic lights away.

My first visit to Pho several years ago was with someone who spoke Vietnamese. He selected my dishes. It isn't a prerequisite, though. Neither the waitress nor I could speak Vietnamese. Today I took the safe route and ordered a chicken dish with lemongrass and mushrooms. One of my friends ordered a noodle dish.

FYI: Pho is actually in the Homewood section of Greensprings. Homewood is a suburb of Birmingham.

Julian Bond and the intersection of RnB and Rock

Music history buff or just wondering about the origins of Rock N Roll? Check out UVA professor Julian Bond's podcast, "Crossing the Color Line" Rhythm and Blues to Rock N Roll. The lecture was given during the UVA 2009 summer reunion.

Diverse Airport Food

Does anyone else consider food options when selecting domestic flights? Of course I would never fly out of my way to get to an airport based upon the food. However, if the layover is long and all other factors are equal, I like to go to a place that has the best food options. I think that the International concourse at the Detroit airport is my favorite. For some reason, Mediterranean food sticks in my mind. While I was in the Atlanta airport, I found a fusion dish at TGI Fridays that was pretty good. So, to avoid the long search that I had last night, I need suggestions for future travels.

On a side note, just to help you understand where I am coming from, my friends think that I am kinda weird. Why? When I travel to D.C., I like to eat on the bottom floor of Union Station for lunch at least once while in the City. I like to go to three or four different restaurants representing different regions of the world. It is like being at an international food festival!

Tell me where to eat Fly People.