Birmingham author shares global journey in ‘Trail of Crumbs’

She had planned on entering the Southern Living Cook-Off and wound up writing for the magazine. And she had planned on assembling a cookbook and wound up writing her memoir.

But Kim Sunée has grown accustomed to the winding path, one that leads her from place to place in search of home. She details this journey in her first book, “Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love, and the Search for Home.”

The Birmingham author and magazine editor signs copies tonight and Tuesday at local bookstores.
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Paul “Bear” Bryant, legendary football coach at Alabama, passed away 25 years ago today at 69.

We share a few of our favorite jokes we’ve heard time and again.

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You have until Friday to name the new mascot at Vulcan Park (though we’re not quite sure why he isn’t named … Vulcan).

From the park’s site:

Vulcan Park and Museum’s new mascot needs a name!

All entries must include the following:

• Contact name, phone, address and e-mail (if applicable)
• Name suggestion
• Meaning of the name (if applicable)

The winner will receive a Family Membership to Vulcan Park and Museum ($50 value), a behind-the-scenes tour for four individuals, a Vulcan BobbleBun Doll and will be recognized at Vulcan’s Annual Birthday Bash in June!

Send your submission to info@visitvulcan.com or Vulcan Park and Museum, Attn: Vulcan Naming Contest, 1701 Valley View Drive, Birmingham, AL 35209. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. The winner will be announced on the Vulcan Park and Museum Web site on Feb. 4.

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You can also volunteer to wear the costume(!), but you must be 5-foot-8 to 6-foot-0 and weigh 180 to 200 pounds, a BMI of 27.1 or “overweight.” Great, fat mascot. Look, a new nickname already.

Our suggested monikers after the jump …

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‘The Biggest Loser: Couples’ recap, episode 3

biggestloser.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Ginny

After last week’s tiny weight loss, can Roger Shultz of Enterprise and Trent Patterson drop enough to keep the Bama Slammers in the running on “The Biggest Loser”?

And what’s gum got to do with it?

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Looking for something to do on your day off Monday? Check out the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, volunteering with Hands on Birmingham. Sign up at the site, and choose from a wide variety of projects, including cleaning up the Cahaba River, painting offices at First Light and fixing up Hill Elementary School.

It’s really easy. Just ask these volunteers …

‘The Biggest Loser: Couples’ recap, episode 2

biggestloser.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Ginny

The Bama Slammers are back for week 2 of “The Biggest Loser: Couples.” Roger Shultz of Enterprise and Trent Patterson dropped nearly 50 pounds in the premiere, but can they stay strong in the face of double trainers and rib plates?

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‘The Biggest Loser: Couples’ recap, episode 1

biggestloser.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Ginny

It’s a new season of “The Biggest Loser,” and in case you haven’t heard, this time it’s couples. (Next season: people and their pets).

One of the couples (which is maybe not how they refer to themselves, I’m thinking) is a pair of former Crimson Tide football players. Roger Shultz of Enterprise and Trent Patterson were something called a “center” and a “guard,” respectively. Together, they’re just 16 ounces shy of 800 pounds.

How did they fare on the two-hour season premiere New Year’s Day spectacular?

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A new year means a new year’s resolution, maybe to stick to a diet or find entertainment in lieu of the writers’ strike.

Done and done.

Former Alabama linemen Roger Shultz (above right) and Trent Patterson (above left) have re-teamed to compete on “The Biggest Loser: Couples” for a shot at $250,000.

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As a holiday treat, we present the Top 10 versions of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Why that song?

• It was written by Birmingham native Hugh Martin.
• It debuted in the Judy Garland film, “Meet Me in St. Louis,” which screens at 7 tonight at the Alabama Theatre as part of this week’s Holiday Movie Classics Series ($7, $6 for senior citizens and children under age 12).

10. Ok Go

Holiday fun, minus the treadmills.

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“Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say throw cares away …”

Join the Alabama Symphony Orchestra for a free holiday concert at 7 tonight. Christopher Confessore conducts.

The event takes place at the Guiding Light Church, 1800 John Rogers Drive [map | directions].

Our pal Arik has helped put together a fund-raiser for the Prichard family, in the wake of Michael Prichard’s death in September. I worked with Chris, Michael’s wife, for many years — she shot the beautiful city skyline you see from time to time at the top of this page.

Stop by Rojo tonight to help out a small, but personal, cause.

Local filmmakers pay tribute to colleague, raise funds for family

The Birmingham filmmaking community will gather Thursday to pay tribute to a fallen comrade, Michael Prichard. In addition, the group is raising money to help Michael’s family pay for expenses that continue to mount.

Michael worked as a trusted grip, audio operator, and camera operator for over 10 years. He died at age 40 on Sept. 14 leaving behind his wife and two children.

To help raise money, Southside restaurant Rojo will host “Things That Mike P. Would Have Liked,” a photography exhibit with photos exclusively provided by members of the local filmmaking community. Art and prints may be donated up until the day of the show. All proceeds from the sale of these works will go to Michael’s family.

The tribute and show kickoff begins at 6 tonight, at Rojo, 2921 Highland Ave. S. [map]. Admission is free and open to the public. The show will remain on display until Nov. 9, available during restaurant hours.

For more information, please contact Arik Sokol at 324-3900 or ariks@vazda.com, or Ned Boggan at dembyfilms@hotmail.com.

Another whirlwind weekend of music, movies and parties known as Sidewalk has zipped by. Remember: You can still win swag from the film fest by entering our haiku contest by noon today.

But before we wrap the ninth Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, a few more capsule reviews of hits and misses …

Update: “The Devil Came on Horseback” and “Darius Goes West” added.

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With such a wide field of nominees, how will Birmingham voters decide how to cast such an important vote?

The mayoral election? Nah, the Birmingham News’ annual Readers’ Choice Awards, which closes at 11 tonight. More than 500 nominated their faves in 80-plus categories. Now, you can vote among five contenders in each category in the online ballot, broken into three sections: City Life, Food and Drink and Leisure and Entertainment.

But this isn’t about the best of the city.

This is about mocking the regrettable list of candidates (and thereby indirectly mocking the nominating readers and the selection process). How will they stack up against the 2006 winners? Did our pal Matt at Alabama Live make the right call with his picks?

Our catty contenders, after the jump …

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Wanna see a movie this weekend? How about 150 of them?

The ninth annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival starts tonight, with the biblical comedic romp, “The Ten.” Tickets for tonight’s 8 p.m. opener are $13 at the door.

It’s $30 for Saturday and Sunday, or $7 per film ($17 for three films). More info on the official site.

So what’s the story on this year’s festival? More previews, more interviews, plus you could win free Sidewalk stuff …

A dish best served cold | Check out “Lunch,” a funny short by first-time filmmaker and Birmingham resident James Brown. His lunch was stolen from the office fridge — now, he wants revenge. But don’t take my word for it as a hired publicist, hear James on WBHM’s “Tapestry” [MP3] from Thursday. And watch this trailer:

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Contributing writer Stacy Vance reviewed “Row Hard No Excuses” by director Luke Wolbach:

Two people, 3,000 miles, 100 days at sea.

I love a good adventure story. Man attempts to conquer nature. Nature takes the lead. Man becomes one with nature. Or does he?

In the documentary “Row Hard No Excuses,” John Zeigler and Tom Mailhot set out to travel the open seas in a trans-Atlantic rowing race from the Canary Islands to Barbados.

The film screens Sunday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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