The Suburban Newspaper for Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
INSIDE
JOU RNAL OTMJ.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2012
VOL. 22 #15
MARTIE PARTIES ON
Big Brothers Big Sisters leads to lasting relationships
ABOUT TOWN PAGE 3
Vestavia Hills hosts I Love America Day
ABOUT TOWN PAGE 4
CF Championship Challenge: Finebaum, football and fun
ABOUT TOWN PAGE 6
Martie Duncan, a finalist in this seasonʼs edition of “Food Network Star,” shares tips for entertaining with ease on her “Martie Knows Parties” website. She put her background as a party guru to good use on the show, tweaking favorite recipes as she and other contestants faced weekly challenges. “I was ready Journal photo by Lee Walls Jr. to fight like a rabid dog to win,” she said. “Iʼm an Alabama girl with Alabama spirit.”
‘Food Network Star’ Finalist Isn’t Slowing Down Anytime Soon
BY DONNA CORNELIUS
S
JOURNAL FEATURES WRITER
eason 8 of “Food Network Star” didn’t end the way Martie Duncan’s fans hoped. While the Birmingham native was one of four contestants who made it to the show’s July 22 finale, she lost her bid to win the title and her own show on the Food Network. But for Martie, the party’s definitely not over. One of the main reasons she auditioned for the reality series was to increase the visibility of “Martie Knows Parties,” her website that offers creative, stress-free tips for entertaining. “The show was a big commitment of time,” she said, “but I’m so thankful I did it. It was an amazing gift to be selected out of thousands of
SUPER SOUP
Mountain Brookʼs Falcon Wilesʼ
cooking skills earn her dinner with the First Lady, page 10
people.” On each episode, contestants had to tackle a different challenge, from entertaining a bus full of New York tourists to cooking for Paula Deen in Miami. Viewers who saw Martie earn praise from Food Network judges Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson might be surprised to learn that she considers herself just a “home cook.” “I’ve never cooked or catered professionally,” she said, “and there I was competing against people like Ippy (Aiona) and Eric (Lee), who were great chefs and went to prestigious culinary schools.” So how did Martie, a Web content designer and self-proclaimed “sports girl” as a Banks High School student, become a finalist of the See MARTIE, page 7
Warhol exhibit sets theme for Art on the Rocks
SOCIAL PAGE 12
Liberty Park kitchen gets a makeover
HOME PAGE 20
ZOO GALA TO BE A WILD NIGHT OUT P. 6 • OMHS TEEN CROWNED MISS LEEDS P. 8 • TRIBUTE TO CHAMPIONS P. 14 • CHEER, DANCE TEAMS COMPETE P. 24