2 • Thursday, February 7, 2013
OPINION/CONTENTS
UNI-QUE TEAM PLAYERS Gwin Students Showcase Skills on One Wheel
Gwin Elementary School in Hoover has a sport that usually only a circus can claim: unicycling. Coached by physical education teacher Robin McMahan, the school’s unicycling team consists of about 25 students in grades 3-5. The team performed at different sporting events around Alabama three times last year and has already performed at one event this year.
SEE SCHOOLS PAGE 26
ON OTMJ.COM
See more photos from the latest parties, events and meetings online.
COMING FEB. 21
Get a look at the latest trends with our Spring Fashion Guide and check out our Camp Guide for ways to keep the kids busy this summer.
IN THIS ISSUE ABOUT TOWN PEOPLE NEWS LIFE
3 8 12 14
SOCIAL WEDDINGS SCHOOLS SPORTS
OVER THE MOUNTAIN
JOU RNAL
18 25 26 32
February 7, 2013
Publisher: Maury Wald Editor: Keysha Drexel Features Writer: Donna Cornelius Office Manager: Christy Wald Editorial Assistant: Stacie Galbraith Sports: Lee Davis Contributors: Susan Murphy, June Mathews, William C. Singleton, III, Emil Wald, Marvin Gentry, Lee Walls Jr., Bryan Bunch, Lynn Grisard Fullman Advertising Sales: Suzanne Wald, Julie Trammell Edwards, Tommy Wald Intern: Ivanna Ellis Vol. 22, No. 3
Over The Mountain Journal is a suburban bi-weekly newspaper delivered to Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County areas. Subscriptions for The Journal are available for $24 yearly. Mail to: Over the Mountain Journal, P.O. Box 660502, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216. Phone: (205) 823-9646. E-mail the editorial department at editorial@otmj.com. E-mail our advertising department at ads@otmj.com. Find us on the Web at otmj.com. Copyright 2013 Over The Mountain Journal, Inc. All rights reserved. The Journal is not responsible for return of photos, copy and other unsolicited materials submitted. To have materials returned, please specify when submitting and provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All materials submitted are subject to editorial review and may be edited or declined without notification.
OVER THE MOUNTAIN JOURNAL
MURPHY’S LAW
Hitting the Bars
I
and date paste, flax seed and sunflower t all started innocently enough. kernels. Cranberries and blueberries and Whenever I travel, I carry three those tiny little seeds from pomegranthings: a good book, a workable pen ates – they were all in there somewhere. and a single palatable granola bar. The Some bars were proud to be called strategy has served me well, a backup organic (organic rice, organic oats, system for late night layovers, extended organic sugar), although that distinctaxis on the tarmac or times when a bag tion added another inch or two to their of peanuts simply would not do. labels. Organic or not, the bars all At first, I was happy with the gave the impression that you would be crunchy grocery store granola bar, oats healthier if you brought them home … stuck together with tasty adhesive. so I did. Somewhere along the line, however, I A lot of them. became restless. I moved from crunchy So far, no real problem, unless you to chewy. I began to select bars loaded factor in the individual versus multiwith fruit and nuts, still centered around pack surcharge, but after further reading oatmeal, of course, and I congratulated Sue Murphy I discovered that some of the bars were myself on choosing a snack that was so high in calories that they were simultaneously lowering my cholesFor a person who more like a meal … a meal that gave terol. a wide range of vitamins and I was so pleased with myself that is a hazard in the you minerals, one that was handy and I started tossing granola bars in every kitchen, the bar tasty, one that did not require cookpurse and tote bag. I even kept a or the implementation of a knife secret stash in the car, just for emerworld was positively ing or fork. gencies, mind you. Huzzah! I carried bars with me And then … then I wandered into addictive. Without when I went shopping. I’d grab a the granola bar aisle at the megaintervention, I might glass of iced tea, toss down a bluehealth food grocery store. There it was: a giant wall of never have cooked berry date paste wonder, and keep moving. I started having them for snack bars, all individually cradled in again. lunch at home. Instead of hauling their colorful paper trays. No variety out a loaf of bread or nuking a cup boxes here. No multi-packs either, of soup, I would reach for a meal unless you were working toward sixbar. For a person who is a hazard in the kitchen, the bar pack abs, which apparently you could have if you went world was positively addictive. Without intervention, I with the super intense protein bars. might never have cooked again. There were bars for everyone – vegans, the gluten Thank goodness my husband Harold does not share sensitive, the lactose averse, although if you were allermy granola bar enthusiasm. No matter how far afield gic to tree nuts you were out of luck because every bar I go, I know I can count on him to eventually lead me “might” have been hanging out with those guys at some point. It sounded like a sketchy production process. Were back to the world of vegetables, meat and potatoes. Of course, if they ever come up with a corned beef and cabtheir acai berries running loose around the factory? bage bar, all bets are off. If you were okay with tree nuts, however, the giant An entire meal compacted into a teeny tiny bar. I wall was yours. love it. It’s so Jetsons … or Soylent Green, but I try not The first thing I discovered was that oats were for to think about that. ❖ amateurs. These new bars were filled with soy beans
OVER THE MOUNTAIN VIEWS
What’s your favorite local spot for a romantic dinner?
“My husband works at Bistro V in Vestavia Hills, so that would definitely have to be my answer.”
“I really love to go to Firebirds. The food is wonderful and it has a great atmosphere.”
Virginia Freeman Vestavia Hills
Grace Hicks Vestavia Hills
“Last year, my sweetheart and I went up to Vulcan for Valentine’s Day and along with the great view, we enjoyed a great meal. It’s a really romantic thing to do for Valentine’s Day.” Elizabeth Balch Vestavia Hills
“I really love Surin West. You go there for the great food. For a romantic atmosphere, I would have to say Veranda is a good choice.” Saeid Anafjeh North Shelby