Sidewalk and a Dinner Party

Wednesday we had the wonderful opportunity to watch Spike Lee's documentary "Four Little Girls" at our church. The movie about the notorious racial terrorist 16th Street Baptist church bombing, was filmed at a number of religious locations of all affiliations/demoniations around the city as part of Sidewalk Film Festival. After the screening, attendees were asked to take part in a discussion regarding the film and it's content. It was such a powerful screening and conversation, and I am truly thankful that we were able to be a part of it. If you haven't watched the documentary, I highly suggest you do so. Although it revealed an ugly side of human nature, it shared a beautiful message of perseverance, hope, and forgiveness.

On Thursday, John's sister Kelly and her husband Jason came over for a week night dinner party. Even though they live in Birmingham, our schedules often conflict. So, it's always a treat when we get to see them, especially since Kelly and Jason are going to have a sweet baby boy come January! For dinner I made the Pioneer Woman's chicken spaghetti (recipe here) and Kelly prepared a beautiful salad with mandarin oranges and strawberries. The food was great and the conversation was even better, but our favorite part of the meal was when they showed us the ultrasound pictures of our baby nephew! 

A few months ago, John and I attended the Salsa Showdown, a fundraising competition between local restaurants and catering companies to determine who has the best salsa, guacamole, queso and specialty dip. Proceeds from the annual event go to Sidewalk Film Festival, a non profit organization created to inspire, encourage, and support films and film making in Alabama. While there, John participated in the pinata smash competition and walked away with a gift card to Crestwood Coffee, a basket full of fresh veggies from Freshfully, and two VIP tickets to Sidewalk Film Festival. So, last night we reaped the spoils of our prize by attending opening night at the Alabama Theatre.

The evening began with a VIP  opening night reception featuring free drinks and food catered by Hot and Hot Fish Club. We enjoyed mingling on the stage of the Alabama and talking with directors and film enthusiasts, but found ourselves still hungry since most of the food had been eaten by the time we arrived. Luckily, MELT the grilled cheese food truck was around the corner. Their hamburger on texas toast with all the fixins, potato wedges, and buffalo melt hit the spot. After we enjoyed our yummy dinner, we walked back inside the Alabama to grab our seats. The feature film, "Lil Bub & Friendz", was about the internet cat sensation-Lil' Bub and featured cameo appearances by Grumpy Cat, Keyboard Cat, and Nyan Cat (here is the trailer). While the story line didn't really have much depth, Lil' Bub was adorable and I definitely had a "star struck moment" when he graced the stage at the end of the film.

 Afterwards, we attended the after party at the Birmingham Barons Field, which was recently name the Best Ballpark in America. There was more food and drink offered and live entertainment. My favorite part was being able to sit in the stands of the ballpark while watching movie trailers and highlights on the big screen. It was definitely a night to remember and I can't wait to spend the rest of the weekend watching some amazing films right here in the Magic City!