Browsing all posts in January, 2010.

McAlister’s Deli Extends Kids Eat Free in Birmingham

McAlister’s Deli was recently named a top 10 fast-casual restaurant by Parents Magazine, and to celebrate they’ve been offering a kids eat free deal during the month of January: up to two kids eat free from the kids’ menu with the purchase of an adult meal.

Good news! The McAlister’s Deli franchise operation in the Birmingham [...]

Find: Lace Stick to Keep Shoes Tied

Shoe tying has been an annoying interruption for me ever since I had kids. From the moment they started walking it seems there have been loose laces flapping and flying and me running behind them. On more than one occasion a lace caused a trip, which caused a fall, which caused the skinned knee that brought [...]

Skincare is for Men, Too

It’s winter and that means I’m with a lot of other BirminghamMoms trying to get our husbands to internalize this message: You are no less a man if you use basic skincare products.
It amazes me that even sensitive, thoughtful men can be so unilaterally opposed to skincare of any sort. Somewhere the John Wayne decision model (If the [...]

Find: Brushpicks Improve on Floss

Having your hygienist ask whether you are flossing your teeth faithfully is a lot like when your hairdresser asks you if you’ve been trimming your own bangs. She knows the answer but she just wants you to feel the shame in responding. In the moment of truth you’re painfully aware that she’s also weilding sharp objects about your head while [...]

Pants On the Ground in Birmingham

Among the many opinions former Birmingham mayor Larry Langford used to share, one was a strong disapproval of low slung, saggy pants. Now another Larry, General Larry Platt of Atlanta’s American Idol auditions, is enjoying his own 15 minutes of fame thanks to his catchy rebuke, ”Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground…” [...]

Keep Dining Coupons Handy

I am an established discount diner, the kind that has to rifle through the coupon drawer before ordering a pizza. It’s a point of pride that I can yield my tastes to whatever is included in the buy one, get one special. So great is my determination to use these deals that my daughter at three once objected, “But mommy, I just want to eat what my [...]

Why Moms Love Chick-fil-A

Despite the recession, Chick-fil-A has continued to prosper, enjoying robust growth in sales and aggressive store expansion. I think I know why. Even without the spokescows asking us to “eat mor chikn,” Chick-fil-A has won a the approval of moms for understanding what we appreciate:
* Great service. Although the service is fast, it doesn’t feel rushed.  Courteous people ask, “How [...]

Saban has a Process and So Do I: Laundry and Kitchen

There’s a lot of talk these days about Nick Saban and his “process” for developing his team members and ultimately winning games. Well, I have a process of my own that I have found to be effective (if less profitable) in developing kids as participants in the family’s home keeping.
A few years ago I decided that I was [...]

Find: Swedish Moccasins (“Sockasins”)

I’ve heard three different moms raving about these when I’ve been out and about and they clearly rate a find for moms chasing busy feet.
You probably remember versions of these when you were a kid yourself, but apparently Hanna Andersson makes the mom-favored version for kids. Moccasins are the original footwear, and soft suede soles for [...]

Skip the Trip to NYC for Fun Accessories

Time was when you had to enlist a friend headed to New York City to grab the latest fun costume jewelry, sunglasses and accessories for a song on the streets or in Chinatown. If you went to the Big Apple, maybe a buddy gave you a $20 bill and asked you to bring back a hip item for her.
Now there’s [...]