B-metro - The magazine of metro Birmingham living

It is just a painting on a wall, but it became a touchstone for the renaissance of a once-neglected neighborhood.

Violins of the Holocaust Serenade with Hope, Resilience of the Human Spirit Written by Karim Shamsi-Basha Sallie Downs remembers when a friend first sent her the link. It was a video of a remarkable concert featuring violins that had survived the Holocaust, as part of a program called Violins of Hope. “It touched me,” Downs… Read More

Inspired by the perfect lot and a hint of whimsy, a dream home is built.

After Doug Jones won the special election in December to represent Alabama as its new U.S. Senator, it was widely reported that one constituency in particular had played a major role in pushing him over the finish line: African-American women. Noting that a full 98 percent of Alabama’s black women voters cast their ballots for Jones, the New York Times put together a short video to show the faces behind the statistic. One of these was 25-year-old Courtney Howard.

By Max Rykov

Every year in February, in elementary school classrooms around the country, countless children make Valentine’s cards for kids they really don’t care for, and often for kids they pity. It’s a lovely practice, and every kid feels special for a day.

When Ryan and Lauren Daniel moved into their Vestavia Hills home in 2010, they were delighted with the location in this leafy subdivision off Rocky Ridge Road. From the start, though, they were already making plans to update the home to create a brighter, more contemporary aesthetic. The sticking point was the main downstairs living… Read More

Ringing in 2018. By Max Rykov Oh, Birmingham, Alabama! The Pittsburgh of the South. The Johannesburg of Jefferson County. The Atlanta of the Greater Birmingham Metropolitan Area. Our city has gotten quite a lot of attention as of late-—for our thriving culinary scene, for our extravagant attempts to lure Amazon here, and for being the… Read More

A One on One Conversation with Chase Russell It started with a new camera Chase Russell got for Christmas one year. Already a Disney aficionado, visiting almost every year with his family as a kid, he fell in love with the parks all over again through photography. “By taking pictures, I realized how much attention to… Read More

Artists will create works of art in the blink of an eye during the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center’s 33rd annual ArtBLINK Gala 2018 at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, inside The Kirklin Clinic (2000 6th Ave. S.). Birmingham’s local artists will work with a variety of media to create art in 90 minutes that can be… Read More

Produced by Brett Levine Food styling by Lily Plauch´e Photography by Alison Miksch Few dishes say winter warmth more than savory pies, and these three recipes can bring the flavors of the season to your table. For a handheld wonder, try some beef empanadas with chimichurri. Frozen pastry dough makes these easy to prepare, and the combination of… Read More

What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up—like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore—And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over—like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags—like a heavy load. Or does it explode?  “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, 1951 Written by Cody Owens; Photography… Read More