acnatta/Flickr

We headed over to Homewood’s Central Park early this morning (approximately 7 a.m.) to get this photo - probably one of the last of the skate park ramps before they were disassembled today (al.com video) following last night’s vote by the city’s Parks and Recreation Board to take them down because of increased issues.

What do you think?

Soprano Diane McNaron’s Kurt Weill Retrospective, not heard in Birmingham in nearly a decade, will be presented with New York pianist Thomas Bagwell. Bagwell, a Birmingham native who has not appeared here in fifteen years, will open the program with the rare and atmospheric Berg Piano Sonata. These two consummate performers will then take the audience on a musical odyssey through the controversial lives and the turbulent times of Berlin/American composer Kurt Weill and the woman he married twice, the chanteuse Lotte Lenya.

Featuring songs from Threepenny Opera, Happy End, The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, little known and expressive art songs and Broadway hits.

Cost: $15 (table seating, by reservation only) BYOB Click here to buy tickets through Paypal. You may also purchase row seating (walk-in only) for $8 or email dianemcnaron@aol.com or call 205.838.1391 to make other arrangements.

Location:
Unitarian Universalist Church
4300 Hampton Heights Drive (directions)

This event will also serve as the open house for the new Green Resource Center for Alabama. Participating restaurants and merchants in downtown Homewood will provide great specials and discounts on food, drink and “green” products as they and the resource center help metro Birmingham and the state of Alabama “Go Green!”

Click here to view the flier on their website.

Cost: Free

Location:
throughout downtown Homewood &
Green Resource Center
2564 18th Street South, Homewood (directions)

Buy, sell or trade photographic equipment and at the annual photo flea market sale, held after the monthly meeting of the Shades Valley Camera Club. Bring your check book, equipment for sell/trade, and a shopping list of items you specifically need - you just may find them at the event! Due to space limitations, if you have large items for sale, please bring pictures and a price list.

Cost: $0

Location:
Homewood Public Library
1721 Oxmoor Road (directions)

Here’s an invite to come by and taste the holiday drinks and tastes Starbucks has to offer this season — eggnog latte, gingerbread latte, peppermint mocha and more. Best part, it’s free. We like free and think free Krispy Kreme donut day and free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream day should be national holidays. Don’t worry … we’ll let you know when those events are too.

I’ve been at the Birmingham Diversity Summit for most of the morning, so imagine my surprise when I learned that the Lasers Edge has announced that it’s closing its doors by the end of the year. The Birmingham News breaking news blog has more information about this shock to our local business community.

While we’d normally encourage you to visit their website for more information, but I’m going to lean towards insisting that you go down to the store in downtown Homewood and thank them for what they’ve meant to the local music scene.

According to the News’ post, the store will remain open until 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays but will begin opening at 11 a.m. instead of 10 a.m.

October will be over soon so now is the time to take advantage of this Oktoberfest Celebration. For $10, you’ll get a taste of the newest imports and microbrews available in the state. And you’ll be helping United Way/Birmingham Community Food Bank. So it’s win-win.

Location:

SoHo Square is located in downtown Homewood.

Cost: $10; Tickets on sale the day of the event.