As a writer I feel obligated to post some thought-provoking and heartfelt prose about what it meant to participate in the Women's March Alabama in Birmingham yesterday. But I'm honestly at a loss for words.

Eunice Elliott at the 2015 See Jane Write Bloganista Mini-Con

I felt guilty for feeling so inspired.

When Eunice Elliott took the podium at the recent Birmingham Youth Talk, her aim was to motivate and encourage the dozens of teenagers who had gathered to share personal stories and innovative ideas at this inaugural TED-inspired event.

But minutes into Eunice's talk, I, the 35-year-old teacher who was in attendance to support two of her students who also spoke at the event, was hurriedly tapping out words of wisdom on the notes app of my phone. Eunice was dropping so much knowledge, sharing so many gems, that I had to preserve them somehow.

Image by Mary Fehr of www.mfehrphotography.com.

Social media may have saved Mary-Berkley Gaines’s life. About four years ago, she was at low point in her life.

“I wasn’t in college anymore and was trying to decide what I wanted to do next,” she says. “I didn’t feel confident with my body because I gained a lot of weight in college. I also was depressed.”

Then one day she was on Instagram and stumbled upon the account of plus-size model Tess Holliday (formerly known as Tess Munster).  “I saw someone who was a true plus-size woman like me—not a size 12,  but an actual size 22 woman,” Gaines says. “Seeing her doing photo shoots and being really fierce and owning all of it and not being apologetic at all about her body—that was when I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of.”

Gaines knew she wanted to be a part of the body positive movement, which encourages the acceptance of all bodies, regardless of shape, size, color, ability, etc. “Everyone is worthy of love, success, and respect no matter who they are and what they look like,” Gaines says when asked to explain what the body positive movement is all about. She soon began reading the body positive blog The Militant Baker by Jes Baker and the body positive magazine VOLUP2, which was created by plus-size supermodel Velvet d’Amour. “This idea that there is no right or wrong way to have a body—that way of thinking changed my life,” Gaines says. “It saved my life, to be honest. I was in a downward spiral of depression and I wasn’t being nice to myself. And finding that started to get me to the point where I wanted to be nice to myself. I noticed I was exercising more and eating better and starting to work toward solving my anxiety and depression problems instead of just covering them up.”

Today Gaines is the founder of the Beautiful Bodies of Birmingham Project, the Magic City’s own body positive movement. As the website, BeautifulBodiesofBham.com, explains, the goal of the project is “to inspire people to see themselves and others in a new way.” By sharing personal stories and intimate photographs that celebrate bodies of all shapes, sizes, and colors, Gaines hopes that the site, which launched in November 2015, will be a safe place for people to get the support and education they need to foster better self-esteem and improved body image.

Read the entire story at B-Metro.com.

Having fun with the B-Metro blog team!

Disclosure: I received monetary compensation from B-Metro magazine for covering the Michelson Laser Vision open house event, but all opinions are my own. 



I often find inspiration in the most unlikely of places. 

About a week ago I covered the grand opening of Michelson Laser Vision's new facility for B-Metro magazine. 

My eyesight is pretty good right now, so I hardly need vision correction surgery, but I left that event seeing more clearly nonetheless. 

Learning more about Dr. Marc Michelson made we want to be the best at what I do. 

Dr. Marc Michelson with his assistant Maragaret

Dr. Marc Michelson has been the recipient of the "Best Doctors in America" award for 15 consecutive years. He performed the first myopic vision correction procedure in Alabama (photorefractive keratoplasty or PRK) in 1991. Dr. Michelson is recognized as a leader in the field of refractive surgery and has been ranked in the top 1 percent of refractive surgeons in the country. 

As I build my blog coaching business I want to be counted as one of the best coaches in the country. 

Dr. Michelson has the only WaveLight EX500 Excimer in the state of Alabama. This platform is the fastest excimer approved by the FDA in the United States.

As I build See Jane Write and seek to make it a national network I want people to say it is the best network in the country for female writers, bloggers, and entrepreneurs. I want the programs of See Jane Write to be cutting edge! 

And just like Dr. Michelson I want to help people see things differently. 

Lance Taylor of WJOX 94.5 FM with Dr. Michelson

At the open house event I had a chance to chat with Lance Taylor of WJOX 94.5 FM who had LASIK surgery at Michelson Laser Vision 12 years ago and has had 20/15 vision ever since! Taylor describe the change as going from a regular to HD television. 

I want to help people see themselves and their writing, blogging and business dreams in high definition. I want to give them confidence and clarity. 

Perhaps the best treat of the night was chatting with Dr. Robert Morris, president of the Helen Keller Foundation, who Dr. Michelson a copy of a collection of Helen Keller quotes that he helped publish. 

As someone who loves quotes, I wanted Dr. Morris to share some of his favorite Keller quotes with me. 

Here's one that stuck with me for the rest of the night and probably will be with me for the rest of my life:

I left the event knowing that more than anything I want my business to create joy. 


Do you need vision correction surgery? Mention B-Metro and get the following deal at Michelson Laser Vision:

LASIK/ PRK- $2000 per eye instead of $2500 per eye

12 Months Follow up Care with Doctor

Enhancements - $300 per eye during post op period, if needed

How would  you behave if you were the best in the world at what you do? 

This is a question business expert Marie Forleo once asked and it's a question I ask myself often.

On Thursday, May 21 I'll be on the B-Metro social media broadcast team covering an event celebrating one of the best doctors in the world. 

Michelson Laser Vision is moving to a new location at UAB Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue South, Suite 501. Join me Thursday at 5:30 p.m. for a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house. There will be complimentary appetizers and drinks, live entertainment, and a chance to win door prizes. Free valet parking will also be available. 

Dr. Marc Michelson has bee the recipient of the "Best Doctors in America" award for 15 consecutive years. He performed the first myopic vision correction procedure in Alabama (photorefractive keratoplasty or PRK) in 1991. Dr. Michelson is recognized as a leader in the field of refractive surgery and has been ranked in the top 1 percent of refractive surgeons in the country. Dr. Michelson has the only WaveLight EX500 Excimer in the state of Alabama. This platform is the fastest excimer approved by the FDA in the United States. 

Bladeless LASIK Eye Surgery is the most common type of vision correction surgery performed at Michelson Laser Vision to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

Dr. Michelson is also Associate Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Medicine.


Learn more at MichelsonLaserVision.com. 




Disclosure: I am receiving monetary compensation from B-Metro magazine for my time, but 

all opinions are my own. 

When Resolute Running clients achieve their personal best time during a big race they pin their bibs to this wall at the fitness center. This year I'm determined to see my name on the PR wall!

Yesterday I ran 9 miles and afterward actually didn't feel as if I'd been hit by a car. And I really do know how that feels, but that's another story for another day. For a little over a month I've been following a training plan developed by Coach Ann Thomas of Resolute Running Center. Yesterday's run was a strong indication that Coach Ann's plan is actually working. 

Sure, I've run more than 9 miles before. I've completed two half marathons. But each time I pounded the pavement for those 13.1 miles I felt terrible by the time I crossed the finish line.

My hope is that after my next big race I'll be able to enjoy a celebratory brunch with my hubby (who's always waiting for me at the finish line) instead of just collapsing in his car.  

When Coach Ann gave me my first running plan I was confused. You see when it comes to running I am definitely the tortoise, not the hare. I'm so slow that sometimes I feel like I shouldn't even call what I do running; it's more like jogging or better yet slogging. 

So imagine my surprise when Coach Ann told me she wanted me to run slower! In fact, she wanted me to run at a pace that's even slower than my walking pace! 

We need your body to make certain physiological changes that only occur when you are running at about 65-79% of max heart rate," Coach Ann said when I asked her why she wants me to run slower even though I'm already slow as molasses. "Running slower (sometimes, substantially slower) than race pace elicits this response.  Muscle cells increase in number, size, and distribution of mitochondria.   Your body also builds more capillaries in the exercising muscles which distribute more blood, meaning more oxygen.  Both of these changes enable the muscle to fire efficiently, so you can run farther and faster with less effort." 

Coach Ann constantly says to me and other clients that she's not just training us so we can run a race this year. She's training us so that we will be able to continue to run 10, 20, even 30 years from now. 

"Runners often think that if 5 miles is good, then 10 is better, and that if running at a 9min pace is good, than 8min pace is better; this is not necessarily true," Coach Ann said. "Increasing mileage too quickly greatly increases the risk of injury.  High mileage can yield great results, but the increase needs to be done slowly and with care.  Running all of your runs at race pace just burns out your legs.  For best results, you need a variety of paces, including slow runs to achieve the cellular adaptations and speedwork to increase VO2 max (a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen that an athlete can use)."

If you're a runner in the Birmingham area looking for a coach to help you train for next big race (and a running lifestyle), visit ResoluteRunning.com to find the right trainer for you. 

Anyone who knows me well knows I love TED Talks. I show TED Talks to my students at the Alabama School of Fine Arts. When I'm in a long line at the pharmacy I open up the TED app on my phone to see what new talks have been posted online. And last year when I had the opportunity to attend TEDxBirmingham 2014 I was as giddy as a kid on Christmas Day. I literally skipped from the car to the front door of the Alys Stephens Center where the event was held. It would be my first time attending a live TED event. The theme was "Rediscover the Magic "and that I did. I left inspired with a new love for my city, a renewed determination to make it better, and an even greater passion for TED.

Things were different this year. TEDxBirmingham 2015 was just as fantastic, perhaps even better. But this year I felt the giddy girl of last year's event being asked to grow up. She was being asked to move a mountain.

"Move Mountains" -- that was this year's theme and it was quite apropos. The topics broached this year were as heavy as looming rust-stained rock of iron ore that we in Birmingham call Red Mountain. Human trafficking, our country's broken health care system, and environmental degradation are just a few of the issues this year's 12 speakers forced us to face.

When Sunny Slaughter's 7-year-old daughter was raped years ago by her own husband, Slaughter was filled with a rage that no one would have blamed her for acting on. But she used that fire to fuel the work she does today working as an activist working to end human trafficking. Slaughter hit us with the statistics of the the number of girls sold not just in other countries, but also in America and even Alabama.

In closing, she said, "I'm not trying to shock you. I'm trying to scare the hell out of you."

But how are we to move a mountain when the sight of it shakes us to our core?

The speakers covered that, too.

"Fear is great soil for growth," Tracey Abbott said during her talk. "The purpose of life is not to be comfortable but to grow."And despite her fear, Abbott recently quit her corporate job to found Culture Relay, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering high school girls through cross-cultural exchanges.

So feel the fear and face that mountain anyway. And here's how you can move it:

Shift the way you see that mountain. Be willing to look at everything in a new way. You make think that our country's obsession with sports will lead to its demise. But Andy Billings, professor of sports media at the University of Alabama, is using sports to delve into issues of race, gender, and more. Yes, it's true that very few Olympic swimmers are black, but why is that? Are black people just not good at swimming or could it be that blacks once had little to no access to public swimming pools and thus black parents were hesitant to encourage their children to learn to swim knowing they couldn't help them do so? And what kind of important conversations about gender can we have simply by looking at how women are portrayed on the covers of Sports Illustrated magazine?


Be willing to be radical. When Venkata Macha was only a sophomore in high school he asked a radical question: "Why isn't there a urine test to help detect cancer?" Then he did something even more outrageous -- he emailed renowned researchers all over the country asking them the same question. The result: he spent the summer before his junior year working in a lab of a Harvard University professor doing research to develop a bioelectronic chip for immediate, non-evasive cancer detection. "Radical approaches could have extraordinary results," Vekata said.

Your radical idea may be to tunnel through your mountain. If so, just dig and keep digging. While chipping your way through you will be discouraged. But so many speakers urged attendees to see failure only as a detour, not a dead end.

Or maybe you'll decide that moving the mountain isn't the best way to get to the other side.

"Sometimes it's more efficient to climb the mountain than to move it," civil rights activist and advertising executive Shelley Stewart said during his talk.

Strap on your boots and let's do this.

Kent Stewart is climbing mountains literally. He is on a quest to hike the Seven Summits -- the highest peaks on each of the world's continents. He only has one, Mount Everest, left to summit.

"What's your Everest?" he asked the crowd.

To become the first woman to qualify for the finals of American Ninja Warrior Kacy Catanzaro didn't have to climb an actual mountain, but she did have to scale a 14-foot warped wall and she had to ignore all the voices that said she couldn't do it.

Remember that moving this mountain isn't all about you. Kent Stewart can't climb Mt. Everest without a team of people supporting him. You need a team to climb your mountain, too.

And ask yourself why you want to get to the other side of your mountain in the first place. Shelley Stewart urged us to be mindful of our reasons, relationships, and reputation.

"What's the reason you really want to overcome this obstacle?" he asked. "If your motive is right your goal is more likely to be accomplished. Relationships are important, he said, because "you can't effect change by yourself."

And you shouldn't do it simply for yourself.

You have the power to change someone's life simply by clearing the mountain in your path -- whether you climb it, tunnel through it, or blast it to bits, you will change the life of another person.

A rising tide lifts all boats.

On Thursday evening the Birmingham Business Journal celebrated its 2015 class of Top 40 Under 40 with an awards ceremony at Iron City. I was among those honored, chosen for the work I do through See Jane Write. The evening was nothing less than fantastic.  I walked in the door and was greeted by several people I'd never met before who wanted me to know how much they loved my picture -- the one that ran with my article in the Birmingham Business Journal, the one I was once insecure about because I'd opted to wear a trendy Olivia Pope-inspired outfit instead of a traditional black or navy business suit. "Your picture was hands down the best," one fellow honoree said to me. This was a great lesson in daring to be different and daring to be myself.

A rising tide lifts all boats.

A table with my name on it and people stopping and asking to take my picture all made the night feel surreal and unreal. I tried to soak it all in. I tried to figure out what I would write in my blog post about the night ,but I just kept hearing the same thing in my head over and over:

A rising tide lifts all boats.

As each honoree received his or her reward, a video recorded the day of our photo shoot was played for the crowd. I'll be honest -- we were all dreading this moment. Seeing yourself on camera is bad enough. Seeing yourself on a larger-than-life screen while hundreds of other people look on is much, much worse. In the video we were each asked what helped our career take flight. Again, I dared to be different. My answer wasn't about a partnership or promotion. Instead I spoke about getting over my impostor syndrome and self-doubt. I talked about the importance of believing you deserve success and I declared that if I want people to take me seriously as a businesswoman I must do so first.

As the ceremony continued several women made their way over to my table to thank me for what I said in my video, to thank me for saying something they believed all women needed to hear.

Ironically, even though Thursday's ceremony was in part a celebration of me, it was also a reminder that my successes aren't about me. In fact, that's why I call my organization See Jane Write, not See Javacia Write. It's not about me. It's about empowering all Janes and all Writeous Babes; it's about empowering all women writers, bloggers, and entrepreneurs.

A rising tide lifts all boats.

An expanded version of this post appears on the See Jane Write blog. 

Last week the Birmingham Business Journal announced its Top 40 Under 40 class for 2015 and I am proud to say that I am among the young professionals chosen for this honor. What makes me even prouder and even happier is that I recently learned a group of women who have in some way been inspired by the work I do through See Jane Write teamed up to nominate me for this recognition.

This time last year I didn't even consider myself a real entrepreneur and now here I am being featured in the Birmingham Business Journal! This wouldn't have happened without the support of that group of women (or the support of my sweet husband who helps me with every See Jane Write event). But I also believe this wouldn't have happened had I not decided to change my attitude last summer.

Back in July Megan LaRussa Chenoweth's keynote address at the See Jane Write Bloganista Mini-Conference inspired me to start taking myself seriously as a businesswoman. As a result, I revamped the See Jane Write website and weekly newsletter, started working with a business coach, and started signing up for every webinar on business building that I could find.

As I state in my article for the Birmingham Business Journal, "My career as an entrepreneur started to take flight when I overcame my self-doubt. Once I started to take myself seriously as a businesswoman, other people started to as well."

For that article, each honoree was asked to answer a slew of questions and obviously not all of them could be used. If you live in Birmingham I hope you'll pick up a copy of the latest issue of Birmingham Business Journal at a local bookstore like Little Professor Book Center. But I thought it would be fun to share with my blog readers a few of my responses that weren't used in the article.

Enjoy!

What keeps you up at night? 

Ideas keep me up at night! I always have so many ideas for lessons I can teach, programs I can offer, events I can host, and things I can write to inspire my students, my clients, See Jane Write members and other women in my sphere of influence.

What's the first website you visit each morning? 

SheReadsTruth.com

What book has influenced you most in your career? 

The book that has influenced me most as an entrepreneur is Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In. It pushed me to overcome my impostor syndrome and to start believing that I am good enough and smart enough to do what I want to do.

What inspires you? 

Women inspire me more than anything on this planet. My mission in life is to empower women and girls to find their voice and share their stories. That drives nearly everything that I do.

What important lesson have you learned that has helped your career? 

I've learned to embrace and be unapologetic about my femininity and to never see it as a liability.

What's the best advice you've received? 

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Your turn! I'd love to read your answers to these questions, too! Leave them in the comments. 

Melissa Harris-Perry

People always say you should never meet your heroes. They say that when you do you will inevitably be disappointed as there's no way your role models will live up to your expectations. They will almost always fall from that pedestal on which you've placed them.

Monday night I met one of my heroes. Melissa Harris-Perry of MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry Show visited Birmingham to give a talk she called "Crashing Into Michael Brown" through which she discussed race-related issues of the past decade while tying them to the legacy of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The talk, held at the Alys Stephens Center, was in celebration Black History Month and part of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's lecture series.

Harris-Perry didn't simply live up to my expectations; she surpassed them. As we were leaving the event I told my husband, "I didn't think it  possible for me to love her more than I already did, but I do!"

Monday was also my birthday and my sweet, sweet husband pulled some strings to get us access to the VIP reception held before Harris-Perry's talk. I had the chance to have a real conversation with her, not just exchange a handshake and a smile. She actually gave me a hug and we even took a selfie!

Here's why I'm glad I met my hero Melissa Harris-Perry:

My hero reminded me to be kind. Harris-Perry greeted her fans with such gratefulness and grace. She seemed genuinely happy to see each and every one of us. And during her talk, this idea of kindness took on even deeper meaning. Harris-Perry's discussion of civil rights reminded us that there should be no separation between the fight for racial equality, gender equality and gay rights. We need them all, we need them all now, and we all need to be a part of this fight. Being kind isn't about extending a handshake and a smile. It's about making the people around you feel important and known.

My hero reminded me to be humble. Let me be honest: If I were Melissa Harris-Perry it would be hard for me to be humble. I mean, she's absolutely amazing! Not only does she have her own show but she's the author of books like Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America, she's a contributing editor for Essence magazine and she's a professor at Wake Forest. And on top of all that she's a wife and a mom and she's freaking gorgeous! But not once during her talk did Harris-Perry boast about her accomplishments. I think her sense of humility stems from the fact that she has not forgotten from whence she came. Harris-Perry started her talk by saluting the sacrifices of the men, women, and children of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. "I'm not sure what my people are made of," she said in awe recalling the courage of people like Elizabeth Eckford, the brave black girl who in 1957 tried to integrate the all white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Race is not real, Harris-Perry reminded us, but we all know that racism certainly is. And the fights against racism are often won over broken black bodies. Never forget.

My hero reminded me to be myself. I had no plans of blogging about Monday's event. I didn't take a single note during Harris-Perry's talk, which is unheard of for me. I'm the girl who will fill an entire notebook at a conference. But I just wanted to sit and soak in every word she spoke and believe me I could have listened to Harris-Perry all day. Never in my life have I seen someone speak who is so brilliant yet still so relatable. She could go from Professor Harris-Perry to Melissa from the Block in two seconds flat and I loved it!  She has the audacity to be authentic and I aspire to one day have the same.

Respectability will not save you. Harris-Perry repeated this phrase again and again Monday night and I can't get it out of my head because I must admit that there was a time when I thought that it would. I thought that if I talked a certain way and dressed a certain way and read all the right books that I would be accepted, that I would be considered good enough despite my race, my gender, or my Southern accent. But respectability will not save you. Look at President and First Lady Obama, Harris-Perry said. They have degrees from Harvard and bigots still talk about them like dogs!

So just be free, Harris-Perry said.

Just be yourself and demand that the world see you for the complex, flawed and multi-faceted person that you are.

Just be free.

My husband loves seafood. He's originally from Virginia, so he grew up eating fish, shrimp, and crab the way my fellow Alabamians and I grew up eating chicken and ribs. So I knew that during Birmingham Restaurant Week 2014 we'd try at least one seafood place. We decided to visit a restaurant we'd never tried before -- Parish Seafood and Oyster House in Trussville. 

For our starter, my husband and I shared Nikki's Low Country Crab Cake -- a huge homemade crab cake made with lump and claw, blue crab served on a bed of Creole corn and topped with zesty remoulade sauce. 

For dinner I had the Low Country Shrimp and Grits -- creamy three-cheese grits smothered with big, juicy shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes, green onion, and applewood bacon. At Parish they aren't stingy with the shrimp, making this a great pick for shellfish lovers. 

 

My husband had the Deluxe Seafood Platter because he wanted a little bit of everything -- fried catfish, fried shrimp and fried oysters, served with hushpuppies, cole slaw and fries. The shrimp, which I kept swiping from his plate, was seasoned perfectly. But hubster said the succulent catfish was "the star of the meal."

Matt Norman opened Parish Seafood and Oyster House in February of last year with a simple concept. 

"I wanted to open something simple, laid back that everyone could enjoy. I have always loved seafood and loved cooking this style of food," Norman said. "We strive to be that comfortable neighborhood restaurant and bar where friends can come to meet for a drink, enjoy our oyster bar, but you wouldn't think less of it as an option to bring your wife on a date or an anniversary."

Parish certainly has the welcoming atmosphere Norman is striving to achieve. The staff if friendly and goes above and beyond to be helpful. When my husband and I visited on a recent evening after work, the sound of soul music was soaring through the air. Enjoying the music, dinner guests were swaying in their seats and bopping their heads to the beat. 

Parish Seafood and Oyster House also serves live music on some nights. And they host a  jazz brunch on Sundays from noon to 3 p.m., featuring live jazz, $2 mimosas and $5 trips to the "Build Your Own Bloody Mary" bar.

Parish Seafood and Oyster House has a spacious covered patio that's perfect for events (when it's not 100 degrees outside).

"When we started out we were serving po'boys on deli paper and using foam cups and plastic ware," Norman said. "We moved past that. I now bring in a few hundred pounds of fresh gulf fish each week - red snapper, grouper, flounder - all butchered in house." 

Norman went on to say, "We like all kinds of food but most importantly, we love people. They, after all, are the only reason we are in this business and the only reason I am in this business. I want to make them all happy -- every last one that comes through our doors. Period."

And he means that. On the day of my and my husband's visit the temperature outside was hovering just below 100 degrees and so it was pretty hot inside the restaurant, too. Noticing sweat on the brow of some customers, Norman, who's been in the restaurant industry for 20 years, started offering free cocktails and glasses of wine to his guests. 

When asked what he thinks sets Parish apart from other local seafood restaurants, Norman's answer was simple: "Stubbornness," he said. 

"We know we are not always doing it right. We know we have room to improve. We know we aren't perfect. We are not too proud to admit it. However, we strive to be. We start over every day trying to be better." 

BRW 2014: Rusty's Bar-B-Q

Yesterday I was in the mood for a cookout. But it was so hot I felt like my skin was on fire whenever I was outside.  So sitting outside, in the sun, and near a grill was not happening. 

So I decided it would be a great day to try Rusty's Bar-B-Q for Birmingham Restaurant Week 2014. 

I'm actually not a big ribs eater, but I believe barbecue sauce should be its own food group. Rusty's has plenty of homemade sauces to choose from -- house barbecue sauce, spicy barbecue sauce, sweet, barbecue sauce, and white barbecue sauce. 

I, of course, sampled all four sauces, but the creamy white barbecue sauce was perfect with the delicious chicken dinner, which I had with cole slaw and sweet baked beans. 

Located in Leeds just up the street from the Outlet Shops of Grand River, Rusty's is the perfect place to relax and refuel after a day of shopping. 

I also had a chance to chat with Rusty himself -- Jonathan "Rusty" Tucker. 

"After graduating from Johnson & Wales University with an A.S. in Culinary Arts and a B.S. in Foodservice Management, I did the only logical thing and moved home to Birmingham to open a barbecue joint," said Tucker, who opened Rusty's Bar-B-Q in 2009.  "It was always my dream to own a restaurant; I grew up in the kitchen always experimenting with new recipes and learning from the many great cooks in my family."

Jonathan "Rusty" Tucker

What do you believe sets you apart from all the other barbecue joints in the Birmingham area?

We are a family friendly restaurant that will go above and beyond to meet our customers' needs and exceed their expectations. Most of our food is prepared from family recipes that have been handed down in my family for years. 

What things have you learned as a business owner that you think would be valuable lessons for

any entrepreneur? 

I started my business when I was 23 years old. The lessons that I have learned as a business owner are innumerable. The one that is close to heart at the moment is to make time for yourself and for your family.

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages to being located in Leeds? 

Leeds is a great community and there is a great potential for growth here. We have some great attractions to this area within just a few miles of our location - Barber Motorsports Park, Bass Pro Shops, and The Outlet Shops of Grand River are all close at hand.

Why did you choose to be part of Birmingham Restaurant Week? 

I joined Birmingham Restaurant Week three years ago. I saw it as a great opportunity to promote Rusty's Bar-B-Q and hopefully gain some new loyal customers. It is a good opportunity to showcase local restaurants in the greater Birmingham area and celebrate the talent we have in this industry.

What are your hopes for the future of Rusty's BAR-B-Q? 

To leverage what little we have to make a big difference in our community and the lives of others.

Blogging for Birmingham Restaurant Week 2014 has been great not simply because I'm getting to eat out almost every night and call it work. What I've enjoyed most is getting to know the owners of the restaurants I've been visiting. 

The dream team behind Melt (which is both a food truck and a restaurant in Avondale) consists of co-owners Paget Pizitz and Harriet Reis and head chef Joey Dickerson. 

Pizitz says that one of her goals is for her diner to be inviting and comfortable for everyone. I think she has definitely succeeded. Melt is more thank just a restaurant. It feels a bit like a home away from home because its atmosphere is so welcoming. 

First of all, the concept of Melt is perfect -- a modern twist on the classic American comfort food. "Everyone likes a grilled cheese," Pizitz says. "We also have options for those who are vegan, vegetarian and gluten free."

Eating a salad made me feel less guilty about trying Melt's delicious dessert.

That candy jar was nearly full when we sat down. But despite all the Now & Later chew in his belly,
hubster still devoured the Melt queso and his Flying Hawaiian sandwich. 

Melt is a great place to catch up with friends and it's a great choice for kids -- or those who are still a child at heart. On a recent visit my husband kept dipping into the candy-filled mason jars that sit on the tables. Despite all the Now & Later chews he ate, he was scarfing down the chips and Melt queso that we had for our starter just as quickly as I was. And he cleaned his plate when our server brought out his Flying Hawaiian -- smoked ham, habanero jack cheese, and cajun grilled pineapple on a pretzel bun. This sandwich is my husband's favorite.

Ordering from the Birmingham Restaurant Week menu, I tried for the first time the buffalo chicken sandwich, which is perfect for someone looking for a spicy twist to the grilled cheese sandwich. 

If you have a sweet tooth, you must try the Banana Stand -- Nutella, bananas, powdered sugar and clover honey on Texas toast. 

And if you're looking for good conversation to go with your good food, just have a chat with Paget Pizitz.

The Melt Team 

When you moved back to Birmingham in 2009 you knew you wanted to start a brick and mortar business, but what made you decide on a food truck? 

My business partner Harriet Reis and I knew we wanted to start a restaurant, eventually. We bounced around a couple of ideas and decided that food truck was the best way to dive in. It seemed a perfect fit for Birmingham at the time and gave us a great opportunity to meet different areas of the community. Matilda, as we fondly refer to our truck, has been on the streets about two years. 

How did you know it was time to open a restaurant? 

We knew it would be time when we found a location that spoke to us. Avondale was always appealing and when we found the old Stephens Garage space we just knew. 

How did you and Harriet decide to work together? 

This is a LONG story. In short, I would visit her at Ocean, the restaurant she opened with her ex- husband, when I was in town. I thought she was adorable and I developed an obsession.  Years later, when I moved back to Birmingham, we were reintroduced. I stalked her for about a year and forced her to open a business with me. I am probably to blame for any grey hairs she has but we work very well together and couldn't be happier. Our strengths and weakness are a perfect match. We are partners, friends and family. It's a very special relationship. Especially when we fight and make up all in the same 60 seconds.

What things have you learned as a successful restaurant owner do you think would be valuable lessons for any entrepreneur? 

I could say something cliche like "follow your dreams" but I won't. I've worked in D.C., New York City, Birmingham and Virginia and had lots of jobs I liked but they were all jobs. I always knew what I wanted to do but had a fear of making it happen. Find something that you makes you feel passion. If you are lucky enough to work for yourself, you have the best boss in the world. Harriet and I have no one to let down but ourselves. That motivates me. The people who work with us motivate me. Our guests motivate me. Helping Avondale grow and thrive motivates me. Oh, paying back loans also motivates me. 

What are your hopes for the future of Melt? 

If it was up to me, I would have three more restaurants in the next two years. Harriet might kill me in my sleep when she reads this. I just hope that we continue to grow and maintain what we have now, which is a staff of people who care about the food they make and an environment that is inviting and comfortable for everyone. 

Laney DeJonge and Clark Lopez

When Laney DeJonge and Clark Lopez opened Rojo 12 years ago, they decided to name their restaurant after the Spanish word for red not simply because they planned to offer Latin-inspired food. 

“Red is a color of love and passion,” DeJonge said. “That’s what we feel about this place and we wanted others to feel that too.”

Certainly, they seem to have succeeded. Rojo is a wildly popular bar and grill located on Highland Avenue in Birmingham and is one of the local establishments participating in Birmingham Restaurant Week 2014.

This past weekend I enjoyed dinner at Rojo and had a chat with DeJonge and Lopez. 

Because the restaurant industry is still a male-dominated one, I asked DeJonge about her experiences as a female restaurant owner.

“When I first started, I was more timid,” DeJonge said. “Telling people what to do -- that was hard for me at first.” But DeJonge said she actually had never had any negative experiences because of her gender.

“I feel like it was my own fears of telling people what to do, but now I’m not intimidated,” she said. "Plus, my business partner has always treated me as an equal. We do everything together.”

What makes Rojo stand out from other restaurants?

“We’re not just another Mexican restaurant,” Lopez said. Rojo offers both Latin and American dishes and a variety of options.  So whether you’re in the mood for a burger or a burrito, Rojo has you covered. On the menu you’ll find wings and quesadillas, Philly cheese steaks and fajitas. Rojo offers vegetarian and gluten free options too.

During my recent trip to Rojo I started the Kip’s queso – white cheese dip with chorizo and jalapenos.  For my main course I had the shrimp tacos. The folks in the kitchen were quite generous with the shrimp, which made for a filling meal, but I still made room for dessert. The chocolate pie is like a thick, soft, and chewy cookie and is now one of my favorite things on the menu. 

Beyond building a great menu, DeJonge and Lopez are striving to build a sense of community too.

“We’re a neighborhood bar and grill,” Lopez said. “We’re here for the 8,000 people within walking distance of our restaurant.”

Stroll by Rojo on a nice day and you’ll see dozens of people enjoying good food and good conversation on the restaurant’s patio.

What have you learned about Birmingham from being in the restaurant business?

“People who live in this part of the city really love Birmingham or they wouldn’t be here. They like to be around each other,” DeJonge said. "And so many things are happening. I feel like Birmingham used to take one step forward and two steps back, but now it really feels like we’re taking steps forward and we’re continuing to go forward. There’s a lot of enthusiasm. It’s infectious and I love it.”

And Rojo is striving to be part of that growth by partnering with local groups and programs such as Sidewalk Film Festival and Hand In Paw and by hosting fundraisers for local charities and art shows.

What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs?

“Be patient,” Lopez said.

DeJonge agreed.

“You can’t expect it to just immediately be successful,” she said. “You have to build it up and that takes time. “

And time has been good to Rojo.