Look | Lease | Party on the Porch Starts Now
There’s nothing better than coming home to a beautiful porch or patio — relaxing, entertaining or enjoying the morning’s first cup of coffee. Large porches and patios are a tremendous asset to our residents here at The Retreat at Mountain Brook, so much so, that our team thought the time was right to feature our personal outdoor living spaces by offering a patio furniture incentive for prospective residents and we’re calling it Look| Lease | Party on the Porch. (We’re all about a party, you know!) And, who better to partner with for Party on the Porch than Wayfair, one of the world’s largest online destinations for furniture and home accessories? Here’s how Look | Lease | Party works: Drop by or schedule a time to visit The Retreat at Mountain Brook. Let one of our friendly team-members take you on a personal tour of our re-imagined community, complete with 2-state of the art fitness centers, beautifully designed resident club houses, and meticulously kept grounds. Take a look at one of our 3-featured floor plans, The Brookshire, The Marlowe, or The Winsford, lease within 48 hours and choose your new patio furniture from Wayfair, with an average retail value of $1400. Now, more about our featured floorplans…both The Brookshire, a three-bedroom, 2.5 bath townhome with 1,900 square feet of spacious accommodations and The Winsford, a 1,400 square foot three-bedroom, two bath-flat with den, are located in In Highland Village, bordered by evergreens, pine trees, and oak leaf hydrangeas. Nestled in Canterbury Village, with its backdrop of pines, and flanked by The Retreat at Mountain Brook Community Garden and championship-modeled tennis courts, you will find, The Marlowe, an 1,893 square foot floor plan featuring two bedrooms, two baths and den. As with all The Retreat at Mountain Brook apartment homes, large luxurious closets are a welcomed standard. In addition to our exciting “Party on the Patio” giveaway, new residents will most certainly appreciate The Retreat’s other outdoor amenities including three saltwater pools, a poolside outdoor kitchen, grilling stations with a dining area, championship-level tennis courts, the Bark Park and our colorful community garden. And remember, if you want to select your Wayfair patio furniture right away, it’s easy. Simply schedule a tour with our friendly, knowledgeable Leasing Team and lease within 48 hours. Then make your personal selection from one of the three fabulous Wayfair patio designs offered. There’s something for everyone here at The Retreat at Mountain Brook. Call (205) 956-9722 to schedule your tour today and see for yourself all the amazing amenities that our apartment community offers.
Must-Haves for a Birmingham – Mountain Brook Summer
Summer has arrived and the pools and grills at the Retreat at Mountain Brook are ready for you, and our Idea Specialists© have curated a list of the hottest items for summer fun! This must-have list is compiled with pool, party and outdoor accessories for adults and children that will heighten your next outdoor experience! For The Lounger: The ultimate lounging float equipped with arm rests and drink holders. Comfortable meets pool fashion with the Kelsyus Chaiser. Amazon Prime offers a deal for this perfect pool lounger at $33.99. For The Poolside: Do you have a family member or friend who’s solely about soaking up the sun? We have found the most versatile lounger this summer. The Cillbo Don Poolio, serves many purposes; beach bed, inflatable mattress, campsite lounge and more. This easy-to-use inflatable requires no pump – instead, it only takes a gulp of wind as you swing it through the air to fill the mattress with air. Instantly. It’s easy to carry to the pool because it comes with a matching carry bag with a shoulder strap. A versatile accessory the whole family will enjoy, only $59.99. For The Ice Cold Group: It doesn’t take long in the Birmingham heat to become dehydrated. Keep an ice cold beverage near you at all times with this incredible design, Float-a-Bout-Cooler. This cooler has three personal drink holders with a raised cooler in the center – also comes with a built-in carrying bag. On sale now for $53.82 For The Busy Child: Sometimes taking your children to the pool is not enough to occupy them after a few hours pass. Louie Lobster Claw Catcher is your savior, affordable at $11.95. This toy will occupy you kids and their friends! Squeeze the handle on Louie Lobster to grab the fishy run-aways in the pool! A fun game to suit young children! For The Girly Girl: What little girl doesn’t dream of transforming into a mermaid once emerging into water? We have found a toy that works across the board – fits girls, boys and adults. The Fin Fun Mermaid Tails, the best-selling and highest reviewed swimmable mermaid tails on Amazon. This mermaid accessory comes in a variety of colors as sizes! For The Outdoorsy: Treepod Cabana released their adult version of the popular child sized cabana. The Treepod is a mesh-sided and portable shelter available in various colors and sizes. Turn your outdoor view into a luxury with this hanging seat on your porch, camping spot or backyard. For The Grill Guru: The Weber 6492 Original Instant Read Themometer, has an easy-to-read digital dispkay and roataitng swivel head. It’s perfect for summer barbeques and gatherings. No more guest-imating with this sleek grill device! For The Event Expert: Summer parties are all about accessories and aesthetic. Keep you party classy with this chic glass pitcher. Libbey Acapulco Glass Pitcher is budget-friendly and has a timeless design. This 89-ounce vessel will keep your event going – not to mention it’s just $12.99. These affordable and long-lasting items will spice up your summer fun! Don’t forget our pool, garden, grills and tennis courts are perfect places to lounge around. Tag us on social media using #RetreatProud at your next outdoor venture.
Summer Cool Off Concoctions
Summer is almost in full swing and we’re thirsty for fabulous frozen cocktails that can wet our whistle and cool us off! If you are hosting a patio or balcony party at your very own apartment oasis at The Retreat at Mountain Brook, try our number one classic cocktail recipe of all time—the Frozen Margarita! Rub the rim of 4 margarita glasses with lime; dip in coarse salt. In a blender, combine 1 cup tequila, 2/3 cup fresh lime juice, 1/3 cup orange-flavored liqueur (Grand Marnier is a favorite), and 2 teaspoons superfine sugar along with one cup ice. Blend well, then pour into the glasses. Garnish with lime wheel. And, if you want to mingle with your guests rather than behind the blender, don’t blow out your flip flops! Take advice from The Yummy Life for make ahead margaritas. Simply pour blended margaritas into 1/2 pint (1 cup) mason jars (available at Walmart), screw on the lids and freeze. To serve, remove from freezer and immediately dip it in salt (while the margarita is still solid and won’t come out of the inverted jar). Use a fork to break up and stir the semi–frozen margaritas into a slushy consistency. Want to get out and about for your taste of summer fun? The Idea Specialists© at the Retreat love the recent article from the always on trend StyleBlueprint that lists eight great places in Birmingham to get your frozen cocktail groove on this summer. Several locations are just minutes from The Retreat which makes summer just that much better! Our favorite frozen concoctions that we think would “help us hold on” include the Negroni Popsicle from The Atomic Bar & Lounge, the Orange Dreamsicle Daiquiri from The Rougaroux in Forest Park, or the Mango Tango from Mom’s Basement in Avondale. So, plan to beat the heat with whatever suits your fancy this summer, whether it’s an adult beverage of your liking or some good old fashioned Milo’s sweet tea!
Summer Fun — Take It Outside Birmingham
The Retreat at Mountain Brook is ideally positioned for residents who want to enjoy the outdoors and all the fun that summer in the South offers nearby including a wide variety of parks, nature trails, and everyone’s favorite summer sport—baseball. Just down the road from The Retreat, you’ll find the Flora Johnston Nature Trail a 2.2 loop that offers easy to moderate hiking and trail running. For other wildlife activities, you can visit, hike, explore and volunteer at Ruffner Mountain, a 1,040 acre urban nature preserve in the heart of Birmingham, Alabama providing science and nature education programming, 14 miles of trails, and a protected area for thousands of species of native flora and fauna. Also, each Tuesday in June from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. the organization is hosting a Habitat Garden work day for those who enjoy gardening activities. And, dogs are allowed on leash at both the Flora Johnston Trail and Ruffner Mountain trails. For those who appreciate viewing beautifully planted and maintained gardens, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens are a few miles from The Retreat and open daily 365 days a year. Right now, daylilies, roses and hydrangeas are in their peak season according to the website. A bit further in the heart of downtown Birmingham lies the Parkside District, a mixed-use development that includes living spaces, restaurants, and two of Birmingham’s crown jewels, Railroad Park and Regions Field, home to the Birmingham Barons. The Birmingham Barons are a Minor League Baseball team based in Birmingham, playing in the Southern League, as a Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Home games are held at Regions Field, a state-of-the-art 8,500 seat facility in downtown Birmingham which opened its doors in April 2013. Come and enjoy any of the 45 home games left during the June to September season. The ballpark features a variety of unique seating areas that offer an intimate atmosphere and unique views of the downtown skyline, UAB, Children’s Hospital, Vulcan and Red Mountain. Each home game features a different promotion such as “Thirsty Thursdays” featuring beverages for just $2, fireworks night, dollar hot dogs, and Family Sundays just to name a few. Individual game tickets can be purchased here. Meanwhile just across the street a variety of free activities take place at Railroad Park, so named for its proximity to the Norfolk Southern and CSX rail lines that run through downtown Birmingham. The 19-acre green space lies along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets in the Parkside District. Each week at 6 p.m. a free fitness class is offered. Get Healthy on the Railroad is an eight-month (March through October) exercise program offering a variety of exercise classes every weekday at 6:00 p.m. Classes include: Monday, Hip Hop Cardio®; Tuesday, Bootcamp; Wednesday, Zumba; Thursday, Yoga and Family Fun Friday. Also, Tuesdays at 8 a.m., a Senior Fit a weekly exercise class focusing on strength, balance, endurance, and flexibility is offered. It’s a great way to stay healthy and meet new people, all while having some fun too. And if all that exercise has you thinking of better managing your eating choices, you can join the Get Healthy on the Railroad Cooking Classes, on the first Sunday of every month through September. These healthy nutrition classes are FREE to attend and led by area non-profits from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. on the Regions Bank 17th Street Plaza. Also, this June for those adventurous types who enjoy it, the park will host a family camp out night June 22. Tickets are $29 and can be ordered here. The camp is offered to families with children only, and campers will enjoy activities such as arts and crafts, a scavenger hunt, giant lawn games, camp games, and more. Also, healthy snacks, delectable dinner options, and a nourishing breakfast will be provided by Publix Supermarkets and a build‐your‐own trail mix bar will be offered. Finally, to cool your whistle or grab a bite to eat anytime, you’ll find Good People Brewing located nearby at 114 14th Street. Another brewpub, Monday Night Brewing, is scheduled to open later in 2019. So, plan to visit these amazing places this summer that assist Birmingham in staying true to its nickname, The Magic City. There is great summer fun to be had at many locations near The Retreat at Mountain Brook!
Amenities Abound at The Retreat at Mountain Brook
May is an exciting time of year and a busy one. Finally, the days are mostly sunny and at The Retreat at Mountain Brook, that means it’s time to enjoy the alluring mix of amenities that we offer for outdoor (or indoor) enjoyment! Our community residents can choose relaxing, entertaining or fitness-focused activities thanks to the wide variety of options that The Retreat offers. For tennis players, we have two championship-modeled tennis courts that are perfect for a game of doubles or for simply learning how to swing a racquet. Or, tennis aficionados can relax in one of our two WIFI-equipped clubhouse resident lounges and watch the French Open held in Paris, France beginning May 20 at the Roland Garros Stadium. Of course, with the warmer weather comes the opportunity for outdoor entertaining. That’s why we offer a poolside outdoor kitchen, grilling spaces and a dining terrace. Grilling enthusiasts may want to try out Master Chef Bobby Flay’s recipe for amazingly tender grilled chicken skewers that are a great, easy menu option when entertaining a group of family and friends. But perhaps nothing symbolizes the start of summer like a splash in the swimming pool. The Retreat offers not one but three resort-style saltwater pools to enjoy. Relax poolside and soak up a few rays. Just don’t forget the sunscreen! And it’s not just humans that enjoy being outside. The Retreat realizes how important pets are, so the community also features a 6,500 sq. ft leash free pet park. And, the community is located adjacent to the Flora Johnston Nature Trail, giving residents and their pets even more possibilities for recharging in the rolling, forested hills. Finally, The Retreat offers a relaxing community garden featuring local flowers and herbs. Residents with a green or even a brown thumb are invited to enjoy planting and cultivating their own veggies, herbs, or flowers in the garden. According to Southern Living’s monthly garden planting calendar, May is a great time to plant lima beans, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, sweet potatoes, and watermelon. Of course, residents can get a head start by visiting local garden shops for a wide selection of ready to plant offerings. Nearby shops include Oak Street Garden Shop, Charlie Thigpen’s Garden Gallery and Leaf n’ Petal which has several locations nearby. And of course, no amenity package would be complete without a great fitness studio. The Retreat features two in fact, with free weights, treadmills, elliptical, spinning bikes, recumbent bikes, and weight machines. Fitness Studios also offer free space for yoga and other work-out options. So, pull out your racquet, lace up your shoes, or toss on a swim suit and come enjoy all that The Retreat has to offer in terms of amenities. Want to see them for yourself? Call us at (205) 956-9722 to schedule your personal tour with one of our friendly leasing center team members.
Are You Ready for Do Dah Day?
The Retreat at Mountain Brook is especially proud of our pet-friendly policy and our Pet Park allowing our residents to enjoy the benefits of their community. And since May is National Pet Month we are excited to highlight one of the most unique pet festivals anywhere—Do Dah Day coming up May 18 in Birmingham’s Historic Rhodes Park, a 12 minute drive from The Retreat. Bring your pet and plan to enjoy a marvelous day! Do Dah Day focuses on pets of all shapes and sizes and culminates in a parade for walkers on foot, cars, floats, marching bands, and of course pets of all kinds. Each year Do Dah Day Royalty is crowned and anyone with a pet can enter! A Do Dah Day King and Queen (of the furry kind) are selected and featured on the Do Dah Day website. The Do Dah Day Parade appreciates entrants of all kinds and according to their website, this can include marching bands, briefcase drill teams, synchronized dancers, mimes, clowns, decorated cars and creative floats! Or, anyone that wants to walk in the parade with their animal, with a dictate to be festive. Registration begins at 9:01 a.m. the day of the Parade. Click here for more information on how to register. Regardless of whether you are participating or watching the parade, be sure to bring the whole family because there are cool activities for kids including face painting, hair weaving, craft making with the McWane Science Center folks, basketball, live music, and even bungee jumping! And if you enjoy live music, you will find a robust line up of bands in both Caldwell and Rhodes Park throughout the day until the event ends at 6:01 p.m. The Birmingham Pipers will kick off the event in both parks to start Do Dah Day. There is also a wide variety of food and beverage for purchase. A sampling of those includes: Sweet Parad-ICE, Allen’s SNOBIZ, Nanny’s Old Fashioned Lemonade, Domino’s Pizza, City Bowls, Ray Ray’s BBQ, Cantina on Wheels, Joe’s World Famous Wood Fired Pizza, and The Cuban Café to name a few. The festival began in 1979 when a small group of friends got together and decided to have a party — and Do Dah Day was born. As the 100% volunteer-run event has evolved, it has become a fundraiser with the focus on supporting local animal charities, raising more than $1.5 million since 1992 for Jefferson County animal shelters. So grab your pet, borrow a pet, or there is still time to adopt a pet, and plan to come enjoy one of Birmingham’s best springtime events, Do Dah Day, celebrating more than 40 years. We look forward to seeing you there!
May is National Pet Month!
The Retreat at Mountain Brook is especially proud of our pet-friendly policies and Pet Park which provides a leash-free environment for residents with furry family members to enjoy. And since May is National Pet Month, we thought we’d highlight some of the reasons National Pet Month is observed. It is to: • Promote the benefits of pet ownership • Support pet adoption • Make people aware of the benefits of pets for people and people for pets • Increase public awareness of services available from professionals who work with animals • Raise awareness of the role, value and contribution to society of working companion animals The Retreat at Mountain Brook understands the importance of giving residents and other community members places to spend quality playtime with their pets and to socialize with each other, says Lauren Turner, community manager. Our Pet Park is 6,500 square foot dog-park that includes obstacle-course-style activity stations called The King of the Hill and Over Rover. Residents of The Retreat and nearby Mountain Brook and Eastwood neighborhoods are welcome to visit with their furry companions. Studies have shown spending time with pets, particularly dogs, can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. The American Heart Association has linked pet ownership with a reduced risk for heart disease. If you are interested in reducing stress in your life, you may want to consider adopting a pet. Below are several local nonprofit organizations that can help. Cat lovers can visit Kitty Kat Haven, an organization whose missions is to save abandoned, stray and injured cats and kittens. Right now, Stevie 2 (pictured below) is weaning kittens and will be available for adoption in June. Animals of all sorts can be adopted through the Greater Birmingham Humane Society, founded in 1883. The organization’s mission is “to promote respect for life through education and prevention of cruelty to animals and people. In addition to placing dogs and cats of all ages, the nonprofit has also been known to place rabbits, birds, and even amphibians for adoption. Another organization that helps pets find their perfect human is the Alabama Animal Adoption Society, offering a wide variety of dogs and cats for adoption. If you hurry, you may be able to adopt Butterball, an American Staffordshire Terrier – Boxer who is described as being house trained! Also coming up in May is the grandest and oldest pet festival and celebration, Birmingham’s own Do Dah Day held this year on May 18. Check our blog next week for all things Do Dah Day!
Things That Make Birmingham Magic – April’s Magic City Art Connection
One of Birmingham’s most popular events is coming up—the Magic City Art Connection, now in its 36th year. The annual festival is always held during the last weekend in April at Birmingham’s Linn Park downtown. The event takes place Friday—Sunday when the park is transformed into a fresh and vibrant artistic hotspot and a juried art event awards prizes in a number of categories. Featured during the festival will be more than 200 locally and nationally known artists, music, dance, kids’ art experiences, sculpture installations, food, special tastings and more. Something for everyone—especially Kids The beauty of the Magic City Art Connection is that it offers a little something for everyone and a chance to truly experience the community spirit that Birmingham provides. The festival is divided into four quadrants with one, the Imagination Festival, being solely dedicate for children. You’ll find free hands-on arts and crafts directed activities that children can create and take home. The Imagination Festival also hosts a stage for performances and music throughout the event. Workshops are offered each day by artists, and representatives from the Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham Children’s Theatre, Birmingham Education Foundation, Alabama Environmental Council and AMOR—Alabama Multicultural Organization. There’s even a parade each day. Best of all, kids 15 and under are admitted free! [rl_gallery id=”1945″] Those who love art will find the other three quadrants filled with distinctive art creations for sale in the areas of jewelry, painting, fiber, clay, furniture, glass, metalwork, 2D and 3D Mixed Media to name a few. One featured award-winning artist is Bethanne Hill, whose visual creations and iconic explorations of regional folklore featuring Southern landscapes are influenced by her love of primitive art, specifically Australian Aborigines and their way of mark making. Find her at booth 386 and see what you think! How did this Magic City Art Connection achieve being named one of the Best Festivals according to readers of Birmingham Magazine and AL.com’s Best of Birmingham annual poll? Perhaps it’s because of a combination of music and food offered in addition to all the fun artistic activities going on. A wide variety of food vendors set up shop at Park Place on the southern end of Linn Park during the event. This year they include: City Bowls 2, Magic City Sweet Ice serving Italian ice and gelato, Pazzo Big Slice Pizza, Porky’s Pride Smoke House, Rae Rae’s Catering, Sorelle, Taco Morro Loco, and everyone’s local favorite for popsicles, Steel City Pops. Need a break from art collecting? Stop in and enjoy the intimate live music stage in the Park Place Café. Local talent will be featured throughout the weekend. To see the schedule, click here. So, grab a bite to eat, and enjoy some great live music. Something for everyone—especially Grown ups But that’s not all. Both Saturday and Sunday, foodie lovers who want to explore a variety of tastes, cocktails and beverages can purchase separate tickets to the exquisite Corks & Chefs. Held each day from Noon—3 p.m. in a large tent adjacent to the festival, Corks & Chefs offers an explosion of flavors and the place where food from Birmingham restaurants is paired with wine, craft beer, spirits, cocktails, and special tasting seminars and demos, all inside the downtown contemporary art festival. Saturday restaurant partners include: Brick & Tin, Carrigan’s Public House, Eli’s Jerusalem Café, Freddy’s Wine Bar, Habitat Feed & Social, Nabeel’s Cafe & Market, Ocean, and Tropicaleo to name a few. Sunday offers: Arrington at Pursell Farms, Chez Lulu, Continental Bakery, EastWest, Roots & Revelry, Root to Tail, The Essential, The Southern Kitchen & Bar, and Yo’ Mama’s. So there’s something to tickle just about anyone’s taste buds. But plan to preorder tickets, this is always a sellout event. Tickets can be ordered here. [rl_gallery id=”1944″] Why call it Magic City Art Connection? Good question. Birmingham is called The Magic City for a very good reason—once the three main ingredients for making iron were discovered near, railroad lines were built, industries grew and the city’s rapid growth earned it the nickname it holds today, the Magic City. That magic continues to be expressed today through the lens of the Magic City Art Connection festival. Details April 26 through the 28, 2019: Magic City Art Connection Linn Park 710 20th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203 Street parking is available near the festival. Additional event parking can be found here. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students (with I.D.) and free to children 15 and under. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visit www.magiccityart.com for more information or to order advance tickets. Drive time from The Retreat at Mountain Brook: Approximately 15-17 minutes.
In Celebration of National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day
There aren’t many sandwiches popular enough to have their very own National Day of recognition and celebration, but Grilled Cheese is one of them, and there are several great reasons why. Grilled Cheese sandwiches serve as one of the ultimate comfort foods, with origins in the 1920s when inexpensive sliced bread and American cheese became easily available in the United States. Originally it was made as an open-faced sandwich, with variations evolving through the years. Luckily for residents at The Retreat at Mountain Brook, the penultimate grilled cheese sandwich (or two), is available within a few short minutes away at one of Birmingham’s trendiest, hip restaurants, MELT Avondale and MELT Food Truck, affectionately known as Matilda. Located in the revitalized neighborhood of Avondale, near downtown Birmingham, MELT offers what has been deemed as the “Best Grilled Cheese” by numerous reviewers on TripAdvisor. Customers can choose from the classic MELT grilled cheese featuring cheddar, Monterey jack and American on Texas toast, or MELT’s other unique crowd favorite, the Mac Melt, featuring house-made mac-n-cheese in a grilled cheese on Texas Toast (Yes, it’s a sandwich!) MELT was also selected by food publication and online resource Spoon University as the number one restaurant in Alabama to eat the best grilled cheese. MELT is owned by Harriet Despinakis and Paget Pizitz are the owners of Melt Avondale and Melt Food Truck. “We’ve had customers from nearly all 50 states come in to try our renowned grilled cheese sandwich variations,” Pizitz says. “For us the key is freshness, simplicity, and a combination of great flavor, perfectly grilled on our Texas toast.” In case you want more location to try this combination of gooey delight, Birmingham has plenty! Try these other local restaurants: Birmingham Breadworks, where you can pair a grilled cheese sandwich with their fresh vegetarian-friendly cream of tomato soup featuring crushed tomatoes, smoked paprika and cream. Meanwhile, just a hop skip and a jump from The Retreat is Crestline Bagel on Church Street where you can order a twist on the classic sandwich, the restaurant’s Open Face Cheese Melt on the freshly made bagel of your choice, along with your choice of Swiss, Mozzarella, Cheddar, American or Pepper Jack. Or be creative and order a combination for over the top cheese flavor! Other restaurants known for their grilled cheese sandwiches include Paramount, located in downtown Birmingham, which offers a gourmet-style sandwich featuring a blend of gouda, goat cheese, mozzarella, and sundried tomatoes for a mouthful to exquisite tastes. Go for the grilled cheese sandwich, but hang around to enjoy the variety of more than 20 classic and modern arcade games and local brews on tap. Of course, residents of The Retreat may want to prepare your own custom creation in our beautifully appointed updated kitchens featuring espresso cabinetry and designer plank flooring. Position yourself in your home sweet home and try this recipe for the Ultimate Grilled Cheese courtesy of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. So, no matter what day of the year it may be, it’s always a great day to enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich, no matter what combination of cheeses you may prefer. So, this Friday, April 12, enjoy, but don’t forget, grilled cheeses are a perfect comfort food enjoyable anytime of the year! #GrilledCheeseSandwichDay
Get outdoors! It’s finally spring in Birmingham, Alabama
Spring is finally here, or at least it will be on March 20th. And as the weather begins to warm and we start seeing more sunny days than rainy ones, now is the time to take advantage of the many activities close to home here at The Retreat at Mountain Brook. With so many things from which to choose, it’s hard to make a list that includes everything, but here’s a sampling of some of the popular things to do and places to visit close where you live. Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve If hiking and exploring nature and history are your thing, check out Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. Mined for its iron ore from the 1800s through the 1950s, Ruffner Mountain features over 14 miles of trails ranging in difficulty level from Easy to Difficult. With scenic overlooks, quarries, and sites that let you see the remnants of Birmingham’s mining and industrial past, Ruffner Mountain offers something for serious hikers, nature lovers, bird watchers, or anyone who just wants to spend some time strolling in this urban oasis just 15 minutes from the Retreat at Mountain Brook. Flora Johnston Nature Park If you’re looking for a nature walk that’s a bit closer to home, and maybe a bit less strenuous (and doesn’t have “mountain” in its name), check out Flora Johnston Nature Park. Located less than five minutes away from The Retreat at Mountain Brook, the Flora Johnston Nature Park features an upper and a lower trail that follow along a branch of Shades Creek. With small rock outcroppings and scenic views of the creek, Flora Johnston Nature Park is a peaceful, beautiful and easy walk for people of all ages. Birmingham Botanical Gardens If you love nature but aren’t in the mood for mountain and woodland trails, then you’ll definitely want to check out one of Birmingham’s treasures – Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Located just 5 miles from the Retreat at Mountain Brook, Birmingham Botanical Gardens is over 65 acres containing over 12,000 different types of plants, 25 unique gardens, more than 30 works of original outdoor sculpture, and several miles of walking paths. Open from dawn to dusk 365 days a year, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a great way to spend an hour, an afternoon, or all day. Avondale Once you’re finished hiking and exploring nature, you’re going to be hungry and thirsty. Why not satisfy that hunger and thirst in Avondale? Located just a few miles from The Retreat, Avondale is one of Birmingham’s hippest, revitalized neighborhoods. Born as a neighborhood for textile mill workers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Avondale has become a hot spot of restaurants, brew pubs, and entertainment. Whether it’s a cup of coffee at the Abbey Coffee Shop (a profit project of the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama), pizza for lunch at Post Office Pies, dinner at SAW’s Soul Kitchen, dessert at Big Spoon Creamery, and live music at Saturn, there’s something for everyone in Avondale. With the days getting longer and the weather getting warmer, now is the time to get out and explore all the great things to do and places to visit close to home here at the Retreat at Mountain Brook.
