Hot Strings

The Downs and Chambless crew.

On a hot and rainy Sunday, Meg and JD, Mom and Dad Downs, and Sarah and I headed to Sloss Furnaces for the first ever "Hot Strings" bluegrass festival. It was a perfect birthday present for dad, with 5 bluegrass bands benefiting a good cause -- the Foundry rehabilitation and recovery center. The music was great -- a wide range of bluegrass styles from the more traditional bass/guitar/banjo/mandolin quartet to pop/country-influenced top 40.

The clear favorite was the Newgrass Troubadours, a Bham quintet who mixed bluegrass instrumentation with some great reimaginings of rock and country hits. Here, they take off on a classic Jimi Hendrix song.

A good bluegrass festival isn't complete without a prodigy. Check out the 20-yr. old banjo picker from North Alabama's own Bluegrass Soulpickers -- he made it look way too easy.

Through the first few acts, the heat was intense - nearly 100 outside the venue and a bit more under Sloss's "shed". Yet a few songs into the Soulpickers, the wind kicked up and the bottom fell out. It poured, drenching the crowd outside and dripping through holes in the ceiling. We got wet, the band got wet, but they played through to an increasingly enthusiastic crowd. The rain cleared, but the vibe continued. We'll definitely be back next year.

The Sloss stacks and water tower.

Roller Derby: Tragic City Rollers

Matthew and I went to the Roller Derby tonight! So much fun! We saw the Tragic City Rollers in Irondale at the Zamora Shrine Temple. It was $8.00/ea online with the coupon listed on their website. They competed against the Athens, Georgia's Classic City Rollers. TCR compete once a month alternating home and away. The next home derby is October 2nd, 2010 (For Athens, AL folks, this is the Fiddler's Convention weekend). There was a cash concession stand and bar. Get there early to get a seat and to get a drink at the bar. The place was packed. Our new Roller Derby names are... Professor Pain, Smack Down, and Bust'yer Wiener. Check out video below for a little taste of the Tragic City Rollers.

Shopping for Rugs?

I have been shopping for rugs for months now, so I thought I might share some great finds at great prices! West Elm's Diamond Jute Rug 8'x10' for $229.00. You can't find a better price than that for an 8'x10'! Matthew and I picked-up the Diamond Jute rug in Atlanta at West Elm on our Ikea run at the beginning of the summer, So we saved on shipping. The natural and charcoal diamond pattern is much more subdued in person than the website picture portrays. It looks great with our newly upholstered charcoal linen sofa! West Elm's Braided Stripe Jute Runner at 2.5'x7' for $99.00. The brown jute stripe is much more pronounced, as you can see in my picture above. The braided and corded effect adds a really nice depth and texture to the rug. I ordered this and the West Elm 2'x3' rugs below over a weekend, and we received them on the following Tuesday. Now that is quick shipping! West Elm's Jute Boucle in Flax at 2'x3' for $24.00/ ea. A nice simple textured rug works well on either side of the bed. World Market's Spring Woven Mat at 2'x3' for $12.99 in the natural color. The green is very nice too. I love the pattern on this bath mat and what a deal! So much better than the standard bath mat. Urban Outfitters Brown and Bright Green Rag Rug at 2'x3' now for $9.00! I selected these two rugs for the front entry and in front of the kitchen sink. Works great for those of us on a budget! I missed out on this Pottery Barn Fringed Hand-Loomed rug in Espresso. The 5x8 was $299.00 and was on sale for $199.00. It sold out in no time. There are still other colors available, but not on sale. But I found this... Ballard Designs Stella Shag Rug Charcoal 6' diameter for $305.00 or 5'x8' for $339.00 rug that might work better. The price isn't as great, but I think it will work very nicely in the guest room.