Birmingham, AL February 2026

Lynlee strongly believes in and supports residential growth in Birmingham. Since obtaining her license in 2014, Lynlee has completed over 688 transactions totaling over $322 million dollars of real estate sold in the area. “I have made a huge effort to be intimately engaged in the central city and surrounding “city suburbs” from Forest Park to Homewood, Mountain Brook and Vestavia, so that I can provide the greatest benefit to my clients, which I strongly believe is market knowledge”. Her greatest motivation is her clients: She says, “Success to me is doing what I love every day and knowing my contributions positively impact my clients, my company and my city and that I have produced the highest quality of work.”

The Local Love Issue

I grew up in Montgomery, where one of the great adventures of childhood was coming to Birmingham once a year to shop at the Galleria and stay at the Winfrey Hotel, back when it felt impossibly grand. To me, Birmingham was glamorous and grown-up and a little magical—the kind of place you dressed up for.

Years later, when I moved here, I didn’t expect all that. I thought it was a good place to live. A solid place to raise a family. Sensible. Practical.

Maybe I was wrong the first time. Or maybe I was right all along.

Somewhere between joining Birmingham Lifestyle and telling stories about this city month after month, Birmingham won me over in the same way it tends to win over anyone who gives it a little time, through people I kept meeting and places I didn’t know existed.

Take Alabama Peanut Co. We stumbled into it one day and discovered a local gem. My kids love boiled peanuts. Love them. My husband shells the dry roasted ones and makes peanut butter for me. It’s a small thing. But it’s love. It’s also Birmingham in a nutshell: a little unexpected and even better than you hoped.

This issue is about local love in all its forms. About relationships and partnerships, yes. But also about the way this city continues to draw us in—through food and art, care and creativity, and people building meaningful lives right where they are.

I don’t know exactly when I became a Birmingham person. I just know that it happened. And as many of us have already discovered, there’s no going back.

BLAIR MOORE, EDITOR

@BIRMINGHAM.LIFESTYLE

February 2026

PUBLISHER

Kali McNutt | kali.mcnutt@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Blair Moore | blair.moore@citylifestyle.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

Mary Fehr, Ambre Amari

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Blair Moore, Kali McNutt

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Cailin Jones, Bryan Johnson, Douglas Friedman

Corporate Team

CEO Steven Schowengerdt

President Matthew Perry

COO David Stetler

CRO Jamie Pentz

CoS Janeane Thompson

AD DESIGNER Rachel Otto

LAYOUT DESIGNER Kathy Nguyen

QUALITY

Leimkuhler

One

Finds Its Way

ARTICLE BY BLAIR MOORE

WITH Grace & FLOURISH

A steady hand and a Southern heart carry forth timeless traditions

Walk into a Birmingham boutique this month in search of a gift for your sweetheart, and you might spot Grace Hall at a small table in the corner with her engraving drill, personalizing a perfume bottle in her signature hand. It’s mesmerizing work—the way she carves names into glass, the drill’s whir “just loud enough to call attention and pull people over.”

That same appeal has carried her across the country, including trips to New York, Charleston, Nashville, and Savannah, where she’s engraved pieces for companies like Ketel One and Guinness. National brands now call on her to add a graceful human touch to their launches and media nights, sending her from local boutiques to rooftops and studios in Manhattan. When Ketel One introduced Patrick Schwarzenegger as its first-ever spirit advisor, Grace was stationed at the entrance, engraving espresso martini glasses for every guest who walked in. Influencers, editors—the entire event orbiting around this new partnership—yet lines still formed at her table, where each glass left with a name shaped by her hand.

IN HER STUDIO

At home in Cahaba Heights, Grace works in a sunlit room framed by a bay window overlooking magnolia branches and Japanese maples. Sugar, her Maltese, trots in and out as she settles at a partners desk made of antique wood, handed down through her husband’s family. Her pens rest within fingertip reach; her nibs are lined like tools in a jeweler’s tray. This is where she becomes an artist at work, and the tempo of her day shifts accordingly.

“You can’t multitask while you do it,” she says. “Your heart rate has to be slow enough that your hand isn’t shaky.” She listens to sermons, podcasts, and sometimes the radio call of Alabama basketball. “The pace of the game keeps my pace steady,” she says. Every hour, she pauses to stretch, reset, and return to the page with a steadier hand.

Grace first fell in love with calligraphy as a child in the Deep South, watching wedding invitations arrive in lettering so graceful she tried to mimic the forms herself. The fascination returned in her twenties. “I became enthralled by the process,” she says. What began as a single class became years of practice—“years before my work was, in my mind, worth charging anyone for.”

She’s now trained in copperplate, Spencerian, and English round hand, having studied under six Master Penmen, including former White House calligraphers. “Once you understand the structure, you know which lines can stand a little rebellion,” she says. Her signature style reflects that freedom: rounded, elegant, lifted with flourishes that move like silk.

Her heart still belongs to the projects that ignited her passion. “Invitations are the first impression your guests are getting of your event,” she says. “When someone sees their name written beautifully amidst a stack of bills, it tells them they’re treasured. It tells them someone is looking forward to their presence.” Being chosen to create those first impressions—by a bride, a committee, a family—“is never lost on me.”

“I’m fortunate to live where people still treasure the handwritten word.”

A ONE-OF-A-KIND INVITATION

Grace felt honored when Antiques in the Gardens asked her to create this year’s gala invitation, and she expected to lean on her familiar forms. Instead, they presented an 1800s writing sample: angular, crisp, nothing like her wedding scripts. “It couldn’t have been further from my work,” she says. They wanted a hand reminiscent of a foxhunting invitation.

She spent a month studying, sketching, and retraining her muscle memory. “There were hours of study and repetition to break the muscle memory of everything rounded and familiar,” she says. During an international calligraphy convention in Virginia, she toured a historic home and discovered a set of organ trays labeled in handwriting nearly identical to the gala sample. “When I saw the handwriting on those trays, it felt like everything was really coming together,” she says. Those lines found their way into her final hand—a bespoke script used once, made for a single, memorable night in Birmingham.

“When someone sees their name written beautifully amidst a stack of bills, it tells them they’re treasured. It tells them someone is looking forward to their presence.”

BEYOND THE PAGE

Her calligraphy often lives beyond the page. A leather-burning pen lets her foil luggage tags and journals. The engraving drill allows her to carve into glass, ceramics, and even stone. She engraves everything from lipsticks to acetate hair combs. “In a world where online shopping has become so prevalent, retailers are finding creative ways to bring people back into stores— something you can only get in person,” she says. And she loves being part of that return.

Though she now travels for national brands, Birmingham still has her heart—a place where brides, mothers, and hostesses believe there is nothing more meaningful than something written just for them. “I have friends in other cities who can only treat calligraphy as a hobby because their markets don’t value the tradition the way we do here,” she says. “I’m fortunate to live where people still treasure the handwritten word.”

Grace delights in bringing the beauty of a personal touch where no one expects it.

“If something doesn’t get up and walk off the table, I’m going to find a way to personalize it.”

Discover more of Grace’s work at @gracecalligraphy and gracecalligraphy.com.

Here, everything we do comes from the heart. Every tiny hand we hold and every brave look we see reminds us why we’re here—to give our all for the smallest patients with the biggest courage. Our team of caregivers, therapists and pysicians treat each child as if they were their own. These smallest of hearts inspire us to deliver our very best for them, each and every day. It’s at the heart of what we do. ChildrensAL.org/heart

San Miguel Shortlist

REFLECTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A FIRST-TIMER TO MEXICO’S BAJÍO

ARTICLE BY KALI MCNUTT

It was the sound of church bells mixed with a mariachi band drifting up from the city. Or maybe the light, impossibly golden on the terracotta rooftops. Whatever it was, the magic of San Miguel de Allende lingers long after the bags are unpacked and the souvenirs tucked away. My mom and I spent six glorious days there in May, which locals call their hottest month, though by Birmingham standards, it felt more like a soft summer hug.

Right away, the warmth of the people stood out. Marco, our concierge at La Valise San Miguel—part of Namron Hospitality’s collection of artfully designed, locally-rooted boutique properties—wasn’t just a host; he was our first friend in San Miguel.

He became our go-to for everything from almond milk lattes in the morning to mezcalitas by dusk. He even shipped my forgotten sunglasses back to Birmingham without a blink.

La Valise itself? A dream. Only six rooms, and we landed the master suite—airy, artsy, and perched above the city with panoramic views. The décor was a blend of modernist Mexican soul and clean design. It felt like home, if home were decorated by Frida Kahlo’s cooler cousin.

During our stay, two fellow hotel guests were celebrating birthdays. One guest from L.A. bought a piñata and invited everyone to join the party. It was a spontaneous, late-night

“It was a spontaneous, late-night lesson in what San Miguel does best: invite strangers in and turn them into family.”

lesson in what San Miguel does best: invite strangers in and turn them into family. We swapped travel tips over Champagne and birthday cake, shared Instagram handles and laughs.

San Miguel is made for wandering. Yes, the cobblestones and hills demand sturdy shoes and maybe a little Advil, but they lead to magic: behind elaborate door knockers, ochre and rust-colored facades conceal are secret courtyards dripping in bougainvillea and jasmine. We strolled through the galleries of Fábrica La Aurora, a sprawling former textile mill, and hunted treasures at the Mercado de Artesanías—my best find was a piece by artist Tomás Ramírez, located in stall #13.

Of course, we ate. Casa Nostra stole the show—think soul-warming Italian food with a side of storytelling from the owner, Marco. Bocaciega, El Manantial, Tostévere, Bovine, Los Milagros, and Café San Agustín (get the eggnog churro!) were all standouts. We tasted top-tier tequila at Casa Dragones, and visited local wineries—Viñedos Santísima Trinidad felt like a Provençal daydream flush with lavender and complete with a polo pitch.

San Miguel is a place I will not soon forget. The art, food, and views were spectacular, but it was the culture of connection that stayed with me—the warmth of locals and fellow travelers, and the beauty found in places I didn’t expect. It’s the kind of place that rewards curiosity and stays with you long after you leave.

If You Go— Places to Know

Where to Stay

• La Valise

• Méson Hidalgo

• Numu Boutique Hotel

• Rosewood San Miguel de Allende

• Casa de Sierrra Nevada

Where to Shop

• Arte San Gabriel (outside Dolores Hidalgo) for ceramics

• Arte Zapoteco for Oaxacan textiles

• Marquesa de Mancera for chic home goods from around Mexico

• Casa R Concept Store for modern Mexican designers

• Velia Sierra (multiple locations) for quality linen clothing

• Xinú for artisanal perfume, located inside Méson Hidalgo

• Trinitate for home goods

• La Fábrica La Aurora for modern art alongside antiques in a converted textile factory (our favorite discovery was local artist Beatriz Castañeda)

• Casa Michoacana Gallery for Mexican folk art

• Ted Davis Galería for exquisite photography of San Miguel

• Dôce 18 Concept House

Early spring, especially around Easter (Semana Santa), is a popular time (with perfect weather) to experience the rich culture and faith of San Miguel. Late September and early November are also recommended times to visit. Fly into Guanajuato International Airport (BJX) or Querétaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO) and have La Valise arrange a private shuttle to San Miguel (about 1.5 hours).

ONE WEEK

IN BIRMINGHAM

Birmingham enthusiast Hattie O’Hara curates her perfect Magic City week

ARTICLE BY BIRMINGHAM LIFESTYLE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARY FEHR

For recommendations on how to create a perfect week in Birmingham, the go-to guide is Hattie O’Hara. Celebrating the city is what she does best through her series One Week in Birmingham, an ongoing chronicle of local favorites and everyday discoveries with a loyal (and growing) Instagram following. Hattie’s enthusiasm, fresh perspective, and flair for storytelling make OWIB essential viewing — and a sweet reminder of how much there is to love about daily life in Birmingham. To mark one year of the series, we tagged along for one typical — and delicious — week in Birmingham (Hattie’s version).

MONDAY

MONDAY — SATURN

Time to get back to work! I fundraise for the education nonprofit Breakthrough Birmingham, so my day is full of emails and (hopefully) thank-you notes. I love working from Saturn because there’s room to spread out, the vibe is energizing, and the coffee is Domestique—local and delicious.

TUESDAY— BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM OF ART

In the middle of a busy week, I like to treat myself to one of the Birmingham Museum of Art’s “ArtBreaks”. It’s a helpful mental reset to spend my lunch hour learning about art with their docents. Plus, how great is it that our art museum is free to visit?

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY— THE GARAGE

My Wednesday evenings have been reserved for friends for three years now! You might catch us on the patio at the Garage - playing cards, catching up, and drinking the best pour of Guinness you can find in Birmingham. The Garage is a special place. We don’t take it for granted!

THURSDAY

SATURDAY

THURSDAY— BAYONET

Happy hour with a friend is always a reason to celebrate. When it’s my pick, I’m choosing a bar seat at Bayonet. Just when you think the best part is the beautiful space, their happy hour includes $2 oysters. If you’re lucky, Mona will be making your drink (and your day!)

FRIDAY

FRIDAY— PIZZA GRACE

Friday is always date night. Andrew and I will discuss where to go all week! Pizza Grace is home to our favorite pizza in town. It has gotten even better since it joined the Big Spoon family, led by Geri-Martha and Ryan O’Hara. No relation to us, as far as we know!

SATURDAY— HOUSE OF FOUND OBJECTS

It’s Saturday night, want to go to HOFO? Feizal and the team at House of Found Objects have created a bar that centers both your drink and your experience. Every table has a personality, every corner hides a surprise, and every drink has a full government name—named for locals themselves.

SUNDAY— TACO MORRO LOCO

Sunday is for taking it easy. There is no better place to spend $10 than the Taco Morro Loco food truck. There was a time when tacos didn’t appeal to me, but that was before I had real ones. Luckily, Taco Morro Loco showed me the light!

Follow more of Hattie’s Birmingham-loving adventures on Instagram @hat_ohara.

WHERE HOPE FINDS ITS WAY BACK

HOW INTOTO CREATIVE ARTS IS BRINGING ART, MUSIC, AND MOVEMENT INTO CORNERS OF BIRMINGHAM THAT NEED THEM MOST

ARTICLE BY BLAIR MOORE PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

When life slips into survival mode, the first things we tend to abandon are the ones that bring light: creativity, play, moments of beauty that feel expendable in the rush to get through the day. And yet, those are often the very things we need most. As author and preacher Hal Lindsey once observed, a person can survive days without food or water—even minutes without air— but no more than one second without hope.

Across Birmingham, InToto Creative Arts has watched that hope take shape in unexpected rooms and borrowed spaces—through paint and paper, through music drifting down a hallway, through bodies learning to move freely again. The organization brings visual art, music, movement, and improvisation classes into some of the city’s most vulnerable and overlooked communities.

“During each session, we see people start to connect with parts of themselves that have been buried under the stress of what they’re going through,” says Executive Director Dani Parmar. “You see them start to light up again, and it’s a beautiful thing to witness.”

Parmar joined InToto in 2021 after working as a teaching artist in other community-based programs. The organization was started in 2020 by Kyle Tyree, a Firehouse Shelter volunteer who saw the need for creative outlets for people going through struggles and trauma. “I’ve never worked anywhere that makes such an instant impact,” Parmar says. “You see the results of your work so clearly, so quickly. I completely fell in love with the mission.”

InToto doesn’t operate from a central studio. Instead, the team goes to where people already are—Firehouse Shelter, Pathways Home, the 1920 Club, Faith Chapel Care Center, the Birmingham VA—meeting participants within systems they already navigate each day. When the team arrives, they invite everyone to participate, then eagerly wait to see who shows up.

Some days it’s a familiar group. Many days, it’s filled with new faces. What unfolds is intentionally open-ended: a movement class, a songwriting session, a table

scattered with brushes and paint. “All of these art forms give us a way to process what we’re going through and a way to express ourselves beyond words,” Parmar says. “Words can be very difficult. We hold so much stress and trauma in our bodies. Reconnecting with our bodies helps us move through that and build confidence.”

What happens in those rooms is rooted in permission—permission to pause, to play, and to be vulnerable together. “These classes give people the chance to check out of survival mode for a few minutes,” Parmar says. “They get a chance to rest, to de-stress, and to be joyful together.”

That sense of permission carries across every discipline InToto offers. In improv theater classes led by one of the team’s volunteer instructors, performer Chris Davis, laughter often comes first—but confidence follows close behind. “I’m always pleasantly surprised by how our participants take to what I’m teaching,” Davis says. “I tell them it’s not about perfection—it’s about interpretation. That usually puts people at ease. It makes the whole experience more fun.”

And sometimes, that openness becomes a doorway.

That was the case for Eugene.

For a long time, he declined the invitations. Then one afternoon at Firehouse Shelter, music floated down the hall. Eugene followed the sound. “I play guitar,” he told Parmar. He returned to the next class not only with an instrument, but with an original song—one he said had been carried in his heart for more than 20 years.

When Eugene shared “Humanity Song,” first in class and later at InToto’s community book release, the room seemed to move as one. The song—about collaboration, dignity, and hope—left little distance between performer and audience.

A portion of the lyrics reads: Humanity was meant to be like one big team, on a great crusade to achieve God’s dream.

But an adverse mind made us doubt God’s plan, and that’s what we call the downfall of man.

But when we fall, it doesn’t have to mean we fail. We can get back up, go on, and still do well.

Tears came easily. “This song had been in his heart for decades,” Parmar says. “He just needed the platform to share it.”

Today, Eugene is a regular presence at InToto, even leading music sessions of his own. His story is one of many unfolding each week through IntToto’s growing network of partnerships, where creativity becomes a bridge back to self and back to community.

This year alone, InToto Creative Arts served more than 700 participants through 12 weekly classes, collectively attended more than 4,000 times. Still, Parmar sees the work as essential, not supplemental.

“We really want people to start viewing community arts as an essential part of the social services landscape,” Parmar says. “People need food and shelter. But more than that, they need to be part of a community. They need hope.”

At its core, InToto is built on a simple belief: people are not lesser because they are going through something difficult. Their voices and their creativity matter.

“You just have to come to one class to see it,” Parmar says. “We’re all just human beings, trying to find our way.”

In addition to being funded by donations, InToto Creative Arts hosts art sales that provide much-needed income for the artists. Artwork is available at their annual “Our Voices” showcase, at various pop-ups and events, on their website, and by commission. Learn more at intotocreativearts.org

“PEOPLE NEED FOOD AND SHELTER. BUT MORE THAN THAT, THEY NEED TO BE PART OF a community. THEY need hope.”

SHAPING

the FUTURE

“...WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH THE 15 TO 19-YEAR-OLD AGE GROUP. THEIR IDEAS, ENERGY, AND OPTIMISM INSPIRE US. THEY’LL TAKE BIRMINGHAM FURTHER THAN OUR GENERATION CAN IMAGINE.”

—COURTNEY AND ELISABETH FRENCH

A strong partnership does more than double a couple’s influence. It multiplies it. In Birmingham, some of the city’s most meaningful progress begins at home, shaped by couples who move through life together with shared values, steady purpose, and an abiding love for this place. Meet the Missos, the Frenches, the McDaniels, and the Patels. From hospitality and healthcare to law, design, and civic leadership, these four Birmingham couples are helping shape the city’s future through the way they live, work, give, and show up—side by side, every step of the way.

CONTINUED >

FOUR POWER COUPLES INVESTING IN THE CITY THEY CALL HOME

EMILY AND ROB MCDANIEL

Emily and Rob McDaniel live in Vestavia Hills but have spent more than two decades immersed in Birmingham’s food community. Partners in life and work, they are the co-owners of Helen and Bayonet and parents to eight-yearold twin girls. Together, they’ve built restaurant spaces rooted in generosity, growth, and intentional hospitality.

ON A COMPLETELY UNSCHEDULED SATURDAY IN BIRMINGHAM, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND THE DAY TOGETHER?

Emily: Slowly. Coffee at home, then a trip to the farmers market that turns into lunch, time outside with the girls, and dinner on the deck with Rob grilling—no rushing, just a really good family day.

Rob: I’m usually up earlier than the rest of the house, so I make the coffee and check emails before everyone wakes up. We like to shop for dinner at Pepper Place and Son of a Butcher, take care of things around the house while the girls play, then start dinner.

WHAT ARE SOME LOCAL CAUSES AND NONPROFITS THAT ARE ESPECIALLY DEAR TO YOUR HEARTS?

Emily: Children’s Harbor, Jones Valley Teaching Farm, local organizations that support breast cancer, and the TumTum Tree Foundation are especially close to our hearts. Giving back locally matters to us.

IN ONE SENTENCE EACH: WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE MOST ABOUT HOW THE OTHER SHOWS UP IN THIS CITY?

Emily: Rob leads with integrity. He’s thoughtful and consistent, deeply invested in people, and genuinely committed to helping our team and Birmingham’s hospitality community grow and thrive.

Rob: Emily has a drive that pushes me to be better. She isn’t afraid to jump in the trenches if that’s what needs to be done—but she’ll still be getting her nails done when we’re finished.

WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF BIRMINGHAM?

Emily: The people who choose to stay, build, and invest here, especially the next generation.

Rob : You can see the growth, and there’s real diversity in it, which makes living here more interesting.

CONTINUED >

ELISABETH AND COURTNEY FRENCH

Elisabeth French serves as Presiding Judge of Jefferson County, while her husband, Courtney, is a Birmingham attorney, entrepreneur, and community investor. Together, they balance demanding careers, civic leadership, and raising three teenagers while remaining strongly invested in the city’s future.

WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT BIRMINGHAM RIGHT NOW THAT ENERGIZES YOU?

Courtney: I’m energized by the business opportunities in Birmingham. In addition to my law firm and radio station (V 94.9), I own several parcels of land on the Northside and Southside. I’m excited about the potential for economic development in our city.

WHERE IN THE CITY DO YOU FIND YOURSELVES RETURNING AGAIN AND AGAIN, NO MATTER HOW BUSY LIFE GETS?

Elisabeth: Our children love hibachi at Stix and Surin West. We find ourselves returning there for family celebrations or for takeout when life gets hectic.

ON A COMPLETELY UNSCHEDULED SATURDAY IN BIRMINGHAM, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND THE DAY TOGETHER?

Elisabeth: We like to go for walks around the neighborhood, looking at houses and getting ideas.

WHAT’S A MOMENT YOU STILL LAUGH ABOUT THAT SAYS SOMETHING TRUE ABOUT YOUR DYNAMIC?

Elisabeth: We laugh at ourselves for re-sharing an idea that was actually thought of by the other, as if it were our own. Or Courtney will say he heard something, and I’ll say, “That was me who told you that last week.”

WHAT ARE SOME LOCAL CAUSES AND NONPROFITS THAT ARE ESPECIALLY DEAR TO YOUR HEARTS?

Courtney : Liz has spent a lot of time working on the domestic violence court program with two other judges. We’re also longtime supporters of the YMCA, local dance foundations, and our church community.

IN ONE SENTENCE EACH: WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE MOST ABOUT HOW THE OTHER SHOWS UP IN THIS CITY?

Elisabeth : Courtney shows up for his personal injury clients during traumatic moments, guiding them with compassion and emotional strength.

Courtney: Liz carries the responsibility of Presiding Judge with determination and heart, always thinking about both the system as a whole and the individuals moving through it.

WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF BIRMINGHAM?

We have three teenagers, so we spend a lot of time with the 15 to 19-year-old age group. Their ideas, energy, and optimism inspire us. They’ll take Birmingham further than our generation can imagine.

CONTINUED >

LEIGH AND KEVIN MISSO

Leigh and Kevin Misso are the husband-and-wife founders of River Brook Design and Construction, a Birmingham-based architecture, interiors, and construction firm. Together for more than two decades, they’ve built an integrated practice rooted in faith, family, and thoughtful design, while raising three young children.

WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT BIRMINGHAM RIGHT NOW THAT ENERGIZES YOU BOTH?

There’s a creative confidence in Birmingham right now. People are building thoughtfully, supporting local talent, and investing with long-term intention instead of quick wins.

WHERE IN THE CITY DO YOU FIND YOURSELVES RETURNING AGAIN AND AGAIN, NO MATTER HOW BUSY LIFE GETS?

Mountain Brook and Homewood. Whether it’s walking neighborhoods, meeting clients, or grabbing coffee, those areas remind us why we’re so invested here.

ON A COMPLETELY UNSCHEDULED SATURDAY IN BIRMINGHAM, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND THE DAY TOGETHER?

With three little ones—seven, five, and three—an unscheduled Saturday usually isn’t very calm. It’s swim lessons, coffee, errands, baseball practice, and lots of movement in between. Those ordinary rhythms are where we feel most together right now.

WHAT’S A MOMENT YOU STILL LAUGH ABOUT THAT SAYS SOMETHING TRUE ABOUT YOUR DYNAMIC?

Leigh: Early on, Kevin would sell a vision before I had fully designed it, and I’d quietly think, okay, now I have to make that real.

WHAT ARE SOME LOCAL CAUSES AND NONPROFITS THAT ARE ESPECIALLY DEAR TO YOUR HEARTS?

Our church community and organizations that support families and children. Anything that strengthens homes resonates with us. We care about using business as a way to give back locally and be the church.

IN ONE SENTENCE EACH: WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE MOST ABOUT HOW THE OTHER SHOWS UP IN THIS CITY?

Leigh: Kevin shows up with courage and conviction, always willing to invest in Birmingham even when it would be easier not to.

Kevin: Leigh brings beauty, thoughtfulness, and integrity to everything she touches, elevating the city in a meaningful way.

WHAT GIVES YOU HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF BIRMINGHAM?

The strength of our public school systems. When families feel confident in their schools, they invest more in their homes and neighborhoods. Birmingham still feels like a big city with a small-town heart, and that combination is special.

CONTINUED >

NITAL AND RAJ PATEL

Raj and Nital Patel are active leaders in Birmingham’s healthcare and education spheres. Raj is a physician, and together they invest their time and resources in mentorship, strategic giving, and raising their family in a city they believe in.

WHAT’S SOMETHING ABOUT BIRMINGHAM RIGHT NOW THAT ENERGIZES YOU BOTH?

Raj: With our healthcare backgrounds, we are passionate about supporting innovation and advancements in medicine right here in Birmingham. The city is a hidden hub, filled with talented individuals and companies dedicated to researching and developing cutting-edge solutions in the healthcare sector. By sharing our experiences and providing mentorship to companies at various phases of research and development, we believe Birmingham can continue to thrive as a leading center for advancements in medicine and technology.

WHERE IN THE CITY DO YOU FIND YOURSELVES RETURNING AGAIN AND AGAIN, NO MATTER HOW BUSY LIFE GETS?

Raj: Life seems always more than full these days. Retreating to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens to find mindfulness and peace, and to recharge, is important to us.

ON A COMPLETELY UNSCHEDULED SATURDAY IN BIRMINGHAM, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND THE DAY TOGETHER?

Nital: Our Saturdays usually revolve around family. We typically start the morning with a run at Vulcan Park with our two sons, where we catch up on the week and enjoy the fresh air. This is usually followed by brunch at Frothy Monkey or a quick bite at Ladybird Taco. Those three peaceful hours fly by, and soon we’re off to the kids’ fencing practices, golf outings, or school activities.

WHAT’S A MOMENT YOU STILL LAUGH ABOUT THAT SAYS SOMETHING TRUE ABOUT YOUR DYNAMIC?

Raj: We were finishing dinner at Epice with Nital’s family in town from Savannah on a random Friday night. I messaged a friend, and he informed me that he had brought Juvenile to perform at Boutwell and asked if I wanted to come backstage.

Nital: Without any explanation, Raj said we had to go. Next thing I knew, we were watching Juvenile from backstage at a concert I didn’t even know was happening and getting priceless looks. Raj is connected and spontaneous in the most random ways.

WHAT ARE SOME LOCAL CAUSES AND NONPROFITS THAT ARE ESPECIALLY DEAR TO YOUR HEARTS?

Nital: As we have started our giving journey, we are especially passionate about supporting causes that empower our youth—our future. At the heart of our planning is a commitment to education and making opportunities accessible to all. We’re thrilled to support KultureCity and the Steam Plant project. Being part of a visionary effort that will impact kids and the community for generations is exciting.

IN ONE SENTENCE EACH: WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE MOST ABOUT HOW THE OTHER SHOWS UP IN THIS CITY?

Raj: Nital’s a city girl from Chicago, so I admire how she’s found ways to make Birmingham home over the past 15 years.

Nital: Raj has planted roots in Birmingham and will always choose it—he decides to live in the city, send our kids to school in its heart, and support it fully.

“THE CITY IS A HIDDEN

HUB, FILLED WITH TALENTED INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES DEDICATED TO RESEARCHING AND DEVELOPING CUTTING-

EDGE SOLUTIONS IN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR.”

—RAJ PATEL

A TOAST TO LOVE

Try this Valentine’s Day-inspired cocktail by Lapeer Steak & Seafood’s Beverage Director, Richard Ramirez

About Lapeer Steak & Seafood

Led by Co-Executive Chefs Blake Hartley—whose career began at Hot & Hot and Bottega—and Andy Long, Lapeer is a modern steak and seafood house that reimagines the timeless pleasure of dining. Guided by the tides and seasons, the menu highlights Prime cuts, dry-aged beef, and Wagyu alongside pristine fish and briny East Coast oysters. Designed by owner Louis Soon, the 272seat restaurant reflects his Caribbean roots, creating a “steakhouse on the beach” atmosphere where elevated design meets coastal ease.

About Beverage Director Richard Ramirez

A native of Harlem, Richard Ramirez traded a background in biology for the art of the pour. His trajectory was sparked by a single, self-taught cocktail that impressed Lapeer ownership enough to move him permanently behind the bar and quickly to the role of beverage director. Now a Level One Sommelier, Richard curates a program that blends rigorous technicality with approachable luxury. His cocktails rotate seasonally, categorized as shaken or stirred to help guests navigate the menu and choose between fresh, crisp, and playful drinks or bold, spirit-forward classics.

RICHARD RAMIREZ’S PRETTY IN PINK

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Tequila

Recommend Cimarron Tequila Blanco

• .50 oz Litchi Liqueur

Recommend Giffard Litchi Liqueur

• .50 oz Crème de Cacao Liqueur

Recommend Tempus Fugit Spirits Crème de Cacao

• .25 oz Sour Cherry Syrup (see below)

Recommend Black Cherry Syrup by FILTHY®

• .25 oz Lime Juice

• 1 Whole Egg

Sour Cherry Syrup

To make the sour cherry syrup, combine 1 cup of cherry syrup with 2 Tbsp of citric acid and 1/2 cup of water. Simmer the mixture on low for about 10 minutes, stirring continually. The syrup will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Directions:

Add everything into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds, then add ice, doublestrain, and pour into a Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with crushed pink peppercorn.

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