A Weekend in Birmingham, AL

We had a quick trip to Birmingham last weekend, and it was so much fun. We originally went for Kami-con, but we also visited a few bookstores and antique stores. So, let’s talk about our weekend in Birmingham, AL.

Where We Shopped

Little Professor

When we got to Birmingham the first place I wanted to go was Little Professor bookstore. I’ve been to the one in Homewood (check out that haul here), but they’ve opened a new location at Pepper Place. It was closer to our hotel so that’s where we decided to go. And I’m go glad that we did. Pepper Place is such a fun little shopping center. I’ll get more into that in a bit, but let’s get back to the bookstore.

Little Professor is gorgeous. It was so warm and welcoming. I could see myself spending some time reading here. Their selection was a bit smaller than the Homewood store, but they’re still relatively new to this location. I imagine that they will expand because it was a very popular spot on the Friday morning that we visited.

I didn’t need any more books, but I couldn’t pass up this copy of Kindred. It’s been on my tbr for years. And this copy absolutely drew me in. It’s gorgeous.

I also didn’t need any more mugs, but I loved this one.

Left Hand Soap Company

The next door over was Left Hand Soap Co. If you’re in Birmingham go visit this place. It smells so good. And the owner was so nice and helpful! It was an awesome experience. Plus, look how pretty the area is. If it had been warmer, I would have loved to find a bench to sit and read.

Of course, I had to leave with a few things. My favorite soap so far has been the mint chocolate. It smells sooo good. I also bought one called Frankenstein’s Monster. It is pumpkin, tomato, charcoal, and basil. I know that sounds strange, but it’s heavenly. I haven’t tried the bath salt yet, but I’m sure it’s amazing. And the lavendar body butter is divine.

Design Supply

The last store we stopped at in Pepper Place was Design Supply. It was a beautiful store, but it was a little pricey. And a majority of their stuff wasn’t my taste. However, I did find this gorgeous collection of books. They’re The New Temple Shakespeare Collection from 1945. I fell in love with them and had to add them to my vintage bookshelf.

Irondale Pickers

The next day we went to an antique shop called Irondale Pickers. This place was magical. It’s Alabama’s largest antique mall. It has over 500 vendors! It took us two hours to walk around this place. I absolutely adored it. There were all sorts of hidden treasures. Unfortunately, I didn’t take pictures. It was freezing cold and raining that day, so I was too busy shivering to think about taking pictures. But I did leave with a mini oil lamp, a vintage Boyd’s Bear, and the cutest little makeup bag. I can’t begin to tell you how much self-control it took to leave there with only that, hahaha.

What We Ate

Ikko

IKKO is one of the best ramen spots around. My husband adores their Tonkatsu ramen and usually has at least two bowls while we’re there. I’m not a huge ramen fan but theirs is delicious. I usually order the Gyu Don and whatever sushi I’m feeling that day. Oh, and I couldn’t leave without an order of Takoyaki! They’re soooo good.

Hamburger Heaven

If you’re from Alabama, Jack’s has probably been a staple in your life. It’s the go to place for breakfast in my little town. And their burgers are good too! Well Hamburger Heaven is where the Jack’s legacy began. While I enjoy Jack’s they can’t hold a candle to Hamburger Heaven. This place was absolutely amazing. The burger was juicy, the cheese was melty, and the signature sauce was to die for. I didn’t even care that I had smeared my lipstick all the way to my nose (I wish I was joking). That was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.

Insomnia Cookies

And the last notable place we ate was Insomnia Cookies. It was a cold and rainy night so I decided cookies would be a great option. I just love the fact that you can have cookies delivered in the middle of the night. I live in a small town where I can’t get anything delivered at any time of the day. So that was a treat to me. I ordered the chocolate chunk and the double chocolate chunk. They were amazing.

Kami-con

And lastly, we went to Kami-con. Again, I didn’t take any pictures. My attention span has been crap lately, so I forgot. But Kami-con was an experience. It was super crowded, but most of the people were super nice. The con itself had a fun energy about it. We visited a few panels, went to the arcade, and of course shopped at the vendors.

The first thing I bought were these Funko Pops. I don’t really collect Funko Pops but I couldn’t pass up Dani with Binx and Billy Butcherson. And since they were buy two get one free I had to grab chubby Groot.

The next thing I bought was this adorable wooden bookmark.

And the last thing I bought was a crocheted possum. I did not need him, but I had to have him.

Overall, we had a fun weekend in Birmingham. There is always something to do there. And I’ll definitely go back to Pepper Place. There were so many shops that we didn’t have time to explore. If you’ve never been to Birmingham, I’d recommend visiting it. It’s a fun city.