Sharon Carney lives in Birmingham and works in Ferndale. Smack between the two cities is Royal Oak. Which, if you know high-end B-ham and funky F-dale, is a pretty accurate characterization of Royal Oak, too.
Sharon likes to go to
Lily's Seafood for a bite to eat. "I've never had anything bad there," she says. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they have dollar pints on Mondays, too.
For something a little lighter and vegetarian, she says check out
Pronto! Sharon says they have a huge selection of sandwiches for the veggie and the meat-eater alike.
And though Royal Oak has a few options for sushi,
Ronin would be her favorite. Her tip: order the Sapporo in the giant tin can.
Either before or after dinner, Sharon might catch an art house flick at the
Main Art Theatre, a downtown staple and one of the best movie houses for indie and foreign cinema. If it they are wearing Victorian costumes or speaking in French, you'll see it at The Main.
Sharon likes bars that are high end, or just the opposite. In one corner, for a glass of wine somewhere a bit more polished, she goes to
Vinotecca. At the other end is
Gusoline Alley, rough around the edges, sure, but ultimately a great, relaxing place for a drink.
For shopping, she likes
Incognito, where you can grab a pair of the fanciest ripped jeans on the market.
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