• HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESTAURANT RATINGS
The Jefferson and Shelby County departments of health regularly inspect all establishments where food is prepared or sold for human consumption. These scored inspections were made without prior notification of the food service owner, operator or employees.

• Local best-sellers in Birmingham -
ALABAMA BOOKSMITH 1. "Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef's Love Affair with Italian Food" by Frank Stitt 2. "The Story of Jesus as Told in the Donkeys' Tales" by Adele Colvin and Peyton Carmichael 3. "Frank Stitt's Southern Table" by Frank Stitt 4. "The Long Shadow of Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant" by Gaylon McCollough 5. "Charles Dickens Set" by Charles Dickens :

• Trains at McWane Thru 1/11. McWane Science Center, 200 19th St. North. More than a dozen train displays. 714-8300. www.mcwane.org
Music: Medndelssohn's Scottish Fri 11 a.m. Alys Stephens Center, Jemison Concert Hall, 1200 10th Ave. South, Birmingham. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra performs works by Britten and Mendelssohn. www.alysstephens.org

• Travelogue
Disney Day at AAA Alabama: hinking about taking a Disney vacation of some sort? On Saturday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., AAA Alabama will feature Disney representatives talking about the company's cruise line and, of course, the theme parks. Kids are welcome to attend as parents learn about savings and benefits from AAA Travel.

• Dishing With Wesley True, Chef/Owner
Restaurant's Specialty: We use French techniques to present a constantly evolving menu with global influences and local flavors.

• [MORE STUFF TO DO - MUSIC - THEATER - EVENTS - MUSEUMS & GALLERIES - LOOKING AHEAD]
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• Alabama Symphony Orchestra review: A night of arias, oompahs, and lipstick
Last night marked the sixth consecutive New Year's Eve concert performed by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra in the ever-glorious Alabama Theatre. The concert, as expected, contained a truckload of waltzes, polkas and novelty pieces by the Strauss family and Strauss wannabe Franz Lehar, all performed within an audience-friendly 90-minute time span.

• North Mississippi All-Stars put on raucous rock show
The North Mississippi All-Stars are no strangers to Birmingham. And the people of Birmingham, whether they're familiar with NMAS or not, are no strangers to the bluesy brand of Southern rock that the band showcases.

• Bound for the inauguration?
WASHINGTON - For a city that has no state, Washington D.C. does an extraordinary job of recognizing the contributions from residents of those other places long ago granted statehood and those coveted voting rights. Alabama is no exception. There are monuments and memorials, statues and sculptures, paintings and pictures of and by Alabamians all over the city.

• Their golden years behind them, The Verve Pipe can still draw a crowd
It's been more than seven years since The Verve Pipe released an album. Heck, it's been 12 years since the band's only real hit, "The Freshmen," became a staple of mid-'90s radio rock.