Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White


Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White
Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Maddy Reda, Assistant Culture Editor

All content by Maddy Reda
Stevie Nicks enchants Huntsville audience at the Orion on Halloween night

Stevie Nicks enchants Huntsville audience at the Orion on Halloween night

Annabelle Blomeley, Culture Editor • November 2, 2022

A quarter moon shone in a cloudy sky but there was no chance of rain — the perfect spooky weather for a Halloween night concert with the witchy singer herself, Stevie Nicks.   Nicks, best known as...

Book your picnic. Picnic Vibes Tuscaloosa.

Local couple brings luxury pop-up picnics to Tuscaloosa

Annabelle Blomeley, Assistant Culture Editor • July 28, 2021
Nestled under trees in Tuscaloosa parks, residents can sometimes catch a glimpse of a white umbrella, a pillow-adorned blanket on the grass and a small table outfitted with candles, glasses and flowers assorted by Picnic Vibes Tuscaloosa.
Cultured | Summer Sessions

Cultured | Summer Sessions

Jeffrey Kelly | @jeffkellyjr and Annabelle Blomeley • July 15, 2021
This episode is about all things music and the song of the summer.
What shot did you ever take. Brian Oliu vs Jason Mccall. Poems.

A UA professor’s lyrical ode to professional wrestling

Annabelle Blomeley, Assistant Culture Editor • July 7, 2021
Oliu, a UA professor and the assistant director of first-year writing in the English Department, has been writing since he was a kid in New Jersey. As a child, Oliu said he knew he wasn’t good at art or music, but he loved storytelling. He turned to writing at an early age, and everything fell into place.
The rise of streaming platforms: More shows, more money, more problems

The rise of streaming platforms: More shows, more money, more problems

Annabelle Blomeley, Assistant Culture Editor • June 16, 2021
Although streaming was touted as more affordable and convenient than cable and satellite TV, the sheer number of streaming services has skyrocketed monthly entertainment costs. 
How one fan apparel store is adding a one-of-a-kind twist to Alabama merch

How one fan apparel store is adding a one-of-a-kind twist to Alabama merch

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • March 31, 2021
Created by UA alum Charlie Nelson, Alabama Vintage boasts curated goods with an environmentally-friendly outlook.
Screen capture by Netflix

‘The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel’ brings new light to the Elisa Lam case

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • March 29, 2021
We all think that we know the infamous “unsolved” murder case of Elisa Lam, but the new “Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel” brings new information, new interviews, and much more to the case that has transformed internet-sleuthing forever.
Some celebrities, such as Dua Lipa, have received criticism not practicing what they preach.

How the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing a reckoning within celebrity culture

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • March 3, 2021
In what many are touting as the end of celebrity culture as we know it, coronavirus has turned the public against the influencers and celebrities we once loved. From publicity stunts to hosting huge parties, celebrities may be doing more harm than good during the pandemic.
Last spring, now-SGA President Demarcus Joiner celebrated his win with his team.

Successes and Scandals: Your guide to recent SGA presidential administrations

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • March 1, 2021
The time has come to say goodbye to Demarcus Joiner. Our current SGA president had his proposed agenda totally flipped around by COVID-19, but he wasn't the first president in recent memory to struggle to make the changes promised during the campaign. In fact, the SGA presidency has had more than its fair share of mishaps (and triumphs) in the last few years.
Courtesy of Literary Vibes Birmingham

These Black authors fill Alabama with poetry and community

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • February 11, 2021
Alabama has a rich literary tradition—but its traditional canon is filled mostly with white authors. Black authors and poets in the state are hard at work spreading the gospel of poetry in an effort to make creative expression a viable outlet for all.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

‘We are bigger than the first and the only’: Black women reflect on Kamala Harris’ historic vice presidency

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • February 10, 2021
The Biden-Harris ticket made history in January. Kamala Harris became the first woman, first South Asian person and first African American to be the vice president. While her election was cause for celebration, some are ready for the days of firsts and onlys to be firmly in the past.
Members of No Strings Attached practiced in small subgroups to follow COVID-19 protocols. Photo courtesy of Madison Dunn Photography.

All Together Now: How campus a cappella groups are making music and forging communities

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • January 24, 2021

Whether you’re a “Pitch Perfect” fan or not, there’s no doubt that a cappella groups have been thrown into the spotlight in recent years. Armed with only their voices, a cappella groups at The...

Never be late to class again: Easy tips and tricks for navigating campus

Never be late to class again: Easy tips and tricks for navigating campus

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • January 20, 2021
One of the most difficult parts of adjusting to college life is trying to navigate the buildings and campus, especially when you’re new to the area. Here are some tips and tricks that can ensure that you have the confidence to go anywhere on campus that you need to.
Photo courtesy of Netflix

Review | Need to get in the holiday spirit? Try ‘Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas’

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • December 24, 2020

I’m a simple woman. I love Christmas; I love home renovation shows and I always have the overwhelming desire to DIY something fun. So when I saw “Holiday Home Makeover with Mr. Christmas” on my Netflix...

Review | Really, Morgan Wallen? Is that what you call an apology?

Review | Really, Morgan Wallen? Is that what you call an apology?

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • December 7, 2020

I think we all remember the Morgan Wallen scandal from this past October, particularly because this was the first time many of us had ever heard of him.  If you need a refresher, Morgan Wallen is a...

Review | 'Derry Girls' is a hilarious trip back into time

Review | ‘Derry Girls’ is a hilarious trip back into time

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • November 18, 2020
If you need a ridiculous comedy to take your mind off, well, everything over the holidays, we have a suggestion. This Netflix comedy is a surefire way to inject a little nostalgia and lightheartedness into your binge-watching schedule.
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Music Column | Need a good cry? Try the latest Noah Cyrus album

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • November 8, 2020
If you’re looking to drown your tears in, well, more tears, we have the perfect album for you. “The End of Everything,” Annabelle Blomeley writes, has a wonderfully specific quality while still being an album made of intensely empathetic songs.
CW / Clifton Enlers

‘I want no part in their election’: Why some Alabama students won’t bother voting

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • November 1, 2020
Why vote blue in a saturated red state? Why bother going to the polls at all to vote for someone you don't even like? For a few UA students, frustrations with the political system are enough to drive them away from the polls.
Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes

Review | ‘Emily in Paris’ is not a good look for Paris

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • October 25, 2020
If you liked “The Devil Wears Prada,” but wished it were bad, we have a recommendation for you. Nothing ever seems to happen in “Emily in Paris,” but when things do happen, they make very little sense.
Multi-level marketing: pyramid scheme or perfect college job?

Multi-level marketing: pyramid scheme or perfect college job?

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • October 14, 2020
College students gotta make money. But some ways are less successful than others. Multi-level marketing companies, which tend to tell potential employees that they can be their own boss or even work solely from their phone, seem great on the surface. But they tend to suck more money out of students than students get out of them. Read it online or in the special edition.
Artists mourn the 2020 Kentuck fest that never was

Artists mourn the 2020 Kentuck fest that never was

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • September 27, 2020

The 49th Kentuck Festival of the Arts, which was scheduled to happen in Northport this October, was canceled amid fears of the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival plays an important role in supporting Tuscaloosa...

CW / Tomia Teague

Last-minute Lofts residents talk UA COVID plans

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • September 20, 2020
To make room for COVID-19 positive student housing, the University made a $1.2 million agreement with The Lofts at City Center to lease over 200 beds for students who were supposed to live at the Bryce Lawn Apartments and the Highlands Apartments on campus. Students who were moved to The Lofts speak out about the good and the bad of their last-minute move.
Back-to-school supplies look different this fall

Back-to-school supplies look different this fall

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • August 20, 2020

FACE MASKS To stop the spread of the coronavirus, the University is requiring all students, faculty and staff on campus to wear face masks at all times. So whether you’re attending an hour-long lab...

Free resources to simplify your life at UA

Free resources to simplify your life at UA

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • August 18, 2020
In college, it’s easy to feel as if everywhere you turn a hidden fee (or cup of coffee) needs your immediate attention and credit card information. But the University offers plenty of resources that don’t burn a hole in your wallet and save you money, time and stress.
Courtesy of PixaBay

As the state reopens, immunocompromised students urge others to stay home

Annabelle Blomeley • May 13, 2020

With states enacting stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus pandemic, people across the country are social distancing and doing their part to put a stop to the virus. However, not everyone abides by...

Homemade medical masks make a big impact against coronavirus

Homemade medical masks make a big impact against coronavirus

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • April 21, 2020

One of the many problems facing hospitals in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is the lack of medical face masks that help stop the spread of the virus. To help combat this issue, two women have sewn...

CW / Madison Ely. Photos contributed by April Whinery Photography.

‘Corona brides’ stay positive amidst uncertainty

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • April 11, 2020
Self-proclaimed “corona brides” are struggling to navigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on their spring and summer 2020 weddings. Despite the uncertainty, these three brides are facing the challenge head-on, remaining positive as they are forced to reimagine their big days. 
Photo courtesy of UA Opera Theatre

UA Music Department showcases American opera

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • February 27, 2020
This Thursday, join the UA Department of Music for their fourth production of the 2019-2020 school year, entitled “A Celebration of American Opera, Part II.” The show includes five different operas, including a world premiere of an opera by Michael Ching.
Photo courtesy of Kiera Gillock

‘Inherit the Wind’ reimagines a fascinating history

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • February 24, 2020
This past week, Theatre Tuscaloosa put on the historical courtroom drama “Inherit the Wind,” written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. Based off the Scopes-Monkey Trial of the 1920s, two lawyers battle it out in a sleepy, Southern Christian town for the right for humans to think and believe in what they think is right.
CW / Kelsey Mullins

‘Servant of Two Masters’ stands the test of time

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • February 24, 2020
This week, the UA Department of Theatre and Dance put on Carlo Goldoni’s comedic play “The Servant of Two Masters.” Set in 17th-century Italy, hilarity and chaos ensue when a servant, who is always looking for his next big meal, decides to serve two masters, one of whom carries secrets of their own.
Photo courtesy of Hunter Jensen

Quad squirrels inspire cult campus following

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • February 20, 2020
Hundreds of UA students connect through mutual love for the campus squirrels, who are always there to brighten up the students’ day.
CW / Hannah Saad

Cultural Collateral exhibit serves every student on campus

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • February 3, 2020
The Sarah Moody Gallery of Art recently opened its newest exhibition, Cultural Collateral. The exhibit features artworks from the University’s permanent collection and is available for viewing through Feb. 14.
CW / Jake Arthur

Mitchell Tenpenny wows Tuscaloosa crowd

Annabelle Blomeley, Staff Reporter • January 30, 2020
Druid City Music Hall hosted country singer Mitchell Tenpenny last Saturday night to a sold-out crowd. After the opening band, Seaforth, finished playing, Tenpenny performed his biggest hits to an energetic Tuscaloosa audience.
CW / Sam Flowers

UA Theatre goes big for “The Importance of Being Earnest”

Annabelle Blomeley, Contributing Writer • November 21, 2019
This week, the UA Department of Theatre and Dance put on Oscar Wilde’s comedic play “The Importance of Being Earnest.” Set in the late-Victorian era, hilarity and chaos ensue when two men pretend to be a man named Ernest Worthing so they can romance two unsuspecting women.
Photo courtesy of Taylor Ackerman

The charm of “The Pirates of Penzance” was in the details

Annabelle Blomeley, Contributing Writer • November 14, 2019
This week, the UA Department of Theatre and Dance presents “The Pirates of Penzance.” The musical has been revamped from the original format to poke fun of campus culture at The University of Alabama with modern twists, lighthearted stereotypes and meticulous attention to detail.