It's 12:45 pm on a Monday and my business associate and I are hungry. We have no idea what’s open in the Fish River area of Scenic 98 Coastal on this day and time. Often, on my way to the beach, I had passed a little cafe on Highway 98 called Boggy’s but had never stopped to explore. We found them open on a Monday! We were in luck!

My Daddy would occasionally treat us boys to Sleepy’s Barbeque in our little town of Evergreen, Alabama. Mr. Lum Parker was seated, drinking coffee, every time we went in. Mr. Lum didn’t own Sleepy’s, but he was always there. He held forth with other customers on a breadth of subjects as he was an expert on local intrigue. Mr. Lum easily transitioned to talk of hunting, fishing, religion, timber, Gunsmoke, and tire re-capping. He reserved special venom for communists. People knew not to get him started on communism.

Many moons ago, after a significant family event, I found myself taking our small Stauter-built boat down to Seacliff on Mobile Bay to gather some local clay in a bucket. I proceeded home to sit on the wharf and work the clay to soften and get the pebbles out. It was almost July 4th, and as I was kneading the clay, I was inspired to sculpt the Statue of Liberty from memory. What I found is that sculpting is amazingly therapeutic. It was just what I needed, and I have deeply appreciated the benefits of sculpting ever since.

It was a glorious Wednesday last week when Linda and I decided it would be a good idea to take some old friends and newly minted Fairhopians on a day trip to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. We have been several times, but this was their first encounter. They were blown away!

It was a gorgeous day for a road trip to Ocean Springs and we made the most of it beginning with lunch at Maison de Lu Restaurant and Bar. We had to dive right in with “Best in State” bloody marys. A pretty confident claim to fame and it delivered! The goat cheese tart would have been plenty, but we did not stop there. Pieces of warm pita scooped up the goat cheese with a pesto base and sun-dried tomatoes floating on top.

Anna Cowart has always loved to cook. She grew up cooking with her dad, Mark Ryan and through him, she learned how to blend ingredients for sauces, what foods work well together, and how to season and cook meats. Her “real” job is that of a speech therapist at Springhill Memorial Hospital by day and she is a chef by night, who offers customized menus and wine pairings for private dinner parties in clients' homes.

Michelle Prouty, the owner of Corner Copia Garden Center, wears a t-shirt that says “Plant People” when she sits down to talk with us in the beautiful courtyard of her garden center at the corner of Highway and US 98. Her passion for plants and the business she created is evident because the dream of “doing what you love“ is now a reality for her.

On a tip, I contacted David Van Der Like, owner and executive producer of Hellcat Productions in Pensacola, to see what they were all about. It turns out that David and his son, Ben, operate a busy production studio and event space, Hellcat Hangar, with their hands on lots of interesting things. The building in which they operate is a quirky old 4,000 SF Quonset hut on U.S. Highway 98, that I’ve passed by many times.

Twice this past week we had out-of-towners in for a visit and wanted a nice, leisurely breakfast place to enjoy good food and company. Two Sisters in Fairhope hit the spot—both times! In a beautiful outside setting, we sat on the deck sipping coffee under a magnificent old Live Oak while our breakfast was being prepared.

Bryan and Courtney Fitzsimmons had been working in the hospitality industry for 27 and 20-plus years respectively when they decided they were ready for a change. At the time, Bryan was director of operations for Another Broken Egg overseeing seven states. Bryan’s dad, Frank Fitzsimmons, was living in Pensacola where he has been a business broker for 25 years.

Noell Broughton is a serial restaurant entrepreneur if there ever was one. Catch your breath because his story has the energy of a hurricane! It is a twenty-six-year career history with plenty of twists and turns and a lot of memories and fun along the way. Buckle your seat belts, the ride is not over.

When I was a teenager, America’s Junior Miss pageant was a big deal for our city. High school contestants from every state descended upon Mobile after being selected in local competitions.

When you go to a restaurant that has been around for a while, your expectations are set and you know what you’re in for. At the Wash House in Point Clear, you always expect a great ambiance, very good food, and terrific service.

When I was a boy, it was a big deal to stop by Punta Clara Kitchen and buy some fudge and pralines. It was a special treat, made me happy, and I thought it was a pretty cool place. They moved the kitchen while I was in college, but it was still close, so I didn’t mind.

‍ “The Captain and the Farmer” sounds like a good summer novel, full of rich characters and earthy plot lines. In reality, the characters are a local husband and wife team who are living the dream, on land and sea.

As far as good times go, Gretsch Lyles and the Modern Eldorados never disappoint. The Sunday afternoon before Labor Day, they put on an outstanding performance for the Summer Concert Series at the American Legion Post 199. The beach was packed, the weather was perfect, and everyone was having a grand time.

Many decades ago, my time at LSU and in Louisiana, included many visits to a Po’ boy lunch spot. Domilise’s tops that list with Parasol’s and Mother’s running right behind. And it takes a lot of napkins to make it work.

Are you looking for a white tablecloth evening in Orange Beach? Voyagers at Perdido Beach Resort will not disappoint.

Where do I begin to tell the story of Big Earl and the Sexual Biscuits? Let’s start with the facts. Big Earl is not his real name.

When I say “Queen of Real Estate”, it’s not hyperbole. Mary Courtney Cane lives and breathes the Mobile and Eastern Shore real estate market, and she comes by it naturally.

Right in the heart of Pt. Clear, there is a unique shop that shares an old home where Punta Clara Kitchen is located, next to the Wash House restaurant, and just down and across the street from the Garage Studio. We will get to all those places soon, I promise. But the Market on Main is our focus today. What a fantastic place!

It’s football season and that means Bloody Marys and cheese straws. No one does cheese straws better than Jimmy Dill. His cheese straws are so famous that he started Tailgate Cheese Straws. Jimmy and his wife Paige, decided to start Tailgate later in life and it’s been quite the ride.

It had been a pretty big night. With the sun finally shining, we dusted ourselves off and flip-flopped our way into Playa at Sportsman Marina in Orange Beach. It was the first sunny day we had experienced in a month of Sundays, literally, and chose to sit on the porch and watch the boats go by.

Stephanie Easterling is the owner of Wildflowers Floral Design in Fairhope. It’s a bustling place full of people, flowers, and merchandise for the home. Twenty-two years ago, Stephanie came to Fairhope for a Mardi Gras weekend and was hooked. Stephanie says she was inspired by the flower beds in Fairhope. “The town was absolutely beautiful, like a Norman Rockwell painting.”