I’m pretty partial to Moe’s Original BBQ. I eat there often and have resisted writing about them because I’m biased. But with good reason! It’s a good story and great food every time. Not just one location, but everyone I’ve been to, including Vail, Colorado where it all began.

You may have seen the Chris Francis Tree Care bucket trucks, debris trucks, spider lifts, or other equipment in a neighborhood near you. Whether it’s trimming limbs, total tree removal, installing tree canopy lighting, providing supplemental support, or taking care of your plants’ health every month, as they do for us, you know the job will be done professionally, and the result will be exactly as they promised. It’s a reputation that has been earned since Chris was 12 years old.

Just in time for Mardi Gras, Candice Marley Conner and Julie Allen have teamed up to write and illustrate Mobile’s first Mardi Gras ABCs children’s book, M is for Moon Pie. This is Candice’s third children’s picture book, and the third book for Julie, a professional illustrator.

I recently got on the horn with Bob Lepisto, President of SeaDream Yacht Club, which is based in Miami, Florida. I’ve known Bob for many years and had the pleasure of going on a SeaDream voyage several years ago with eight other couples. We had a blast, and it is still one of the best travel experiences I’ve had in my life.

The Book Cellar at the Page & Palette in Fairhope has become a frequent stop for meeting friends, attending author events, and enjoying live entertainment. It’s casual and cozy with a nice, full bar, TVs for watching sports, comfortable lazy boys just in front of the stage, and plenty of high-top tables to take in whatever they have going on that day or night.

Russell Harbison is a local certified fishmonger. He gladly sells his fresh catches, but his stories are free. Every Wednesday between 12:00 noon and 2:00 PM, he's set up behind Popeye’s in Daphne; the gregarious salesman wears a silver sailor’s whistle around his neck that almost fills his large hand. The significance of the whistle is yet to be determined. Maybe he’s calling for customers, or just letting folks know where he is. Thanks to my knowledgeable friend Paula, I found the salesman “Just call me Russell” Harbison without any trouble.

Retirement is a gift I have earned and intend to enjoy! I have looked forward to retirement for 20 years. Now that I'm here, it has proven to be somewhat of a challenge as well as a blessing.

Nothing connects people to a city like food and drink. Chris Andrews and his wife, Laney own and operate two local food tours, Bienville Bites Food Tour in Mobile and Taste of Fairhope Food Tour in downtown Fairhope. What’s a food tour, you may ask? In this case, they are walking tours to six of the more iconic eateries in Mobile and Fairhope with a dose of history talk thrown in.