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.