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.

On a sultry, First Friday Art Walk evening in August, we met some friends at The Book Cellar to listen to some great music and to see who was out and about. As the event space for Page & Palette, The Book Cellar is becoming the go-to place for music, drink, and author events. There’s an author event this evening that I wish I could attend featuring Rinker Buck as he will tell tales of his “Huck Finn” style adventures in Life on the Mississippi. It starts at 6:00, but arrive early to get a good seat, meet friends and chat over a cool libation.

It's so much fun to go out for drinks with girlfriends and Downtown Fairhope has many excellent places to imbibe. The newest addition to the GNO (girls' night out ) scene is The Monkey Bar on Section Street. Ellen Semple, the owner, acquired the old PNC bank building and renovated it to open Five Gold Monkeys, a boutique store specializing in fine furniture, fabric, accessories, and gifts. This is the second location of the store, the first being in Mobile.

This may be the inscription at the entrance to Hell, but it’s also the motto of Pirates Cove Yacht Club, home to the most heavenly cheeseburgers and divine Bushwackers this side of Perdido Bay. Sitting right on the water in Josephine, Alabama on Roberts Bayou, Pirates Cove is the least pretentious, best dive beach bar in the world! As one Louisiana patron says: “There are no uppity pinky-in-the-air people here.”

Rhonda Hart just comes across as someone you want to be friends with. She grew up in a musical family, starting in Oregon before moving to Nashville in the 80s and 90s with her mom and stepfather, Tommy Collins.