I have always been fascinated to learn how business people got their start and the roads they traveled to get where they are. Most are lessons in perseverance, and the ability to learn from mistakes. Very few, I’ve found, just stumbled out of the gate and succeeded on pure luck. A positive mental attitude is a common trait.

When Jeremiah Litwack first dreamed up the concept of Jeremiah's Italian Ice in 1988, he was a high school student hustling Italian ice in front of the Philadelphia Mint. By 1993, after honing his cool craft, he set out to create a market for Italian Ice in the Southeast. 

What I love most about a wine dinner is that I don't have to make any menu decisions. I just sit down and have delicious food and wine brought to me by a courteous server. I always enjoy interesting conversations with my table mates and also learn something new about wine. The Red, White, and Rose` dinner hosted by Scenic 98 Coastal, held at Char 32 in Point Clear was no exception. With five courses paired with French wines from Seth Hargett’s ABM Wines, it was a delightful Thursday evening. 

I went to a lovely engagement party in Fairhope and the most fun thing happened. A Sno Ball truck arrived in the backyard and all the guests had made to order Sno Balls for dessert. How cool is that?! It was such a novel and delicious idea that I had to learn more.

Daneen Buck is a staple around these parts. Born and raised in Fairhope, she and her family have been immersed in some kind of restaurant or food business all their lives. Her father was a meat salesman for Armour Meats and sold to many of the local restaurants in the Baldwin County area. Daneen’s parents were comfortable in the kitchen and passed the love of cooking, creating, and entertaining on to their kids.

Throughout June, the Mobile Arts Council’s Gallery @ Room 1927 will feature works by four Mobile-based artists. The exhibitions, titled “Figures of Imagination” and “Ethereal,” have contrasting themes, but are compatible in their focus on figures, extreme detail, and surreal imagery.

Earlier this year, upon learning that AL.Com had named Ed's to its list of Twelve Classic Alabama Burger Joints We Can't-Wait to Revisit, and to Southern Living's, The South's Most Beloved Hamburger Joints, I made the hour trip north to Jackson to have lunch there and to meet the current owners. ‍

Our South Meets South Wine Dinner on Thursday evening, May 30 is inspired by the rich cultural history of South African flavors found in Southern cuisine. We have found that besides the food, beautiful South African wines complement Southern cuisine.