Most people traveling along U.S. 98 probably breeze through the little town of Lillian with little more than a passing thought, but Curry Weber isn't like most people. The audio engineer and archaeologist moved to this community on Perdido Bay nine years ago, and he's determined to find out as much as possible about its past.
Something that even some of my friends don't know about me is I'm into birds, and have been for over 30 years. The preferred term is "birding" for people who are seriously into it, but I've never quite put myself in that category, even though I do own a handful of reference books, some nice binoculars and even a high-powered spotting scope.
When Jennifer Blackwood was working as a Pharmaceutical Rep in the Panhandle of Florida, she had a favorite old gas station in Seaside, which she frequently visited. “ It had a lot of personality, and when I saw Battles Wharf Market, it reminded me of that special place.” And here she is, the new owner of the iconic market on Scenic 98, just north of the Grand Hotel.
We spent Easter weekend on 6150 acres in Gulf Shores known as the Gulf State Park. I could walk on the beach and see nothing but water and sand for miles, which is quite rare in the condo-dense Gulf front strip from Gulf Shores to Perdido Key.
In 2006, after hurricanes Ivan and Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, Mark White, having recently moved from Vail, Colorado, to Alabama, found a BBQ joint in Orange Beach that didn’t survive the storms.
May is upon us and the dog days of summer are not far behind. There are still plenty of exciting outdoor events to take advantage of the weather throughout the Scenic 98 Coastal area and across the Gulf Coast. If you fancy a road trip, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival cranks up again Thursday for the 2nd weekend of festivities.
This is more than a story about Moe’s Original BBQ. It’s a story about perseverance, leadership, music, finding your calling, faith, survival, being knocked down repeatedly, getting back up, and a big dream finally coming to fruition. Attitude and reflection are also a big part of this story.
Food is a big part of what we do at Scenic 98 Coastal. Our approach is to write about places we enjoy, where the experience is always satisfying. We don’t consider ourselves food critics, but we enjoy all kinds of options from no frills to fancy. It’s all about the experience, and a good dining experience comes in many flavors.
Health experts say we should eat like a King at Breakfast, a Queen at Lunch, and a Pauper at Dinner. Since I consider myself a Queen, Lunch is my favorite meal of the day for many reasons: it's less expensive than dinner, the portion size is perfect, and you can have a nap afterward (if you are retired) so it's okay to have a glass of wine.
After hearing of a local performing arts studio celebrating its 10th Anniversary, I called to learn more. When I arrived at our scheduled sit-down, I was immediately impressed. Brandon Marcus is an energetic, multi-talented performer that exudes enthusiasm for what he does and the educational performing arts studio he opened ten years ago, The Studio.
Golf is the only sport that I know of, where most of the game is spent driving a cart around to find and hit a ball. For me, it’s kind of like a scavenger hunt. These continuous interim periods of driving an open-air vehicle provide all kinds of time for socializing, cocktails, cigars (yuck), and enjoying the great outdoors with beautiful scenery- both manicured (fairways) and wooded (rough). I am naturally drawn to wooded areas.
I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Rebecca Dunn Bryant and her architectural firm, WATERSHED. The more we visit, the more I learn how we can better plan ways to tie the Scenic 98 Coastal community together. It turns out that WATERSHED is involved in many wonderful projects from Bayou La Batre and Mobile, to the Eastern Shore and Gulf Shores. It’s just remarkable.
Last Friday, we picked up our friends, Tony and Sylvia Atchison, and headed to Pensacola for an afternoon of wandering around Palafox Street and an early dinner at Dharma Blue. After poking around Don Alans men’s clothing store, Bubba’s Sweet Shop, and the Bodacious Olive, we proceeded to Dharma Blue, about four blocks away.
I’ve heard a lot about Impact 100 Baldwin County over the years and knew it was a group of women who were collectively making a difference throughout Baldwin County communities.
“Drink with the Goat” is a term you will certainly be familiar with if you grew up around the Scenic 98 Coastal area and ever frequented the iconic saloon that Jack West built on the outskirts of Daphne called Judge Roy Bean Saloon.
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.