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.
The humble oyster is staple food served in celebrations marking special occasions throughout the year—from Valentine’s Day to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s traditions all over the world to symbolize good fortune and prosperity in the coming years.
You’ve heard the term, “One size doesn’t fit all.” That phrase can apply to lots of things, but especially apparel. In this story, you could also use the phrase “Apples to Oranges.” These sayings let us know that two things are not alike. There is a distinctive difference and at FINCO, it applies to sportsfishing apparel.
Anyone who is friends with Stephen “Andy” Anderson knows he has two really strong passions, music and photography. For most of his life, he’s managed to combine them in ways that make lots of others sit up and take notice.
January 2025 is here and Winter Storm Cora is bringing in the chilly new year with forecasts of ice and snow from Texas to the Carolinas. The Scenic 98 Coastal Community will be spared the worse of it, but temperatures above 60 degrees look to be few and far between in the coming weeks.
Poking around the shops in Downtown Fairhope last week, hoping to get an idea or two for gift-giving, I couldn’t help but notice how decked out the streetscapes were. Every store had a creative holiday decoration.
Last week, we enjoyed four early Christmas presents at The Book Cellar in Fairhope. The first was Monday night listening to Phil and Foster. Always entertaining, they are the longest-running set every Wednesday evening at Callaghan’s Irish Social Club in Mobile. They started that gig over 10 years ago, and it’s always a treat to hear them play once a month on Monday night at The Book Cellar.
Jim Trainer seems to have hit his stride in terms of finding his creative side. His business, called Alabama Iron Works handles some big, rugged jobs and others that require a much more artistic sensibility.
If you’ve been reading our Scenic 98 Coastal newsletter for the last two years, you’ve noticed we have featured a “behind the scenes” look into WKRG News 5's on-air talent and their community service endeavors. This relationship has been fun, enlightening, and positive in every aspect.