Chad Kirtland knows that food lovers along the Eastern Shore are pretty savvy, but there's a certain segment of his clientele that he really wants to satisfy. He can spot them right away from the distinctive accents that he's known all his life, and that they have no trouble pronouncing the names of popular menu items such as jambalaya, muffaletta, or étouffée.

Did you know Andalusia, Alabama, is home to the World Championship Domino Tournament? I didn’t either until I met Riley and Reid Taylor at Provision in Fairhope a few weeks ago. Since 1976, the Andalusia Rotary Club has sponsored and produced the event. If you want to match your wits and Domino skills against the best players in the world, you can register here to compete on July 11 and 12 at the Kiwanis Fair Complex in Andalusia.

When we started this venture called Scenic98Coastal.com, I talked it out with lots of people I know and respect. The best advice I received was from a friend’s son visiting Fairhope from New York during the pandemic. We were having lunch at Sunset Pointe at Fly Creek when I told him about our idea to launch a newsletter for the area between Mobile and Pensacola. 

There is a paw print in the logo of Cosmo’s Restaurant and Bar, and I never knew why. While lunching there with girlfriends, I learned that the restaurant was named for the owners, Brian and Jodi Harseny’s, beloved black dog. His portrait is prominently displayed on an outside mural and on a particularly nice silhouette painting of Cosmo and his cat friend, Junior Mint, looking at the moon. Junior Mint is still alive, living the good life with the Harsenys, but Cosmo is in Dog Heaven.

Katrina McLeod is the kind of person who is always up for a new challenge, and for the upcoming Air Race Classic, she's found a well-suited flying partner who shares her love of adventure. 

Without question, we have some of the most spectacular sunsets in the world. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. I challenge anyone, anywhere, to prove me wrong. I’ve seen many beautiful sunsets in other places, but consistently, the spectacular Scenic 98 Coastal sunsets are incredible. 

For the first half of my life, I was Jim, and then, increasingly, I was Jimmy Lee. It's a nickname I gave myself in 1993, and I encouraged it to stick. It's been confusing at times, but looking back, I wouldn't change a thing.

Sahada Buckley has accomplished a lot in her 29 years of life. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Georgia and a master's from the University of Wisconsin, both in Violin Performance and Music Theory. Currently, she is a member of the Illinois Symphony and the founder and Artistic Director, along with her husband, Trace Johnson, of the Eastern Shore Chamber Music Festival. “I have always dreamed of bringing classical music to Fairhope,” Sahada says. “There are musical events in the area, but one must travel to larger cities to experience live classical music. This is our third year of bringing classical music to my hometown.”