On June 27, 1972, my girlfriend at the time, now my wife, Cathy, my lifelong friend, Greer Radcliff, and other friends attended The Rolling Stones's “1972 American Tour“ concert at the Mobile Civic Center. After finishing our freshman year in college at our respective schools, we gathered for a night of “It’s Only Rock n’ Roll, but We Like It! We Like It, Yes We Do.“

There’s often a lively crowd at Manci’s Antique Club, but now they have one more reason to raise a glass and smile—and it’s a big one. The building that houses the popular bar and restaurant has reached the century mark.

Our dear friend, writer, editor, and former dance studio owner, Gina Lanaux, epitomizes the creative energy that resonates throughout Fairhope’s history. Like many others who chose to make Fairhope their home, she embraces the arts, the unusual personalities, and the free-flowing lifestyle that brings a community together. 

The second annual Gulf Coast Home and Outdoor Expo will be held at the Daphne Civic Center on Saturday, May 4 from 9 AM until 3 PM. This is an opportunity for homeowners thinking about improving their indoor or outdoor space to meet and ask questions to over 40 vendors who are experts in the business. It is a one-stop shop of everything you need to know to get those home improvement projects off the ground. 

The second annual Gulf Coast Home and Outdoor Expo will be held at the Daphne Civic Center on Saturday, May 4 from 9 AM until 3 PM. This is an opportunity for homeowners thinking about improving their indoor or outdoor space to meet and ask questions to over 40 vendors who are experts in the business. It is a one-stop shop of everything you need to know to get those home improvement projects off the ground. 

The saying “April Showers bring May Flowers” comes from the United Kingdom, and although spring flowers are already blooming throughout the Scenic 98 Coastal area, May still brings a lot of change. Students will soon be free for the summer, traffic from the weekly beach migration is ramping up, and rising temperatures remind us to take advantage of the weather before the dog days of summer commence.

Growing up in the Scenic 98 Coastal area, all beaches along the Central Gulf of Mexico were fair game. The Jewels of the Mississippi Coast to the far reaches of Mexico Beach, Florida were considered our playground. We often found ourselves at Dauphin Island, Sand Island, Ft. Morgan, Gulf Shores, and Pensacola Beach. But there was a special affection for Orange Beach and the Perdido Key area.

Andy MacDonald has a particular vision for his guitar shop in Stapleton, the iconic Picker’s Paradise. It should have a warm and welcoming vibe, for sure, and a strong focus on vintage instruments and traditional music.

Andy MacDonald has a particular vision for his guitar shop in Stapleton, the iconic Picker’s Paradise. It should have a warm and welcoming vibe, for sure, and a strong focus on vintage instruments and traditional music.

In March, Linda and I attended the annual Saunders Yachtworks Boatyard Bash party held at their facility in Gulf Shores. They host the party annually in conjunction with The Wharf Boat & Yacht Show each year. I’ve always been intrigued by Saunders Yachtworks.

With two years of publications and plenty of good meals under our belts, we are thrilled to announce the exclusive launch of Scenic 98 Coastal’s 1st Annual Summer Splash Wine Dinner Series. Our first event, a truly unique experience, will be held in Mobile at Crown Hall on Thursday, May 30. 

The Story of Dr. James Andrews's Challenge for the America’s Cup

Sometimes, we meet people who’ll rescue us from that earthly purgatory of sameness. 

Scenic 98 Coastal was officially launched on April 14, 2022, when our first newsletter was emailed to 142 subscribers made up of family and friends. Over the last two years, we have enjoyed telling stories and sharing experiences with our readers, now over 5,000 strong. Telling stories is what we are all about! With everything going on in the world right now, we hope to be a positive voice that celebrates this community and all it has to offer.

Jackson’s Steakhouse, a Pensacola fine-dining establishment, hosts a media-tasting event twice a year. Founding Executive Chef Irv Miller introduces his seasonal menu each spring and fall. Scenic 98 Coastal was fortunate to be included. 

In July of 2018, Rachel Hadley was 22 weeks pregnant when her organs started shutting down. On July 4, doctors performed an emergency C-Section and delivered twins Scarlett and Jesse at USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital. The babies went immediately to the NICU, where they would stay for more than six months.

In modern medicine, getting back on your feet after orthopedic surgery means spending time before and after with a qualified physical therapist. They are crucial to recovery. The good news is we’ve come a long way with less invasive surgeries and trained specialists who work diligently to get you back to doing what you love.

Scenic 98 Coastal enjoys supporting small businesses and telling their stories. Small business owners bring unique aspects to the area and enrich the community with positive direction. Every small business has to start somewhere; often, a good idea comes to fruition in an incubator program.

After having lunch at Catrinas de Rosy in Silverhill, I had to do some serious googling. It is an authentic Mexican restaurant, and the menu had items I needed to familiarize myself with. So I started with the place’s name. Catrinas are clay skeletons, also known as Day of the Dead figures and Rosy is Rosy Gallardo, who opened the first taqueria in Baldwin County in 2020. She has three locations now, Mobile, Daphne, and Silverhill.

This is turkey season- a rite of Spring that gets the blood flowing and adrenaline pumping like no other hunting season. For turkey hunters everywhere, the story of how Mossy Oak camouflage came into being and revolutionized the sport is an important and historic milestone. 

With Spring in full swing, it’s a great time to get out and enjoy all the natural beauty in the Scenic 98 Coastal area. Many festivals and other events are scheduled for April, both in our area and across the Gulf Coast region.

With the warmer weather upon us, outdoor events and festivals are everywhere in the Scenic 98 Coastal footprint. It’s also the start of baseball season. Two kid-friendly events this weekend are the Boat Show on the Bay in Mobile and the Blue Wahoos opening weekend in Pensacola. WKRG News 5 is the exclusive broadcast sponsor for both events, and the focus is definitely on the kids.

Sunday evening, Linda and I had a great time attending the Sunday Supper at The Hope Farm. Held in the Barn, the newest addition to The Hope farm’s dining options, the idea is to recreate the Southern tradition of Sunday family dinners. 

Six senior sen̂oras in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, are enjoying lunch at a gorgeous rooftop restaurant, eating the freshest guacamole, sipping tequila drinks, and chatting about all the fun we are having. At the table next to us are two young gentlemen from Chicago, who are shopping for a house to buy in the area. Many Americans and Canadians have homes here and after spending some time in this colonial area in Mexico’s central highlands, I get it. ‍