William and Elisabeth Hanes knew they wanted to be in the hospitality business after a weekend at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco with Elisabeth’s parents. The Ritz was a stark contrast to living with eight housemates on meager wages in Redding, California where they lived at the time. “It showed us how impactful hospitality can be,” says William.

One of my favorite things to do is go off the beaten path and discover new food delicacies, like buried treasure. That’s how I felt when Linda and I attended an event at Corner Copia Gardens a few weeks ago and found Divine Empanadas, a food truck owned and operated by Aaron and Margaret Penton of Daphne, Alabama.

One of my favorite things to do is go off the beaten path and discover new food delicacies, like buried treasure. That’s how I felt when Linda and I attended an event at Corner Copia Gardens a few weeks ago and found Divine Empanadas, a food truck owned and operated by Aaron and Margaret Penton of Daphne, Alabama.

This is no secret discovery, just an update… The food is still excellent at Doc’s Seafood Shack in Orange Beach. On my way back to the beach last week, I was hungry and thinking about the gumbo at Doc’s, and I needed a fix.

You may have read about John Shell, the Junior at St. Paul’s High School in Mobile who came up with a brilliant yet aggressive undertaking to earn his Eagle Scout badge. It’s a story that inspires, especially if you love and cherish the waters surrounding the Scenic 98 Coastal area.

Donna Hill is one of those unusual people that actually use the degree she earned in college. She’s still using the Home Economics degree from Auburn, which is both rare and delicious! I first learned about Donna through a friend who loves her Rosemary Butter Cookies.

Donna Hill is one of those unusual people that actually use the degree she earned in college. She’s still using the Home Economics degree from Auburn, which is both rare and delicious! I first learned about Donna through a friend who loves her Rosemary Butter Cookies.

On a tip from a friend, I recently stopped by a little restaurant at 3001 East Cervantes Street in Pensacola. I was hungry and my friend told me this was as close to an authentic New York deli Reuban Sandwich as could get. The name gave it away: New Yorker Deli and Pizzeria is the place.

What’s in the water in Pensacola causing a revitalization as I have never seen? I had an inkling of what the catalyst was and set out to find it. I started on Palafox Street where we often go to the Saturday market to eat and shop with all the other happy people and dogs.

When Beth Hargett worked at Gourmet Yogurt and Ice Cream at age 15 in a mall in Mobile, it piqued her interest in the hospitality industry. The owner, Tommy Webb taught her that you have to learn from everyone, but especially from the guests' perspective. She worked there throughout high school and became the assistant manager before heading to Auburn for college where she also started working at Ruby Tuesday’s.

You might say, Mark Hatchett, owner of the Dees Pecan Company in Grand Bay, Alabama, is a little nutty over pecans. If indeed he is a nut, Hatchett’s a healthy one. The former Auburn University baseball player is a sharp, youthful 70-year-old. Must be all of that pecan oil, filled with antioxidants and vitamin D. Like his mentor and friend Clarence Bishop, age 90, of Fairhope’s B&B Pecan Company. Hatchett knows what it takes to survive during trying seasons.

It's 12:45 pm on a Monday and my business associate and I are hungry. We have no idea what’s open in the Fish River area of Scenic 98 Coastal on this day and time. Often, on my way to the beach, I had passed a little cafe on Highway 98 called Boggy’s but had never stopped to explore. We found them open on a Monday! We were in luck!

My Daddy would occasionally treat us boys to Sleepy’s Barbeque in our little town of Evergreen, Alabama. Mr. Lum Parker was seated, drinking coffee, every time we went in. Mr. Lum didn’t own Sleepy’s, but he was always there. He held forth with other customers on a breadth of subjects as he was an expert on local intrigue. Mr. Lum easily transitioned to talk of hunting, fishing, religion, timber, Gunsmoke, and tire re-capping. He reserved special venom for communists. People knew not to get him started on communism.

Many moons ago, after a significant family event, I found myself taking our small Stauter-built boat down to Seacliff on Mobile Bay to gather some local clay in a bucket. I proceeded home to sit on the wharf and work the clay to soften and get the pebbles out. It was almost July 4th, and as I was kneading the clay, I was inspired to sculpt the Statue of Liberty from memory. What I found is that sculpting is amazingly therapeutic. It was just what I needed, and I have deeply appreciated the benefits of sculpting ever since.

It was a glorious Wednesday last week when Linda and I decided it would be a good idea to take some old friends and newly minted Fairhopians on a day trip to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. We have been several times, but this was their first encounter. They were blown away!

It was a gorgeous day for a road trip to Ocean Springs and we made the most of it beginning with lunch at Maison de Lu Restaurant and Bar. We had to dive right in with “Best in State” bloody marys. A pretty confident claim to fame and it delivered! The goat cheese tart would have been plenty, but we did not stop there. Pieces of warm pita scooped up the goat cheese with a pesto base and sun-dried tomatoes floating on top.

Anna Cowart has always loved to cook. She grew up cooking with her dad, Mark Ryan and through him, she learned how to blend ingredients for sauces, what foods work well together, and how to season and cook meats. Her “real” job is that of a speech therapist at Springhill Memorial Hospital by day and she is a chef by night, who offers customized menus and wine pairings for private dinner parties in clients' homes.

Michelle Prouty, the owner of Corner Copia Garden Center, wears a t-shirt that says “Plant People” when she sits down to talk with us in the beautiful courtyard of her garden center at the corner of Highway and US 98. Her passion for plants and the business she created is evident because the dream of “doing what you love“ is now a reality for her.

On a tip, I contacted David Van Der Like, owner and executive producer of Hellcat Productions in Pensacola, to see what they were all about. It turns out that David and his son, Ben, operate a busy production studio and event space, Hellcat Hangar, with their hands on lots of interesting things. The building in which they operate is a quirky old 4,000 SF Quonset hut on U.S. Highway 98, that I’ve passed by many times.

Twice this past week we had out-of-towners in for a visit and wanted a nice, leisurely breakfast place to enjoy good food and company. Two Sisters in Fairhope hit the spot—both times! In a beautiful outside setting, we sat on the deck sipping coffee under a magnificent old Live Oak while our breakfast was being prepared.

Bryan and Courtney Fitzsimmons had been working in the hospitality industry for 27 and 20-plus years respectively when they decided they were ready for a change. At the time, Bryan was director of operations for Another Broken Egg overseeing seven states. Bryan’s dad, Frank Fitzsimmons, was living in Pensacola where he has been a business broker for 25 years.

Noell Broughton is a serial restaurant entrepreneur if there ever was one. Catch your breath because his story has the energy of a hurricane! It is a twenty-six-year career history with plenty of twists and turns and a lot of memories and fun along the way. Buckle your seat belts, the ride is not over.

When I was a teenager, America’s Junior Miss pageant was a big deal for our city. High school contestants from every state descended upon Mobile after being selected in local competitions.

When you go to a restaurant that has been around for a while, your expectations are set and you know what you’re in for. At the Wash House in Point Clear, you always expect a great ambiance, very good food, and terrific service.