Bucket list items, a quick getaway, and time with friends were the motivations for a 4 day/3-night trip through the Big Bend area of Florida’s Forgotten Coast. I had been to Apalachicola a few times, but I had always wanted to explore the area further South. A seven-hour drive, Crystal River was our destination to swim with Manatees and dive for bay scallops. 

September is shaping up to be an excellent month for the Scenic 98 Coastal community with temperatures (hopefully) starting to cool off, football season in full swing, and a packed slate of events to enjoy. In addition to the Top 5 below, we have linked to other September Events on our radar at the end of the article. As always, be sure to check out the Tidbits and Best Bets section of the newsletter and at Scenic98Coastal.com to see everything going on this upcoming weekend.

As horrible as the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill was, many incredible projects have been implemented in the Scenic 98 Coastal area with funds from the RESTORE Act, which followed a $20 billion settlement between BP Oil Company and the US Government, specifically the five Gulf Coast states that were impacted the most. Coastal Alabama leveraged this resource and utilized the funds for ecosystem restoration and economic recovery. One such project in Gulf Shores, the Gulf Coast Eco Center, opened in April of this year, and it is something to behold.

George Fuller III is one of Fairhope's true creative spirits, but you can't tell his story without heading up the road to Spanish Fort.

Like so many little girls, Barbara Haines dreamed of becoming a ballerina. At the age of 6, after seeing a ballet performance on TV at home in Budapest, Hungary, she asked her mother for ballet lessons. The ballet master at the Kálmán Nádasdy Conservatory, Adél Orosz, gave her a one-month trial, and with a natural gift, she excelled. A fun fact I learned while having coffee with Barbara: Budapest is divided into two sides, which are connected by seven bridges. She was born on the ‘Buda’ side, which she described as scenic and natural, while the ‘Pest’ side, on the other hand, is more urban and industrial. The Conservatory was on the ‘Buda’ side.

Inspiration comes from many places. We are often inspired by people’s stories, places we visit, or experiences we have. Inspiration provides the drive to take action. Passion, on the other hand, is a different level of inspiration. It grows in our heart into something unstoppable. Passion is a strong and often uncontrollable emotion. 

Music is a universal language. It brings people together in mysterious ways. Linda and I watched the documentary on Ed Sullivan the other night. It was excellent! In our youth, we gathered around the television on Sunday nights, knowing we would be entertained and introduced to new musicians and bands that would soon take the world by storm.

My esteemed co-conspirator, Tony Atchison, is celebrating a big birthday (they are all big these days…). He’s left an indelible mark on Downtown Mobile’s historic buildings and landscape. Many years ago, he renovated an old four-story warehouse off Dauphin Street into a stunning antique gallery and home. 

Kudos to Karen Poth, the Executive Director of Mobile’s National Maritime Museum of the Gulf. She is setting a new course, overseeing the museum's transformation to include two new, extraordinary, groundbreaking educational exhibits. Linda and I recently visited with Karen to see what’s in store.‍

Mardi Gras traditions are meaningful to many of us, but they gave Gary Brady an epiphany that put him on his path as a full-time visual artist. 

With the Summer Time Blues upon us, there is a lot of great music coming our way this month. Mark your calendars and get tickets now! Gallery Night in Pensacola is always a fun event, and with football kicking off at the end of the month, it's time to start planning your tailgating parties. Let the good times roll!

This is a difficult yet very important story. Tragedy, in whatever form it takes, is an unfortunate part of life. The recent floods in Texas remind us that tragic events can and do happen frequently, turning our world upside down in unimaginable ways. We hope this story will be helpful and inspirational for those dealing with loss, and possibly, help someone avoid extreme sorrow.

Well, summer break is winding down. The kids are probably tired of going swimming. All the camps are over, and school is just around the proverbial corner.

If you’ve been driving or strolling around the towns and hamlets of Alabama, you may be suddenly and delightfully surprised by murals just about everywhere you look.

When Armand DeKeyser responded to our Scenic 98 Coastal Reader Survey and was chosen to receive a Scenic 98 coastal hat, I spoke to him on the phone. I learned, among other things, that he is the Board Chair for a nonprofit program called Shepherd’s Place. I then googled Shepherd’s Place to see what it is all about. It is a program that offers caregivers of cognitive-challenged family members a break from around-the-clock caregiving.

The young track and field athlete, son of sharecroppers and the grandson of slaves, stood with his feet at the line, ready for his first competition in the long jump. He was in Nazi-ruled Berlin, Germany. It was 1936. He was an African-American surrounded by a sea of Caucasian faces.

If you’ve ever attended a civic function on the Eastern Shore, you’ve probably run into Skip Jones. He may be the most civic-minded man I know. His interests run wide and deep. He is also an ‘Old Salt’, an endearing term for someone who knows their way around the waterfront.‍

We are asked this question all the time, “What are you reading, watching, new music, or podcasts you are listening to? So we asked our readers. Here are some of their responses:

Perhaps the most anticipated annual July event in the Scenic 98 Coastal area is the Pensacola NAS Blue Angel Air Show. Regardless of how many times you may have seen it, it never disappoints.

I've never met any of the Beatles, but I did talk to Ringo Starr on the phone for a short while, and it was certainly a thrill. I thought I'd tell the story in detail in honor of his 85th birthday, which is coming up Monday, July 7.

Walking into the Fairhope Recreation Center Pool on a Tuesday morning during the Fairhope Area Swim Team, aka FAST practice, I am stimulated by the sights and sounds of approximately 350 kids in matching team swimsuits, swimming laps. There are eight lanes with coaches on each side, loudly giving instructions to swimmers aged 7 to 17 years.

Bamboo Willie’s Beachside Bar has earned its stripes as one of Pensacola Beach’s famous landmarks. It is one of those iconic beach bars that define beach towns. Many such establishments dot the Scenic 98 Coastal landscape, harkening back to the youthful days of basking in the sun, catching a wave, or trying your luck casting from the beach. 

I first heard about Hope Community in 2021 while working on another local publication. The article quoted Shawn Graham, vice president at the time, “It's not about race when we speak of diversity. It's about the contribution of all people to our community.” I was delighted to hear about an organization dedicated to understanding, communication, and a future for all of its citizens, but the skeptic in me couldn’t foresee how this concept could be effectively implemented. Boy, was I wrong! 

For going on three decades, the Baldwin Pops has provided the symphonic soundtrack for Fairhope's big Fourth of July celebration. It seems a shame that these hard-working musicians don't get to see much of the fireworks.