Posts by
Gina Lanaux
Events That Inspire
Parrot Heads in Paradise presents Meeting of the Minds in Gulf Shores
Unless you have been living under a rock, you know what a “Parrot Head” is: a devoted fan of the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett, known for his tropical-themed music and associated lifestyle. I knew that Jimmy had a huge fan base, but I was astounded to learn that these folks have conventions where members of Parrot Heads in Paradise, which has around 200 sanctioned clubs with 20,000 members, meet every year in late October and have been doing so for 33 years!
Dive Bars & Music
Wet Willie Remembrance
The older I get, the more I want to revisit the fun experiences of my youth. I want to feel those feelings again: carefree, fearless, curious, and anticipatory. On a recent Friday night at the Live at Five Concert Series in Fairhope, I went down a musical memory lane, back to the 1970s, when the band Wet Willie played a greatest hits set list that took all in attendance back to our glory days.
Community Endeavors
Sonny Brewer and Tolstoy Park
If you want to have a taste of authentic Mexican food without booking a flight and waiting in TSA lines, then look no further than El Paisita in Loxley, Alabama.
Epicurean Delights
The Fairhope Inn, Paige Dawson, and Caitlin Horne
Having lived in Fairhope since 1977, before it was chic, I have seen many changes. Often, my husband and I talk about the old days and try to remember what was where in town. The lovely home at 63 South Church Street has been a special landmark for us for a long time, and now, as The Fairhope Inn, it is one of the jewels of Fairhope.
Day Trippin'
Summer in Sedona
“It’s like someone just plopped a town down in the middle of a National Park”, says the driver of the shuttle. This is true as the city is surrounded by towering, sculpted red rock formations that are incredibly vivid against the clear blue sky. Compared to the Gulf Coast, I felt as if I were on another planet. Every driver we had, and we had a lot of them, marveled at the landscape and called sites to our attention. “ Look at the Spaceship clouds!’ Becky, with Intown Rides, said. Known as lenticular clouds, they are stationary and appear to hover in the sky.
Community Endeavors
Gulf Coast Eco Center, Travis Langen
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.
Artsy Side Of Life
The Language of Art: Barbara Haines
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.
Sports & Fitness
Fairhope Area Swim Team: FAST
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.
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About Contributor
Gina Lanaux
Gina Lanaux, daughter of a journalist and advertising executive, graduated from Julius T. Wright School for Girls in 1973. There, a rigorous English teacher required her to write essays, book reports, term papers, and creative compositions. While doing this homework, having a father as a teaching editor was beneficial because she learned to craft sentences with proper grammar and syntax and to appreciate the written word. She graduated from the State University of New York with a degree in Dance Education and opened a dance studio in Fairhope in 1978, where besides teaching dance, she wrote newsletters, emails, curriculum, press releases, and social media content to grow and manage her business. Upon retirement in 2020, Gina began a job with Fairhope Living Magazine as a content coordinator, editor, and writer. When Scenic 98 Coastal was created, she was happy to help her friend Zeb Hargett with editing and writing Scenic 98 Coastal. She is grateful for the opportunity to use her mind in her retirement.
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