My Dad was born in 1927 in Mobile, Alabama. He was a big man with a big voice who liked to tell stories. And, I think because of his size and his booming voice, sometimes it sounded like he was exaggerating; maybe he was, I wasn’t sure. However, like most little kids, I enjoyed these big stories, but as I grew older, I began to wonder whether these stories were real, heavily embellished, or maybe not true at all.

Fresh Off The Boat Restaurant at the SanRoc Cay Marina in Orange Beach began in 2014 at The Hangout Festival, sort of… That’s where Jerr McCutchen and David Buster met. Jerr, who is from Mobile, handled all the entertainment aspects of the festival, while David was the food guy.

Regardless of the pursuit, talent, passion, intelligence, and perseverance are a winning combination. Sarah Clark, owner/operator of Bay Gourmet and the Crown Hall Events Space at the corner of Broad Street and Dauphin Street in Mobile, has these qualities in spades.

Tucked away under the Theo Baars Bridge that crosses the Intercoastal Waterway from Perdido Key to Innerarity Point is an old bait shop turned restaurant that will knock your socks off.

My family, particularly my mother, was a great believer in helping people in need, all people in need, and volunteering everyone else to help them too. For our family and Mom’s close friends, there were endless projects requiring food preparation, events organization, and time spent with strangers.

What about summer makes us yearn for the next great book to read? Beaches and tranquility are the answer. Who better to advise us than our local, independent bookseller? I recently stopped by three independent bookshops, The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile, Page and Palette in Fairhope, and Bodacious Bookstore and Cafe in Pensacola, to discover their take on the summer reading list.