Every now and then, you get to meet a friend of a friend that turns out to be an awesome experience. Someone whose life and talents are so energizing; you find yourself giddy that you were so fortunate to make their acquaintance. Diana Rell Dean is one of those people.

MJ Ferraro and her husband, Chef Dominic, moved to the Scenic 98 Coastal area from Rhode Island about six months ago. I had the pleasure of attending their new business venture “Pasta and Paint” which was held at the fabulous Jubilee Suites on Mobile Bay. Pasta and Paint seem to be an unlikely pair, but the couple's intention is to create a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Frances McGowin, a regular contributor to Scenic 98 Coastal (Adventures in Retirement), is also an artist. Hard to imagine she has time for painting since she is out exploring all her post-retirement options. However, “creating art is a daily necessity for living in my post-retirement world.” she says.

We visited friends in Orange Beach Thursday afternoon and found ourselves hungry for something outstanding. There were many choices and many people out on Thursday night, but we hit it just right, and a table was waiting for us at Big Fish Restaurant and Bar.

Now that I have your attention, let me tell you about one of the nicest guys I have met that happens to be a really good golf instructor to boot, Bobby Hall. I kept hearing my golfing friends, both men, and women, rave about Bobby. It was more than just the lessons but the person himself. I scheduled a sit down to learn his secret; it was so much more.

Growing up in Mobile, a big little city where everybody knows a guy who knows a guy who it turns out is your cousin, it’s easy to think you know it all, have seen it all, and have done it all. To be sure, that’s at least what local travel writer and small business owner Amy Delcambre thought. It wasn’t until 2015 when Compass Media contracted Amy to write copy for the annual Visit Mobile visitor’s guide that Amy realized how little she knew about the city she was born and raised in.