4/27/2009

Emerald Coast Coffee and Grille

A note from Ms. Beachin' for all you java nuts.
What a magnificent weekend. I would have to say that it was near perfect. I have found a new coffee shop that I just adore. I am also very excited that it is right here in Orange Beach and very convenient to just drop by whenever I get that sudden urge for caffeine. The name of it is Emerald Coast Coffee and Grille. They have their own coffee roasting facility here in Alabama.

Emerald Coast Coffee and Grille is a cafe that focuses on distinctive specialty coffees. They also offer a wide variety of teas and fruit smoothies. They have a breakfast menu which features burritos, pastry sandwiches, breakfast casseroles and baked goods. I tried the Sonrisa Sandwich which is sausage, egg, and cheese wrapped in a wonderful flaky pastry. It was delicious! I cannot wait to try some of the other breakfast items, and they are available all day. They also have a lunch and dinner menu that includes: soups, salads, Pannini’s, and a variety of kebab platters. Free WI-FI is also available. This is definitely on my list of favorite places. I dropped by twice this weekend to have a vanilla skinny latte mmm scrumptious. Next time you are in the area make sure you give them a try. It’s quite possible that you will see me there. They are located at 4725 Main Street, right next to the Rave Theater. Well, I am off to get my coffee buzz.

4/26/2009

The Spring Golf Tour Continues ..Timber Creek

The Beachin' Bob foursome continued our Spring Golf Tour this Saturday at Timber Creek Golf Club. It's a short drive to Daphne on the Eastern Shore and Timber Creek, and well worth the trip. This beautifully maintained golf facility was designed by Earl Stone and has 3 distinct 9 hole tracts, Dogwood, Magnolia and Pines. As you would guess, the courses are lined with stately dogwood, magnolia and pine trees. It's a challenging course, that has a number of doglegs and elevation changes, with large greens. The greens roll true and are sculpted to provide challenging putts. They have some of the best practice facilities in this area, including a driving range, a putting green, a chipping green and a practice green with a greenside bunker to practice those pesky sand shots. Add in a full service restaurant and you've got a great day trip for any golf foursome. Take my word for it, this is a must visit for any golfer.
See You On the Sand !!

4/23/2009

Mullet Toss

Hey it’s the 24th Annual Mullet Toss this weekend at the Flora-Bama. The weather couldn’t be better for tossing mullet. I am warming up my throwing arm. I wonder, should I go underhand, overhand, spear throw, double handed granny, or just chunk it? Oh well, I will be practicing and see which is most successful.

I am making my list and checking it twice for a perfectly fishy fun weekend. I will let y'all in on a little secret. The very best place to stay for Mullet Toss is Phoenix IX and Phoenix X. All you have to do is check in, park your car and let the fun begin. Everything you need is within walking distance, and you will not have to touch your car again until checkout. I have heard that there are a few more reservations available, but with this gorgeous weather they will not last long. So you better grab them fast.

If you have never had the privilege of attending a Mullet Toss you may want to go check out this website to see what’s in store for you . Let the fun flinging frivolity begin. The fish will be flying while we are waiting on you.

4/21/2009

A Pirate's Life For Me

Large sails, cool waters, sandy beaches, and live music – Ahhh, that’s the life for me. Pirate’s Cove is an all time favorite spot for our entire family and we were fortunate enough to be able to slip away and go this past weekend. There is absolutely no reason to fret about what to wear – just come as you are. This is a place that can take you back in time. You cannot find a more laid back place to just relax and enjoy the day. Picnic tables, playful pooches, sandy wooden floors, and swinging doors are all apart of the ambience at Pirates Cove. It is steeped in 50 + years of tradition and built where Spanish Pirates once moored their vessels.

Well, have you ever wondered what whets a pirate’s appetite? Our crew filled up on cheeseburgers, steak fries, onion rings, and brick oven pizzas. It was all delicious and cooked to order. The kids gobbled theirs up and headed to the beach to play with the resident pooches. They are always a real treat. (To fully enjoy Pirate’s Cove you need to be tolerant of the pooches.) All of us adults kicked back and enjoyed the food, live music, conversation, and all too interesting scenery.

If you are up for an excursion next time you’re at the beach then Pirate’s Cove is the place for you. There are daily dolphin cruises that drop in for lunch 251-968-4FUN and there are also boat rentals available in the area. If you are more of a landlubber you can get there by car through Elberta, AL, 6664 County Road 95. Check out their web site.

Oh yeah! By the way there is a Wooden Boat Festival there on May 2nd and 3rd. So grab your crew and head on down for a fun filled time.

4/17/2009

Spring On the Coast

It's all beginning to happen here on Pleasure Island. There's Widespread Panic this weekend, and upcoming in April is the Mullet Toss, a Brent Burns concert, the 2009 Alabama High School Track Championship.
In May there's the 311/Hinder/Theory of a Deadman concert, the Pink Rubber Boots Ladies Fishing Rodeo, the Sugarland concert and the EVP Pro Beach Volleyball tournament. All of these and much more, and all before memorial Day Weekend.
It's a great time of year, and it's definitely time to make your beach plans if you haven't already.

See You on the Beach!

4/14/2009

Hugh S. Branyon Back Country Trail

One of the many hidden treasures here along the gulf coast is the Back Country Trail. It is a nature lover's paradise, and a fitness enthusiast's dream. Several years ago, the City of Orange Beach teamed up with the Gulf State Park to start a backcountry trail system that goes through the wilderness part of the park. The total distance is 7.8 miles which locals and visitors alike walk, run, and bike. Beautiful oak hammocks, wooden bridges, and flora and fauna will take your breath away. The trails meander along side marshes, secondary sand dunes, swamps, and creeks.
One of my favorite spots on the trail is Gulf Oak Ridge. During trail construction a Native American settlement more than 4000 years old was discovered. An old-growth maritime forest runs along a 38 foot high ridge offering you a scenic view of the gulf. A picnic area and swings make this a great place to take a break from your wilderness hike.
The trail system provides opportunities to explore beyond the fringe of the vast 6,500-acre Gulf State Park. Whether you are searching for blooming plants on a savanna, or tracking animals in the woods, the park has a ideal location for you.
Deer, wild hogs, wolves, coyotes, gopher tortoises, bobcats, snakes, foxes, alligators, armadillos and many other animals are spotted while hiking the trails.
On Saturday I spied a flock of red tanagers and painted buntings migrating back north when I hiked the trail. It looked like the Easter Bunny had thrown Easter eggs up into the trees, and scattered them onto the ground. You just never know what you may see on any given day. It's a new adventure each time I ride or walk the trails. It is a feast for your senses. Nature lovers this is a must see before you leave our beaches. Pack a lunch, binoculars and a camera, there are many picnic tables along the trail and a beautiful screened pavilion next to a butterfly garden. For those exploring with children, those all important restrooms are located along the trail.
A 2 hour guided eco-tour is available and reservations are required. This is not a walking tour, a knowledgeable guide takes you along the trails in a golf cart sharing unique points of interest.
To schedule your tour, call 981-1063 or email lellis@cityoforangebeach.com.

Until next time - Happy Trails to You!

4/12/2009

Big O's

Big O’s has been around since before Ivan (this is the way locals way measure time) and is know for an off- track place to grab a bit to eat.

I love Gulf Shores and I love tourist season. BUT I must say I don’t like waiting for my dinner. Tourist season in Gulf Shores can lend itself to long lines. For my hubby and I, Big O’s has always been the “place we know we can get into and not wait a long time”. Our primary craving at Big O’s has been their burger, fries and beer.

Imagine my surprise when I decided to read the menu Friday night and realized there was more offered than my routinely ordered burger!

Feeling feisty, we both honed in to the AUCE (that’s all you can eat in restaurant talk) flounder or shrimp… fried, and accompanied with French fries and hush puppies (more fried) and of course sweet tea. Wow, I’ll be eating lettuce and oatmeal for at least two weeks to counter act all this wonderful grease.

The shrimp was great, perfectly cooked and the breading did not over shout the shrimp, and the serving sizes were major. By our lack of conversation that night I think the flounder was also an A+, we just ATE for about twenty minutes and then ordered more. Our topic of conversation on the way home was “ That was really really good and you should have stopped me at the second serving”. Ah… husbands, you can’t live with them and you can’t live with out ‘em.

Big O’s is not a fancy place but Owen offers good food at reasonable prices and the waitresses always come back to your table to make certain you are fat and happy. Big O’s is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ah…..I can hear those cinnamon buns calling my name. Maybe you’ll be reading about them in future blogs.


Ms. Beachin' says ...See You at the Beach!!

4/10/2009

April Fishing Report from Capt. Randy Boggs

Inshore the Spanish mackerel have shown up on along the area beaches in good numbers. These fish are being caught on planers and spoons. We have seen some great catches of pompano in the last few days. The pompano have been being caught on jigs or sand fleas (aka mole crabs).

Redfish are being caught around the jetties. There are still quite a few sheepsheads around and they are being caught on live shrimp on the near shore wrecks, inlets, jetties and piers.

Offshore the vermillion snapper are biting well in 120’ depths on cut squid. Quite a few trigger fish are also being caught, but a lot of them are just shy of the new 14” fork length regulations. Red snapper are everywhere – catch and release only until June 1st.

We have seen several nice grouper brought in since the season opened April 1st with a 53 Warsaw being the biggest one seen. There are a lot of gag grouper and scamps to go with them.

Yellow fin tuna and black fin tuna are being caught around the rigs. They are being caught jigging, chunking or trolling.

Reel Surprise and Gulf Winds II are running an April special – 6 hrs bottom fishing trip for $75! For reservations, please call 251-981-7173 or 1-800-806-7889.

Capt. Randy Boggs
www.reelsurprisecharters.com

4/09/2009

The 2009 Concert Series

Talk about an awesome time; it doesn't get much better than the concerts at the beach.

Take in the atmosphere of food, drinks, music, and stars and believe you me, you will not leave disappointed. I will have to say that we always take advantage of having such a wonderful venue in our own backyard. We always head down to the concerts early to tailgate with friends. Everyone brings their favorite snacks and drinks. We have had chicken tenders, pizza, fruit kabobs, chips and dip, and of course the all time favorite pigs in a blanket. If this is not your style, there are lots of great places
to conveniently grab a bite within walking distance and there are also snacks and drinks available inside the amphitheater.

The concert series this summer is getting ready to kick off and it is a
doozy!

The line up for the summer will be Wide Spread Panic April 17th-
19th, 311 and Hinder May 8th, Sugarland May 15th, Earth, Wind and Fire with
Chicago June 5th, Styx and REO Speedwagon June 18th, Montgomery Gentry July
4th and Kenny Chesney August 6th. I cannot wait! I am getting my boogie shoes ready.

If you have planned a vacation during any of these concert times I would highly recommend
grabbing some tickets. ( you can purchase at ticketmaster.com). If you have not planned a vacation during any of these times then I say you have a great reason to do so now.

I will see you at the concerts. They are a guaranteed good time.

4/07/2009

Smokey Bones BBQ

Note: A blog by Ms. Beachin'

When I first moved to the south I realize I didn’t know anything about BBQ. In the north, any food thrown onto a Weber grill meant you were having BBQ. I was quickly educated by my new southern friends that was “grilling” not BBQ-ing. Silly me. I lived for 37 years cheated of the mystery of smoked meats and ribs.

I discovered that BBQ involved hours of secret ingredients put into things called rubs, mops ( it sounded like house cleaning to me) and different types of wood. I also quickly learned that everyone had a different opinion as to what was really good BBQ. Dry rub? Mopping? Smoked with Pecan wood, hickory wood or apple wood? Served without sauce or with sauce and if so vinegar base, mustard base or tomato base? So many unanswered questions! After all is said and done, the best BBQ is the whatever your taste buds smile about.

So this weekend my honey and I went on a BBQ safari and found a place we both agreed was fantastic. Try Smokey Bones just off Canal Rd in Orange Beach. It is east of the Wharf and on a side street on the south side off Canal Rd. You can see the place from the street.

Smokey Bones is laid back, clean and family oriented. You place your order at the counter and point to the sides you want. Grab a beer or soda near the register and pick yourself a table.

I could smell the smoke as I walked into the door and walked over to the counter to order my pork plate and hubby ordered the brisket. Both were tender and juicy. Other choices include chicken, ribs or sausage plates, sandwiches or take out by the pound. The phone was ringing off the hook while I was there and take out was really jumping!

Sauce choices were a treat since you can pick from six different bottles on the table. Me, I combined original with spicy, my partner in crime had the spicy combined with HOT.

If you’re looking for atmosphere, you won’t find it here. If you’re looking for great BBQ and a cold beer…this is the place! We’ will be back to try out the ribs and homemade pies for desert.

By the way, our two plates and beers cost us less than $20. Not bad at all.

4/06/2009

Soldiers Creek at the Preserve

The Beachin’ Golf Crew continued the Beachin’ Spring Golf Tour this weekend at the Soldiers Creek at the Preserve golf course in Elberta. Elberta is a short scenic drive from the beach, via the Foley Beach Express and Highway 98.
Soldier’s Creek features Bermuda grass fairways and Tif Eagle greens on it’s 18 holes. The course also features a 10,000 square foot practice putting green and a natural turf driving range.  The turf was provided by Southern Turf Nurseries and Woerner Turf, one of the leading providers of golf course turf in the country. You may remember a few years back when the Woerner’s provided real turf surface for a New Orleans Saints game in the Superdome. The Woerner families are long time residents of Baldwin County.
t’s a nice course with wide fairways and large greens. The course is very player friendly from the front tees and can be quite challenging from the tips. The yardage ranges from 5,130 from the red tees to a difficult 7,001 yards from the Black tees.
The course has a unique “double green” on the back nine. The 11th and 13th holes feature a single green, separated only by a mound of turf. It’s possible to simply putt from the 11th to the 13th green, in the event of a misplaced approach shot. (Been there, done that.)
My favorite hole is #15, a par 5. The tee shot requires the drive to be struck between the encroaching trees before safely landing in the fairway. Amongst the Beachin’ Crew this hole is fondly known as “The Chute”.
If you’re in the area I recommend you give Soldiers Creek Golf a try. 

See you on the Links !! 

4/01/2009

Beach Sand Castings

Note:The recently prolific Ms. Beachin' adds yet another blog entry!

Here comes the sun,
doo n doo doo.
Here comes the sun
and I say it’s all right.

Yeah! It’s Spring Break at the beach, and the weather couldn’t be better. It is a great day to go for a stroll on the beach. It is an outing that our whole family enjoys. You never know what treasures you will find at the waters edge. If you are like me you wish you could freeze those moments in time and keep them forever. Well here is a fun activity to try while you are at the beach this year. It’s a footprint sand casting. They are simple to do and you will have a treasure to remember all of your fun days at the beach until your next visit.
Beach Sand Castings Capture that barefoot-on-the-beach feeling -- and a record of your feet -- with this simple plaster-casting project. Craft Materials - Plaster of Paris - Small Bucket - Fresh Water - Straw or Small Stick - 4” Pieces of string. Time needed under one hour. 1. Choose a site to cast your molds -- the moist, hard-packed sand near the water's edge works best. 2. Firmly press both feet into the sand. The prints should be about 1/2 inch to 2 inches deep. 3. Mix up the plaster, according to the directions on the package, so that it has a thick, creamy consistency. Pour the wet plaster gently into the footprints. 4. If you would like to make hangers, just press a drinking straw or stick through the heel about 1/2 “ in from the edge as the plaster begins to harden. 5. After 20 to 25 minutes, gently dig the footprints out of the molds and brush away any excess sand. Set sole-side up in the sun for about an hour to let harden. Have a great day at the beach. I am sure the memories that you will create will be priceless.

Sun, Sun, Sun
here it comes

Sun, Sun, Sun
here it comes

Sun, Sun, Sun
here it comes