http://coast360.com/ Coast360 guide brings you the best of Alabama Gulf Coast dining, attractions, golf, fishing and everything you want to have a fun, family friendly vacation along Alabama's beaches. en mturner@compassmedia.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-20T22:49:19+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/dave-matthews-band-headlines-the-hangout-music-festival-may-18-20 http://coast360.com/blog/post/dave-matthews-band-headlines-the-hangout-music-festival-may-18-20#When:22:49:19Z There are only a handful of bands that reach the ‘timeless” stage, continuing to produce great music and awesome performances for decades. And what does Dave Matthews think about this? "Being able to scream at the top of my lungs in front of people is very therapeutic," he says. "It is a great gift for me to be able to do that." (Rolling Stone). Indeed. DMB will have an opportunity to get VERY therapeutic in front of thousands of fans on the sands of Gulf Shores at The Hangout Music Festival May 18-20. The Dave Matthews Band formed in Charlottesville, Va., in early 1991, when vocalist/guitarist Dave Matthews decided to put some songs he had written on tape. Instead of simply recording himself with a guitar, he opted to bring in some instrumental help to give his musical ideas more depth. Dave found assistance in drummer Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who were both accomplished jazz musicians in the local Charlottesville music scene. Based on the recommendation of distinguished local jazz guru John D'earth, 16-year-old musical prodigy Stefan Lessard came on board to play bass. Completing the band was keyboard player Peter Griesar, who left the band after a couple of years, as well as the talented and classically trained violinist, Boyd Tinsley. Along the way, they have sold millions of records and captured a Grammy in 1997 for Best Rock Vocal Performance with “So Much to Say” and a solo Grammy for Dave with “Gracedigger" in 2004. In August of 2008, the close-knit friends suffered the devastating loss of brother and founding band member, LeRoi Moore, who passed away from complications stemming from a June ATV accident. DMB continued to perform on tour as a tribute to Moore and then took 2011 off to reflect and gear up for 2012. Dave says he is ready to rock Gulf Shores. "That's the magic of this band: shooting from the hip. The lights have to follow our cues, because we're not going to follow their cues. We're not going to stick to a song the way it's supposed to be. Everything is up to us. That's music to me. That's American music. We're an American band." (Rolling Stone). Also headlining the music fest will be the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jack White. Dozens of other diverse acts will fill the three days of music on the white sands of Gulf Shores . Now in its third year, The Hangout Music Festival offers a unique festival atmosphere directly on white sandy beaches. http://www.hangoutmusicfest.com/tickets/ http://www.hangoutmusicfest.com/info/lodging/ What to do, Family Fun, Where to go, Beyond The Beach, Day Trippin, 2012-02-20T22:49:19+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/gulf-shores-and-orange-beach-to-showcase-mardi-gras-parades-on-fat-tuesday http://coast360.com/blog/post/gulf-shores-and-orange-beach-to-showcase-mardi-gras-parades-on-fat-tuesday#When:12:07:05Z Two great parades are on tap for Fat Tuesday in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. The city of Gulf Shores procession will begin at 10am on Hwy. 59, starting at the bottom of the Intracoastal Canal Bridge and ending at the Public Beach area. The event is free to the public and if you would like to participate with your float and Krewe please contact Judy Kaiser at 251-968-7301. The city of Orange Beach Mardi Gras Parade begins at 2pm at Wintzell's (24131 Perdido Beach Blvd.) and ends at Hwy. 161 in Orange Beach. This one is also free to the public and if you would like to participate please call 251-981-6979. 2012-02-16T12:07:05+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/easter-egg-hunt-sunrise-service-and-more-at-bellingrath-gardens-and-home http://coast360.com/blog/post/easter-egg-hunt-sunrise-service-and-more-at-bellingrath-gardens-and-home#When:15:16:47Z Bellingrath Gardens and Home Has a Great Spring Line up of Activities including and an Easter Egg Hunt, Sunrise Service, Classic Car Show and 5K/Fun Run Easter Egg Hunt Saturday, March 31, 2012 Admission: Adults $12, Children 5 -12 $6.50 and Children 4 and under are free Bellingrath will host their annual Easter Egg Hunt on The Great Lawn.  Thousands of Easter Eggs will be all over The Great Lawn for children to discover.  There will be plenty of candy and treats for kids of all ages.  Registration for the Easter Egg Hunts will begin at 9:00 a.m. on The Great Lawn.  Children may participate in one of three Egg Hunts depending on their age.  The Bellingrath Café will have a special snack area on Live Oak Plaza with all sorts of special Easter treats.  A professional photographer will be available to take children’s Easter Portraits with The Easter Bunny from 9:00 – noon.  The Southern Belle River Cruiser will conduct cruises at   11:00 and 1:00. The Easter Egg Hunt is opened to the public. Easter Sunrise Service Sunday, April 8, 2012 at 6:30 a.m. Admission:  Between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. admission is free As the sun rises over Bellingrath Gardens and Home on Easter Sunday, April 24, enjoy a special Sunrise Service with friends and family on Live Oak Plaza between the Bellingrath Home and the Boehm Gallery.  The service will begin at 6:30 a.m. and is opened to everyone in the community. During the service an offering will be collected to benefit The Interfaith Hospitality Network – The Family Promise Ministry.  Chairs will be set up, but guests may bring their own. Easter Breakfast Cruise on the Southern Belle Sunday, April 8, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. Admission:  $35 per person and reservations are required. The 2 hour cruise will depart from the Bellingrath Gardens Riverfront Pavilion at 8:00 a.m.  The menu includes ham, grits, eggs, biscuits, sausage, bacon, fruit and pastries. Advanced reservations are required, please call Alabama Cruises at 973-1244.  19th Annual Camellia Classic Car Show April 14, 2012  Admission: Adults $12, Children 5 -12 $6.50 and Children 4 and under are free Stroll through hundreds of classic and vintage automobiles including the Model T, antique Mustangs, Firebirds and more on the Great Lawn at Bellingrath Gardens and Home. Sponsored by the Mobile Bay Mustang Club. Visitors can feast on a barbeque lunch from THE SHED that will be on sale while enjoying live entertainment from MudBucket throughout the day.  Proceeds from the car show benefit Bay Area Food Bank.  Plus, bring a canned good and receive $1 off regular gardens admission.  Visit http://www.mobilebaymustangclub.org/ for more information.  Running for St. Jude 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run  April 15, 2012  Race Entry Fees: Pre-register: 5K - $20 and Fun Run - $12 / Day of the Race: 5K - $25 and Fun Run - $15. Bellingrath will host  Running for St. Jude 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run to benefit St. Jude's Children's Hospital. All of the proceeds will help support the more than 70 children receiving treatment for serious illness at St. Jude's Hospital. Immediately following the race there will be light refreshments for all participants and the Gardens will open for visitors to tour.  More info at http://mobilestjuderun.org/5k-run/  Registration Form:  http://mobilestjuderun.org/wp-content/plugins/downloads-manager/upload/stjuderaceform2012.pdf   What to do, Family Fun, What to eat, Where to go, Beyond The Beach, Day Trippin, 2012-02-15T15:16:47+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/two-parades-at-the-wharf-mardi-gras-celebration-feb.-20 http://coast360.com/blog/post/two-parades-at-the-wharf-mardi-gras-celebration-feb.-20#When:22:59:23Z On Monday, Feb. 20, Main Street at The Wharf will transform into the Pleasure Island Mardi Gras Festival.  The fun begins at 10am and run till 10pm or longer!  Admission and parking is FREE. Families will enjoy free face-painting, street entertainers, fire breathers, clowns, a giant slide, and bounce house. Oh yeah, and two parades. The first begins at 2pm, with a brand new Kid and Pet parade. This event will allow you to throw beads and miniature stuffed animals to the kids as they walk down Main Street.  The music starts right after this parade with Wes Baylis on stage from 3pm to 5pm. At 5pm, The Wharf Mardi Gras Parade begins!  There will be bands, Go-Karts, floats, plenty of beads, and all of your favorite Krewes showing off some of the best costumes and decorations in the area. The fun does not stop there, as the floats will make their way up and down Main Street and then stop, giving Revelers an opportunity to take pictures with the Krewes and their floats. At 6pm the cool sounds of the Knee Deep band will take center stage for the rest of the evening. For more information contact Rob Lynch at roblynch@rvexpo.net or call 941-780-0538.  www.WharfResort.com .   What to do, Family Fun, Where to go, Beyond The Beach, 2012-02-13T22:59:23+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/another-mardi-gras-parade-in-orange-beach-on-saturday-feb.-18-at-530pm http://coast360.com/blog/post/another-mardi-gras-parade-in-orange-beach-on-saturday-feb.-18-at-530pm#When:13:00:12Z If you missed the Mystical Order of Mirams Mardi Gras Parade in Orange Beach on Feb. 17 at 6:30pm, no worries. You can catch the Mystics of Pleasure arade on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 5:30pm! Parade begins promptly at 5:30 pm.  Parade follows Hwy. 182 (Perdido Beach Blvd.) from west to east.  Parade begins at the traffic light by Wintzell's Oyster House.  Parade ends at Perdido Dunes Condominium.  Route is approximately 3.2 miles long. The parade loads at Zeke’s all day. The Orange Beach Police Department will escort the floats from Zeke’s parking lot to the parade start at Wintzell.  Parade floats should enter Zeke’s parking lot on the West side and get in line. Float pictures will start at 4pm. For more details, check out http://mysticsofpleasure.org/events-news/ball-a-parade-info What to do, Family Fun, Where to go, Beyond The Beach, 2012-02-10T13:00:12+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/tickets-on-sale-now-for-the-hangout-music-fest-in-gulf-shores http://coast360.com/blog/post/tickets-on-sale-now-for-the-hangout-music-fest-in-gulf-shores#When:16:04:46Z Tickets went on sale Friday, Feb. 10, for the 2012 Hangout Music Fest in Gulf Shores, scheduled for May 18-20. To order tickets, please visit www.hangoutmusicfest.com/tickets Headlining this year’s event include Dave Matthews Band, Jack White and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, along with dance tent headliner Skrillex. General Admission, VIP, Super VIP and Big Kahuna festival tickets are all available including a limited number of “Early Bird” passes. The festival’s music performances will take place across four stages featuring two main stages right on the beach and an air-conditioned dance tent. Confirmed artists also include String Cheese Incident, Wilco, The Flaming Lips Perform Dark Side of the Moon, Dispatch, Steve Winwood, Chris Cornell, STS9, Gogol Bordello, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Mac Miller, Flogging Molly, Coheed & Cambria, Paul Oakenfold. Also,  G. Love and Special Sauce, Randy Newman, Dr. Dog, Young the Giant, Cage the Elephant, Dawes, Alabama Shakes, M Ward, Yelawolf, Switchfoot, Julian Marley, Zeds Dead, Mavis Staples, Shpongle, Gary Clark Jr., Rebelution, Allen Stone, Big Freedia, The Devil Makes Three, Paper Diamond, Futurebirds, Hey Rosetta!, Sleeper Agent, The Lumineers, Archnemesis, Tribal Seeds, Rich Aucoin, Jamie Bergeron and more to be announced. The concert crew has really stepped up to offer some really cool ticket packages and even more room for amenities. All fans will enjoy amenities including: Hammock Beach, a shaded area with art installations; the Sky-bar tower, offering 360-degree views of the festival; amusement rides; water stations with free refills for all guests; plus live comedy performances and a family-friendly kids’ stage at The Hangout club. And check out these ticket levels. VIP pass-holders receive easy access to the site through special VIP entrances; prime viewing areas, including an in-ground pool with views of the main stage; a shaded VIP Grove with complimentary drinks and food as well as private restrooms. Super VIPs will also receive 24/7 concierge services; access to a private, air-conditioned dining room and lounge featuring exclusive meals prepared by renowned chefs; admittance to the Pre-Fest party; golf cart chauffeur service and priority on-site lodging reservation privileges. Additionally, “Big Kahuna” pass-holders will enjoy all of the above, as well on-stage access for most performances at the main stage; access to the artist compound at the Hangout;  and “headliner” status post-show transportation. Special lodging and travel packages are available at www.hangoutmusicfest.com/info/lodging/ and Travel package information is available at www.hangoutmusicfest.com/tickets/travel-packages/ May just got a whole lot more exciting! 2012-02-08T16:04:46+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/check-out-the-mystical-order-of-mirams-mardi-gras-parade-in-orange-beach-fe http://coast360.com/blog/post/check-out-the-mystical-order-of-mirams-mardi-gras-parade-in-orange-beach-fe#When:23:06:59Z The Mystical Order of Mirams will kick off our local Mardi Gras parades on Friday, Feb. 17 at 6:30pm in Orange Beach. The parade route begins at Wintzell’s on 24131 Perdido Beach Blvd. and ends at Alabama Point. Watch and enjoy as revelers throw sweets, trinkets, beads and toys. “The floats are amazing, and the krewe is excited to share beads, plush toys and moon pies,” said Tonia Turner, Association President. The Mystical Order of Mirams is a women’s Mardi Gras association based in Orange Beach, AL, but with members from all over Baldwin County and stretching as far as Mobile, Atlanta and Birmingham.  The krewe began in 2006 when founding members wanted to start a women’s krewe that would be able to parade and ball in a style.  With every event they host, they give generous donations to charity. New members are welcomed. As a member of the Mystical Order of Mirams you will become friends with a large group of women and their families.  Many of the members are local business owners and work in local industries.   What to do, Family Fun, Where to go, Beyond The Beach, 2012-02-06T23:06:59+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/seafood-anyone-orange-beach-seafood-festival-set-for-saturday-feb25 http://coast360.com/blog/post/seafood-anyone-orange-beach-seafood-festival-set-for-saturday-feb25#When:17:46:12Z Delicious seafood, arts and crafts, live music and a fabulous car show are all on tap for the 20th Annual Orange Beach Seafood Festival sponsored by the Orange Beach Sports Association (OBSA). This festival is the Association's major fundraiser to support sports-related activities in our area, specifically youth baseball, softball and T-Ball.  Proceeds are used to purchase uniforms, equipment, insurance, and pay for expenses of officials and sponsor clinics.   The day of fun begins at 10am and includes a silent auction, a car show featuring antique, classic & hot rod vehicles, a Kids Zone with climbing wall, inflatables & games and also a children's performance pavilion.   For those of you who have a cool ride, the entry fee to participate in the car show is $15 but you also get two free meal tickets for delicious seafood, so it’s like being paid to show off your car. Not to mention all the great music. The festival will be held at the Orange Beach Sportsplex located at 4385 William Silvers Pkwy.  just off AL Hwy. 180 (Canal Road) in Orange Beach, about 1 mile from the Foley Beach Express exit on Canal Road. This is an alcohol-free event, and no pets are allowed. For more information, check out Orange Beach Seafood Festival or call Jeanne @ 251-981-1524. What to do, Family Fun, What to eat, Let's Eat, Where to go, Beyond The Beach, Where to Shop, 2012-02-01T17:46:12+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/soar-above-the-crowd-on-valentines-day http://coast360.com/blog/post/soar-above-the-crowd-on-valentines-day#When:17:26:41Z Flowers and dining out– ho hum. Go wild, man! Be creative! Nothing says "I love you to the ends of the earth" more than sharing a unique experience on Valentine's Day. Check this out. You and your sweetheart can take to the skies in an open-air biplane courtesy of The Bird of Paradise. Just image the thrill, excitement, and yes a little apprehension. But here is where you shine, you manly man! Bar and Dannie Eisenhauer are the owner/operators of Bird of Paradise and fly out of Jack Edwards Airport at the Gulf Air Center in Gulf Shores. Bar has been flying all is life, and his zeal for flight and showing his guests a great time is a passion for him. The plane is a time machine in the form of a 1928 Travel Air biplane. Taking the name of its twin engine big brother, a 1946 Beech D-18-S, The Bird Of Paradise has undergone a three-year complete restoration that has breathed new life into an airplane that was a classic even when it was brand new.   The Travel Air was designed with passenger service in mind. The front cockpit, which has a basic instrumentation in the panel, was built for two average-size passengers. Prices run from a 15-minute cruise over Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, low enough to wave at those beach bums looking up and wishing they were you for $120 to The Sunset Sonata, their most popular flight, flying out to historic Fort Morgan, along the Bon Secour River, and over Mobile Bay.  Or follow the Intracoastal Waterway east to Wolf Bay and look down at on Pirate's Cove off Perdido Bay where they serve Jimmy Buffet’s “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” just west of Pensacola. Either one is $260. And with comments like “We experienced the ride of a lifetime today!” and “We will never forget the hospitality and the expertise of Bar's flying ability, “ you and your sweetheart can expect to enjoy a Valentine’s Day like no other. So check out The Bird of Paradise or call Toll Free 1-866-MUST FLY, (1.866.687.8359) What to do, Family Fun, Where to go, Beyond The Beach, 2012-01-30T17:26:41+00:00 http://coast360.com/blog/post/winter-wednesdays-at-bellingrath-gardens-and-home http://coast360.com/blog/post/winter-wednesdays-at-bellingrath-gardens-and-home#When:17:54:47Z   Gardening, History and viewing Museum Collections are all part of the Winter Wednesdays at Bellingrath Gardens and Home Through the Month of February. With Spring almost here – (and maybe already here), it might just be the perfect time for visit the Bellingrath Gardens and Home in Theodore on Wednesdays for some gardening tips, and great discussions about the history of the timeless landmark and check out some of the museum’s incredible collections. All programs are free for Members of the Friends of Bellingrath and $12 for non-members. (the $12 fee for non-members includes admission to Bellingrath Gardens for the day of the program.) The line-up includes, ·         February 1 - Birding on the Gulf Coast (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM)  Dr. Mark LaSalle with the Pascagoula Audubon Center will discuss the many different birds that call this part of the world home and those that pass through. Weather permitting, Dr. LaSalle will lead a birding walk through the Gardens. ·         February 8 - Raising Roses (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM)  Linda Guy, Rosarian for Bellingrath Gardens and Home will demonstrate pruning methods and share information about growing roses on the Gulf Coast. ·          February 15 – Camellias (10:30 AM – 11:30 AM) Bobby Green with Green Brothers Nursery is one of the area's best Camellia growers. He will discuss selecting and growing Camellias. A selection of plants from Bobby's nursery will be on sale in the Bellingrath Gift Shop. ·         February 22 - Horticulture By the Numbers (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM) Chuck Owens,  Bellingrath's Director of Horticulture will help de-mystify all of the numbers on fertilizer bags and how to measure pH. Chuck will share his extensive knowledge of the basics and how to use this information to get your garden in perfect balance. One of my favorite Camellias is “Snow on the Mountain”. (Pictured above). This one blooms in the dead of winter, providing an abundance of brilliant white flowers that fall beautifully to the ground when they are spent, creating a snow-like effect. It is an easy-to-care for plant, but does need to be covered during a freeze. I group a bunch of them together and utilize a big tarp to cover them – pretty easy, and well worth the effort. What to do, Family Fun, Where to go, Beyond The Beach, Day Trippin, 2012-01-27T17:54:47+00:00