The Gulf Coast’s serene beauty is highlighted in a new exhibit for the Mobile Museum of Art this month.  Running now until January 8th, visitors can view an exhibit entitled “Celebrating Our Maritime Heritage: A Coastal Holiday.”  This art display features local artists who have represented the Gulf Coast with their own unique mediums including oil and acrylic painting and photography.  One artist, Penny Lewis, a long time Mobile AL native, who enjoys the natural wildlife of the area represented this love in a brilliant painting called “Odd Man Out” which depicts local pelicans; her painting won 1st prize.  Another artist, William Morris, who won best in show, submitted a stunning piece called “Dusk on the Delta” using acrylics to show the port city at its finest.

The Mobile Museum of Art in Langan Park is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sundays from 1-5 pm with admission for adults set at $10 and $6 for students.

For more on this or other community activities in Mobile AL, visit al.com.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile, West Mobile, Daphne, Spanish Fort, or Fairhope AL, contact local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

Keep the holidays simple this year and let someone else do the cooking!  When friends and family drop by, whether expected or unexpected, give them a sense of the local flavor of Mobile AL.  Here are just a few of the great restaurants to check out in Mobile AL this month:

Shamrock, Rose and Thistle offers a “British, gastropub, Tea Room” cuisine with breakfast and brunch options and a casual atmosphere.

Explore a Middle Eastern cuisine with Jerusalem Café.  This great café is perfect for families with children, business lunches, or an evening with that special someone.

Brick Pit has a local cuisine featuring great BBQ choices.  Have lunch, dinner or takeout for a quick meal after holiday shopping.

Looking for fabulous local seafood?  Check out Wintzell’s Oyster House for a pleasant dining experience whether with family or business associates.

And for Mexican and local Seafood, check out Fuego.  Be sure to make a reservation for a special evening.

For more highly rated dining experiences in Mobile AL, visit tripadvisor.com.

And for information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile or West Mobile AL contact local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

Looking for some fun activities this weekend?  Mobile County AL has quite a few festive events for the whole family starting on Saturday October 29th.  The Chickasaw United Methodist Church, the Cottage Hill Presbyterian Church, and the Government Street Baptist Church will be holding their “Trunk n Treat” activities on Saturday, while the Cross River Church, and First Baptist Church of Irvington will be holding their versions on October 31st.  A “Trick or Treat at the Exploreum” event is scheduled for Oct 31st from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Gulf Coast Exploreum and will feature candy, hands on activities, and critters from the Australian exhibit; admission is $8 or free for Exploreum members.  The Halloween costume contest and parade in Chickasaw is on Saturday for kids to compete based on age groupings for the best costume.  And if you find that all the candy your kids have collected for these activities can be better distributed, Dr. Shaun Small at Complete Dental of Mobile AL will be holding a ‘candy buyback’ on Tuesday and Wednesday November 1st and 2nd; bring any new and unopened treats for a buyback price of $1 per pound and the candy will be sent to U.S. troops serving overseas as part of Operation Gratitude.

For more on these or other great activities this weekend in Mobile County AL, visit al.com.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile, West Mobile, Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort AL, contact local agent Barbara Reeves today.

Mobile County AL will be seeing some preservation projects moving forward due to new funds awarded to the cause.  Today the Alabama Historical Commission announced that they were awarding $47, 600 to go towards three historical preservation projects including Barton Academy, Fort Gaines, and a local cemetery.  The Mobile Historic Development Commission will receive $15,880 for a market needs analysis of Barton Academy in downtown Mobile AL, Dauphin Island Park and Beach Board will be able to use $15,855 to make repairs to the historic Fort Gaines, and $15,880 will go to Friends of the Catholic Church to preserve a cemetery.  These grants are part of the $750,00 total that were awarded statewide by the Historical Commission.  The Historical Commission hopes that this will help develop local economies, provide jobs, and strengthen tourism.

For more on this or other new developments in Mobile AL, visit al.com.

And for more on buying or selling real estate in Mobile AL, contact Barbara Reeves today.

The Mobile Carnival Museum is hosting a fun event this Saturday, September 17th!  This “Mobile Mystery Dinner” event will be an evening to remember as you attempt to solve the mystery while enjoying dinner.  It is $57 per person to attend and the price includes unlimited wine bar, an entertaining play by the MMD Players, a multi-course meal by Creative Catering, and a tour of The Mobile Carnival Museum.  This event has a tendency to sell out, so be sure to make your reservation right away.

Also be sure to mark your calendars for the second annual Murder Mystery Weekend on October 29th to the 30th in Mobile AL as well.

For more on this or other activities in Mobile AL, visit mobile.org.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile AL, contact Barbara Reeves today.

This coming month of September is packed with things to do in Mobile AL.  The Saenger Theatre in Mobile will be having the “Hippiefest” on the 1st, Leon Redbone on the 27th, and Weird Al Yankovic on the 28th.  The Labor day weekend Car and Bike Show Fundraiser will be held on Saturday, September 3rd at the Hank Aaron Stadium, which is sponsored by P.O.W.E.R. Inc, a nonprofit community oriented organization in conjunction with Cross Creek Consultants Inc.; all vehicles are welcome to participate in the show with trophies being awarded to the winners for each category.  This great family event will have music, food, games and prizes and the pre-registration cost for cars is $20 and $15 for motorcycles.  Also, don’t forget to check out the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center.  At the Exploreum you’ll be entertained as well as educated with great IMAX experiences, hands on exhibits, and ‘virtual journeys.’

For more information on coming events for September in Mobile AL, visit wkrg.com.

And for more on buying or selling real estate in Mobile and West Mobile AL, contact your local agent Barbara Reeves today.

In a recent meeting, the Mobile City Council voted to approve the spending of $3 million dollars for the completion of the GulfQuest Museum in downtown Mobile AL.  Despite some opposition, the vote was favorable and Mayor Sam Jones hopes that the museum will be a main selling point for the area.  The maritime museum is being constructed at the waterfront and is tentatively scheduled to be finished next year.  Recently estimated projections suggest that around 350,000 people will likely visit the museum each year and put millions of dollars back into Mobile.  The completed museum will have about 90,000 sq ft of exhibit space with many high tech and interactive attractions including a ship piloting simulator.

For more on this project or other planned projects in Mobile AL, visit wkrg.com.

And for more on buying or selling real estate in the beautiful Gulf Coast, including Mobile, West Mobile, Fairhope, Spanish Fort, and Daphne Alabama, contact Barbara Reeves today.

Mike Gottfried, a former college football coach and sports broadcast analyst, was named 2010 Mobilian of the year in a recent ceremony at the University of South Alabama Mitchell Center.  Because of Gottfried’s work in founding Team Focus in 2000, he has helped provide role models and leadership for fatherless boys throughout the years; Gottfried’s own experience in losing his father at a young age helped inspire him to give those in similar situations guidance and support for which he was honored for last Thursday, April 7th.  The Mobilian of the Year award is reserved for those individuals who have been extraordinary influences on the Mobile community and has been given annually since 1948 as a proud tradition.

For more on this and other great community news in Mobile AL, visit al.com.

And for more information on buying or selling real estate in Mobile or West Mobile AL, contact local agent Barbara Reeves today.

Last week marked the arrival of a new carnival ship into Mobile River.  The old Carnival Cruise Line ship, Fantasy, departed for its last voyage in Mobile AL and the new ship, Elation, is now up and running to take over.  The Fantasy is being sent to Charleston SC where it will continue to be used for year round cruises.   Although the Elation was brought to service in 1998, it was newly renovated in 2009 and has a luxurious 1,026 staterooms, four restaurants, two swimming pools and 12 lounges and bars as well as a theater and a health club.  The ship is expected to make 74 departures from Mobile AL’s terminal annually and have approximately 170,000 passengers during that time.

For more on Carnival Cruise Line cruises in Mobile AL, visit AL.com.

And for more on real estate in Mobile AL contact local agent Barbara Reeves today.

Entertainment at the theatre is coming up in the Mobile AL area.  The Mobile Opera for the 2010 year will favor area theatre patrons with great productions including “Candide,” “The Light in the Piazza,” and Tosca.”  The Mobile Opera company will be celebrating their 65th anniversary this year of bringing their top-notch talent and brilliant performances to the Gulf Coast.
Mark your calendars for this week’s performance of “Der fliegende Hollander” (“The Flying Dutchman”) showing at the Mobile Civic Center Theater in downtown Mobile AL on March 25 and 27 at 7:30 in the evening.

For more information on the Mobile Opera productions, visit mobileopera.org.

For information on buying or selling property in Mobile or West Mobile AL, contact Barbara Reeves today.