Discover Alabama Beaches » Arts

2 Authors to Speak Wednesday at Library

Meyer Real Estate — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:16:24 +0000

The first full week of February leads to a full Wednesday at the Orange Beach Public Library—a day when readers, authors and history buffs are in for a treat.

Patricia Brady will speak Wednesday, February 8, 2012, of her newest book, A Being So Gentle: The Frontier Love Story of Rachel Donelson and Andrew Jackson

At 10 a.m. on February 8, The Friends of the Orange Beach Library will present Patricia Brady, a historian and author, who will speak about her newest book, A Being So Gentle: The Frontier Love Story of Rachel Donelson and Andrew Jackson.

From Rachel and Andrew’s love affair to his rise in the military and political worlds, and from wars to plantation life to raising children (often alone), Rachel unwaveringly supported Andrew’s aspirations. Unfortunately, Rachel died just weeks prior to Andrew’s move to the White House, and the president’s devotion to her kept him from remarrying.

Ms. Brady brings the touching story to vivid life for her readers, and you will enjoy her personal glimpse into the lives of the powerful couple and the research that helped to create the narrative.

After savoring a leisurely lunch and shopping in town, return to the library by 3 p.m. for a different brand of insight into our country’s more recent past with the author of a historical novel that ties together events from present day and 1940.

Bob Buckley's novel The Slave Tag finds two college students investigating an unreported murder from 1940.

Bob Buckley’s compelling story, The Slave Tag, is directed by two college students who stumble upon some information about an old, unreported crime. Their interest piqued, the characters eventually follow their research to an unpleasant set of circumstances in the Deep South.

In addition to the discussion of his book, Mr. Buckley (yes, the geocaching expert from previous library programs) will also enlighten his audience on the changed landscape of publishing in today’s world and how it affects authors.

Join fellow booklovers, history enthusiasts and authors for both of these enlightening (and free!) conversations. But don’t say we didn’t warn you—after visiting with these authors, you will be so intrigued by their books that you will just have to purchase your own copies. Happy reading!

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Cedric Burnside Project

Meyer Real Estate — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:17:07 +0000

If you are a blues fan, you know how great North Mississippi blues is. It catches your ear and then captures your heart with its deep-felt lyrics and haunting melodies.

Let the Cedric Burnside Project shower you with their mixture of blues, funk, R&B and soul for an exhilarating evening of free music Friday, February 3, 2012.

National recording artist Cedric Burnside is one of the modern greats of this genre. And he comes by it naturally, as his grandfather was the legendary blues man R.L. Burnside.

This Friday, February 3, 2012, you will want to be in the audience at The Hangout for a free performance by the Cedric Burnside Project. The main man will be joined by his younger brother, Cody Burnside, on vocals including rap (yes, rap and blues!) and Trenton Ayers on guitar and bass. You’ll discover how amazingly flexible and inventive this trio is as you soak up the sounds of their North Mississippi/Mississippi Hill Country blues, funk, R&B and soul. You might try, but you won’t be able to keep your feet still while they are on stage.

Come early and enjoy your evening meal at The Hangout. Not only will you have a terrific menu to choose from and an energetic atmosphere to enjoy it in, but it will also allow you to claim your favorite spot, as this is a free show with no reserved seating. The music is scheduled for 7–10 p.m. where Highway 59 ends and the fun begins!

Gospel Quartet Convention in Orange Beach

Meyer Real Estate — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:24:48 +0000

Good ol’ gospel singin’ is comin’ your way!

Three powerful days of gospel quartet singing February 2-4 in Orange Beach, Alabama. You don't want to miss this!

You’ll be amazed by the tremendous talents of numerous gospel artists, both well-known and up-and-coming, at the Gulf Coast Quartet Convention in Orange Beach, Alabama, on February 2, 3 and 4, 2012.

From 2 until 5 p.m. and again 6 until 7 p.m. each day, rising stars are welcomed to the stage by Phil Cross, Tim Lovelace, Paul Smith, and Rose Gilley.

The evening’s featured and headline performers will take the stage between 7 and 10 p.m.:
Thursday— Phil Cross, HisSong, Mark 209 (formerly The Mystery Men), Tim Lovelace, Fourtwelve (formerly Shiloh)
Friday— Jeff & Sheri Easter
Saturday— The Hoppers

At 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, the Night Owl Showcase will be open to any performers who want to sing again, so be sure to keep the applause going. You may even hear some spontaneous regroupings by the artists.

Saturday afternoon, arrive early and be ready for laughs with the Tim Lovelace Comedy Hour from 1 until 2 p.m. Also on Saturday, 1–4 p.m., Phil Cross is hosting a Writer’s Lab. Both events are available for a separate fee and may be purchased at the artist’s booth in the exhibit area.

All of the events will take place at the Conference Center at The Wharf, except the Writer’s Lab, which is at Romar Beach Baptist Church. And all of the artists will have booths where you can speak with the members, purchase CDs, take pictures and collect autographs.

General admission tickets for the 3-day event are $50, or you may purchase a single-day pass for $25. Artist Circle tickets—$100 full pass or $50 single-day—allow seating within the first 5 rows, where you may also interact with the seated artists. Advance purchase is preferred by calling organizer Paul Smith at 251-981-8960, but tickets also will be available at the door. And don’t worry about where to go for mealtime, as local restaurants will be there with their booths of delicious foods from seafood to barbecue and more.

Besides those mentioned above, other artists appearing at the event include:
James Sheldon
Gold Harbor
GladHeart
Mountain Joy
The Drummond Family
Majestic Sounds
The Copenhavers
Appointed By Grace
Omega
Paul Family
McClellan Singing Sisters
E-SweetsCandy
Darlene Chapman
Restored Trio
Song of David
Vonda Easley
Amy Dunnam
John 3:16
Bourn Again
Grace Trio
The Jonathans
Nikki Ellison

Start planning now, and take advantage of the special price on accommodations when you stay with Meyer Vacation Rentals. Purchase 2 nights in a condo or 5 nights in a house and get 2 more nights FREE, making it extra-affordable to attend this exciting weekend of music. You may wish to claim a nearby condo or house in Orange Beach as your home base, but feel free to choose from any of the 1500+ properties available.

Orange Beach Public Library Annual Book Sale

Meyer Real Estate — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:36:25 +0000

Love to read? You’re in the right place at the right time.

Stock up on great reading at the Orange Beach Public Library Book Sale this Friday and Saturday.

The Friends of the Orange Beach Public Library host a sale each January, and this year it’s Friday and Saturday, January 13 and 14. (Yes, this weekend!)

Of course, you’re aware of the tremendous variety of reading material found at a library. The sale will naturally reflect that, so no matter what you enjoy reading, you won’t be able to leave empty-handed. The challenge will be how many books you can carry—but multiple armloads are encouraged!

Browse to your heart’s content Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. or Saturday from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. But don’t go to the library. Instead, you’ll find the book sale at the Orange Beach Community Center, 27235 Canal Rd., just east of Hwy. 161. If you have questions, give the library a call at 251-981-2923.

Stay informed of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area activities, vacation rental specials and more by subscribing to this Discover Alabama Beaches blog and Meyer Muse, and by following Meyer Vacation Rentals on Facebook and Twitter.

Tornados Touching Down at SBCT

Meyer Real Estate — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:47:39 +0000

The first presentation of the 2012 season at South Baldwin Community Theatre brings back a familiar family of characters.

Start 2012 with laughter! Attend Tornados Touching Down at South Baldwin Community Theatre.

Playwright Laura Sansing Pfizenmayer created the not-quite-perfect Whitfield family for Livin’ & Comin’ Back, which was presented at the theater in October 2010. Tornados Touching Down is the second in a series that follows the family through various trials and tribulations. You will quietly chuckle and heartily laugh as they learn to cope with a wedding, a new baby and, as the title suggests, a tornado.

Performances are scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, January 5–7 and 12–14, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, January 8 and 15, at 2 p.m. Adult tickets are $15, student tickets are $12; they can be purchased at the box office (10 a.m.–2 p.m. or just prior to performance) or via the SBCT website. The theater is located at 2022 W. 2^nd St. in Gulf Shores, across from the Bodenhamer Center and the Erie Meyer Civic Center. Need more details? Call 251-968-6721.

Make it a beach getaway that includes the show, great dining, plenty of local music, outlet shopping, top-notch golf and more. We’ll even give you ONE or TWO FREE NIGHTS depending on how long you stay! Consider a 1-bedroom property in Fort Morgan or choose a house in Gulf Shores based on the size of your group of family and friends.

Noon Year’s Eve at LuLu’s

Meyer Real Estate — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:55:24 +0000

“3, 2, 1 . . .” But it’s too late. Midnight is too late. Your children begged to stay up to see 2011 arrive, but those young eyes just couldn’t stay open that long. Of course, you weren’t surprised, but it was disappointing for them.

Let the young ones celebrate 2012 as they count down to noon December 31 at LuLu's in Gulf Shores.

This year, though, let them experience an event that will make them quite happy. The staff at LuLu’s in Gulf Shores, Alabama is again offering your kids a grand celebration at an hour suited for them. Bring the kids to the Noon Year’s Eve party and let them count down to 12:00 while the sun shines high in the sky.

Doors will open at 10 a.m. for the festivities that include face painting, clowns, games, and a sand castle-building contest. Our own “Little Zoo That Could” will have animals to pet and play with, too. At noon, the countdown will lead to kid-safe fireworks.

At 11 a.m., Amanda Shaw and her band, The Cute Guys, will present a free concert. This petite, 19-year-old champion fiddler was the youngest soloist ever with the Baton Rouge Symphony—at age 8. Since then, she has written and arranged music to play on her recordings and during national and international tours, and she has twice held featured roles in Disney movies. Her entertaining and inspiring performance is guaranteed to captivate all ages.

If you are thinking about making it a beach weekend with your family, perhaps we can encourage you with TWO FREE NIGHTS in a 3-bedroom condo in Gulf Shores or a 3-bedroom Fort Morgan property.