eNewsletter · May 2013

Memorial Day

In May we celebrate Memorial Day to remember and salute the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The history of this day goes back to the first recorded event in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865. Originally called “Decoration Day,” the name eventually changed to Memorial Day, which was first used in 1882, but the name wasn’t commonly used until World War II. In 1968, Congress passed a bill moving the holiday from May 30 to the last Monday in May. We offer our sincere and profound appreciation and thanks to all Americans who have served in our armed forces and to those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Triathlon Success

Once again, the Beach Blast Spring Triathlon/Duathlon drew a large turnout. With perfect weather, athletes from all over were able to achieve personal bests. The event was a great success and the athletes also raised over $600 for Boston Marathon bombing victims. A special thank you to all those who helped and volunteered to work this great event; we could not have done it without you. The fall race is set for September 14, and more information can be found here.

Mexico Beach Fishing Report

May
For anglers who might have missed the Ling Ding, the pompano have been running up and down the beach. Pompano is the target species from the beaches and the pier. All month, these tasty critters will move up and down the beach, back and forth across the second sandbar looking for an easy meal. Use sand fleas on a dropper rig or cast a pompano jig and bounce it along the sand with a sand flea attached.

Mexico Beach offers some of the best sport fishing in the world. For a complete list of charter services, marina info, and reef coordinates visit mexico-beach.com.

Weddings on the Beach

Mexico Beach is the perfect place to say “I Do”! For more information on weddings or vow renewal ceremonies on the beach, visit mexico-beach.com.

Tyler & Traci
In mid-April, Tyler and Traci came to the beach from Middle Georgia to celebrate their wedding—and it was an impressive affair.

Roger & Flora
Later in the month, Roger and Flora came all the way from Texas to enjoy the beautiful Gulf Coast beaches and celebrate their wedding. Roger has been coming to the area for many years, but it was Flora’s first trip.

Daniel & Rebecca
Just a few days ago, Daniel and Rebecca came from North Georgia with a few of their Canadian friends to celebrate their wedding on our beach. After a short “liquid sunshine” delay, there was a beautiful ceremony on the beach.

2013 Ling Ding Tournament Winner

In April, Mexico Beach hosted the annual The 98 Real Estate Group Ling Ding fishing tournament, and it was great! The tournament extended over four weekends and 45 boats participated. Congratulations to Captain Mitch Coleman and his crew on the FloriDaze for catching the winning cobia, which weighed in at 67.30 pounds!

Mark Your Calendars

Photography Contest
April 1–July 30
The 13th Annual Mexico Beach Photography Contest will begin April 1 and run through July 30. All photographs must be taken in Mexico Beach and submitted to the Mexico Beach Community Development Council by the deadline. Entry forms are now available online:

Contest Entry Form (PDF)

Plein Air Invitational
May 2–12
More than 20 nationally acclaimed artists will gather on Florida’s Forgotten Coast to participate in the 8th annual Florida’s Forgotten Coast Plein Air Invitational, America’s Great Plein Air Paint-Out, May 2–12, 2013. Painters will set up their easels and pull out their brushes to document the landscape and culture of this last vestige of authentic “Old Florida”—the coastal stretch of scenic North Florida between Mexico Beach and Alligator Point.

Red Snapper Season
June 1–July 15
Red snapper season opens! This year the season for recreational red snapper is 44 days, starting June 1 and ending July 15. For more information on the red snapper season, click here.

Recipe of the Month

Citrus Baked Mackerel
We thank MBARA for sharing this delicious fish recipe from the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association cookbook.

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs. mackerel steaks, ¾” thick
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. butter
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. grated orange peel
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ cup frozen concentrated orange juice
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
Rinse mackerel in cold water, and dry using paper towels. Arrange mackerel in a 9x13-inch ovenproof baking dish. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a frying pan, add butter, onion, and garlic and sauté until translucent. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, orange peel, salt, and pepper. Spread mixture over mackerel steaks. In a small bowl, mix together orange juice and lemon juice. Sprinkle juice over steaks, but be careful not to wash away the onion/garlic mixture. Bake fish in 400 degree oven for 20 to 22 minutes, turning over after about 10 minutes of cooking time. Continue cooking until time expires or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Do not overcook fish. Spoon hot juice over fish and serve at once. Enjoy!

Thoughts for the Month

This month, we have a collection of trivial ‘facts’ having to do with weddings—there is no guarantee that they are true!

♥ Priscilla Presley’s engagement ring was a whopping 3½-carat rock surrounded by a detachable row of smaller diamonds.

♥ Seventeen tons of gold are made into wedding rings each year in the United States!

♥ Queen Victoria started the Western world’s white wedding dress trend in 1840—before then, a bride simply wore her best dress.

♥ Ancient Greeks and Romans thought the veil protected the bride from evil spirits. Brides have worn veils ever since

♥ Most expensive wedding ever? The marriage of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum’s son to Princess Salama in Dubai in May 1981. The price tag? $44 million.

♥ The custom of tiered cakes emerged from a game where the bride and groom attempted to kiss over an ever-higher cake without knocking it over.

♥ Queen Victoria’s wedding cake weighed a whopping 300 pounds.

♥ An old wives’ tale: If the younger of two sisters marries first, the older sister must dance barefoot at the wedding or risk never landing a husband.

♥ In many cultures around the world—including Celtic, Hindu, and Egyptian—the hands of the bride and groom are literally tied together to demonstrate the couple’s commitment to each other and their new bond as a married couple (giving us the popular phrase "tying the knot").

♥ Princess Victoria established the tradition of playing Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” during her wedding processional in 1858.

♥ The bride stands to the groom’s left during a Christian ceremony because in bygone days the groom needed his right hand free to fight off other suitors.

♥ On average, 7,000 couples marry each day in the United States.

♥ Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve are the two busiest “marriage” days in Las Vegas—elopement central!

  Mexico Beach   |   Things to Do   |   Places to Stay   |   Weddings & Special Events  

  Business Listings   |   News & Events  

©2013 Mexico Beach Community Development Council | (850) 648-8196 or (888) 723-2546 | [email protected]
102 Canal Parkway, Mexico Beach, FL 32456