The palm trees are back and they are great! The City of Mexico Beach continues to develop and restore the beaches.
Beautiful Landscaping
The palm trees are back and they are great! The City of Mexico Beach continues to develop and restore the beaches. The plan, which is on the city’s website, mexicobeachgov.com, includes thousands of plants, twenty different varieties of ground covers, and over ninety-five palm trees. The landscaping consists of native coastal plants that are environmentally friendly and designed to protect the structure of the beach. The cost of the renovations, around $470,000, have been funded by the Florida Department of Transportation. The Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association, along with the City, also has plans to place educational signage about the reef program near the beach walkovers for demonstration and educational purposes. We are very proud of our beaches and how the city is coming together so beautifully.
And the winner is...
Last month, we had a fishing shirt from KC Sportfishing up for grabs, and the lucky winner is Laine Harowitz, from Woodstock, Georgia. Congrats, Laine!
MAY GIVEAWAY
This month, we are giving away a 2021 Kingfish Tournament shirt from the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association. Mexico Beach has one of the most active artificial reef associations in the country. Our reef system helps generate the quantity and variety of fish caught off these beautiful shores, and it creates a fishing and diving playground. For every one hundred members, MBARA can build and deploy two eight-foot pyramid reefs that will be here for decades. To place your name in the hat, send an email to Kathy at [email protected].
Meet Mexico Beach
This month, we are delighted to let all our readers know that the Express Lane gas station, on Highway 98 near 8th Street, has opened. We can now get gas locally, along with beach items, snacks, beer and wine. The new manager, Ms. January, indicated that they will be moving to a twenty-four-hour convenience store shortly. There are six gas pumps as well as the Florida Lotto. The long-awaited return of Subway is under way, and Ms. January expects it to be opened in three to four months. When you’re driving by next time, be sure to stop by, fuel up, and grab a snack or two!
Mexico Beach Annual Photography Contest
April 1–July 31
Get ready to print those pictures and try your hand at our annual photography contest. The 21st Annual Mexico Beach Photography Contest opens for submissions on April 1 and runs through July 31. We welcome all photographs taken in Mexico Beach—past and present. Categories are Around Mexico Beach, Sunrises & Sunsets, The Beach, Fishing & Boating, People, and Flora & Animal Life. We hope you will capture Mexico Beach through your “eyes” and enter our photography contest.
Come check out a book, or two, or three from the Mobile Library! The Mobile Library will be set up at City Hall, located at 201 Paradise Path, near the covered pavilion from 12:30 p.m. till 3:00 p.m. The Mobile Library is open to the public and will be stocked with books for all ages (print and audiobooks) and DVD movies. Library patrons will be able to register for a library card and borrow and return items. So, if you don’t have a library card, don’t let that stop you. Patrons who place requests for items at other libraries can pick up those items from the Mobile Library, so patrons are not limited to the titles on the vehicle. With a nice selection of books, there will be something for everyone to read. Reading is a wonderful activity you can enjoy while at the beach, so be sure to stop and experience the benefits of the library being brought to you.
Ready to fish without having to purchase a license? The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission is offering license-free fishing days for those wanting to test the waters. This is an excellent opportunity for those who don’t already have a fishing license to experience fishing, take young people fishing, or introduce a friend to fishing without having to purchase a State of Florida–issued fishing license. On the listed days, the fishing license requirement is waived for all recreational anglers, including both State of Florida residents and nonresidents.
The first fishing tournament of the summer, the GollyWhopper Classic, is set for June 11–12, 2021! Both the Captain’s Party and the Weigh-In will take place at the Mexico Beach Boat Ramp, located at 109 44th Street. This year’s categories are Red Snapper, Grouper, and King Mackerel. There will also be a youth division (14 & under). The Captain’s Party will be held on Friday, June 11, at 5:00 p.m. The Weigh-In will take place on Saturday, June 12, from 3:30 p.m. till 5:30 p.m. There will be live music and food on both nights. This one-day tournament is one you’ll want to enter. Get ready to fuel up, head out, and compete for your chance at some great cash prizes.
Mexico Beach is a Leave No Trace community, and we appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our beaches clean. Any items left on the beach unattended from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. will be removed and disposed of by the City of Mexico Beach. Items include, but are not limited to, tents and tent frames, beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas, toys, etc. Also, please fill in any holes before you leave and please remain off the sand dunes and out of the sea oats to ensure their continued nourishment. There are boardwalks and walking paths that can be accessed to reach the beach. Your assistance with these requests will keep our beaches beautiful and pristine. For full details on this ordinance or questions, click here or contact City Hall at (850) 648-5700.
Lime Grilled Pompano
This delicious dish is a great appetizer and party favorite! We publish it compliments of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association Seafood Cookbook (www.mbara.org).
INGREDIENTS
4 8-ounce pompano fillets
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 limes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt
Cracked black pepper
PREPARATION
Rub the fillets with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill the fillets skin-side up over a medium-hot fire for about 3–4 minutes, until the fish is opaque all the way through. Remove the fillets from the fire, drizzle them with the olive oil, squeeze a half lime over each, and sprinkle them with the parsley. Serve with your favorite side dish and fresh bread, and enjoy!
It’s All About Shoes
Shoes: they are an important part of an outfit as well as great foot protectors. Here are some humorous thoughts on shoes.
—Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life.
—No matter how much I eat, the shoes still fit.
—If you don’t think shoes are important, just ask Dorothy.
—Shoes are like dessert: there is always room for more.
—Be a stiletto in a room full of flats.
—Give a girl the right set of shoes and she can conquer the world.
—Forty percent of women have thrown a shoe at a man, the other 60 percent would never disrespect a shoe that way.
—Chocolate is good, but shoes are carb-free.
—Keep your heels, head, and standards high.
—When in doubt, wear red shoes.
Playing the Field
We generally consider “playing the field” to mean a single person going out with a variety of people and not having a steady or exclusive relationship. This phrase goes back to the nineteenth century and has transferred from horse racing to dating. In the old days, some gamblers believed they could increase their chances of winning at a horse race by betting on every horse except the favorite. This was called “playing the field” of horses—and it was generally unsuccessful.
